Ask questions and share about your pet's health to help others.
I’d love to hear you opinion on the corporatizing ( making that word up) of veterinary clinics. Personally I’ve had mixed results with both small independent clinics and with one of the large corporate players.
Last Christmas our kitty snacked on our live Christmas tree. We found the needles in her stool. This also coincided with her being diagnosed with lymphoma. She is amazingly still with us, although life seems to be a series of ups and downs. As she has has digestive issues from lymphoma I certainly don’t want to cause any further irritation this holiday season. We are debating putting up an artificial vs real tree, however I wonder if ingesting the artificial matter (ie plastic) could be more iritating than organic matter. Thoughts?
If we had a room to simply close the tree in to we would, however we have an open floor plan….and if we didn’t have children we would skip the tree altogether!
Hello,
I think I would do the real tree and try to minimize the chances of ingestion by offering safer substitutes like cat grass, cat nip and toys. You could also try to spray something to discourage her on the bottom branches like cedar, lemon/citrus, etc. safe but non-feline friendly. Sending best wishes for a safe uneventful holiday..
Dr. Magnifico (and anyone else), a friend has a difficult situation he’s trying to rectify with his cat.
He has a male cat who was treated for a UTI very recently – 2 weeks ago, to be exact. In the past two days, the cat has taken to urinating on a specific spot on the carpet on the same floor as the litterboxes (they have 3 boxes for 2 cats). He is not actively AVOIDING the boxes, he’s just preferring the carpet for urine. He isn’t marking, either – he’s emptying his full bladder in this one particular spot. I’ve suggested cleaning the heck out of the spot with an industrial shampooer with Nature’s Miracle added to the mix, to get the urine out of the pad. What other suggestions can I give him? I have zero experience with a cat with a UTI, and I’m at a loss at the moment.
Just to update, friend rented a Rug Doctor and thoroughly cleaned the spot. Once it’s dry, he’s going to do another round of cleaning on the spot.
I’m wondering if he out the box there, would the cat use it? I know it’s not a permanent solution, but it may help short term. Then perhaps move the box back little by little, IF the cat starts using it again. Just a thought….
Hello,
Here’s my gold standard recommendation. Serial urinalyses (three to be exact) to look for any evidence of a urinary issue. This might include a culture and sensitivity. I also like an X-ray and ultrasound. Point being work out a medical issue to the ninth degree!! At the same time start to address behavior issues. I have a few blogs on “inappropriate urination”. I think (hope) that I have added all my secrets and tips to them. If things get bad (like to the point of considering giving up use the drugs!!!). Try fluoxetine.
Sarah – Thanks! I suggested the box move. Even if it’s just plopping ONE box in that spot, it can’t hurt, right? I don’t think they’ve furnished the basement yet, so it’s a great idea. 🙂
Dr. M – THANK YOU! I’ll recommend another urinalysis. My gut feeling is it’s not quite gone, especially when this started a day or so ago, and he was seen by their vet 2 weeks ago. I’ll recommend another visit today. I’ll also dig through the blog. 🙂
Update! He will cover the spot with plastic and put a litterbox on top of it, and he’s trying to get his cat in today to get a urine sample captured today or tomorrow. He also washed the spot again before returning the Rug Doctor this afternoon.
Thanks a ton, ladies! I’ll keep updating as things progress.
are they declawed? some cats dont like the feel of the litter. have several types of litter boxes high, low, covered, open, etc. to encourage proper elimination
I noticed my dog (Jack Russell Terrier/Chihuahua mix born Feb 28, 2016 15lbs) licking his penis. So I examined it and I noticed that the hair on the tip of his penis is turning black and hardening at the base of the hair and the hairs falling out. I also noticed that he has a lump on the right side of the tip of his penis. I’m just very concerned because I just now examined him to find the lump but have notice the hair problem for about a week or 2. Please help!
I agree- the sooner you get to the vet, the better. If you let it wait, it may become costly if it is in fact infected. Good luck!
Please take your dog to.a Vet as soon as you can. Something is obviously wrong. He could have an infection needing treatment or something else. All lumps need checking too. This is bothering him a great deal if he’s constantly licking the area and whatever it is needs to be diagnosed and treated. Hope he’s better soon.
Sorry to disturb but I need advice. Appears Jessy the latest rescue who is 1 years old is causing a pretty disturbing home environment. Here goes: daisy the 13 year old dog has been eating non-stop, Lucy the 9 year old has completely withdrawn very depressed, Stella a 9 year old dog bit the hell out of Jessy trying to get her to stop nipping at her. Tao my male 5 year old cat has started swatting my younger cat Mia. Sasha the youngest cat hasn’t been seen since last weekend hiding from all of us under my bed. I have dog and cat pheromones on all 3 floors. Jessy appears to be herding all the animals by nipping at their haunches. And non stop sniffing which is iratating all the animals. Any advice on how to calm the house?
Get Daisy to the vet if she’s eating non-stop. Reestablish a routine for EVERYONE in the house. This may include feeding all the dogs in their crates for now.
I would also encourage getting a behaviorist in the home, to see exactly what’s going on. There may be an underlying behavioral issue that you aren’t seeing.
Is Jessy a herding breed? How long have you had her in the home? What sort of training have you done with her thus far?
Hello.
I agree with laura. I would start by providing boundaries and restrictions to the entire group to see if this can be resolved with time and patience. In some cases we try to encourage exercise to get the frustrations worked out on neutral territory. Or try rotating cage time-outs until the group settles down. Also seeking the help of a behaviorist to help break down the personalities and your participation in the group dynamics can really help.
Jessy is a rescue I have had for 2 weeks. all canines are shi-tzus but Id bet Jessy is a mix maybe a jack Russell she jumps and leaps like a Russell. All canines are rescues I’ve had for 2-3 years. So far no training just verbal discipline. Both back legs are in bad shape with hip displaysia and torn cruciate ligament so I have been using a beep and zap to stop her from using the stairs.
Okay, you need to set rules rather than discipline the dog(s). You’re punishing without showing what you expect, and that causes a LOT of issues. I strongly suggest getting into a class with Jessy.
I got my five-month-old male cat neutered two days ago, and everything looked fine until this morning when I noticed a small red swelling. I’m not sure if I should be concerned, or just keep an eye on it.
I’m an expat in a country with literally one licensed vet, and thus she’s very busy all the time and it’s hard to get into contact with her to ask questions. I’ve attached a photo; it’s not great, but it gives the idea.
Other than that, he seems to have mostly regained his appetite, and he’s back to being his affectionate self.
Thank you for your response! I left a message for her several hours ago, so hopefully she will see it and respond. I’m keeping a close eye on him and other than the redness he seems fine and is acting normal.
Thank you for your time. 🙂 I’d rather be safe than sorry, so getting a second opinion helps (and hopefully I’ll get a third from my vet).
Hello,
I always cringe a little when trying to analyze a pet by a photo. So, I always have to give the same general advice; if your cat is acting normally they are probably ok. always check and follow up with your vet. Even if it is leaving a message. make sure your kitten isn’t bothering with the incision. Keep a close eye out, and in general after 48 hours these cases rarely have problems.
Hope this helps.
As long as it isn’t actively bleeding, looking infected (pus, pain, swelling, warm), and your cat is acting fine,,, you are probably fine.
Is this unkind? My neighbor moved and abandoned their two cats last winter. They had an outdoor house there for the cats and kept them outside. By the time my husband and I discovered them it was dead of winter and they were starving. We bought them a heated outdoor house, fed them top quality food and took them to the vet. He believes they are 6 and 10 years old. After minor tooth surgery on one, they started to thrive and now they’re healthy, well fed and spoiled! They have obviously had homes in the past. I already have a dog and two indoor cats. I really don’t want them outside in the rain and cold this winter, so I want to bring them in but seperate them in our finished large basement. They try to come in all the time. We don’t spend much time down there but I don’t want to add two more animals to the rest of the crew upstairs. I know it sounds silly, but is it mean to keep them separate in the basement or should I try to incorporate them in the whole house? I will let them in and out if they like. I just want to do the right thing for these poor babies and the indoor animals too. I’m probably overreacting and their life will be better regardless, but would love opinions from other animal lovers.
I think it is very kind that you took on the responsibility that your former neighbors didn’t. As far as having them in your house with the rest of your pets, part of that depends on how they all react to each other. Keeping them separate at first would be a good way to introduce them. You may be surprised and they might integrate well into your household and you might end up doing just fine with everyone altogether… but you’ll probably need a new swiffer? In all seriousness, in my opinion with cats especially, they’re so self sufficient in so many ways that having more is usually not a big deal. The only thing I am not a huge fan of is the extra litter boxes – which I have delegated to the kids. Best of luck!!
Scented or Unscented Clumping Cat Litter? How often do you fully change for 2 cats? Once a week or every 2-3 weeks? Online articles/blogs vary.
Daily scoops, weekly changes. Some cats are allergic to scented litter. Make sure you have 3 boxes for 2 cats.
My 8yo female JRT, who barks very loudly most of her life woke up yesterday morning without her bark, well most of it. She’s trying to bark but not much is coming out, she sounds very hoarse. Should I be worried, wait a few more days or should she be treated by my vet?? She is otherwise completely healthy and UTD on all vaccines, flea & heartworm preventatives.
I think a sudden change would warrant a call to your vet, though if she isn’t displaying any other symptoms I’d probably wait a day to see if her voice starts to return. If it doesn’t, call the vet tomorrow.
Thanks for your response, she now has an apt with my wonderful vet this evening!
I think that’s the best plan. Here’s to hoping it’s minor and easily handled. 🙂
My eight year old Cocker Spaniel is a great wee dog, friendly and not at all cross and super with my grandchildren. However when the baby visits and cries Holly gets agitated and restless. No sign of aggression but the sound seems to really upset her. Holly is ok with my two year old grandson though when he was a baby she behaved in the same way. Any ideas?
Many thanks for your reply. I do make sure that she does not feel excluded and give her reassurance that really all is well. She would never ever be left alone with any of the children and if when she has had enough she just gets offside to her own spot. Do you think Adaptil plug in would help?
Hello,
If she is anxious it is important to respect her discomfort and either remove her from the area to a safe and quiet place and/or start working with her so that she begins to get used to the crying and baby noises so you don’t have to worry about either of them. Ideally everyone needs to feel safe and secure in their own home. Please talk to your vet about a good behaviorist. They can help. Best of luck.
I personally feel that whether your vet clinic large or small, it is imperative to have a good relationship with them. If you have a good, reciprocal relationship where you both have your pets best interest at heart, it is a win win for everyone, most importantly your pet, involved.
Hello,
I agree with Sarah! It is very important to know who your pets provider is and who the owner of the clinic that they work for is. It is also vitally important to be prepared for the inevitable bumps in the road of your pets life. Knowing what options are available for expensive conditions is also a way to be prepared. Many clinics don’t provide surgeries and rely on referrals. Others don’t offer any payment options outside of credit cards. And even fewer invest back in their community for shelters, rescues, or unhomed animals. It all depends on your financial abilities and personal perspective. It takes asking questions for real problems that exist and being prepared for those that might lie ahead.
My personal opinion is that in general corporations are heavily focused on profits and less invested in the small aspects of what makes each community special. The individuals they serve. (And no I am NOT talking about the clients here). Most Corp practices do not help rescues, do not offer discounts to rescues and do not offer every single option to save every single patient. Do I think that this is an unattainable dream? No. I don’t. And lots of other people don’t either. I just don’t know if those other people are corporate entities. Let’s hope a few are.