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Juilan | 5 years ago
We Have Two Italian Greyhounds. The Older, A 16-year-old Neutered Female, Is Nearly Blind From Cataracts (…

We have two Italian Greyhounds. The older, a 16-year-old neutered female, is nearly blind from cataracts (can only see shadows) and almost completely deaf (responds to loud noises with one ear). She is otherwise healthy having recently had some teeth removed with the vet commenting on the great shape she is otherwise in. She has always slept in the bed with us at night, however, with her lack of eyesight, she cannot judge the edge of the bed and has fallen off so we stopped that practice. She now sleeps on the ground floor of the house in her own bed on the floor. In fact, she spends 24 hours a day in that bed except to eat and when she goes out.
The problem is that at night she will awaken every two hours and begin to bark making it necessary for me to come down to her. I usually will take her out, but often she will just stand there barking until I bring her back in, so I do not think it is a bathroom issue. I think she realizes she is alone and that is what causes the barking. We have tried leaving lights on all night, or the TV, we even got her a heartbeat pillow, but still she will get up and bark every two hours at night. During the day, she will sleep all day without the barking.
The only thing I have found is if I sleep on the couch in the same room she will not get up. What I do not understand is that she cannot see or hear me sleeping in the room yet my being in the room seems to prevent her from waking.
If someone can explain to me how she knows if I am or am not in the room when she cannot see or hear me? It is uncanny. If I am sleeping silently in the room she is fine, but as soon as I leave the room, she is awake and barking within two hours. Better still can someone tell me how to deal with this issue. She is afraid to walk on a lead any more so ‘taking her for a walk before bed’ is not an option. We have tried several different feeding schedules (I make all their food) with no success. Now she is fed in the morning and in the evening. She is not on any medication. It is truly bewildering. Any help would be appreciated.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    You have a greyhound. Emphasis on “hound”. She can lose her hearing and sight completely but that nose of hers is a secret weapon. I would guess she knows you are there by all of her sense most importantly her nose. I would either move downstairs or use a gated play pen upstairs for her. It’s safe. She’s with you and it might be a solution. Keep us posted. Also look into cognitive dysfunction in older dogs. There are lots of tips and helpful supplements that might help. Good luck. Keep us posted.

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Harsh | 5 years ago
Is It Normal For A Puppy To Limp After Getting A Dose Of Calcium Injected In …

Is it Normal for a puppy to limp after getting a dose of calcium injected in it’s leg?
Today was his vet’s appointment for a dose of calcium injection.
He’s a 3 months old Alsatian German Shepherd.
Unfortunately , I was picking up his litter to throw it and meanwhile he chewed a stone and gave a loud cry. I immediately came to him and stroked his fur,n Soon , his mouth was dripping so much blood! I immediately took him to the vet , who treated his wounds. Now he’s completely fine.
But after 3 hours of the dose , he started to limp (in the leg in which the dose was injected).
I asked a friend , who has taken care of many dogs! He said it’s completely normal as the dose of calcium is a bit strong and that he’ll be fine when he wakes up in the morning.
But I wanted to double check.
Please answers asap.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Please call the vet who gave the injection. And if he is not acting normally or continues to lip past 12-24 hours go back to the vet to have him seen. I hope he is ok.

    1. Harsh Post author

      Thank you for responding. I did contact the vet. He’s totally fine now and as energetic as always. ❤️

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Oscar | 5 years ago
My Kitten Of (five Weeks – Six Weeks) Appears To Have A Swollen Belly. I Have …

My kitten of (five weeks – six weeks) appears to have a swollen belly. I have been concerned for a while as it does not seem to go away, my kitten also seems to constipate a bit and isolate himself from other kittens. Although he shows some odd behavior, he still is the most energetic kitten of the lot and eats very often, more so than the other kittens, and he loves climbing, jumping, running, and is an all around happy lil guy. His feces does not seem to show any signs of parasitic infection (no eggs, mucus, blood) and I’m concerned it might even be FIP. Just wondering what it could be, thanks for taking the time in reading this!

3 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning-
    When is your next vet appointment? I’m assuming you already have them lined up for vaccinations and check ups since they’re so little. I’m sure the vet will give them all a physical and check for parasites etc. at that time. I think I would try to get in ahead of schedule for this little guy though since your concerned. Best of luck????????

  2. Laura

    I’d get him to the vet. Big bellies are (usually) wormy bellies, but your vet will be able to help you here.

  3. Krista Magnifico

    My first concern would be FIP too. There are some new treatment plans for this disease so I would have it diagnosed ASAP for the best chance at a successful treatment.

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Kathryn | 5 years ago
Hi, This Is Our 11 Month Old Kitten! I Snapped This Photo Of Her Yawning And It …

Hi,

This is our 11 month old kitten! I snapped this photo of her yawning and it appears she has an extra tooth on the left side?

We have had her for almost 6 weeks now, she chews on almost everything so were growing concerned. She is eating, sleeping, and playing all the same.

Please let us know what you think is going on in this little mouth

5 Responses

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  1. Kathryn Post author

    i’m just wondering if a vet would have to extract or if these usually fall out on their own?

  2. Sarah

    Hi there ???? Seeing as she is almost a year old kitten, I am assuming that you have a vet visit lined up for her in the near future for vaccinations/booster shots. I would make a note of it and mention it to the vet. If it doesn’t seem to be bothering her or effecting her appetite, it is probably ok to wait until your appointment. If there is a change in eating habits or behavior- you may want to call your vet sooner.

  3. Laura

    I know vets will extract retained baby teeth in dogs. I would imagine they do the same for cats.

  4. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Is she spayed? We would remove any extra baby teeth while doing th at under general anesthesia. Although I cannot get a really great look at the mouth I don’t see an obvious extra tooth on the photo. But please have your vet look. Leaving extra teeth behind predisposes them to accelerated dental disease. So go when you can. It’s not an emergency. Even if your cat is spayed we recheck them at about 18 months old for their next vaccines and rabies booster. Hope this helps. Be safe.

  5. Kathryn Post author

    hi guys!
    it was a baby tooth, the vet was able to pull it out without sedation because our good girl just laid down for a belly rub,
    he isnt sure if this will stop her from chewing everything in sight, he thinks that must just be how she is.

    but i am thankful there was no infection or anything!

    thank you all for the advice!!!

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Delaney Donelson | 5 years ago
Hello All, I Am Going To Try To Explain This The Best I Can. I Adopted …

Hello all, i am going to try to explain this the best i can. I adopted Louie a little over 2 years ago. He is now estimated at 11 years old. He goes into these phases of waking us up every morning at 4am and doesnt allow us to sleep until about 10am. He will constantly intermittently meow during those 6 or so hours. I say phases because he is currently doing it and its been about a week since it started but he hadnt done it for about 2 months.
This time, hes sitting outside our guest room door just meowing. He has never been in there and never shown interest till now. At first we thought it was maybe a start of dementia bc it is the room right before mine and he usually spends his time in mine, but now we arent so sure. He was in my room, left, and within 3 seconds was meowing at the other door. That just seemed like too quick a turn around between fine and not fine in terms of dementia.
When he has these periods of meowing, i always check to make sure there is food, water and a clean litter box available. That hasnt been the problem.
I am getting very frustrated as i havent slept well in over a week because of his meowing. Its like having a new-born. (Best type of birth control ever).
Its almost as if he knows hes doing wrong because after the first time i say “Louie hush” he’ll start meowing more quietly. Unfortunately. Still loud enough to wake me and keep me awake.

Any ideas are welcome and appreciated.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    There are many possibilities to this behavior. I would absolutely start at your vets office. My first guess is hyperthyroidism. And next Kinsey disease, but certainly cognitive dysfunction is also on the list. If at all possible find a feline specialist and go there. You should expect that they will want to do some tests. I always tell my clients that your pets have only a few ways to tell you that there is a problem. You have to pay attention to them and believe them. She isn’t intended to annoy you but she is absolutely telling you that she needs help. Please keep us posted on her and what the vet says. I wish you both luck and peace. Be well.

    1. Delaney Donelson Post author

      Thank you, i made an appointment a few days ago shortly after it started happening. Just waiting on the appt to come up.

      I live in jarrettsville. Any feline specialists you can recommend?

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Karin | 5 years ago
Our Houston Vet Confirmed This Dog As Already Neutered. He As A Slight Greenish Discharge Coming …

Our Houston vet confirmed this dog as already neutered. He as a slight greenish discharge coming from his penis. He was seen by his adopted family’s vet who said he has most likely Cryptorchid, that his testicles have failed to descend into his scrotum. This vet recommended a special procedure for neuter.
How could that be missed by the first vet? What do you think is going on with this little fella who only weighs 11 pounds and is 3 years old?

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    As with all things it is hard to diagnose via a photo. But. Here are my thoughts.
    1. In almost all cases of preputial discharge it is normal. I don’t go too crazy about it. It is usually a small amount, thick green-yellow and the patient is acting normally.
    2. Although rare, bilateral crytochordism can happen. But typically we have a good history to go by. I start palpating for testes at the first visit and check every subsequent one. I know if they haven’t descended and we go looking for them at age 9-11 months. I will add a blog I have written on it.
    3. I would be very careful based on that photo that these are the bulbourethral glands.

    Please ask for a second opinion before going under anesthesia to remove these.

    Let us know what happens.

    Thank you for rescuing
    Krista

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Maggie | 5 years ago
Dr. Magnifico, Hi, I Was In To See You In February With My 18 Yr Old Cat …

Dr. Magnifico,
Hi, I was in to see you in February with my 18 yr old cat Sophie. The morning throw- ups and lack of appetite got better for awhile. The appetite stimulator ointment really helped. But, we’re on a downward swing now. Sophie eats VERY little, yet still manages to throw it up. Yesterday, (Saturday) she ate hardly anything. Today she will not eat at all and has slept all day. So, I’m concerned about what to do. Best case scenario, she would die in her sleep. If she’s not eating, I would think this would happen. But, I don’t want her suffering. If I have her put to sleep at the vet’s, what’s the procedure since i can’t go in? I can’t imagine just handing her off to a stranger. I’m really struggling with this, so would appreciate any advice. Thanks.

5 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m so sorry to hear about your cat. If you feel its time to say goodbye we have a special protocol for this. One person can be with her in another building as you say goodbye. I know how hard it is to say goodbye and we are trying very hard to do this safely and compassionately. You don’t have to leave her alone and she will be with you. Everyone wears masks and only two staff members are present, the vet and a technician. . If you would like to discuss this, or anything else about your cat please call the clinic and we will happily explain it. We are also happy to set up an examination and maybe we can help assess her to see if there is anything we can do to help her feel better. I’m sorry but I am away for a few days with a family emergency. I wish you all the best. I hope this helps.

    1. Maggie Post author

      I am calling the office this morning. I’m so relieved to know the procedures will allow me to be there. She’s really bad this morning. I was praying she would go on her own, but that didn’t happen overnight. Thank you for responding. You should be able to spend this needed time with your family. All the best to you and your Mom at this very difficult time.

    2. Maggie Post author

      Just wanted you to know how wonderful your staff was this morning. When I called, they explained the procedures and told me to come down when I was ready. While on my way, Sophie crawled off her blanket, into my lap, cried once and died while I was holding her. When i got to the office, they just verified she was gone. I was so relieved that she went on her own. Prayers answered.

  2. Laura

    Maggie, my heart is with you. My old man cat is doing well right now but I fear the downward swing during this quarantine period.

    I’m so sorry.

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Kayla | 5 years ago
My 2-year-old Cat Suddenly Has Been Hiding And Crouching In The Corner Underneath A Bed In …

My 2-year-old cat suddenly has been hiding and crouching in the corner underneath a bed in one of our spare bedrooms. She is crouching but isn’t “aggressive” until we tried to coax her out and gently push her bottom. By aggressive, I mean that she would just give us warning signs that she might bat/smack one of us if we kept it up. This is extremely abnormal behavior for her, unless there are several people/strangers over. I am worried if something may have scared her or if she is possibly not feeling well? I can’t get her into the vet tonight so I am very concerned. If you have any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions please let me know!! Thank you!

2 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry to hear about your cat. I’m also sorry to say that I cannot offer much advice without an exam and some better observations. I always have to say that abnormal behaviors need to be treated as a possible emergency. I worry about pain, urinary issues and infection. I’m sorry I cannot help more.

  2. Sarah

    Good morning-
    Have you checked her litter box behavior? Has it been normal the last few days? And has her eating habit changed? Are you usually gone during the day and as of late because of the current situation, been home? Or vice versa- have you been gone more if you are essential? These changes may be effecting things too. I definitely would start with a checkup at the vet just to get a better idea of what might be going on. Hope things are ok????????

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Nemanja | 5 years ago
Hello Guys, I Have A Strange Question. I Have Two Degus, One Of Them (a Couple …

Hello guys, I have a strange question. I have two degus, one of them (a couple months older) is a male, the other one was not really identified as the people in pet shop were not sure, but we are pretty sure it’s a girl. They didn’t get along when we first put them together in one cage and would start fighting, but after some time of exchanging them from one cage to another, they became friends and now we keep them together recently. My question is: in last couple of days, the smaller one (a female?) is humping our older degu, which is a male 100%. Is this normal, or is this only possible if both of them are males? Even if it’s asserting dominance, the smaller one should not be a dominant one, right? I am really hoping you can help. Thank you very much, Nem

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Me | 5 years ago
Dr Krista – I Am A YouTube Watcher With A 22yo Cat That May Have Nasal …

Dr Krista – I am a YouTube watcher with a 22yo cat that may have nasal or ear polyps. We have spent 8 weeks trying every antibiotic, nasal steroid drop, antibac nasal drop and still fighting the snorking sound and her inability to breathe. Did nasal swab wk of 4/20 – found 2 bacteria, getting compounded anti bacs at this point since both bacs are super resistant apparently – Citrobacter freundii and pseudeomonas species. Antibacs will arrive to me in California by Thur 4/30 . She has a grade 3 heart murmur and hyper thyroid (on 5mg Methimazole daily). Just as your YouTube vid about Stripes with polyps (2/23/2018), I think I may be in the same situation – I have a vet telling me to go to a specialist for $$$ because everything we are throwing at this isn’t working. How in the world do I find someone like you who is willing to help me for a reasonable cost? I am calling all over for vets and everyone is ‘specialist focused’. Do you have tips on what to ask, experience, and honestly, I need someone with your confidence to do this. Or I need you 🙂 I have been in cat rescue over 30 yrs and ‘get; the lingo but have never had such difficulty finding a vet who could assist. Thank you in advance!

2 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry to hear about your cat. I think that based on age alone it is less likely that it is a polyp and more likely that it is cancer. I say this based solely on experience. I think that I would call all the rescues and shelters around and ask for a trusted vet who would be willing to do a sedated exam to look for a polyp. After that it gets expensive to do the rhiniscopy and ct scan and honestly there is little to gain if it is cancer as it is not treatable. I would try the antibiotics, inquire about a steroid (difficult based on the thyroid and heart murmur but might be worth a trial) and even ask about intranasal cerenia drops. Also look for a feline medicine specialist and be honest about your budget.
    I hope this helps.

    1. Me Post author

      Thank you Dr Magnifico. I have now been/talked to 11 vets since this message to you 2 weeks ago, been to specialists, had nothing but the run around. This process has been agonizing, thousands of dollars, vets more interested in ensuring I know risk and that their liability is removed than caring for my kitty. I have labs, xrays, eco results, UA’s, spent thousands of $$ – and no one will do what you do – do a quick sedation and see if there are any polyps. Maybe she does have cancer but we DONT KNOW THAT FOR SURE. Is there anyway to pay you to review her records and advise me? I am up at nights, crying to figure this out and meanwhile losing valuable precious time and money where I could be helping my baby have a few more quality months/years. Thank you for considering.