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Sandy | 2 weeks ago
My Cat Is An American Short Hair And Is Two Years Old,suddenly He Stopped Eating …

My cat is an American short hair and is two years old,suddenly he stopped eating his food (he eats Smalls, ground chicken and turkey)and started vomiting yellow but when he is throwing out it sounds like he is chocking, he is being acting very different no eating ,no playing and I try to feed him and hydrate him with a syringe but he vomits every time. This happened like 4 months ago too and I took him to the vet and it was so expensive and did not help me at all,they made an x ray and didn’t find anything and I change his food because in that time he only ate dry food. I thought everything was find now with wet and quality food but is happening again. Please help me if you have any idea what can I do?. I have no pet insurance and no budget to spend on vets.

2 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    I’m so sorry to hear about your cat.
    I’m also sorry but there is not enough information here to allow for an accurate diagnosis and therefore an appropriate treatment plan.
    I recommend that you call the vet back and ask for help on a budget. See if you can drop off a fecal sample without the exam. See if they will allow you to do some diagnostics with a minimum database so that you can get help for your cat. There is a big push in vetmed right now to allow affordable care. Remind them of this. Put us all in writing and plea for your cat to get help. You she already been seen and they already have an established relationship with you. This will help you get care and it is a great case for what the profession is already being challenged with.
    I will add the links below for the public press releases stating that we know too many people are struggling to find affordable access to care. I recommend you use your personal experience as an example and start advocating for help yourself. Or you can try to find a shelter or rescue that has a vet on duty who might be willing to help.
    Please keep me posted.
    Good luck.
    Krista

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Edie | 2 weeks ago
Hi. I Have A 17 Year Old Cat( Approximately Calico. She Has Elevated Liver And Kidney Levels …

Hi. I have a 17 year old cat( Approximately calico. She has elevated liver and kidney levels but not too bad and is on KD dry food but loves wet also. About 2 months ago she started grooming excessively. Now her front legs are brown , not white anymore and everwhere she sleeps she leaves brown stains. 2 vets have said it’s iron in her saliva .. she is on a very low dose gabapentin and she has gotten a bit better with the excess grooming . I have been told that all cats have iron in their saliva but why all of a sudden is it so much and is there anything to do. Fecal urine and bloodwork mostly normal

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Kerry | 3 weeks ago
Hi, I’m Just About To Bring My Cat Home Who Has Multiple Rib Fractures. She …

Hi, I’m just about to bring my cat home who has multiple rib fractures. She was hit by a car. She is not eating on her own nor drinking. I’m not even sure how to pick her up. I’m pretty scared is there any advice that someone could give me.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    If this just happened (ie last day or so) then I am not too worried about eating or drinking yet. I hope your cat has some pain medication and that some fluids were given. For cases like this I give a long acting injectable antibiotic like convenia and a long acting pain medication like zorbium. Just so clients don’t have to worry about handling or medication administration. After that I recommend cage rest. This includes placing the cat in a cage that is just big enough to hold a pee pad with litter on it (no box so they don’t have to try to get into it), a water bowl, (sturdy and shallow), food (wet preferably) and blanket or towel. Nothing with sides to require extra movement or effort. Also wet food so they don’t get hard feces as posturing to defecate will/might be hard. I also make sure these pets are spayed asap jic there are pelvic fractures. Delivering kittens with previous fractures might not be possible.

    Do not pick up if you don’t have to. If you do use a towel as a sling. Be gentle and careful. Or ask your vet for help.

    Good luck

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summer | 4 weeks ago
My Two Year Old Cat Has Been Mouth Breathing To The Point Of His Entire Mouth …

My two year old cat has been mouth breathing to the point of his entire mouth being wet from drool for the last two hours. His tail is swishing back and fourth and he’s yelling everytime I pet him. He’s extremely food motivated and when I tried to give him a piece of kibble, he wouldn’t take it. It’s definitely really strange behavior. If there’s no improvement tomorrow morning, I will absolutely take him to this vet as soon as possible. I just didn’t know if he needed to go to the emergency vet immediately.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Any kind of breathing abnormalities is always an indication for an emergency visit to the vet.

    I hope he is ok.

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Justin | 4 weeks ago
I Cant Get A Picture Because The Website Wont Work On My Phone For Some Reason …

I cant get a picture because the website wont work on my phone for some reason but my cat lost one of his whole back claws, there is dried blood along the top of it should i be worried? He is sleeping rn and a little bit ago he was walking around like he wasn’t in pain, is this normal for cats? He got back from the vet about a month ago for an abcess on his neck from one of my other cats being a little too rough and bitting him, could this be the same issue of the cats playing too rough and his claw got ripped out?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    hello,
    In most cases this isn’t a problem that I worry about. But, infection can happen, and litter boxes are inherently dirty.
    So, the best option is to seek veterinary care for an examination and perhaps antibiotic soak, or oral antibiotic option.
    We will see about getting the photo option fixed.
    Happy Holiday
    krista

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Tim | 4 weeks ago
10 Year Old Cat With Nasal Polyp? I Tried Multiple Vets And Hundreds Of Dollars But Nobody …

10 year old cat with nasal polyp?

I tried multiple vets and hundreds of dollars but nobody seems to have a solution. One vet said it was an upper respiratory infection, they gave him a shot of Convenia and prescribed Clavamox, nothing. Fast forward a couple weeks, he wasn’t eating for an over a day so we took him to another vet that prescribed Cerenia which helped temporarily. They said he could have trouble smelling his food so he wasn’t eating. But it’s still not gone. Xray was clear. Now the vet referred to a specialist that wants over $2000 to anesthetize and do an endoscopy JUST to diagnose. From Jersey, can I drive 3 hours to MD so you can maybe look a him? I’m scared he’s gonna pass away from troubled breathing.

Background:
He lived with my dad who recently passed and I took him in. In the last year I noticed he has had difficulty breathing but some days it sounds clear, most days it’s worse. It sounds like something is restricting his airway.

He does sneeze often and when he does it’s usually 15+ sneezes in a row like he’s trying to get something out. Last night I counted 21 sneezes in a row. He also sometimes sounds like he’s choking or trying to spit something out but nothing comes out. He does have greenish/yellow boogers once every couple of weeks and also has discharge from his eye.

I know it’s the holidays but I’ll do anything for a chance to help my little guy that reminds me of my father everyday. *Update, just made an appt for 12/30 at 11:30am!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello. If you need anything sooner please call and ask to leave a message for me. Merry Christmas.
    Dr Magnifico.

    1. Tim Post author

      Hello thank you!! I tried calling back but the office may be busy. I can bring him anytime over the next 3 days, whatever you have available!

    2. Tim Post author

      Update: thank you Doc!! The office was able to get me in on Thursday evening. I emailed records over along with video of his breathing sound. Have a blessed holiday, Merry Christmas!

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Jeanne | 1 month ago
We Learned This Week That Our 9yo Female Domestic Cat FIV+ Has Bilateral Ear Canal Polyps …

We learned this week that our 9yo female domestic cat FIV+ has bilateral ear canal polyps more severe on the right. Our local vet does not perform the surgical removal of these polyps. How to find a vet to perform surgery or a dermatology specialist? A video otoscopy was recommended. In Maryland, Harford County. Willing to travel though don’t want to stress cat out too much with a looonnggg ride. Thanks in advance.

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Liette | 1 month ago
Can A Cat Live With A Nasopharyngeal Polyp That Is Not Easily Removed (it’s Not …

Can a cat live with a nasopharyngeal polyp that is not easily removed (it’s not near soft palette when placed under anesthesia)? Our 6 yr old spayed female is honking and has nasal discharge unless she is on antibiotics. Prednisone /prednisolone were not effective.
She is a poor surgical candidate (she stopped breathing when the endotracheal tube was removed during exploratory). An ear polyp was removed successfully. Discharge and ear polyp are/we’re on the same side.
We cannot afford endoscopy at this time. Can she be maintained on antibiotics? She has coughed up a large polyp twice before we owned her so we are hopeful that will happen again soon.

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Jason | 1 month ago
Hello, My Cat Was Cleared From Urinary Blockage. Now We Need To Prevent This From Recurring. …

Hello,
My cat was cleared from urinary blockage.
Now we need to prevent this from recurring.
You mentioned quality can food for this.
If you can give me a list of your favorite quality cat can foods I would appreciate that.
Thank you

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Colin | 1 month ago
Colin To Dr. Krista : May I Pick Your Brains? Dear Dr. Krista, I’m Writing To …

Colin to Dr. Krista : May I pick your Brains?

Dear Dr. Krista,

I’m writing to ask your advice about a stray cat I found last month. See images attached.

But first I want to thank you for the polyp videos you made, which were refreshing, as well as impressive.

One of my strays was snoring, so I was eager to pluck out a polyp hiding behind his soft-palate. (He didn’t have one, but I’m gratefully alerted for the future.)

Last month I found a stunted stray ginger cat outside a 7/11 in North Thailand, where I’m a self-financed Christian missionary.

Can you help me diagnose, and treat the problem?

At first I thought it was simply FVR / Calici and chronic snuffles.
But when I opened her mouth, she had only 4 teeth in her head!

Yes, she had calici tongue-ulcers, but little sneezing, no ocular discharge, and has been eating like a horse from day one. She’s happy and bright in herself, apart from the ugly sore nose.

Her mandibular Ln were big and hard, so I put her on antibiotic tablets, with a little dexamethasone (actually 2.5mg Prednisolone tab. daily.)

Then after a week or so I sedated her, and examined her mouth more closely, no observable polyps (drat!) but one of her molars was loose and covered in calculus, so I pulled that one out, and cleaned up the remaining molar and two premolars, otherwise the poor thing would have zero teeth.

There was of course gingivitis and pharyngitis, but pink, not red like “dragon-mouthed cats” on dcf.

For the last month I’ve given her a course of floxacilin (30 days) with amoxycillin, and tried all sort of creams on her nose and lower eyelids which. as you can see, are raw and sore.

Her Ln are almost normal now, +but that nose is no better+, and she tries to rub as though it is itchy.

(I made up creams mixing; 10% flours of sulphur, betamethasone, ivermectin, and vaseline)

There’s a temporary lessening at best, but no lasting improvement.

So what is your differential for her?

In NZ where I locummed, cat leprosy was common (Mycobacterium from mice and voles) so that was my diagnosis, but the floxacillin has made no impression.

I’ve trimmed her claws and taped her fore paws to stop her making her nose raw.

I’m stuck, and thought of asking you Doc.

I’d guess she’s 3-4 years old, confident, unvaccinated, entire, lived wild all her life eating left over fast food, and possibly DCF from neighbours.

Since October I’ve been feeding her raw chicken frames, tinned sardines, vitamin syrup, and no DCF.
She loves raw chicken :), and eats whatever I put in front of her and still looks for more.

Apart from her nose you would not think she was ill in any way.

Thanks for your advice.

Colin

PS. For some reason, Depo-medrone has been taken off the market here, not even local vets can get hold of it.

Colin Melbourne English missionary in Asia
https://www.born-again-christian.org/news/
https://www.born-again-christian.org/news/ไทยคริสเตียน/
https://www.born-again-christian.info/aboutus.htm
https://www.born-again-christian.com (Asian languages)

4 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello!
    Thank you for helping this kitty.
    I am happy to help, but a few things are important to remember; I do not know all of the local diseases to your area. We live in very different places and animals get exposed to different diseases in different places.
    Based on the history and response to treatment so far I think the antibiotic was warranted and may need to be provided every so often to manage secondary infections due to severity of the cats condition.
    I also think that there is a chance this could be one of the following:
    Infection (fungal or bacterial)
    Immune mediated (pemphigus/lupus)
    Or cancer (squamous cell, etc)

    To diagnose these you may need biopsy or cytology. I would try to resist treating without some ability to rule something out. (Steroids and fungal infections can make things worse).

    Please keep us posted. Very best of luck.
    Krista.

    1. Colin Post author

      Dear Dr. Krista,

      Thank you for your quick response 🙂

      Yes, I’m aware of the dangers of cortisone therapy, but living in the mountains, I’m limited to kitchen table surgery 🙂

      I do also liaise with a kind local lady-vet, who supplies me with whatever medicines I need.

      She too is stumped, and I’ve been here three decades plus +and never seen anything like it before.+

      I tried mixing miconazole in with the various creams I concocted, like you concerned it could be a fungal disease. But I find flours of sulphur cures both mange and ringworm here, if applied gently and persistently enough.

      Yes, the spectre of Squamous cell carcinoma looms, but she is remarkably bright and active.

      Almost no sneezing or nasal discharge.

      The “Rodent ulcers” that I’ve seen look different, and usually just the lips, and the ulcer has a thickened rolled edge: This one is different.

      +Doc., have YOU seen anything like this before?+

      I should mention, she had a lick granuloma on her hip, but that has healed now, with flea-bathing, and the steroids she’s been on. (I don’t like using fipronil, ie. “Poison your pet to poison its parasites”. Not a sound strategy.)

      Can you ask around for me please if any of your colleagues have seen a nose like that, despite over a month intensive blunderbuss therapy? Feel free to post the images on a specialised dermatology group if you know of one.

      Colin

    2. Colin Post author

      Dear Dr. Krista,

      Thank you for your comments. Your mention of locality sparked a line of new thoughts.

      Most of my vet jobs have been in the tropics (Jamaica, Arabia, Singapore etc) where venomous creatures are commonplace (Toads, insects, scorpions, spiders, centipedes, and snakes).

      I’ve seen Arabian horses lamed by a centipede bite, a rare Arabian Oryx die from a snake bite.

      One characteristic symptom I’ve noticed in cats of spider bites is intense, frantic licking of the cat’s body. It is continuous until the toxin effect subsides after a few hours, so mild sedation is called for. It’s clinically distinct from the CNS effects of agricultural toxins.

      This cat has lived around a 24 hour 7/11 shop, and the bright lights at night attract swarms of termites and beetles: Cats love eating termites, +but so do; scorpions, snakes, spiders, centipedes, and toads+ that live in drains.

      Just this week, my other strays brought two live snakes as “love gifts”, one was a harmless Tree-snake, the other a 60cm Red-necked Keelback (small, but whose venom is nonetheless as deadly as the Banded-Krait’s!) (See attached snap I took of “Chatty” offering a cute-little Keelback present to me.)

      https://thailandsnakes.com/red-necked-keelback-venomous-mildly-dangerous/

      Doctor Krista, It’s possible what we are looking at is a cat recovering from a bite, or sting, on the left nostril by a snake, scorpion, hornet, spider etc.

      I know from personal experience that such wounds provoke Type 4 cell-mediated immune responses, (cf. acute inflammatory antibody responses) and so are very slow to heal. (My neighbour was blinded in one eye by reaction to a Hornet sting.)

      With neoplasia, I’d expect this cat to be inappetent and “ill”, but she’s bright, eating well, and purring loudly by my side as I type. So I’m leaning to the insect, arachnid, snake bite, or sting idea for now.

      It’d be nice to have the luxury of lab-work and histology, if it were available and reliable, but I’m old-school trained, and content diagnosing on sensory data alone.

      I certainly considered your Pemphigus differential, but she would have responded very well to the prednisolone 2.5mg/day according to this paper and others:

      https://www.veterinary-practice.com/article/feline-pemphigus-foliaceus

      Thank you for helping me brainstorm 🙂

      I will update you on her recovery.

      Colin

  2. Colin Post author

    Here’s an update on what “Princess” looks like today, after 3 months in my care.

    Desperate for progress last week, I sedated her; cleaned up her face, trimmed her whiskers, and extracted all her remaining teeth, (there were 8, not four, with their roots, see snap attached,) just in case it’s an atypical case of “screaming cat-mouth”. Which is caused by feeding cats dry cat-food, and packets of Monsanto pet-sludge, instead of what Carnivores were created to eat: Raw meat and bone in the form of whole animals and arthropods.

    She’s still a happy pussy, and eats whatever is put in front of her; suffers occasional calici/FVR snuffles, has mild pharyngitis, but her mandibular LN are now back to normal size, +BUT that nose ulcer is no better,+ and no worse.

    Again, I could not palpate, or see, any polyps in her mouth or nasopharynx, but I don’t discount the likelihood of smaller polyps in her anterior nasal passages causing this. Perhaps as reaction to FVR, sting, trauma etc.

    She’s still head-shy, it’s as tender as it looks, but she likes to rub her face with her front paws, and on objects, as though it itches.

    I’ve ruled out neoplasia because she’s so well in herself, and her lymph nodes returned to normal after an antibiotic course.

    Demodex, ringworm, and mange are common in strays here, and they’re easily cured with gentle application of home-made flours-of-sulphur and ivermectin creams. She’s had all that routine therapy, so I discount those. This is distinctly different from such cases.

    The black specs are food remains, not scabs.

    My differential diagnosis is now, in order of likelihood;

    Nose trauma/FVR that has caused tiny nasal polyps.
    Insect sting, spider, or snake bite inside her oral cavity, or on her face,
    “Screaming cat-mouth” (aka. Commercial “pet food” toxicity. She could have lived on pet food poached from neighbours’ pets.)
    Atopic allergy. (She licks her body fur all over, in long sessions until it’s wet with saliva, despite bathing and de-fleaing her.)
    Cat leprosy, (Mycobacterium from rodents.)
    Rodent ulcer (Ought to have resolved by now.)
    Leishmaniasis. (Very rarely reported but present in SE Asia)

    Suggestions for therapy welcome 🙂

    Colin