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My 7 month old neutered kitten keeps peeing on towels and blankets. He doesn’t have a UTI-he was tested. We do our best to keep him out of the bathroom, so the towels are manageable, but it’s impossible to keep him away from the blankets. Help!
Is there a technique to reduce the side effects of Mirtazapine? My 9lb cat takes 1/16th of a 15mg tablet every 5-7 days. She meows and howls for 12 hours after each pill.
Hello,
Have you spoken to your vet about this? Can you try a different appetite stimulant (assuming that is what you are using it for) to see if maybe that would help? Also ask about concurrent disease like thyroid, blood pressure, kidney diseas etc?
Hi, thank you for the response. Yes, the vet knows, and it is being used as an appetite stimulant. The cat has IBD. I was just hoping there was some way to lessen the side effects, the dosage has been reduced over time. It used to be 24 hours of hysterics. It may be time to try something else.
My cat was hit by a car and broke her pelvis. The vet suggested surgery which is very expensive. Is surgery the only way to treat her? or is there any other alternative? So far she can urinate on her own but having problem pooping. I think she’s in pain. The vet prescribed Tramadol and lactulose for her. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Hello,
Well this is a somewhat difficult question to answer. Here has been my experience. If you do not have the ability to see a surgeon and have this corrected by them (in my area it would be anywhere from $2000 to $5000. Then I always suggest strict cage rest. No leaving the cage for two weeks. No exceptions. The crate should have a very low bed, low sided litter box and food and water. They should be fed a watered down wet food to keep the stool soft and easy to pass. After two weeks see your vet for a recheck X-ray to see how the pelvis is healing.
Have the cat spayed asap.
If the cat presents with anal tone and deep pain in all four feet I recommend cage rest
The best option is surgery. If you cannot afford it try cage rest. They will be painful for a few day. A fentanyl patch might help or try buprinex. Ask your vet about these.
Let me know how she does
Her pelvis is broken. It needs to be stabilized, surgically, for proper healing. If you DON’T get the surgery, she will be in pain, most likely for the rest of her life.
I would get ahold of my vet and try to have this very discussion with them perhaps there is something they can do that fits for both of you.
My 18 year old cat has eaten very little today. She is still drinking and urinating normally. She is very thin. I am taking her in tomorrow. What can I expect during the visit?I’m scared that I will have to put her to sleep.
I may glad you already have an appointment. I’m sure if you tell the vet your concerns upfront they will work with you.
Hello,
I expect that after an exam, some questions about how much she drinks and pees that they will recommend some blood work. I also expect it to include thyroid and a urinalysis. From here most of the needed information can be gathered. As long as her heart and lungs sound ok bloodwork usually holds the answer. At my clinic this is about $200 total.
And for the record only you decide it is time for your cat to pass on. No one else has the right to decide. Except a judge if they deem it to be cruelty. If your cat is struggling to the point that you questioning she still has a quality of life acceptable to you then your vets job is to help both of you come to a peaceful end of life journey. It’s your decision. Never feel coerced or intimidated. Find a vet who cares and wants to help. Also hospice is available if you ask. Please let me know what happens tomorrow. I wish you both the best. Krista
Thank you both for answering my question. I’m still very worried that I may lose her.
Hello,
I just wanted to let you know that Rugrat has passed away. She died before her vet appointment. Thank you so much for all of your help.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
I want to learn canine anatomy from home and am trying to find the best resources. Do you know the best ways to learn canine anatomy from home? Textbooks, websites, computer softwares, etc.
There are many of both. I like the canine atlas with photos of a greyhound they dissect inch by inch. I was just looking at it yesterday and feeling so melancholy about that dog. (Very true). It’s excellent to remind us of each nerve, muscle, bone but morbid. There are also web based design modules. They aren’t cheap though.
Does my dog look pregnant? She has signs of pregnancy like nesting, big stomach, throwing up, more lazy, not eating as much, drinking a lot, swollen teats, etc. When I feel her stomach she flenches, and I can feel little movements. She also get wide eyed at times. Not sure if she is, can’t take her to vet. She also walks around then gets back in her box multiple times at night, lays on her stomach too.Don’t know what to do and dont know how long she has if she is pregnant until labor?
Hello-
I understand that you feel you ar unable to take your dog to the vet, however, that really is the only way to know what is going on for sure. If she is pregnant, they can do an X-ray to find out how many pups she is expecting. They can do an exam to see approximately how far along she is. They can make sure she is otherwise healthy and is capable of having a healthy labor and delivering live pups. If you cannot care for her and her pups the way they will need you to, please consider contacting a local animal shelter for assistance or to surrender your dog and her litter to someone who is able to care for them properly. I do not mean to offend or sound curt, however it can become very costly and it is necessary to have the puppies checked out by a vet and given inoculations. I would also suggest having your dog spayed to prevent any future pregnancies that you will have. Best of luck to you. I really hope that you can find a way to get your dog to a vet.
Totally agree with Sarah. Please find a way to take your dog to a Vet. She may not pass the puppies, she may need a cesarean. Puppies need constant monitoring, keeping warm, regular worming…as does their mum. As Sarah says if you cannot provide the care ypur bitch and the puppies will need please find an Animal Shelter who will give them all the care they require.
Your dog needs prenatal care, and you need to prepare for the possibility that she needs emergency assistance during delivery.
If this is not an option, spay abort.
We adopted a 15 month old Akita mix recently. In the past couple of days we’ve noticed a “Hairy water balloon” on the back of her neck. We took her to the vet and the doctor said it was a Seroma nd drained it. It has since returned days later and now he wants to install a drain. I am not comfortable with that I feel that it should be able to go away on its own, after reading an article that agreed with my thought. He is eating, playing and it is not hot to the touch, just squishy. We want to do the right thing but don’t want any unnecessary stress or infection.
Hello,
Can you please confirm that the photo of the crusted nose is your dog? This looks like an older dogs nose?
As far as the fluid filled mass goes is it on the top of the body, like top of the neck? If so why would it have occurred?
Of the mass is the chin area, especially bottom neck, I would ask about a mucocele or sialocele.
The only picture I added was of the back of the neck, you cannot see her nose. We aren’t sure why it happened. We thought possibly it is where her chip is placed. I attached a photo of her face.
When I take Holly to be groomed or to the Vet and lift her onto the table, not a peep out of her. However when she asks to be lifted onto the bed(she sleeps with me) she growls like mad. Why is this when she so obvously wants to get up. She can jump up when it suits her.
Have you mentioned this to your vet? It may just be the way that you happen to,lift her, but there also may be an underlying cause. It also may be an unwanted learned behavior that you need to un-teach. I would first talk to the vet and rule out anything from that perspective. After that, if all,is well, I would start to retrain for a more desired behavior. Good luck!
Many thanks. Any tips to help me retrain her re this?
Hello,
I always suggest people go back to the very basics with training. Make sure you are both communicating in the same way and understand each other. And also understand that she is trying to tell you something. Some part of this routine causes her pause and hesitation. You may need a trainer to come to the house. Or video tape the occurrence and go over it with your trainer. Often I find clients don’t see the situation the way I do and often they are unknowingly and unintentionally part of the predicament. Find a poster reinforcement trainer and start over again. Gently and patiently and positively. Good luck
My cat fell into the pool last week. She is fine, however yesterday I saw that she pooped on the attic floor instead of the litter box. Could she still be traumatized by the swimming pool incident? She is 18 years old.
At that age, I’d worry she isn’t well. Did you get her to the vet after it happened?
I called our vet to let her know that the cat had fallen in the pool. The cat has only done this once. The vet told me that as long as she doesn’t have any respiratory problems, she should be fine. We just switched her to a new food. Could this be the issue? She uses her litter box like she always did. She has accidents from time to time. She is eating and drinking normally and is not lethargic.
Ah, new food absolutely could be the issue, in addition to the fall into the pool. Maybe pick up some Cat Attract litter to remind her where to go…and if it’s a tall box, maybe something with shorter sides?
Has anyone had a kitty that developed an autoimmune disease where their body attacks the plaque on the teeth causing extreme pain and inability to eat? I have 2 now that have developed it and have had to have all their teeth extracted. I’m having such a difficult time making sure they get the nutrition they need. Looking for sugggetikns and possibly an explanation as to why this happens to cats. I just want to make sure I’m not doing anything that caused it.
Are the cats related in any way?
I think you are referring to stomatitis? I have seen it most often in young cats.. even whole litters.. in most cases the only way to resolve it completely is to remove all of the teeth. I know it sounds terrible but these cats are so much happier afterward.. I have done many of them. I have also tried every other conceivable treatment option. At this point I tell my clients to save their money on all of the other stuff,, like steroids, anitbiotics, and just pull the teeth. Often we do it in stages. All of the molars first. As these are what are most commonly affected. Canine teeth last.
Have you tried a different litter in the box? The type of litter you are using may be part of the issue.
I agree with Sarah. Start with dirt in the box – that seems to attract cats. Slowly transition to a more normal litter.
Hello,
I wrote a ridiculously long answer, which seems to have disappeared into oblivion.. I suggested the following;
1. Never doubt the cat. They are always trying to tell us something, albeit, not always in the most socially pleasing manner. Trust they need you and listen to them. I always say that “if your cat had opposable thumbs they would write on the wall “HEY! MOM! I NEED ____” but instead they pee out of the box.
2. Do multiple urinalyses, not just one. Too often the answer lies in the second or third urine submitted.
3. There is a very strong environmental component. Try lotd of different litter boxes, scrutinize the location (like down in the basement (who wants to go down there?), next to a loud piece of equipment (like the washer or dryer,, too scary), or take the cover off, try different substrate (like potting soil, which is nice a soft like a towel?), try a wide box, low box, covered versus uncovered, etc etc.
4. Try a big cage covered in litter in one area, sand in another and soil in the last. see where he goes. Then fill the bottom with that. Each day add newspaper to the corner or one edge. Every day you make the litter area smaller until it only exists in an area the size of a litter box. Then add the litter box. See if that helps to retrain him.
5. You can board him with us. We essentially keep them until they are calm and litter trained. It is a bit of solitary confinement meets spa escape. The clinic cats were all former inappropriate urinating cats brought in to be euthanized. We retrained all of them. It can take a while but it helps them calm down and readjust.
Lastly, we forget to see the world through our cats eyes. They aren’t us. They too often get fed the wrong food, which causes bladder inflamation, get too bored inside, and some of them really are reclusive, and we dont give them places to hide, or perch, or run.
Please follow up with me at the clinic. I want to help you guys.
I am here for you all
Krista