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Melissa | 4 years ago
Hi Dr Magnifico . . . . First, Thank You For Catching Our Pony That Got Loose Earlier This Summer. …

Hi Dr Magnifico . . . . first, thank you for catching our pony that got loose earlier this summer. I still can’t believe she ended up 4 miles away! But she has stayed put since. I am writing because your front desk told me to reach out to you on here. We are going to be changing vets. Our current small animal vet is just too pushy with trying to sell me everything under the sun, but mainly I have concerns with our one dog going there. He is a 5 yo pitbull. I took him to PennVet Behavioral vet about a year and a half ago upon recommendation of our vet. They diagnosed him with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and prescribed him gabapentin. Our primary vet later changed to fluoxetine and he does really well on that. However, he gets nasty when he’s scared . . . especially at the vet. I muzzle him and feed him peanut butter through the muzzle to try to show him it’s all okay (all recommended by Penn Vet). I give him composure pro prior to the appointment. He is just very scared there and as a result growls and snarls, etc. The current vet is so scared of him she doesn’t even touch his stomach, look in his ears or eyes, etc. I am looking for a vet who can remain calm/reassuring for the dog and show him he has nothing to be nervous about and doesn’t mind completing a thorough exam on him, with his muzzle on of course. Please let me know if you feel your facility would be a good fit for him and which vet we should schedule with. He needs his fluoxetine refilled soon and I hope we can find the right fit before then. Thank you!

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I am happy I could help. This is a tough one for me because there are so many things that need to be discussed in person to help get the needed information and expectations settled. Have you followed up with the team at penn? Has anyone spoken to you about what other options exist on both the medical and training fronts? My preference is to start with a brief visit outside with you present to see what triggers and options exist and then start a medical plan to find the right combination of both short and long term options exist. Ie medications, soft muzzles and restraint tools. It is a process and it sounds like your dog needs some help in finding a compromise to the detonation of happy place care. If you want to try to see what we can do to help I would ask you to call the clinic and ask for a late day weds introduction meet and greet. That’s the safest and calmest entry intro to us and each other.

    Call the clinic and ask for them to have me call you back and we can settle the details.

    Have a wonderful weekend. .

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Bobby | 4 years ago
Our Vet Just Said He Cant Get A Cath In. Possible Scar Tissue. This Cat Has …

our vet just said he cant get a cath in. possible scar tissue. this cat has always had a strong stream and just started having issues 3 weeks ago. vet gave me antibiotics and prazosin. no help there. since he is in hospital they were able to get a stream but it diminished overnight. what can I do? they cant cath him.

3 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Hi there- ages ago we had a male cat who was blocked. They had a very hard time catheterizing him, but eventually were able to. I recall there being a specific medication (I think it was some sort of muscle relaxer) that helped them, but I cannot remember the details. And I believe they also used a needle to relieve some of the bladder pressure which they thought would help. But I know that was tricky because they didn’t want to cause any damage (obviously). Have you spoken to them about options for getting this resolved? I’m sure you have – perhaps another vet at the clinic has suggestions? I hope things work out????????

  2. Bobby Post author

    Prazosin is the relaxer you are referring to. Im sure they are following protocol but Im still weighing the option of a specialty clinic for the PU surgery.

  3. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m not quite sure what you are asking but I think your vet needs to be prepared for other treatment options like a PU surgery, emptying the bladder via a cytsocentesis or referring you elsewhere. In some cases I empty the bladder and place the cat under sedation or anesthesia and try again. It can be hard and frustrating but you need to get the bladder able to empty and they urine able to keep moving. This is a question for your vet to figure out.

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Sandy | 4 years ago
Princess, One Of My Cats Was Seen Sunday For Having Her Days And Nights Mixed Up …

Princess, one of my cats was seen Sunday for having her days and nights mixed up and a lump on her belly. Up through last Thursday she would do anything she could to get me up from knocking things over to stepping on the alarm clock and my CPAP machine.

She was seen Sunday and overall visit looked good.

However, starting Friday night she has only meowed one time. Unknown to me at the time of the visit was that she had thrown up a strip of soft plastic that covers the sticky side if envelopes. My husband saw it and cleaned it up. He said it was folded similar to an accordion. This probably happened during the last night that she was talking all night and into the morning.

She is eating okay but is sleeping most of the day or night. She also is either sneezing or coughing at times. I don’t know which one but she stretches her neck out and makes this repetitive noise.

Is it possible that the plastic may have scratched her throat and that is why she will not meow? I have an appointment for today that I made before bringing her to the clinic on Sunday. I am debating as to whether I should bring her back to be checked.

1 Response

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  1. Gloria

    If she were my kitty, I would bring her in just to make sure all is well now.

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Jan | 4 years ago
My 5 Month Old Kitten Has Become Sick. Not Eating But Still Drinking And Very Tired Is …

My 5 month old kitten Has become sick. Not eating but still drinking and very tired is there anything I can do

4 Responses

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Without knowing a whole bunch more information all I can safely recommend is that you seek immediate veterinary help. If you cannot do this, or cannot Afros to do this please call a rescue or shelter and ask for assistance. There are many Facebook groups that might also be able to provide direction. At this age and based on this description please consider it an emergency. I hope things work out ok. Best of luck to you both.

  2. Sarah

    I would say this is an emergency since the kitten is so young and things can turn dire very quickly with young ones. Please get to the vet ASAP.

  3. Jan Post author

    Now a second kitten from the same litter is also sick . is there anyone that could help or knows What this could be

  4. Shiria

    Hello,
    I just can repeat what Krista already said.
    You need to get them to a Vet, and if you can’t afford that try to get help from shelters or similar.
    There is no way for us to know the reason why your kitten is sick, a vet has to take a look at it. Especially if now a second one is sick you should get them checked.
    Not eating and being tired can be the first signs of cat flu, of gardia (altough here they usually have diarreha first), kitens with FIP can show those signs too – but all of those are just examples, there can be much more reasons and they usually are accompanied by other symtoms.

    And all of them need to be seen by a vet, they can cause severe damage, even if they manage to heal on their own or can even lead to death (except FIP, which sadly is always deadly…).

    Please get them to a vet, only they can help the kittens.

    Best luck to you!

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Drita | 4 years ago
My Neighbor’s Outdoor Cat That She Claims As Hers Because It Hangs Out At Her …

My neighbor’s outdoor cat that she claims as hers because it hangs out at her home and she feeds is wildly neglected. the poor cats left side canine teeth have fused together with plaque and she can’t open her mouth to eat properly or drink water as her tongue sticks out on the right side of her mouth. She seems dehydrated and flea infested-I gave her half dose of Bravecto since she feels like she’s 4-5 pounds and is about 6-8 years old. The neighbor doesn’t seem to see this and believes that cat is fine since she’s trying to eat…… She has an indoor cat that she takes care of really well. Any recommendations? if I take the cat to the vet for dental treatment, what would the cost be for something like this and would a cat in this condition even make it through anesthesia?

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    If you are able to talk to your neighbor see if they are willing to let you help care for him. If you feel they are not willing to let you help call your local animal welfare officers, local rescues and shelters and ask for assistance for this cat. Cruelty and neglect of domestic animals is something that might motivate them to let you help for the best interest of this cat. Thank you for caring and reaching our.

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Jennie | 4 years ago
I Have A Question About Dog Food. Years Ago, We Had A German Shepherd Who Was …

I have a question about dog food. Years ago, we had a german shepherd who was allergic to chicken. We switched him (and our other 2 dogs) to grain free and they all did amazing on it. We mixed proteins and had no issues. Now, years later, we have a german shepherd pup (9 months old now). When he came to us at 8 weeks he was eating Victor grain free active dog and puppy. Our vet is anti-grain free and recommended Purina Pro Plan large breed puppy (chicken). We transitioned over a couple of weeks, but he had soft stools or diarrhea all the time and was itchy. He ended up having anal gland issues. We added pumpkin, bananas, yogurt and nothing helped.
We switched to the sslmon/sensitive skin and stomach puppy formula but it didn’t get better. We ended up adding Victor back in, and he got better. Now he is back on the Victor puppy grain free, mixed with the Victor grain included formula. No issues. But our Vet has us worried about heart issues, and I’m worried that we’re going to get a lecture because she only recommends Purina Pro Plan, Science Diet, RC, Ian’s – big companies with a vet on staff. Should we keep trying these, or stick with what’s working? (Our previous vet retired 🙁 ) We want to do the best thing for our puppy.

5 Responses

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I am anti grain free too. I have seen perfectly healthy dogs die, in some cases even multiple dogs in the same house die from grain free diets and heart disease. It has changed me and I won’t recommend grain free until we know exactly what is happening and why. Along with what we can do about it. For now I don’t feed or recomend grain free. I also do not believe the anal glands are associated with the diet. I’ve seen thousands of dogs over decades and they don’t correlate to diet and anal sac issues. Please don’t think that we lecture because we are influenced by anything other then our training, our individual experiences and our deep fondness for the animals we have dedicated our lives too. To say we are paid or influenced by the pet food companies Is both untrue and unkind. You should find a diet that works for all of you and is safe to feed. My best to you all. Be kind to your vet. They want what’s best for your dog.

    1. Jennie Post author

      Thank you! I definitely don’t think that our vet is influenced by anything. I just feel sort of lost – we’ve had many dogs but never one with a sensitive tummy. We want to do what’s best for him. We’ll keep trying!

  2. Sarah

    Hi- we have a household of german shepherds. We feed Purina One large breed with glucosamine. There is a sensitive stomach option as well as a senior option. At the moment our GSDs are loving the venison option. Our youngest did have an adjustment period of about 2 weeks from when we got him until his stools got back on track with our food. Other than that one instance, we have always been very happy with this food. I should add that their health and lifespan has been great on this diet as well. ..14 years and very healthy up until the end. I would say chat more with your vet and see what comes of it. They may be able to provide you with more information that you will find useful.????????

  3. Laura

    I feed the food the dog does best on. If that means Victor, or some other grain free brand, then that’s what it means. (Though I’m really not a fan of Victor.)

    I have been a fan of Merrick for a long time. Try them, or Castor + Pollux, their other brand. If you think your dog is allergic to chicken, make sure you read labels carefully – LOTS of brands use chicken fat in formulations which do not list chicken as a main ingredient, and even a little of it will make our girl break out in hives and have loose stool. I can feed grain-inclusive foods as long as they’re limited ingredient.

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Madison | 4 years ago
My Brother Has A Bulldog And Is Telling Me That The Dog Is Having Trouble Standing. …

My brother has a bulldog and is telling me that the dog is having trouble standing. He dosent eat or drink. When he tries to get up he walks for a few minutes then collapses. He also pants all day. Is there any thing we could do or does anyone know what it is. There isn’t a local vet where he lives but he will take her if that’s the only option.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Please get this dog to a vet immediately. Like now. I’m very worried about heart disease. Anemia. And about a hundred other conditions. All are emergencies.

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Mandi | 4 years ago
11 Month Old Puppy Has Welts/hives/bumps All Over Her Body And Legs.. Not Sure If …

11 month old puppy has welts/hives/bumps all over her body and legs.. not sure if it’s from something she ate, bees, allergic reaction to some type of plant? She’s acting pretty normal otherwise, just looks terrible! Her vet doesn’t have any appointments available for 10 days. He did say to give her Benadryl, which she has had two doses of and doesn’t seem to be helping much. When should I worry and consider taking her to an emergency vet clinic?

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Call around and find a vet who is available to see you ASAP or ask your vet which emergency facility they refer to. I would start there. If it lasts longer than 6 hours I recommend an ER visit.

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Sandy | 4 years ago
Dr. Magnifico I Made An Appointment For Princess To See You On September 8th. She Is …

Dr. Magnifico

I made an appointment for Princess to see you on September 8th. She is overdue her shots and I sent a question that you responded to about her having her days and nights mixed up. Last night though while giving her extra attention and rubbing I found a lump on her belly. What is strange is that she slept all night and got up only to get up to eat and go in the litter box. I called the clinic to see if there were any openings but they are booked.
They were going to see if anyone had time just to check her belly. Such a quick change from 24 hours and I was concerned because she was sleeping all night. However within the last 5 minutes she is up playing so i think i will wait to see you tomorrow. The lump is on her belly more to one side and towards the back (dependingon how she is laying). I already lost 2 cats this year and I have one now with lymph node cancer mesentary. If she continues with her usual behavior of up and wanting attention tonight, is it safe to wait until the 8th or is it best for her to be seen sooner. I know to take her to the ER if she goes back to sleeping constantly….although that is her norm for daytime.

As always I appreciate and value your opinion.

Thanks
Sandy

My message was sent earlier today at which time Princess woke up and was playing with something. She went back to sleep and got up several hours ago to eat but then returned to the new bed I had gotten her. I brought out something that she likes to play with but she only played with it for about a minute and returned to her bed. I definitely will see you tomorrow with her and if she starts to exhibit anything more serious I will take her to the ER….unless you get this and think I should take her now. It is now 7:34 pm. This is around the time that she would start to get a little active.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I have walk in appointments available from 1-3 sundays. I hope things are ok. If you want to come in on Sunday just arrive between 1245 and 2. It is first come first served. Take care. Krista.

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Sandy | 4 years ago
Scooter, My Cat For Over 21 Years Slept By My Chest Every Night. He Became Sick Earlier …

Scooter, my cat for over 21 years slept by my chest every night. He became sick earlier this year and had to be euthanized. Within days of losing him one of my other cats has decided to do everything in her power to keep me up at night. She will knock things over, turn off my cpap machine, etc. until I finally give in and get up and go downstairs with her. I usually will do stuff on the computer or straighten up. She usually just sits by me and after about 2 hours I can go back up to bed followed by her for about 5 or 6 hours. She is healthy, playful, friendly. Lately she has gotten worse and wants to be up more often. Tried locking her out of our room but she has clawed the carpet and the door. I cannot lock her in another room because she will do the same thing. I have been so exhausted that on a few occasions I have put her in the carrier for a few hours so I can get some sleep. She goes in willingly and makes bo noise while she is in there. I have tried to keep her up several hours before going to bed but nothing works.

Any suggestions. Oh she is about 10 years old. One odd thing is that if one of my other cats is sleeping with me which is rare, she will not bother me.

Thank you

3 Responses

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry for the loss of your kitty. The veterinarian in me wants to say that you should start at the vets office. Assuming your cat is healthy isn’t enough of an assurance that they are. A thorough exam, full bloodwork and a urine with thyroid are all indicated in my opinion. Start there. If all of that is normal ask about trying a medication or pheromone like feliway. If all else fails consider (and consider anyway) getting a companion for your kitty to play with at whatever time of day or night they want to. If you cannot it will not get another cat you can either create train overnight or put her in a place she can’t bother you. But make sure you make up for the time apart by spending lots of time together during the day. No one wants to feel like they lost their two best friends.

    1. Sandy Post author

      Thanks so much for the quick response. I will be calling to set up an appointment with you. For some reason last night continuing into this morning was the worse.

      1. Sandy Post author

        Dr. Magnifico
        I made an appointment for Princess to see you on September 8th. Thursday night into Friday morning she was the most “awake” that she has ever been. Last night though and into this morning she has been sleeping a lot. I was petting her to give her extra attention and I felt a lump on her belly. It is located more to one side and depending on her position close to her back leg. I spoke to someone at the clinic to see if anyone would have time just to feel it since there are no openings today. I don’t know if it is a fatty tumor, hernia, etc. but I am more concerned because she went from super awake to complete opposite in 24 hours. She is eating and using the litter box. If i cannot get someone to see her today I will bring her in tomorrow unless you think I should go to ER if no one can check her out today.

        As always I appreciate and value your advice.

        Thanks
        Sandy