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Elaine | 1 week ago
Good Morning, I Have An 8wk Old Presumed Female Kitten With A Rare Congenital Defect Causing …

Good morning, I have an 8wk old presumed female kitten with a rare congenital defect causing a cloaca instead of normal anus and vagina. She went to another vet for what was thought to be constipation and a partial vaginal prolapse and we were given the diagnosis and told of an expensive surgery that could correct the issue but were advised that euthanasia might be the best course as we’re a rescue and the surgery is not only expensive but has a high complication rate. I’m trying to find anyone with experience with this or surgeons that have done this surgery. We’re trying to decide if the surgery will prolong a happy, comfortable life or only cause issues down the road. She is currently being maintained with laxatives, abdominal massages, antibiotics both oral and topical, prednisone, and bathing. She is a normal, happy kitten except for her bathroom needs and being very undersized(1.4lbs and half the size of her littermates).
Her diagnosis:
Type II Atresia Ani
Rectourethral Fistula

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Pawbly | 5 years ago
I Have A 3 And A Half Year Old GSD With HYPOthyroidism. I’m Curious If…

I have a 3 and a half year old GSD with HYPOthyroidism. I’m curious if anyone else has dealt with this disease in itself. So to begin, when she was about a year old I started noticing redness on her stomach. The vet I was currently with kept telling me she had ringworm and providing me with medicated shampoo and treating her with ketoconazole. It always seemed to clear up but would come right back soon after. So I searched and found another vet and he did all the testing and blood work and diagnosed her with HYPOthyroidism. She has kept a chronic skin infection which he diagnosed as a type of yeast infection due to the fluctuation of thyroid levels. She has been on levothyroxine for a year now. We have adjusted her dosage 3 times and each time she seems to do well for a month or so and then it seems to “level out” and her skin flare up comes back full force. It seems to get better and lightens up and starts to pink up and then goes right back to the hair loss and crusty on her stomach and under her legs/pits. I continue to do the medicated baths as told but it’s getting frustrating. I’m in the vet’s office every couple months it seems and spending hundreds each visit for the same thing with no resolve. Dont get me wrong I will do whatever it takes to help her but somethings gotta give. I’m just curious if anyone else has seen/heard or has dealt with hypothyroidism and the chronic skin infection. Have u found anything that helps or resolves it? What is your experience? Also she keeps bad ear infections (also tested and diagnosed as a type of yeast) daily flushes and drops in her ears as well. Still not seeming to get any better.

I feel so helpless and quite frankly I’m getting discouraged. I love the vet she sees now, he is a million times better than the one she seen previously.

Does it ever get better?

The pic is an older one, shes alot better now but still has the hairloss and discoloration over the better part of her stomach and under her legs. Just not as dark or as much.

6 Responses

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  1. Laura

    I would wonder if there’s an allergy situation going on in addition to hypothyroid.

  2. Elizabeth Crisp

    Her vet seems to think it is unlikely due to the fluctuation in thyroid levels. Heck I dont know anymore. It may be time to find another vet?

  3. Laura

    That’s possible, too. I certainly wouldn’t rule out a second opinion. I’d also look for a veterinary dermatologist, if there’s one near you.

  4. Laura

    oh wow, apologies for the crazy number of responses. sometimes this site glitches in the strangest ways.

  5. Elizabeth Crisp

    Ha ha it’s not a problem. Thank you for the response! I talked to a different vet awaaaaaaaay the same office and he suggested ruling out a food allergy, then told me about a Veterinary dermatologist nearby. So we will start next week and see what we find out!

  6. Laura

    Good luck! Do report back, if you think about it? We see hypothyroidism leading to hair loss in Dobes, but it doesn’t usually come with rashiness. I’d be very curious about any other vet’s ideas about it.

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Vedrana Vilusic | 6 years ago
Please People, We Need Help. My Friend’s Dog Suddently Started Licking And Swallowing Continuously. …

Please people, we need help. My friend’s dog suddently started licking and swallowing continuously. Here is the video

https://youtu.be/ooQxji1jsAU

What could this be?
He bathed the dog 2 days ago and she was eating the same food as before (some kibble). She was mainly in the house, except 2 walks daily for 15mins since its winter and freezing outside :/

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  1. Sarah

    A sudden change in behavior that is concerning should be seen by your vet. I would call and get the dog in as soon as you can.

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Cathy Testerman | 6 years ago
I Have A 6 Week Old Kitten That Developed Severe Diarrhea 5 Days Ago. I…

I have a 6 week old kitten that developed severe diarrhea 5 days ago. I took her to the vets 3 days ago. Stool culture positive for coccidia. She has been on treatment for 3 days with no improvement. Her rectal area is raw. She is eating and drinking but obviously does not feel well. I have been bathing her and putting Desitin on her rectal area per my vets recommendation. Shouldn’t she be getting better by now?

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  1. Sarah

    I would call the vet in the morning and let them know your concerns. Ask if there is anything else that you could be doing and you might want to ask if there is some supplement that you could give to her food-wise too. Good luck

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Yes. If I would expext rhat if the cias wit the diarrhea was singularly the parasites that she would be better. In cases like these I usually recommend “playing” with the formula. Powder versus liquid replacer and trying to add more water vs less formula. I would also talk to the vet about checking another fecal sample for parasites and even switching to a kitten food. Even a different kind of food can help. If it’s not parasites it’s the diet. That’s my usual treatment plan for theee guys. Good luck. Please let us know what happens

  3. Cathy Testerman Post author

    Took kitten back to vets yesterday. Was given Flagyl. Seems to be working plus Royal Canin GI food. Rectal swelling appears a little better.

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Mary Fischer | 6 years ago
I Have A 9 Week Old German Shephard Puppy That Is Itching And Scratching. Apparently…

I have a 9 week old German Shephard puppy that is itching and scratching. Apparently all if them from the litter are. Ive washed him in oatmeal bath for puppies and someone suggested they were allergic to the food (blue buffalo puppy, chicken formula). Ive started to change his food, but I dont know what it could be!??
I have 2 other dogs and they don’t do this.

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  1. Sarah

    I would get to the vet right away, for many reasons? First and foremost, to have the puppy thoroughly checked over… this could be parasites, which are possibly contagious to your other dogs. It could also be a reaction which also needs to be treated. 9 weeks is young to be away from mom, in my opinion. Please bring your puppy to the vet right away for a thorough exam and puppy visit.

  2. Mary Fischer Post author

    They were at the vet at 8 weeks, for their shots. They didn’t have any concerns for them being away from the Mom. She stopped nursing, seemed early to me…. where would they have gotten a parasite? The mother father are fine.

  3. Laura

    You just brought puppy home? You need to get him to YOUR vet for a wellness visit, within the first week of bringing puppy home. 8 weeks is the legal minimum for puppies to leave littermates in Maryland. If this is the beginning of mange, demodex is on every dog – it will cause rashes and skin irritations in dogs with suppressed immune systems. Seriously, get your puppy to your vet and bring this up with them. 🙂

    As for the food, I would throw out Blue Buffalo entirely. There have been issues recently with lead poisoning, and in the past with melamine. I would also ask the vet about food options.

  4. Krista Magnifico

    I am not a fan of blue buffalo either. I would be worried about fleas, scabies and infection. Allergies are unlikely at this age. See your vet.

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Shiria | 7 years ago
How Much Medication At The Same Time Without Damaging The Bodytoo Much? So, We Have A…

How much medication at the same time without damaging the bodytoo much?
So, we have a group of 22 kittens (6 months) and 2 mothers. All are treatet for ringworm (Microsporum Canis) and in 3 days are finished (only 8 showed symptoms, but since they all had contact, all had to be treated).
They were treated with Itraconazole (1 week treatment, 1 week break, 1 week treatment, another 1 week break and a last week treatment). Additionally they were bathed 1 once a week in Enilconazole.

Some of them are treated with marbocyl for cat flu right now (most likely Calici).

Additional they were tested positive for giardia and worms (Toxocaridae?) last friday after most of them developed bad diarrhea that smelled incredibly bad.
For the Giardia they get treated with Metronidazole (twice a day).
Fenbendazole is not an option, as it doesn’t help anymore most of the time.

So now I still need deworm them and make a flea treatment (as they have also fleas). I don’t want to do worm and flea medication at the same day – as that would mean that at least the ones with cat flu would get 5 medications at the same time.

Only two more days till the ring worm treatment is finished, so I thought of doing flea treatment the following day and deworming the day after that to spread the treatment a little.

Some of them are clearly not well right now, so while I would normally deflea/deworm at the same time, I’m a bit hesitant here.

What do you think?

What I have to add – one of the kittens died this morning without known reason. It was not extremly thin or dehydrated and acted normal when I saw it the first time this morning. When a collegue wanted to clean their room she called me because it would lie on the floor and couldn’t move. (I was like 20 meters away in another room) She said it made strange noises and lost poo (diarrhea). When I arrived it was already gone. The hair on his tail was poofed up, eyes/pupils wide, but no heart beat and breathing. I tried to bring it back, but without success.
It had no signs of being extremly sick. It was not affected by ringworm itself and hat no catflu. It had diarrhea, but ate well. It played, was active and so on. It showed no signs of liver problems (as Itraconazole could cause that) like yellow skin.

No one has seen what happened. I was thinking that it may has fallen off a wooden layer that are left and right to the door, right beneath the windows. The cats like to sit in it and look out the windows or wait for someone to come inside. But those are only like 1,20m in height.

So I’m even more worried that all those medicaton already was too much for that one :(.

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  1. Jennifer Taylor

    I am assuming all medications were prescribed by a veterinarian and an exam done on all kittens? If so I would check with the prescribing Dr. I have had foster puppies who have been incredibly sick and on many medications at once at the advice of our vet. In the case of my foster pups they were very sick, the risk of not treating outweighed the risk of treating. That is a conversation though that you should have with the vet who examined and prescribed the meds. Best of luck with the kittens and so very sorry for your loss.

  2. Shiria Post author

    Thanks for your answer. Yes, all medication were prescribed by the vet of our shelter. I also planned to ask her this tomorrow when the next visit is scheduled. Just wanted to ask for other peoples experiences for similar situations.
    We also had very sick kittens, where the risk of not treating them was bigger than the risk of treating – but they had other problems.

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
My Amish Friend Down The Street Has A Working Dog That Tends To Her Other…

My Amish friend down the street has a working dog that tends to her other animals (herding sheep, horses, etc.) so he is an outdoor farm dog. (a sheltie/aussie mix). The dog is well loved and cared for but even after giving him a bath today, the poor animal still has little bugs (like fruit flies but a little bigger) swarming and flying all over him, especially his face area. I mean, like about 50-75 or so of them! It’s crazy. She just thought he needed a bath and that’s why they were there, but even after the bath they were there. I have never encountered anything like that before. Anyone help explain and give some ideas on how to get rid of them for this poor pup 🙁

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  1. PK Dennis

    This is normal in PA to a degree. The dog’s diet contributes to its attractiveness to flies more than any thing. I would check for ear infection(s) or bad teeth.  Other than that all that can be done is to apply a repellant to the dog – and I would use a natural one that can be found at an Agway or other farm store.  These repellents contain a mix of essential oils like cedar or peppermint, etc.

  2. AnneMarie Battis

    Thank you. I agree – unfortunately with their culture it will fall on deaf ears, I am just trying to do my best to help the pup. I was the one that gave him the bath, etc. Perhaps I can have her make a mask and meanwhile I will play around with some of my essential oils to create a repellant blend that will work and that the dog would be tolerant with. Thanks so much Krista and PK

  3. AnneMarie Battis

    PK….I normally use water in my essential oil blends for animals but seeing as the bugs are attracted to water, do you think I should use a carrier oil instead?

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
I Tried Washing It Off But It Starts Getting Wet/oily Again Before Shes Even…

I tried washing it off but it starts getting wet/oily again before shes even fully dried. she shakes her head every once in a while and doesnt like it when i try to examine it. while giving her a bath, i couldnt find any cuts or irritations. She has normal urine and stool and eats and drinks fine too. A couple weeks ago we found her biting her paw to the point where it was almost raw so we had put an ecollar on her. and just about 2 days ago we noticed that the top of her head looked as if someone had spilled a small spoon of oil on her head.

1 Response

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  1. PK Dennis

    I would take her to a vet for evaluation – sounds like she has an allergy or skin condition developing and you will need help to resolve it.

    In the mean time I would remove all grains from her diet, including treats.  Dogs don’t need grains and don’t digest them well.  And while not every dog is allergic to grains the can cause just enough impact on the immune system that other allergies can get a food-hold.  Go to a good pet store (not grocery store, big box store, nor a pet store that sells puppies) and ask to be shown to the grain-free dog food area.  Then start reading labels, you want a dog food that has real meat listed as the first 2 (or even better, 3) ingredients.  Real meat is easy to spot, it will say lamb, elk, bison, turkey, salmon meal, whitefish meal, etc.  (meal is the entire animal ground up and dried). 

    Don’t buy any food that lists ‘by products’ in the ingredients – you would be paying premium price for an inferior product.

    Avoid chicken and beef – many dogs are reactive to these sources of protein.

    If the vet recommends Benadryl use Zyrtec instead – I find that it works better for dogs.

    Good luck

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
I’ve Just Got Home To Find My Mum Has Bathed My Cats Wound With Diluted…

I’ve just got home to find my mum has bathed my cats wound with diluted dettol. After reading everything online, what should I do???

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  1. Anonymous

    I didn’t read too far into it, but it sounds like it’s toxic if ingested.  I would thoroughly wash the wound again and put a cone on your cat to prevent it from licking the wound.

  2. Charlotte Pearce

    Thank you! I’ve throughly washed him, although he hates me now. And making sure he’s drinking plenty. Still being his annoying self, so I think he’s ok!

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
He Is Up-to-date On All His Shots Takes Heartworm And Tick Preventative Medication …

He is up-to-date on all his shots takes heartworm and tick preventative medication . When we pick him up from boarding he had a oatmeal bath for the first time. We live in North Carolina but is spending the summer in New Hampshire we don’t have a vet in New Hampshire. We did ask where we boarded him if anything happened they said no

1 Response

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  1. PK Dennis

    Find a vet and get him to them as soon as possible.