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Gina Lastner | 5 years ago
Good Afternoon! I Volunteer At A Local Rescue In Their Feline Only Facility. We Received A …

Good afternoon!

I volunteer at a local rescue in their feline only facility. We received a young cat, named Cami, recently that is 9 months old. She has a right head tilt that started about 2 months ago (7 months of age) according to the person who had her since she was a kitten.
A local vet attempted an exam but did not have a scope small enough to look into her ear and the exam became very uncomfortable for Cami. The plan was to get a smaller scope, knock her out and do the exam. Unfortunately, they are unable to acquire the scope at this time. The suspicious is that this is a polyp.
Any ideas what this could be? We are currently wondering if this could be something treatable with medication (to try first) or should we pursue the polyp investigation. Since we are a rescue we are trying to balance the cost but still address Cami’s needs.
Cami shows no distress because of her condition. She does not scratch the ear or shake her head. And is awfully cute!
Thank you, in advance, for any help you can offer!

2 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello!
    In cases like these I really prefer to get a good exam before jumping on other treatment options. After I am sure there is nothing abnormal in the ear we talk about other possible causes of head tilt. I think it might be best to sedate and examine for ear issues and even a polyp in the oropharynx area. Start here. Try not to do otics until you get an exam done. I hope this helps. Let me know what happens.

    1. Gina Lastner Post author

      Thank you! I appreciate your advice – I’ve seen your videos on polyps and you’ve seen a friend’s cat for nasal polyps. Will let you know what we find out.

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Aisha | 5 years ago
My 4 1/2-year-old Cat Minnie All Of A Sudden Last Saturday Was Lethargic To The Point She …

My 4 1/2-year-old cat Minnie all of a sudden last Saturday was lethargic to the point she slept the entire day, then Sunday a lot of the same where she not interacting, not her normal playful, loving self. It started to look like her eyes where crossed, and she would curl up in a ball. I took her to the vet last Monday – she was there all day and they suspect head cavity polyps, meningitis, or CNS however when the Dr. put her under, she was not able to find anything. Not sure if she checked behind the soft pallet, but will ask in the am. I was referred to a neurologist at that time; they have her a 14 day antibiotic and a steroid injection. She seemed to be doing good, and somewhat back to herself, so I canceled the request for an appt as they did not even have any openings, but the next day Tuesday she was feeling horrible again, sneezing, head tilting, off-balance walk, walking in a circle favoring her left side. Her eyes are watery and run almost like she is crying, and she has this reverse snort/cough. She does still have a good appetite, is eating, peeing and pooping, but is extremely lethargic and I can tell she is still miserable and at time seems like she will not make it. Took her back on Friday, did another exam and they say she still needs some type of imaging to see what is wrong. I am thinking can’t they look to see if there are polyps endoscopically and then just remove them at the same time? Or does she have to go through a complete neurological exam although it may not be necessary? I can’t afford 2-3 k for all the diagnostics then surgery but will do my best to pay if it is necessary. I am terribly worried for her as she is just doing horrible and I hate to see her in so much pain and want to get this resolved for her as quickly as possible.

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning-
    I would write everything down… symptoms, changes in them, appetite, sleep patterns, change in behavior, even things that you’ve previously discussed with the vet…. I would also be upfront and ask exactly what you’ve asked here. Be honest about your budget and your concerns. Ask about all of your suspicions. Hope things work out for you both????????

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    this sounds like more of a brain/CNS problem than a polyp. I would make sure that a full blood work panel is done, a fecal, and urine too. I would also inquire about FeLV/FIV status. If you cannot afford the specialists I would ask about which medical therapies might help.. In the symptoms you describe I would make sure this isn’t an ear issue and start looking for possible causes to the clinical signs she is showing. I would also seek the opinion of a feline only specialist. In my practice I have fund them to be as good, or even better than the boarded internal medicine and neurology specialists. I hope this helps, keep us posted. And good luck!

    1. Aisha Post author

      Thanks, Dr. Magnifico…..I had to rush her to the ER due to labored breathing and unresponsiveness and they too were not sure and were really all over the place, but thanks to your video on how to keep pet care affordable, I was able to leave there paying 241.88 instead of 4500 – 5000 to start. I am trying to spend what I have like you said more on the treatment if it comes to that. I was able to get another local vet to at least do some X-rays and go in endoscopically for a start for which my vet would not do. At least from there, I can hopefully get more information on which direction to go. They did give her additional Antibiotics and more meds for the symptoms and she has been better all day. Thank you, Dr. Magnifico, for the advice……and that you are. May God Bless you!

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maria | 5 years ago
My 8 Year Old Beagle Has A Re-occurrence Of IVDD. He Has Had Surgery In His Lumbar, …

my 8 year old beagle has a re-occurrence of IVDD. He has had surgery in his lumbar, thoracic and cervical areas – all within 2 years. His most recent 2 surgeries were thoracic in June 2019 and cervical in August 2019. He is now displaying symptoms of another disc problem. Help. Surgery is not an option anymore. He moving his back legs but seems to be getting worse. We have confined him but …. I don’t want him to have a life of paralysis. Is there light at the end of the tunnel here if we stick with conservative treatment. He does not appear to be in pain. We have been in contact with our regular vet but he can only do so much. Our neurologist always says the same thing to get an MRI and the MRI is another $2,000. I hate to bring money into this as a factor but I really think this will continue to happen. He lost over 12 pounds, got his harness, restricted his activity. We thought we did the right things. Has anyone had similar experiences. What about a doggie wheelchair. Any thoughts.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry to hear about your pup. I always tell my clients to never lose hope. Trying to make a decision as to whether or not to proceed is a personal one. I can’t answer it for you and no one else should either. I have known some dogs to do very well with weakness or paralysis. But it takes a dedicated family and lots of TLC. I tell people to give it two to three weeks IF they can manage pain and the care it entails. I hope this helps and I wish you the best.

    1. maria Post author

      Thank you for your message. Have you ever heard of dogs with recurring IVDD. We are both committed to doing what we have to do. We are both home full time. We have decided this is not about us but about Kody. Is there something in addition to IVDD like a progressive form of this disease that some dogs have that would cause multiple episodes so close to each other. My husband thinks he is pre-maturely aging.

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Pawbly | 7 years ago
Hi Everyone! One Of My Pups Is Acting Very Strange. We Took Him On A…

Hi everyone! One of my pups is acting very strange. We took him on a car ride today and on the way home he started acting weird. It’s almost like he’s dizzy and can’t keep his balance. He had a tiny (not even half) of piece of bacon this morning and later hit his head off of the coffee table. I’m not sure if it’s something to be concerned about but I’m just worried!

3 Responses

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  1. Anonymous

    Head trauma would lead to dizziness. Please get that pup to the vet today.

  2. Emilie Duval

    I’d definitely get to a vet ASAP.

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
Our Dog Has Been Having Seizure Episodes, Is There Anything We Can Do To Help…

Our dog has been having seizure episodes, is there anything we can do to help her?

She is a two year old border collie mix. They have been recurring late at night since mid October about every other month. When they happen she loses her balance and can’t walk, she has heavy drool, and she vomits and loses control of her bowels.

These symptoms last around twenty minutes. She has the shakes for about an hour after she regains her balance and the other symptoms pass. After about two hours she is back to acting like herself.

She’s very scared while these are happening, we’ve been comforting her until they pass. Is there anything we can do? What could be causing these?

2 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    This is something that your veterinarian needs to deal with. I would urge you to get your dog to your vet right away and explain, in detail, everything that has been happening and how long this has been going on. Good luck.

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
Hi, I Want To Start Feeding My Puppy Homemade Food But Wondering Whether I Need…

Hi, I want to start feeding my puppy homemade food but wondering whether I need to give her a vitamin supplement to make sure she has a balanced diet?

2 Responses

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  1. PK Dennis

    You don’t need supplements if you do it right. Read the book Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet by Steven Brown. Steve has been formulating commercial dog foods for over 20 years and so understands how to provide a balanced diet feeding homemade.  The book has a lot of science but chapter 5 has clear recipes to follow.  I have read over a dozen books on this topic and I think this is the best when it comes to helping you understand balanced nutrition. 

  2. Beth Ingham

    Thank you both for your advice and quick replies. I will look into to both of these 🙂

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| 8 years ago
Our Cat Is 3 Monthes, Several Days Ago We’ve Seen Blood In His Urine. A…

our cat is 3 monthes, several days ago we’ve seen blood in his urine. A doctor prescribed coboctane, no spa, Etamsylate,catosal. After 2 days of injectios our cat started to lose his balance, he is inert, tries to urinate but we see it tkes him great pains,ih hurts him. What it can be? Please help, we beg you

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  1. Anonymous Post author

    Thank you for your answer. Experts say different things and prescribed different medicaments. we realy dont know what to do and whom to listen

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
My 13-year-old Beagle Has, Over The Course Of The Past Five Days, Been In Very…

My 13-year-old Beagle has, over the course of the past five days, been in very poor health. It started on his birthday when he had an edible rawhide birthday card. He chewed on it all day and I don’t believe he ate dinner that night or if he did it, was a small amount. He did go to the bathroom normally, but the next morning, he wouldn’t eat again and from there the symptoms progressively worsened. He threw up some 24 hours after first eating the rawhide and it was mainly unchewed bits of his regular Science Diet dry food (about a handful). He did not go #2 at all that day and though I initially thought he might be constipated, I realized that’s not really a common thing with dogs so it must mean there’s something more going on. The third day, he refused food again and was still having trouble using the bathroom. Peeing fine, but not drinking enough water (maybe going to his bowl 2x that day). He was reluctant to move and didn’t want to climb the stairs. He normally likes to walk forever and ever as he is a Beagle, but he went to pee, slightly sniffed, and returned home. The fourth day, his breathing appeared quite short and in rapid bursts. He wasn’t wheezing or coughing or anything. It just seemed like he was constantly out of breath. Same symptoms as before. The fifth day, we took him to the vet as he was really beginning to worry us. Symptoms maintained and he was unwilling to walk down the stairs to go outside. The vet said it looked as if there was food or possibly a small bit of rawhide in his stomach. Considering his lack of eating, I assumed it was the latter. She ran a general blood test and said that his blood was thick coming out, but the results were perfectly normal and all of his organs seem to be in good standing. There were no specific tests, only the X-Ray of the abdomen as she was aware of his consuming the rawhide. The fourth and fifth days, his hind legs would cross over as he walked and his hind feet would drag almost like he’s dizzy and was trying to catch his balance, but only in his hind legs. Te vet said she didn’t feel anything obvious in his tummy and whilst performing an overview of his teeth, she found he had pus coming from his upper canine teeth and the gums were pale and swollen. She followed up with anti-diarrhoea meds and recommended anti-nausea meds, but didn’t say they were necessary. Nothing was given for his teeth or any possible stomach pain. He was then given 300mL of fluids before giving the go ahead to take home.
The vet visit was two full days ago, nearly three, and we’ve seen little improvement aside from him eating the wet Science Diet food the vet recommended we put his anti-diarrhoea meds in so he would take them. He is still having trouble getting food down and around 6 hours ago, we began force feeding Pedialyte as he threw up once tonight and we thought the electrolytes might help. I’m concerned he may have Renal Failure or IVDD. These seem to be the two which match up the most with his symptoms and breed type, but I wasn’t aware he may have one of them when I took him to the vet and therefore didn’t mention it. I’m concerned the vet may have also missed something considering she seemed to overlook his hind leg situation and his teeth situation. Please give me advice on what I should do and he obviously needs to go to the vet again, but I think I’ll take him to a different one with records from his visit a few days ago. I dropped all of the money I had on his visit then and can’t afford anything more than the exam fee, so any recommendations on what to tell the vet that way we can bypass anything that isn’t absolutely necessary would be amazing and if he does need surgery (I hope with everything in me he doesn’t as I don’t know if he would make it out of being sedated given his short breathing which is still going on), are there any pet surgery fund donation sites anyone could possibly recommend?? Please, I beg of you, any help at all would be great!!!

4 Responses

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  1. Anonymous

    In your shoes, I would definitely get a second opinion.  Has he passed any stool since this started?

  2. Bria Rachele

    I’ve called about fifteen different vets in and around my city, some of which said it could possibly be IVDD and two said maybe TCC. He has passed stool, yes. He hasn’t within the past 36 hours I would say, but he has done it 2-3 times since it all started. He hasn’t had food within the past 18 hours though and because he was refusing most everything we gave him before, he really can’t afford to involuntarily fast right now. He’s lost quite a bit of nutrients and we’re still doing Pedialyte hoping that will help to at least replace some of them. His hind legs seem to have worsened a bit as well. I saw it could also be a disc within his spine, but it seems none of the symptoms for any of these completely match his, so I feel there a million and one things it could be. I just realized I inadvertently failed to include in the post above that the vet said he seems to have a swollen colitis as well, but she attributed that to his lack of adequate food, dehydration, and vomiting. I’m not sure if that would tie in with everything else to point to a diagnosis, but any symptom shouldn’t be overlooked. Please do ask any more questions you may have if you feel you might have an idea as to what it could be and I’ll answer the second I can! Thank you!

  3. Anonymous

    You’ve done quite a bit. I’m tapped for ideas…hopefully Dr. Magnifico or Ferara will pop in with suggestions for you.

  4. Bria Rachele

    Thank you for your input though and yes, any suggestions from any of the other two doctors would be helpful as well.