Cookie’s vet is recommending it for arthritis. I’m sure she’s got some, she’s 11 years and one-month-old Rottweiler now, but I don’t know how bad she has it–I don’t feel very bad. I think it’s quite interesting, but my question is whether it might inhibit something that shouldn’t be inhibited and so on. Very new around here, a little longer in use in Europe …

While I think it’s an interesting idea, I’m on the fence. I’m much more partial to things that are more natural such as PRP or stem cells, but nobody does that up here.

So it’s one of the things that sounds great on the paper, but is it really? Jasmine’s vet down South uses it on cats, but mostly because there are much fewer treatment options for cats, so more worth the risk.

Cookie’s PT has a couple of patients who get it and apparently, it helps them markedly. But will it eventually crop up some unwanted effects? So that’s the question.

Actually, it looked quite bad and hurt every time she brushed it on something. We had the nail entirely removed last Friday. Anesthesia was a risk, but I didn’t want her to spend whatever time she has left trying to get that damn nail healed–she already lost months with the first one.

The upside–48 hours of bandage, some pain meds, and all done. It looks good now and doesn’t bother her at all. She can now get on with her life and have fun.

I hated taking the risk but I”m glad I did.

It’s already been three weeks now. It appears the nail was vertically cracked from the beginning with the first part in the middle (which is now the end)

How well did the grinding to the nail bed work and what was the recovery?

The other nails appear to be fine.

Just saw a vet, and she says it is a nail injury, and everything looks good to her/that’s the one to be the first to suspect cancer the first time around. So HOPEFULLY, that’s correct, and it will resolve speedily. *sigh of relief.

Also did a wellness check, and everything else looks good too. My little girly looks like she’ll be well and able to finally have the fun she deserves once this thing heals.

Seemed to look better this morning; been doing Epsom salt soaks; vet appt tomorrow

It kind of started the same.

– her licking at her foot for a couple of days and were unable to figure out why
– then she misstepped and became lame and there was bleeding
– vet determined it was likely a nailbed infection at the first visit
– wasn’t healing with topical treatments
– in the meantime, the toe came off completely
– the next visit, a different vet, figured it was potential cancer
– while we were organizing a biopsy, there were many cock-ups so we decided to take a step back and revisit with another vet
– that one convinced it was infection–long-term antibiotics (that trashed her digestive system)
– continued for weeks and weeks
– then, when I no longer believed dysbiosis was all there was to the diarrhea and insisted on imaging, they found a splenic mass
– I insisted I wanted the spleen out asap and agreed to biopsy at time of surgery
– surgeon looked at it and convinced it is cancer so I agreed to toe amputation at the time of the splenic surgery–it was confirmed to be SCC. Bone margin was clean, not enough soft tissue to judge.
– x-rays and all clean–no metastasis
– that toes is no perfectly healed

But this is starting the same way. Last time she lost weeks of life and in pain. This time, I definitely don’t want to loose all that time again. Don’t want to put her through surgery for nothing either, or have another pop up in a couple of months again 🙁

Yeah, my thinking. Unfortunately, can’t discuss before hand due to holidays. I hope it can be done. Thank you.

From what I gather, unfortunately it takes quite a lot of blood to make stool black and tarry; way more than for fresh blood to be apparent. It’s not always an emergency but I’d consider it one.

Elaine, so sorry about your baby. I believe that she is more likely to survive the surgery than the pyometra. Do a pre-op blood work and wellness exam to catch any specific issues that might need to be accommodated for with the anesthesia protocol or issues that would prevent the surgery. Anesthesia protocols can be adjusted and are quite safe these days. I do believe her chances are better with than without the surgery.

Not a lot of information here. In general, cats who stop or refuse using the litter box might do so because of pain. Cats get arthritis too. I’d start with a medical evaluation.