My initial question : https://www.pawbly.com/question/hello-i-live-in-san-jose-california-and-need-urgent-help-with-my-male-7yr-old

Update: My cat went through a cystotomy on Friday, the surgery went well and he was sent home the same day. Unfortunately he was still blocked as the surgeon did not remove the stones in his urethra (He did not take any xrays after the surgery and also discharged my cat without making him pee on his own). I rushed him to the ER as he was very restless and trying to pee, the ER doctor immediately unblocked him with a catheter and while doing so, she was able to push the stones back into the bladder. Xrays (attached) were taken which shows three stones in the bladder. As the cost of ER was adding up and the surgeon who did his surgery was not available over the weekend, I decided to shift him with the catheter on to the hospital where his surgery was done. I would like to add that in the initial surgery, the surgeon successfully removed all the stones in his bladder but the stones in the urethra were left behind even though he said he flushed them. The ER doctor is very certain that she pushed those stones back into the bladder while unblocking him the second time when he landed in the ER post the surgery.

My cat is currently doing well, he is on Ivy and has a catheter on. He is on CD food since two days. The urine color has improved from bloody to fairly clear. Urinalysis results showed struvite (Ammonium Mg Phosphate) crystals . I will be meeting the surgeon tomorrow and need your advice on what should be the next steps for my cat. Which of the following would you advise?

1. Re surgery to remove the remaining three stones from the bladder. After the initial surgery, the surgeon had mentioned that my cats heart is weak and hence he had to adjust the anesthesia to a lower level (1 instead of the usual 2), though the ER doctor does not see why would that be the case as there is no murmur seen in his reports and he has taken the sedation well while he was unblocked twice in the ER.

2. CD food therapy: Urinalysis results showed struvite (Ammonium Mg Phosphate) crystals. Should we remove the catheter, make him pee on his own at the hospital and then get him home. Watch closely for re blockage while continuing his CD diet. What are the chances of his re blockage? Will the bladder have greater chances of rupture if he gets re blocked since he just had surgery?

Please advise.

@KristaMagnifico

Dr Magnifico I left a comment about my milkshake on your YouTube, I made a account here to talk more. Milkshake will be 8 on September 3rd, a while ago she was having diarrhea but after time she started having harder bowel movements where each time I would see her go it was hard enough to make a sound hitting the litter pan. Fast forward to this past week and for 6 days now she hasn’t ate or drank, she has not went poo but she did go pee two times yesterday. She has been vomiting a lot, the first day she would vomit every half hour, now it is still happening multiple times a day but not as much and is yellow do to not eating. I have been giving her water with a syringe to hopefully keep her hydrated. Like I said I’m on a fixed income do to my disability, I brought her to the Vet and didn’t even get a diagnosis after spending $200 getting seen having some nausea meds and fluid under the skin we were sent home to fend for ourselves, luckily I had saved that 200 up that was supposed to be for my other cats upcoming apt. I have tried calling other vets and hospitals and no one is willing to even let me do payments to get further information, the vet we went to said it would be at least $2,000 before she could be sure what exactly was going on and I just can’t afford it, we barely have food as it is. I tried applying for care credit and was denied unfortunately. I’m really worried about my milkshake. The only extra information that I did get from the vet was that she did not have a fever which was a good thing. Thank you for sending me this way, it is greatly appreciated.

I just read your blog on UOs in cats. Thank you for your passion on this and all fronts. You mentioned dry, low quality cat food as primary cause. What about dogs? Do you see this frequently with them? I feed a high-quality, all-dry diet to my dogs, and I’m just wondering if you recommend against it.

This post is specifically for Dr. Krista Magnifico, however anyone is welcome to chime in if you feel you can contribute.

On the evening of Monday, 11/20, our strictly indoor 8yo cat Louie had an accident at home. We aren’t entirely sure what happened, but we observed him jump down from the couch and race across the room, knocking his water bowl over in the process in a way that suggested he was spooked or startled, possibly by an outside noise.

That night he loafed a bit more than usual, but we didn’t think anything of it.

The next day (Tuesday) we noticed he had a noticeable limp in one of his hind legs. He had a slight sprain about six months prior in one of his front legs, and all he was prescribed was rest, so we figured this required the same since he bounced back from that sprain in under a week.

By Tuesday night it was noticeably worse and now both legs were effected, and he was extremely lethargic and kept hiding. We made sure he was comfortable and made plans to take him to a vet the following morning. The next day he was MUCH worse, now dragging his entire body by his front legs with hardly any rear leg movement, and his tail was partially limp as well. Both still had movement, but something was clearly very wrong.

We found a vet who did a quick half assed exam and wouldn’t take x-rays even though we asked for them. She did labwork and prescribed pain meds and said it was likely just a bad fall and he just needed to rest. She told us to follow up with her when we felt it was necessary.

By the next day, Thursday, his rear legs and tail showed absolutely no movement, and he was completely dragging himself with his front legs. And since it was Thanksgiving, everyone was closed, and we don’t have the means to pay for a 24hr emergency facility.

We called the vet back as soon as they opened Friday morning and scheduled the follow-up the same day. We waited in a small room while they took him into another room for a second exam, and when she came back she said his blood work was fine but she recommended putting him down asap because he had developed some sort of neurological issue, likely a slipped disc with his spine. I inquired about treatment options but apparently I didn’t look rich enough, because she just dismissed it as “probably too expensive” and suggested taking him home for some goodbye time, followed by making arrangements.

On Wednesday it was “probably a sprain, just let him rest” and 48 hours later she’s telling us to kill him. Economic Euthanasia in action. Are there treatments? Yes. Can you afford them? No. So fuck you and fuck your cat.

I immediately reached out to another facility for a second opinion. The prognosis was poor, but I was told that there was a chance he could recover with enough rest, attention, love and patience. As long as his appetite remained and he still wanted water, I could let him rest, do physical therapy, pursue acupuncture, etc….and just give him time. He said it could be 50/50 but gave no guarantees. What mattered was he didn’t take away our hope. We were told he wasn’t necessarily in pain, so it wasn’t inhumane to give him a fighting chance. So that’s what we did. The biggest problem was the paralysis meant he couldn’t use his box, so he had to be manually expressed for all his bathroom needs. I could NOT get the hang of it and was incredibly worried about a rupture or blockage. But he had developed incontinence, so even though I wasn’t able to remove his waste myself, it would come out on its own over time. I had to clean a lot of messes as well as clean his backside often, but at least it was coming out one way or another.

Still, he wasn’t examined to my satisfaction, and I wanted to find a vet who took his case more seriously and could actually provide some sort of treatment. After a little research I found one, and they did a FULL neurological exam, asked for his whole story, listened, didn’t rush, and told me how to proceed and what to expect. The did a complimentary ultrasound, two full x-ray sessions and only charged me for one because they did the second just to rule something out, and all in all were angels on earth. They said red light / laser therapy might help, but again couldn’t offer any guarantees. They unit they had on hand was a “Class IV” which is apparently really powerful and efficient, so we began treatment with that immediately, twice weekly.

That was two weeks ago, and as of today it’s now the start of week four. It’s been three full weeks since this all started. Over the last couple weeks, he started showing signs of movement in his right leg. Then his left. Bit by bit. As of today, HE CAN WALK, but only on his “hocks”. His front paws / legs are still fine, and he’s capable of making his way around the house on his own. However he’s still incontinent, and he still isn’t using his box. I’ve been doing my best to clean up after him with warm water and wet wipes (for cats), but he’s starting to develop sores by his anus due to constant over grooming. Apparently I haven’t been doing a well enough job keeping him clean.

We were prescribed a medication called Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium on 12/11 which we were told to give twice daily, 12 hours apart. So we gave him his first dose that night, and twice the next day. He didn’t take well to it and developed horrible diarrhea and vomited a few times as well. Despite this, he still has his appetite and he’s still drinking water. He’s not hiding or showing signs of pain or distress. He still purrs and wants attention, and even wants to play. He just walks on his hocks and can’t use his box. He was also prescribed another medication for nerve pain which was mixed with (I believe) Almond Oil? But he immediately began drooling profusely and had an incredibly adverse reaction to it, and he hated me for the next two days and even became fearful, which was difficult to deal with. Apparently there’s a similar option available in pill / powder form, but our vet won’t prescribe it because apparently it’s too strong for his size.

What all can we do from here on out to help him regain his independence on the bathroom front? What treatments / medications / additional measures would you recommend?

We were told if he were to make a recovery it would take anywhere from 4, 8, or even 12 weeks or more. It’s been three full weeks and he IS walking again (on his hocks), but the bathroom issue is our biggest concern. We’ve laid towels down everywhere but we can’t live like this forever….but at the same time we don’t consider this issue alone to be sufficient reason to end his life. We love him, and he’s family. We’re in it for the long haul.

We were told an MRI to pinpoint the exact spot of his injury would be upwards of 4k and corrective surgery, if it’s a slipped disc, would be 8k – 11k.

We can’t fucking afford any of that, and its safe to say MOST people can’t. What an absolutely predatory situation to be in.

Any advice on how best to proceed from here would be sincerely appreciated. We’re open to anything which has ever shown proven results. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Being concise isn’t among my strong suites.

Our cat was recently paralyzed following a stupid preventable accident at home where he got spooked, jumped off a couch and landed wrong. Now he’s largely immobile. He can get around in short spurts using his front legs, but his hind legs and tail are limp. This has all occurred within the span of a week. Last Monday, 11/20, he was fine. He developed a slight limp on Tuesday, was clearly worse on Wednesday, and fully paralyzed by Thursday, which was Thanksgiving. Friday was when I returned to the initial vet we saw Wednesday for a follow up who recommended putting him down due to the time and potential cost for care, and we got the second opinion elsewhere within an hour that same day.

So the first vet immediately suggesting putting him down, and the second opinion vet offered more hope and said he might be able to bounce back and recover, but it would take a while. Anywhere from 4-12 weeks before showing any improvement. I’m going to do all I can within our means to save him if it’s possible. But I have concerns surrounding his bathroom needs, and potential pain I may be unaware of. Both offices ruled out “FATE” and neither feel it’s heart disease, heart failure, or a clot. Both feel it’s a slipped disc in his spine.

As a result of all this, he can’t use his litter box himself, and I need to learn how to “express” his urine and other end myself while searching for how we’ll be proceeding with his future care.

He’s been having urine incontinence the last few days, regularly leaking a bit when laying down (he’s always laying down now, but you get the point). I need to know if this is only possible or a thing when his bladder is uncomfortably full, or if it can happen regardless of the contents of his bladder, because I’ve found contrasting opinions. Some sources say it’s only leaking because it’s about to rupture and emergency care is needed, and other sources claim it can leak regardless of how much urine is in his bladder at any given time. It can leak when there’s a little or a lot. I don’t know what to put any stock in. I do know that shortly after expressing urine yesterday, we got a lot out….enough to make us think he must be empty or nearly empty, but shortly after he was still leaking a bit, which makes me think this is just something that we will have to deal with in general even if his bladder isn’t full.

The last thing I want is for it to rupture, and I’m finding removing / expressing his urine to be incredibly difficult. I’ve watched a dozen videos demonstrating it on youtube and read guides with photos featuring hand placement, and it’s just not coming easy or naturally at all. He’s a big boi….a little over 18lbs, so he’s a chonk. That’s making finding his bladder especially difficult.

I was able to successfully get a lot out yesterday, and he hasn’t had any water since. But he has had one of those treats that’s kind of like paste in a push up tube, and a small bowl of wet food. I know cats also develop urine from the liquid from their food.

I’m going to be “expressing” him at least once a day. I’ve been told it should be done up to three times a day, but I’m just not there yet, and he’s so uncomfortable I don’t want to put him through that more than necessary. When he drinks water it’s not all that much, maybe half an inch from a small bowl.

Lastly, I’m curious to know if he’s in more pain than I know or realize. We all know cats are great at hiding and masking pain, but at the same time they still do vocalize when they’re uncomfortable, or in distress. I can pick him up without him yowling or making noise, but he tends to complain the most when picking him up just to move him back onto a towel I’ve been keeping under him due to the incontinence.

I’ve read that when cats are in a fair amount of pain, they lose their appetite and stop drinking. Our guy is still doing both, and seems to enjoy both. He doesn’t randomly vocalize or cry or yowl. He’ll protest a bit when I shift him from spot to spot when changing towels, but that’s all.

Any help / thoughts / guidance / advice would be very much appreciate. And if anyone here can recommend a neurology clinic or hospital or other facility that treats cats without RAPING US FINANCIALLY that would be wonderful, because my God has this been frustrating. These people want upwards of 4k for an MRI. It’s positively unreal.

Thank you.

Hello! I just got back from the vet with Maizy, by baby ginger kitten who is three months old. I got her as a stray from a feral colony of cats. The vet is concerned about her left ear. He can’t see down her left ear canal. He said it’s jammed packed with black sludge. He gave her medicine for an ear infection, but he isn’t convinced it’s that. He thinks it may be a polyp that grows off her eardrum and will eventually grow all they way up her canal. He said if she was a year or older he would be sure it was that but he has never seen one in a three month old kitten. If that were the case, the options would be euthanasia or complex surgery that goes into her jaw to get to the ear canal to remove it. It would require a specialist vet who would not be around my home town. He said it would cost roughly $4,000-$5,000 (he had a patient go that route a few years ago). I need more information about this. He didn’t give me a name and I was too shocked to ask. Can you help clarify this for me? I was super shocked and didn’t ask many questions.

This cat has had this butterfly, patterned, itchy, rash/scab on the top of her head for the past several months… Please help identify
I’ve had this poor baby in a cage in isolation treating her with Benadryl and with Neosporin and coconut oil and a bunch of stuff and she seems to get a little bit better when she’s in the cage but it’s just not worth it as far as keeping her trapped in there day after day because it doesn’t get all that much better.

Hello! I have a 2.5 year old indoor cat. At his last check-up the vet showed me that he has red gums and suggested a mouthwash-type liquid (DentiCan) that I apply every day with my fingers (it’s really a spray but I’ve found that dipping my fingers in the liquid and running them over his gums is the only way to apply the product.) I haven’t really noticed any improvement. Is there anything else I can do prevention wise? What might be causing this issue in the first place? None of our other cats have gum issues and they all eat a high quality Hills diet. Thanks for your input!

** cat who is veracious around feeding time help**

Hello! I have 3 cats that are patients there. I have had 2 cats, Blink and Havoc for about 5 years now. They are biological brothers. They have always shared everything and we never really had any problems with food or their weight.

About 2 months ago, we adopted a blind cat, Gemma who is about a year old. Her foster said that she would free feed her at her house and that she never really had any aggression with food. I’m not sure what happened because once we adopted her and brought her back here, she has became very veracious with her food. Our solution now is to feed her the dry food in a separate room (we feed her according to the package instructions) because if we do not, she will race through eating her food so she can start trying to eat the boys food as well.

With wet food, I monitor them and am constantly shooing her away so the boys can finish their food as she always inhales her food super quickly.

When we separate her, she will cry until we open the door and then she comes running full speed to the food bowl.

I’ve never really seen anything like it! She is so sweet and other than that there really is no issues I’m just looking for advice if there is anything I can do to make feeding time not so chaotic.

I want her to feel secure that she will always be fed but I can’t leave food out because I don’t want my other cats to eat hers.

I guess my question is, is this a behavior that can be changed or do we just work with it the way we are now? She seems to have a lot of anxiety around food and I’m sure being blind doesn’t help so I wasn’t sure what else we can do.

Thank you!