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Jessica | 3 years ago
I Have A 12 Year Old Cat Who Developed An Aural Hematoma. He Had Surgery Two Days …

I have a 12 year old cat who developed an aural hematoma. He had surgery two days ago (Friday) to drain the ear and this evening (Sunday), it started to swell up again.

Is this to be expected? He started shaking his head as well and not sure how to prevent him from doing so.

Unfortunately it is late at night and I am not able to reach the vet. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

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megan | 3 years ago
A While Ago My Cat Became Sick, Around The Same Time We Noticed He Had Been …

a while ago my cat became sick, around the same time we noticed he had been leaving our house and stealing cat food from the neighbors who leave it out for other stray cats (therefore he was eating after other cats) his lymph nodes became swollen, he stayed in one spot all day and rarely moved, he wouldn’t eat or drink, and lost weight. We brought him to the vet and they examen him and did x-rays and said that it appears that he could have cancer/a tumor that has spread to his lymph nodes already as well as some other things like fluid/pus in his chest. They said the cancer was very aggressive since it’s already gotten that far and we just noticed it. A few days later his lymph node swelling went away, he started eating and drinking again, and he was acting like himself. We brought him back to the vet and they performed FNA on the tumor which came back inconclusive. They were also shocked that his lymph node? weren’t swollen anymore, and they said the tumor had moved places, and they started to question their diagnosis saying that he could just have an infection. The gave him antibiotics and sent us home. Since then the tumor has gotten bigger and moved places, it feels sort of soft and moves around easily. I’m questioning if this is just a lipoma rather than cancer because of the way it feels and moves, it has also been about 2 months since we very first noticed this, and to me it doesn’t appear or feel to have spread anywhere, his vet was also talking like he wouldn’t live more that a week or two and it’s been 2 months. No one can really come to a definite diagnosis… so if anyone could give advice or help on this i’d appreciate it very much!! (i’ve also included a photo below of the tumor though it’s a litte difficult to tell)

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  1. Laura

    Honestly, I’d be looking for an oncology specialist to determine if it really is a tumor of some sort.

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Maricela | 3 years ago
My Cat Is Going In For A TECA-BO In One Week. I Can’t Stop Crying …

My cat is going in for a TECA-BO in one week. I can’t stop crying because I am so worried for him. Has anyone been through this with their pet? I could really use some positive stories to put my mind at ease. Thanks in advance.

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  1. Shiria

    Hello, just saw this :).
    How did the surgery go?
    I only knew one cat that got a TECA on both sides due to chronic changes in his ear canal skin. It was always inflamed and extremely itchy. One side even had a tumor in it. Both surgeries went well, but he had to wear a cone for a while, because he always wanted to sratch.
    After complete healing he was no longer itchy and loved being touched. before that was painful for him.

    I hope your cat heals fine, too!

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Christopher | 3 years ago
I Have An 11-year Old Female Domestic Shorthair Cat (Nala) Who Has Been Very Healthy Until …

I have an 11-year old female domestic shorthair cat (Nala) who has been very healthy until around springtime last year when she started to develop a snorty sound when breathing and rapid sneezing fits. We figured it was maybe allergies at the time, as ours were really bad too. But it kept lingering and we finally asked our vet and he was reluctant to do a full exam on her because of the expense, and he also diagnosed her as having herpes, and prescribed Chlorpheniramine 4mg and Duralactin paste 2.5ml for her. I give her a 1/4 of the pill crushed in her canned food once a day, but the paste makes her sick. I have been giving her the pill for about 3 months now with zero improvement. I have been doing a lot of research, and the closest thing I could find that matches what she is dealing with is a video I found of Dr. Magnifico performing surgery on a cat for a nasal polyp. The description she gave completely matches what Nala sounds like with the snoring sounds when breathing and the constant sounds of trying to clear her throat. She has lost a lot of weight because I think it’s difficult for her to eat a lot but otherwise she acts like nothing is wrong, she is very playful, and also eats (best she can) and drinks normally, and litterbox habits are still great. My question is if this diagnosis sound like it could be correct, and if so, is this something that could possibly be fixed without breaking budget?

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  1. Autumn

    Hi!
    Polyps in our kitty friends are quite common. I am a surgery technician that assists Dr.Magnifico and we have seen and removed more than a handful!

    We have noticed not many vet offices check for polyps and typically it’s what we end up finding. (Not always the case as some cats are chronic upper respiratory forever)
    This surgery is typically not a budget breaker. Please reach out and never be afraid to ask many questions to your veterinarian!, That’s what they are here for ,

  2. Autumn

    Hi!
    We always recommend reaching out to your vet or local shelters and asking about polyps. It is possible to have them removed, however we do see then reoccur in some cases(not all!!) With your cat being 11, your vet may want to dig a little further and see if there is anymore going on.

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Tammy | 3 years ago
Elderly Kitty Sprained Her Foot And Exhibiting Strange Behavior

My daughter’s elderly cat Astra seems to have sprained her left front paw tonight and is acting strange. Her leg/paw isn’t swollen, but she can’t put any weight on it without falling down. She’s meowing a lot and walking in circles. At one point, she was hiding by my daughter’s desk which is unusual, she seems to be confused, and has no appetite. We’ve read how cats don’t metabolize aspirin or nsaids very well, so we don’t want to give her any. What can we give her and what can we do to comfort her? Is there anything we should look for? Is her behavior typical of a feline in pain? Thank you for your help!
Edit: Now she’s pressing her head up against things.

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  1. Laura

    This sounds like more than just the foot. She sounds quite distressed. Please get her to the vet TODAY.

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Jennifer Taylor | 3 years ago
Last Summer My Beloved Cat, Summer Escaped My Home And Was Missing For Two Months. When …

Last summer my beloved cat, Summer escaped my home and was missing for two months. When she was found she had lost about 1/3 of her body weight and her personality had changed. While she was previously very much the “alpha” cat and could be a bit of a diva she is now timid and very loving. During the time when she was missing I was under an incredible amount of stress; having a pet pass away is heartbreaking but having a pet go missing is agonizing, I would not wish the experience on my worst enemy. I couldn’t sleep for much of the two months. Our cat Gracie was by my side the entire time. She did take over as the leader of our little cat pack (pride??). When Summer returned Gracie and her initially got along okay, however within about two weeks Gracie started going after Summer causing a significant amount of stress on Summer. She would chase her off the litter box and food bowls. We created a safe space for Summer and over the past year she has very much chosen to stay isolated away from Gracie, our other cats come “visit” without an issue. Several months ago Gracie started urinating outside of her box. We first had to go through the process of elimination to determine which cat was urinating outside the box. All cats have had urine and bloodwork done to rule out any medical issues. Gracie is now isolated and Summer has free reign of the house. Inappropriate urination has stopped. Our other cats can come “visit” Gracie without incident, however as soon as Summer enters the room Gracie attacks her. We have tried medication and we have tried putting a drop of vanilla on each cat so they smell the same. I would prefer to not spend the rest of my cats lives isolating one or the other to create peace in our home. I will note that Gracie has limited or no sight in one of her eyes, she has always been a bit of a “scrapper” with the other pets when they approach her on that side, that being said this isn’t a case of Summer startling her, she is seeking out Summer to attack her.
I would love advice from anyone who has had a similar experience; what worked, what didn’t?

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  1. Laura

    Hi there. I’m sorry it took us a while to respond…I’ve been pondering over this since you initially posted. I think you may have to consider permanent separation. This is doable in a cat household, as you’ve seen, though it can be annoying, but it might be safest for the clowder.

    I assume you’ve tried Feliway?

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Nicholas P. Woodward | 3 years ago
My Parents’ Cat, Oso, Is Not Doing So Well. He’s Been Needing Subcutaneous Fluids …

My parents’ cat, Oso, is not doing so well. He’s been needing subcutaneous fluids administered via IV and he had not been eating every meal for a little over a week until we started giving him an appetite stimulant.

He also is having labored breathing, mouth closed 36 – 42 inhales/ minute. Here’s a link to a video so you can see: https://www.dropbox.com/s/elf32wwm5z06ygn/OsoBreathe.mov?dl=0

An image of an X-Ray is attached – The comments below and the color arrows were provided by a mobile radiologist that came over to see him – I didn’t understand the notes, but basically she was pointing out tumor(s), cancer and fluids building up inside his body there.

We are continuing with the fluids and with the appetite stimulant he is eating. Steroid once month shots have been suggested and were just started 2 days ago.

Any advice here is very much appreciated and welcomed.

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  1. Laura

    Honestly, I’d be looking for a veterinary oncologist in your position.

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Maricela | 3 years ago
Hello There. My Cat Has Had An Ear Infection For Over Two Years Now And Has …

Hello there. My cat has had an ear infection for over two years now and has been treated with antibiotics over and over but it will not go away. Just about a year ago the vet removed a few polyps from my cats ear and throat and we thought for sure that’s why the antibiotics weren’t clearing up the ear infection, so we have done more ear infection treatments since the polyps have been removed but it’s still infected. My cats ear is stinky and water flys out of my cats ear when he shakes his head. I am so over antibiotics, we have literally tried every kind. Is there a home remedy out there anyone has had success with? Please help.

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  1. Shiria

    Hello,
    I just found your question. Have you found a solution for your cat yet?
    We had a cat at our shelter, that was found with an infected mass inside their ear canal. The mass was removed, but it wouldn’t get better. It was smelling bad and pus could be seen. When the mass started growing back, his whole ear canal was removed.

    Maybe that is an option for your cat, too? It helped Tony a lot. No more itchy, smelling, hurting ear. Altough he had to war a cone during healing, but after that he was the happiest cat.

    I wish the ebst for your cat.

  2. Maricela Post author

    Hello again! My cat is going in for a total ear canal ablation one week from today, but not only are they removing just the ear canal they will also remove the middle ear too. I am so worried and nervous for him but this is my last resort.

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Candice | 3 years ago
POLPY REMOVAL

Hello everyone,

I have a 3-year-old cat with a polyp. I’m not sure where the polyp is located since the x-rays/MRI scan cost 1k. I’ve joined groups on Facebook to find any clinics to remove the polyp. VCA quoted me 4-7k which doesn’t include any kind of scans and most local veterinarians only remove polyp if they can physically see it.

I really need any help trying to find any clinic in the US. I’m willing to travel but for a reasonable price. I’m a college student living on my own with many expenses and it’s truly upsetting seeing my little guy go through this. I can hear him snoring and couching. I believe the polyp is located in his throat and nose.

Please please help me out!!!

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  1. Sarah

    Hi there-
    I’m sorry that you are going through this. Have you tried pet insurance to see if they cover some of the cost? Have you tried you local humane society to see if they can point you towards a vet or surgeon who can get you a proper diagnosis and is able to perform the surgery if necessary? Have you spoken to your regular vet and asked their opinion, based on your finances, how to best help your cat or where else you can go for assistance? I would start there. I would also google the surrounding area and start making phone calls to see who else in your area might be able to advise/help/treat.

  2. Maricela

    Hello, I went through this just a year ago and finally found a vet near me who is amazing and removed my cats polyps without pushing an MRI. This vet is in MN. Let me know if you’d like his info.

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Teresa | 4 years ago
I Have Been Using Cat Fountains For My Cats For A Long Time Now, Because They …

I have been using cat fountains for my cats for a long time now, because they all love fresh running cold water and insist on drinking out of the sink. The problem I’m having is that I still have not found the best cat fountain for my kids. So many of them are made from plastic, and regardless of how often you change the filters they mold easily. Gross. I have seen ceramic ones and stainless steel. I am reaching out for input from everyone to find out what it is they use that they find is the best. Even the filters tend to get funky quickly. I only have three cats and I do wash their fountain often. But I’m looking for one that will not mold easily and also does not make a huge mess on the floor. Thank you so much and advance!

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  1. Laura

    Hi there! Unfortunately, the issues you describe are endemic to the nature of a drinking fountain.

    They all mold. It’s the nature of a warm, wet environment. They all need very frequent cleaning – is the nature of a water bowl.

    What kind of mess are you seeing on the floor? Do you have anything under it to catch drips?