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Ada | 6 months ago
My Cat Will Be Having I-131 Therapy. We Have Been Instructed To Use Flushable Cat Litter …

My cat will be having I-131 therapy. We have been instructed to use flushable cat litter or to keep the used litter in a closed container for 90 days before discarding. Our preference would be to use flushable cat litter, but we are having trouble finding one. Several were on Chewy.com but they are all out of stock. Any recommendations?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    This is a very good question and I honestly don’t have the answer. I haven’t ever used a flushable litter. We have had all of our patients dispose of the litter in the traditional manner. I guess I would say to ask the vet doing your cats radioiodine therapy. Let us know what they say.

    1. Ada Post author

      The vet who did the radioiodine therapy did not have anything more specific than flushable. Around this same time our other cat had a couple of accidents. We decided this would not be a good time to change litter. Maka is now home and both cats are back to their usual routine.

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jewel | 7 months ago
How Can I Best Extract Bowels From My Injured Cat? She Is Not Using The Litter …

how can i best extract bowels from my injured cat? she is not using the litter box, but there is some leakage. she has no tone in her anus and most likely is healing from nerve damage. i have figured out how to extract her bladder. she is still eating and lively. more details of her condition and our process to support her below.

moonstone is about a year old and showed up at our house 4 months ago brave and spirited. she disappeared for a week and came back with a serious injury. we took her to the er because she was leaking urine and had a limp tail and left hind leg. we learned that her bladder needed to be urgently expressed and that her bowels were backed up. we also learned that she had a tail avulsion and a fracture in her left femoral joint. they expressed her bladder and bowels and sent us home with pain meds and anti-inflammatory medication. we went to aspca the next day hoping to get treatment for her fractured bones, but they suggested nursing her at home and learning how to express her bladder and bowels to see if she could regain control and tone in her anus. they said that maybe in a few weeks she could regain feeling and be able to use the bathroom on her own, and then they would consider amputating her tail and treating her leg. we have quickly learned how to express her bladder, but are struggling to get her to poop. please help us keep moonstone alive!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello

    I’m sorry to hear about your cat.

    I think that you need to find a veterinarian or a veterinary technician who can show you how to do this. I would also recommend you start gentle physical therapy and feed canned food to keep the feces soft and able to pass more easily.

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Kate | 7 months ago
Hi . I Have A 9yr Old DSM/Tabby Female Cat. I’ve Recently Taken To JVet …

Hi . I have a 9yr old DSM/Tabby female cat. I’ve recently taken to JVet but for years she was seen at Banfield Pet Hospital since I adopted in March of 2015..for years she has chronic ear infections most of the time tested positive for Yeast bur one year was positive for bacterial, however usually it is her left ear that bugs her the most then her right ear…however I thought maybe this could be an issue with possible food allergies because I do see her scratch around her face, neck and ears.. I first had her on Purina kitten. Pro plan then transfered her to adult pro plan..bur noticed she had stressed locked some fur off her back right leg due to maybe a grain allergy so I changed her to grain free diet of Purina Beyond; which she was fine for awhile but by the time she was 7 yrs of age Banfield recommended she be put on Royal Canin Satiety support diet …..which ik not sure if maybe the carbs in the dry food may be causing her to have an allergic reaction…. recently ive decided to take her off dry food completely and go to an wet food diety. I have her trying backwoods , weruvia and backwoods.. she seems to like the weruvia gluten free. Grain free and Carrigan free series and the backwoods duck & rabbit giblet/shreds … how would you recommend to portion her wet food so she go from 11 lbs to 9 lbs over time gradually and for allergies what symptoms I should look for if it may collate to her chronic yeast infections in her ears?

I have her schedule to be seen at JVet soon again since I don’t feel at all satisfied with the care at Banfield

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I think this question is best answered after an examination. I have to say that I don’t see a lot of cats with food allergies. If they do it’s usually the face and not the ears.

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Michelle | 7 months ago
This Question Is For Dr. Magnifico. I Looked For Your Video On Herpes In Your Cat…

This question is for Dr. Magnifico.

I looked for your video on herpes in your cat’s eye to get the medication you use for your cat so I can ask my personal vet for it. I can’t find it. Can you please let me know as soon as possible? Koneko is having a pretty bad flare up again.

Thanks Michelle Polansky

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Maddy | 8 months ago
Hi! We’ve Adopted An Old Cat Who Was Previously A Stray, He Has Hyperthyroidism And …

Hi! We’ve adopted an old cat who was previously a stray, he has hyperthyroidism and is underweight (6.5 pounds at last vet checkup a month ago). He’s been getting better in most aspects (his labs are normal now, no FIV, etc), but he’s been fighting ringworm consistently since January. We’ve done regular rounds of lime sulfur dip, miconazole spray and baths, and pretty constant environmental spore cleaning (regular laundry, Rescue antifungal spray, cleaning/vacuuming) for 2 months but he keeps picking it back up. We’ve been UV lighting him often, and when it finally seems to be going away a new spot pops up!! Any tips? We were initially discouraged from getting the prescription oral antifungal med for him due to his health fragility at first, but with his labs more normal and a higher weight would the systemic medication help?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    There are a few things here to discuss. First the black UV light as a diagnostic test is not confirmatory. Second if he is not responding as expected I would be concerned that there is another problem making this lack of response difficult. Lastly in my experience it can take months to resolve.
    If you feel like your cat isn’t doing as well as you hoped you can ask for a referral to a dermatologist.
    If you would like to try the oral antifungal medication you can also ask for this to be considered again by your vet. In some cases it does help patients but we are always trying to avoid potentially causing any adverse reactions by taking the most conservative approach to every condition.

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Emily | 8 months ago
My Rescue Cat Has Always Been Sort Of Aggressive, Her Rescue Didnt Really Get Her Any …

My rescue cat has always been sort of aggressive, her rescue didnt really get her any type of evaluation to determine if there was any underlying issue causing her to have this aggression. So we kept her because I knew it would be difficult to adopt her out and I didnt want her going to petsmart for boarding, bounce around from home to home or worse be put down for behavior. This was over a year ago, she has since adjusted to our family, our pets and for the most part seems over all happy, Well last night she suddenly began to freak out, kept licking her lips excessively, her back along w her ear and paws were twitching. She would seem to be trying to catch something around her but there was nothing there, almost like hallucinations? She was running back n forth looking at her back, bottom, and she just looks stressed out. Her eating has slowed down as wekk as her water intake, she goes outside and doesnt want to come back in. I just feel her behavior changed almost over night. Ive made an appt w her vet and its scheduled for next week, in the mean time I did some online searching and it looks like all sgns point to hyperesthesia? It says it could be due to fleas , parasites amongst other things however she is on revolution she doesnt have worms, I even bought a flea comb just to see if maybe that was a possibility but theres nothing! Im concerned about her since she looks uncomfortable. Is there anything to do or give her till her appt to keep her calm and less uncomfortable

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I think that the best step you can take is to see a vet and talk to them about your concerns and suspicions. Ask for help in addressing pain and anxiety. I like gabapentin for cats but there are lots of other options to discuss.

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Maggie | 8 months ago
I Have A 15 Year Old Cat. A Year Ago I Started To Change His Wet Food …

I have a 15 year old cat. a year ago I started to change his wet food to Fancy Feast Senior. I quickly saw that he was losing weight and then started having some leg/balance issues. I immediately took him off that food and put him back on Fancy Feast. Since he also has “throw-up” issues occasionally, I also started using Wellness Core for digestive issues. He eats 1/2 can of each for breakfast and also for dinner. He likes them both and eats them well. My concern is that he still seems too thin. Is there a better choice? Should he have something with more protein?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I strongly recommend that your cat be seen by a veterinarian and have blood work done. I am concerned about hyperthyroidism (among a few other diseases) that older cats are prone to.

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Chris | 8 months ago
NEED ANSWER TODAY ASAP!!!! TIME SENSITIVE Urinary Blockage And 2nd Catheter In Already For My 4 Year …

NEED ANSWER TODAY ASAP!!!! TIME SENSITIVE urinary blockage and 2nd catheter in already for my 4 year old male cat, who has been in ER vet hospital since Sunday:

Full story:
Hi, my male 4 year old cat has been in vet ER hospital since Sunday (3 days now). They said he had urinary blockage and inserted a catheter. His blood tests and x-ray were normal, they said we caught the blockage in time. On Monday evening his urine through catheter and in the collection bag was clear and he was alert.

They removed the catheter at 10am on Tuesday (yesterday) and then at 2:30pm same day they said he did pee small amount once… BUT then they said he was straining to pee …and they reinstated the catheter! Is this ok, to give him so little time after first catheter removal, only from 10am to 2:30pm on Tue, before reinserting it??
Before and after reinserting this 2nd catheter, the vet said he felt an urethral spasm and thinks that’s the reason for 2nd “blockage”. My cat is very stressed so maybe irritation from catheter and stress is causing spasm? Is there anti spasm and anti inflammatory meds he can get, to reduce irritation and spasm risk? Can he get less liquids to allow more time for the spasm and irritation to calm down before he tries to pee? Can we wait longer to reinsert catheter 3rd time?

If they remove the catheter again today…..and he again can’t pee….what is the procedure? Can I take him home to see if less stress can calm him and allow him to pee? How long to wait at home? Can I give raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar with water?  Should I take him to regular vet if he blocks again? Take him directly to MEDVET in Chicago to have PU surgery? How do I transport him….1h drive….anything I need to do/know? I am in Chicago/ North Indiana area.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry to hear about your cat. I’m also sorry to say that I don’t have the answers to your questions. I never know how a patient is going to do. Every case is different. I do think that it is fair to ask for affordable options and help with managing a patient’s care at home. For example can you try at home medication or sq fluids? Also learning how to palpate your cats bladder to assess his status at home. Often clients can learn how to monitor and manage some of the care and this will help everyone.

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Diana | 8 months ago
I Have A Male Cat That’s 2 Years Old. He Was Recently Taken To The Hospital …

I have a male cat that’s 2 years old. He was recently taken to the hospital because he couldn’t pass urine. For him to get a catheter alone was 2,000. We brought him back home and it’s been two days. As of now, his bladder feels pretty large and almost solid. I ended up massaging his bladder until he got a good amount of urine out. Am I still able to monitor him or is the only way for him to recover is with a PU? I will not be able to afford it at full price, especially already have dropped 2,000 on the first visit.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello.
    I have written numerous pages of information and tips on this disease. Please see my blog at kmdvm.blogspot.com

    I would at least ask a vet to empty the bladder via cystocentesis. I would also ask about how much it is to place a urinary catheter and ask to go home with it in place to see if a few days at home with it in will help resolve the underlying issue. In some cases a vet tech can help you manage this at home. This is all very out of the box but your cats life is at stake.
    I would also like to have as much information as you can provide about where you went and what they offered for options. Along with any invoices and estimates they may have provided. If you are near Maryland USA I will help if I can.

    1. Diana Post author

      I went to blue pearl in Tacoma and they only offered the 2-3 hospital stay with a catheter in while they keep an eye on him for around 5-7 thousand, or just flush him out and send him home for 2,000 or euthanize him. I’ve asked if I can just bring him home and monitor him there but they turned that idea down. Since then we’ve been giving him the prescription food with the pain killers and the medicine for the muscle spasms. We’ve tried massaging his abdomen last night and we got a good amount of fluid out but I’ve tried four times today and couldn’t get the same result. All the vets are also closed.

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Ada | 8 months ago
My Cat Was Recently Diagnosed With Hyperthyroidism. The Research I’ve Done So Far Suggests That …

My cat was recently diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. The research I’ve done so far suggests that radio iodine therapy is the best course of action. There are 2 practices that provide this treatment; Radiocat in Catonsville, MD & Mid Atlantic Feline Thyroid Center in Queenstown, MD. I’m trying to determine which practice would be best for our cat. I already know one of them does not have availability until early June, but I don’t want that to be the deciding factor.

3 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    I do agree that this is the best treatment method available. I have had clients use both. They were all happy with their experience and outcome. So I would chose based on schedule availability and location.

    Please let me know how about your experience and feedback is always helpful to provide guidance for others.

    Dr Magnifico

    1. Ada Post author

      Dear Dr. Magnifico, thank you for the very quick response! We have Maka scheduled for May 13th at Mid Atlantic. She will be on medication until the end of April as we prepare for the procedure. Hopefully by early June she’ll be back to normal. Thanks again, Ada

    2. Ada Post author

      We were notified a week ago that the pharmacy does not have I-131 available. The treatment was rescheduled for May 28th. I’m hoping this is not a supply chain issue. Our cat did not tolerate the medication well and we had to stop it after about 2 weeks.