Question
Profile Image
Lucy | 4 months ago
Post Neutering My Vet Diagnosed A Hernia And Did A Second Surgery. They Found That It …

Post neutering my vet diagnosed a hernia and did a second surgery. They found that it was just a seroma. Now they are saying she has another seroma. She is a ragdoll and has a very saggy stomach and I can’t see a lump this time. I don’t believe it’s a seroma. They have told me to bring her in to have a drained. Is it negligent not to go to this appointment?

1 Response

Comments

Question
Profile Image
Parham | 4 months ago
4 Year Old Male Cat With Urinary Blockage

Hello

My name is Parham Parsa, I found your page on youtube and have read your blog, and for once I saw someone that is actually talking about blocked cats and is raising awareness to this issue and I wanted to thank you for it.

My cat Mercury (4.5 years old, 18lbs) is currently in the hospital for another urinary blockage and I genuinely don’t know what to do, this is his third visit, first time he got blocked was about a year and half ago and he was on the death’s door, his blood work was extremely elevated, he was lethargic and in visible pain. His regular vet unblocked him and transferred him to a vet hospital for further care, this visit cost me about $5K, and after that he was put on a strict urinary diet. Second time was 3 months ago where we noticed him being in pain and struggling once again and we took him to an ER vet and he was unblocked again, despite my persistence of leaving the his urinary catheter in, they took everything out, and send him home that very night, thankfully he remained unblocked until last night. His vet told me that since he is keep getting blocked he should just get the PU surgery and all but refuse to see him, so I took him to the Metropolitan vet hospital and their estimate for getting him unblocked and doing the PU surgery was 7-8 thousand dollars which is wildly out of reach for me at the moment. After reading your blog I have decided that if I find a second job I can afford to have him unblocked and kept in the hospital for observation for a night or two but I don’t know what I can do after that. If you have any suggestion regarding an affordable PU surgery or any other suggestion I am all ears. I’m really sorry for the long email, and looking forward to hearing back from you.

I just got off the phone with his vet at Metropolitan and after they took some X-Rays they saw some large stones in his bladder which they suspect could be the reason for his repeated blockages, and recommended a cystotomy and they said that the balance would stay at 7-8 thousand dollars. As of now my plan still remains to have him unblocked and watched for couple of days but I don’t know what I should do next.

PS.. I have attached a couple of pictures of him to this post. He is genuinely the sweetest and the friendliest cat I have ever met and the idea of me having to say goodbye to him just because I can’t pay for his treatment is is something I cannot imagine.

2 Responses

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    I’m so sorry to hear about your cat. So many of these cats have a similar situation and it leaves their families with such a huge dilemma about what to do and how to afford all that might lie ahead.
    My advice at this point would also be to do the PU surgery and to remove the stones. If you are close to us I would be happy to see him and see if there is anyway we can help. Please call the clinic and leave your number. I will call you back.
    Dr Magnifico

    1. Parham Post author

      Thank you, Dr Magnifico, I will definitely call the office first thing in the morning. And again I want to thank you for bringing awareness to this problem. Your articles about the blocked cat were such a huge help for me in dealing with this issue.

Question
Profile Image
Elaine | 5 months ago
Anna Is Turning Her Nose Up At Both Wet And Dry Food. When She Does Eat (…

Anna is turning her nose up at both wet and dry food. When she does eat (with aid from appetite stimulant prescribed by vet) her stools are normal. She drinks/pees normally and is playful. She’s taken to sleeping under my bed rather than up with me but maybe it’s cooler there? It has been very hot here this summer. Less eager to go exploring on harness/leash in fenced in yard/garden but may have issue that I tell her not to eat the grass (have organic grass inside for her but she wants the outside stuff that has Creeping Jenny in it -toxic to cats. Grass eating only started a few months ago and she eats it & throws up a small amount of clear fluid with the grass in it). Got 2 vet opinions regarding Anna’s refusal to eat (I have tried everything from raw to cooked and every prepared wet & dry food off shelf to no avail). Anna will eat some Temptations Mixups BBQ flavor. Weight fluctuates between 6.7 and 7.7lbs. A “normal” Siberian female her age is 10-15lbs. (Anna does have very mild gingavitis & plaque but vet said this wouldn’t be reason for not eating.)

Both vets recommended an ultrasound of her abdomen but as a retiree the $500-$700 is a big chunk of change. Mostly, as a Cat Mom of many years my gut tells me something else may be the culprit for Anna not eating. She has been “flicking” her tongue over her nose more often (she has no upper respiratory issues says both vets). And, to me, the right side of her mouth seems to be looking different than the right side lately. It reminds me of my Nana who had Bells Palsy and one side side of her mouth “drooped”. I will see if I can post an upclose picture below of her right side (photo left) mouth.

Was intrigued with your video of polyps in cats and would love to know if maybe a change in Anna olfactory senses might be tied to her disinterest in eating? She doesn’t snore, btw.

Thank you!

3 Responses

Comments

  1. Elaine Post author

    Here is a picture of Anna from February before the eating issues began. Her mouth on her right side (left in photo) looks different to me, ie not drooping like it is now.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    My recommendation is to have a blood work panel done. It should include a full chemistry a cbc, fecal, urine and thyroid. At my clinic this is about $200. An abdominal ultrasound is about $350. I think that these are imperative to figure out what’s going on. And hopefully be able to start a treatment plan for. I doubt it’s a polyp. Use your resources elsewhere. I also think it’s perfectly acceptable to see if you can find these cheaper elsewhere if you are unable to afford them with your vet.

    Good luck

    1. Elaine Post author

      Thank you, Doc. My vet did a “pre-op” panel and everything was normal except:

      Total protein: 5.9 (6.3-8.8 normal)
      Globulin: 2.6 (3.0-5.9 normal)
      Alp: 11 (12-59 normal)

      The ALB/GLOB ratio was slightly high at 1.3 (normal 0.5-1.2)

      The neutrophils were slightly low but the vet said it was probably due to the stress from the visit. (The vet gave me deworming for both kitties, too)

      Because Anna doesn’t have diarrhea and a mildly decreased appetite (and holding her weight level) the vet said we could hold off on the US. But the past few days (without the appetite stim) Anna is again not eating well (treats, some yogurt, a few licks of wetfood & a few dry kibbles) I called and they are going to put me in touch with a “traveling” ultrasound doc who charges $300-$350 and uses different hospitals to do the US. Still awaiting a call back.

      Is this now an “emergency”? I am so worried about Anna…

      Thank you for your input. Muchly appreciated!

      Lynn

Question
Profile Image
Stina | 5 months ago
My Cat Has Been Excessively Licking Herself On Her Back Side, Around The Tail Area And …

My cat has been excessively licking herself on her back side, around the tail area and on her paws. So much so that now she has a bald spot on her rear end. This has been going on for a week now, from what I have noticed. I have tried brushing her to look for flea evidence but I have had no luck. She also doesn’t let me see her paws. She has been eating fine and nothing has been different in the home like food wise or litter wise. She occasionally goes out side just onto the deck but not lately due to the heat. What could this be? None of my other cats are showing the same behavior. Do I need to get her seen?

2 Responses

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    anytime I see a cat with itching at the base of the tail I do two things;
    1. put a good, safe flea and tick medication on, I like Revolutions, but Frontline is also good.
    2. I check the anal glands

    the other thing I do is look for any signs of trauma around the area.

    In some cases cats have a hyperesthesia complex. This is something to talk to your vet about
    see more about this here; https://www.webmd.com/pets/cats/what-is-hyperesthesia-in-cats

    I hope this helps

    1. Stina Post author

      What if she has a flea collar on? As for the glands I don’t know what I’m looking at or for. Do you think she should be seen by the vet?

Question
Profile Image
Ramin | 7 months ago
Need Second Opinion. Our Cat Shows All Of The Signs Of A Nasopharyngeal Polyp.

Hi Dr. Magnifico,

Our adopted cat (former stray cat, now 100% indoor) has always shown all of the signs of a nasopharyngeal polyp (about 4 years now). I didn’t know what it was until I saw videos of cats with similar breathing noises and eventually saw your YouTube polypectomy videos.

Three short videos of his breathing sounds (turn up your volume) follow:



Called our vet for a surgeon referral, but they’ll only refer for a CT scan ($2000) before they’ll refer to a surgeon. Surgeon’s websites all indicate that they will only accept appointments by referral from a general Vet, so I can’t just make an appointment for examination by a surgeon (which I’m happy to pay for).

Bottom line, looking for a second-opinion / consult (happy to pay!) on whether it’s really necessary to do a $2000 CT scan *before* being referred to a surgeon for (a probably $2000) surgery. I’d rather just have a surgeon put the cat under anesthesia, go in, look for the polyp, and remove it if they see one. Happy to pay $2000 for just that surgery, even if it turns out there’s no polyp.

Thank you in advance for any response.

3 Responses

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I am sorry to hear about your dilemma. You are not alone. I know that a lot of people are in the same position that you are.
    I am not sure how vetmed got to this place. I am not sure why so few veterinarians are willing to go and look for a polyp that if it continues to grow will kill, by suffocation, its host.
    The idea that every single one of these cats needs a CT is incorrect. What every single one of these cats is is to breathe. Some of these cats will have polyps in places that we may not be able to get our hands on,, these cases may need a special scope to access. For this reason the price of care may increase.,, but for all of the cats I have seen I think I have given them a second chance at breathing, and a second chance at life.
    Call every vet in your area. Try every single veterinary practice that is single doctor (therefore privately owned) and every practice that has some old guy (or girl) working there. I promise that every veterinarian over 50 knows how to, and already has experience with this. They can help.

    If you cannot find anyone please come find me.
    I will do my best to help.

    Dr Magnifico

Question
Profile Image
Valerie | 7 months ago
Hello! I Have Two Cats That Seem To Have Ear Polyps. I Am Trying To Find …

Hello! I have two cats that seem to have ear polyps. I am trying to find out how much this can range to remove them.

0 Responses
Question
Profile Image
Ada | 7 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?

2 Responses

Comments

  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.

Question
Profile Image
Teresa | 9 months ago
Torn Ligament In Cat’s Back Leg

My cats are patients of Jarrettsville Vet. I am reaching out please to get information for my friend. They are located in Michigan and Her 7 year old indoor cat hurt its back leg. Her vet told her that she needed to see an orthopedic specialist because the cat tore a ligament. They made an appointment and were told it would run $250 for the visit plus whatever they needed to do to identify the problem and surgery could cost up to $8000. They are a young couple with a small daughter, and are looking for other options. I thought I had seen a video that Dr. magnifico did regarding anti-inflammatories, pain meds, and cage rest. Can you please Point us in the right direction as to what she should do. I recommended that she contact her vet to see if those options were available to her through them and she could try that route first before seeing a surgeon. I am so blessed and grateful that Jarrettsville Vet is close to me and offers options such as those. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated! Her appointment at the surgeon is tomorrow.

2 Responses

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello
    I’m sorry to hear about your friends cat. I’m also not sure what advice I can give as I don’t. Know what kind of injury or diagnosis this is.
    I do however think it is important to be honest about your financial abilities and express that to the surgeon. It is perfectly acceptable to ask for affordable treatment options and insist that they be provided.

    1. Teresa Post author

      Thank you Dr. Mag for your advice and I will forward that to her this morning. It is so difficult for us as pet owners to deal with the emotions, concerns and worry in the moment, without being given all possible available options instead of just surgery or amputation. This country most definitely needs more vet practices like yours! We will see you on our next visit and thank you for your time.

      Teresa, Girlfriend & Panda Bear

Question
Profile Image
Jean-Pierre | 10 months ago
My 16 Year Old Cat Has Hard Poop It Hurts Him To Pass. I Helpped Him Pass …

My 16 year old cat has hard poop it hurts him to pass. I helpped him pass a hard peice last night in the tub with warm water.

I have to release his anal glands every so often. I plan on giving him an enima via puppy feeding tubes with 1/3 pet Ema, 1/3 water soluble medical lube and 1/3 warm water.. with a totally amount of 30cc

Questions are can I use tap water or should I use distilled? Can I use puppy feeding tube.

He gets wet food in the morning and dry at night I am going to give him just wet from now on and I was hoping to find a laxative that is safe to use for everyone humans dogs and cats.

I might start giving him iv fluids under his skin because he’s never drank enough water.

Thank you

2 Responses

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    I really have to recommend that you see a veterinarian for help with this. I would want to check things like hyperthyroidism or anything that might cause muscle loss or weakness. I would also be concerned about joints and joint pain causing him to to be reluctant to use the litter box. Maybe a pain medication like gabapentin or solensia might help. Also adding something like Purina hydra care or canned food with water added can help. My point is there are lots of things to talk about that might help the underlying cause for this.

    1. Jean-Pierre Post author

      Thank you I’ll call a vet tomorrow, he seems better today, I started giving him water in his pate food Purina, he has no problem with his litter box, he had a hard peice of poop he could pass it was breaching so I sat him in warm water and that worked, I can fell his colon it seems like normal amount in there but it’s a little hard.

Question
Profile Image
Juveria | 11 months ago
Struvite (Ammonium Mg Phosphate) Stones Left Behind Following My Cat’s Cystotomy

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

0 Responses