Ask questions and share about your pet's health to help others.
I have an 18 month old male cat, Chubbs 🙂 – he was a stray that we took in from the neighborhood as a kitten, vaccinated and neutered and we just adore him. On Monday this week, I noticed he was having urinary issues – lots of in and out of box and no action. Our vet was full so we drove about 30 minutes to another town to take him to an emergency vet. Vet told me that he did not have a urinary blockage, but his urinalysis showed evidence of infection and crystals. A chicken and the egg situation he said. They gave him subQ fluids, antinausea med, anti-inflammatory med and send us home with a supply of pain meds and antibiotics. He was low key the next day, but seems back to normal as of yesterday. However, still lots of urinary urgency and frequency attempts with dribbles here and there, but is producing actual normal appearing size voids 3-5 times a day. No blood, no howling. Bowel movements seem a little looser, assuming from antibiotics but no diarrhea. Is this expected behavior? Can male cats have partial blockages that wax and wane like this? Will this continue on for 1-2 weeks while treating the UTI component? Emergency vet told me to follow-up with our vet in ~2 weeks for repeat urine.
I have a 12 year old cat who vomits almost every day since I adopted her 5 months ago. She has been to the vet several times and a sonogram revealed she has chronic pancreatitis. They didn’t see any other issues. She was eating canned Fancy Feast with water, but now I have her on NomNomNow because I thought fresh food would help her. But she is still vomiting. It’s usually food at first but then she moves spots and vomits bile or saliva/foam. Once or twice the saliva looked bloody (took her to the vet right after). The vet had her on vitamin E, pepcid, and a round of antibiotics. Nothing helped. She has never been very playful but she is behaving relatively normally, eats, grooms, poops, etc. I don’t know what else to do! Thanks for any advice!
Hi-
I’m so sorry you’re having such a time trying to help this cat. Has your vet ruled out everything else as far as a diagnosis? Perhaps there is something else that is worsening her initial issue? Have you tried feeding more meals throughout the day, but smaller portions? (A little at a time)
Hello,
I would suggest you talk about a few things with your vet like a sensitive stomach diet like i/d or even try a stomach protectant like sulcralfate or even maripotent or metoclopramide. I often try medications with a diet change. Ideally a wet food diet fed in small amounts with increased frequency. Or ask about an ultrasound or even upper gi endoscopy. My point is that there are lots of options to discuss and try. I would first start with a fecal exam for intestinal parasites. Hope this helps. Let us know what happens.
Just noticed fleas on both of my cats.. what is the safest treatment to use?
Hello.
There are lots of safe options these days. It is always best to talk to your vet about their preference and ideas as they know your car best. On mine I use either revolution or bravecto. But if you are looking for a good safe effective and affordable over the counter I like frontline too. It’s now available as a generic. Be really careful though lots of otc meds are very toxic to cats. They will be labeled as such. And make sure you treat all the pets in the household.
I ended up picking up Advantage because it was the only option at the store that didnt seem to have terrible reviews online. My vet is currently closed but i plan on calling them tomorrow to see if they would like to see them. I hadnt noticed them itching or licking excessively until now (about 3 hours after application), is that normal?
My 8 year old Belgian Malinois had surgery to remove her salivary gland on June 11, 2019. It was quite an extensive surgery because her salivary gland had ruptured and there were a lot of stones present. I was giving her a bath yesterday feeling in the area where the surgery was and I can feel what I believe is her lymph node or something firm on the side of where the surgery was. Below are pictures of what I am seeing. Could this be lymphoma starting (I lost a dog to that in December) or is it from the surgery. I am so worried! No ER’s where I am at so waiting till tomorrow to take her back in but for now I would like to know ideas on this.
Could someone please take a look at these pictures. Cancer is always on my mind as I lost a dog to lymphoma in December 2018. I am hoping this is just from the surgery.
Hello,
We can’t diagnose anything via a photo. If your dog is acting normally I think it is safe to wait until you can see your vet tomorrow. And I should add that cancer usually causes bilateral enlargement of the lymph nodes so it this is on one side only and if it’s the same side as the surgery it’s more likely related to that. Let us know what happens. Good luck! Would love to hear more about the salivary gland surgery. Especially for our storylines section would you please add it to that page.
Good morning. I’m hoping you get into the vet today to hopefully help ease your mind a bit. It is possible it is fluid or a seroma, related to the surgery.
My cat disappeared outdoors for numerous days (he’s indoor, but LOVED it out at night) I always had the back door a bit loosely closed, so he could get back in. He was 12yo and could get in.
After days of worry and a small sighting of him, he came to me gaunt and meowing. He wasn’t a big meower— It was sad sounding as well.
After 1 1/2 days of exhibiting odd spots to just lay around the house, he deteriorated in hours. I found him with vomit at his mouth and what appeared to be urine at his backside. He had passed.
My husband was convinced that our new dog just bothered him enough to the point that he’d gone to our neighbors, outside. Or was being fed somewhere. I looked for him constantly and only once did he attempt to come up to me. After a few days, to see him in such weak and fragile state, I’m so horrified at what was going on; to which I have no answered questions and regrets.
*He weighed considerably less upon returning home
*He was a WELL fed cat (didn’t eat after returning)
*He recently (2mo prior) had blood work done and his shots. Not cancer/diabetes
*He deteriorated very quickly (when he couldn’t walk and use his back legs, he passed before anything could happen; ie; vet etc)
*He didn’t seem to to be able to eat? My last time trying to feed him, he’s s head repeatedly tapped the bowl. Uncontrollably and he couldn’t get food. This being before he went. -It was awful-. I left food by him and went to explain the severity to my husband.
Prior to disappearing, he seemed in perfect health at 12.
So overnight he couldn’t walk and within the hour of dying, function. He laid and went. Vomit at his mouth (some food by his head partially chewed)
And urine stain backside.
I’m devastated. Please help!
That’s terrible, Daisy, and I’m very sorry. Honestly, the only way to determine cause is via a necropsy. Unfortunately this is a risk when we let our cats outside.
I’m sorry for your loss. If you are asking me to guess what happened I would say possibly trauma, toxin ingestion, infection or hepatic lipidosis. I have seen all in cases like this. Again our sympathies. Cats should be inside. We just live in that kind of world sadly.
I just recently moved in with my S/O and their dog hates it. She gets jealous. She didnt pee in the floor before and now she does. She always has to be under the covers and worms her way in between us. She stares at me all the time and when i walk towards her she rolls on her back and shows me her stomach. If we leave her outside of the room she whines and claws at the door. When its just me home she doesnt get in the bed, but if hes home she’ll hop right up with us. Im at a whits end.
Hello,
Please try to understand your partners pets point of view. How would you feel if you believed that your whole life that no one else I RN he world mattered as much as you and then all of the sudden you are told to move over and make room for someone else? It takes time to adjust to a new person especially a new person invading your space and your life. It doesn’t matter if we are talking about pets or kids. If you are the new person to the equation you have to adapt to their way of life not the other way around. I strongly suggest that you embrace the challenge of earring this pets love and trust by making small meaningful steps towards acceptance. Start by having a long chat with your partner about helping with the pets care. Start feeding walking and spending time with them. Be patient and understanding that this won’t get fixed overnight. It takes time patience and dedication to move into a family as the new person. I also think that seeing your vet to rule our pain, disease or infection is important. Take walks together. Go to puppy classes (even if this isn’t a puppy) to start bonding together. And be patient. You will be surprised how much love a pet can give.
Hello-
I agree with Krista. I would just like to add my experience with walking with your dog(s). Walks are sooooo much more than physical exercise. They help establish pack order, keep the peace, provide mental stimulation, help secure the bonds within the pack, provide routine and reassurance…. I really could go on for quite a while on all the benefits of walking with your dog your dogs as a family unit. My advice would be to be patient, and try adding a nice daily walk when you and your significant other both have time to spend with the dog together. Best of luck!????????
Your SO needs to be involved in your dog’s life. Training, feeding, etc. Dogs don’t urinate out of spite, however – it’s simply a new place, with new rules. Make sure the stress of the move didn’t kick off a UTI, and go back to housebreaking basics. And yes, as Dr. Magnifico suggested, take a basic obedience class as a family and make sure he’s the one working her.
I just recently moved in with my S/O and their dog hates it. She gets jealous. She didnt pee in the floor before and now she does. She always has to be under the covers and worms her way in between us. She stares at me all the time and when i walk towards her she rolls on her back and shows me her stomach. If we leave her outside of the room she whines and claws at the door. When its just me home she doesnt get in the bed, but if hes home she’ll hop right up with us. Im at a whits end.
Hello,
Please try to understand your partners pets point of view. How would you feel if you believed that your whole life that no one else I RN he world mattered as much as you and then all of the sudden you are told to move over and make room for someone else? It takes time to adjust to a new person especially a new person invading your space and your life. It doesn’t matter if we are talking about pets or kids. If you are the new person to the equation you have to adapt to their way of life not the other way around. I strongly suggest that you embrace the challenge of earring this pets love and trust by making small meaningful steps towards acceptance. Start by having a long chat with your partner about helping with the pets care. Start feeding walking and spending time with them. Be patient and understanding that this won’t get fixed overnight. It takes time patience and dedication to move into a family as the new person. I also think that seeing your vet to rule our pain, disease or infection is important. Take walks together. Go to puppy classes (even if this isn’t a puppy) to start bonding together. And be patient. You will be surprised how much love a pet can give.
Had CT done of my cat Lucas due to no resolution of respiratory problems with antibiotics. Here are the results.
Moderate to marked thickening of the roof of the nasopharynx
• Otitis media bilaterally
• Lymphadenopathy left medial retropharyngeal lymph node
The marked thickening of the mucosal lining of the roof of the nasopharynx in conjunction withthe enlarged left medial retropharyngeal lymph node are highly suggestive for neoplastic
, and round cell neoplasia is the top differential diagnosis. Differentials include mast-
cell tumor, squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, other. The mucosal thickening of the roof
of the nasopharynx can explain the bilateral otitis media due to mechanical obstruction of the
openings of the auditory tubes into the nasopharynx. A differential to neoplastic infiltration is
marked non-infectious inflammation (e.g. lymphocytic plasmacytic, eosinophilic) or
granulomatous inflammation (e.g. Cryptococcosis) but the later one is considered far less likely
here. The findings are not typical for inflammatory polyps.The bilateral otitis media is explains the history of head tilt and Horner’s syndrome.
Rhinoscopy/retrograde pharyngoscopy is recommended for further evaluation including FNA
sampling and biopsy. FNA sampling of the left medial retropharyngeal lymph node is warranted
as well. The prednisolone treatment may influence results of the samples.
I think all the tests and surgeries that may follow will be out of my budget. Already spent over $1000 to date with no resolution.
Wondering if there are veterinarians who would go in and remove the polyp – appears to be a poly under soft palate – just to give the cat some relief and time.
Opinions and suggestions are welcome.
Good morning- I’m sorry you’ve been through so much already, and still are having issues. Did you speak candidly with your primary vet already about all of these findings and your wishes? (Meaning the removal of the polyp or at least some relief) That is probably where I would start. I would also make a few phone calls… local rescue organizations that may be willing to help fund your surgery. Or possibly your vet may let you pay a little at a time as you have already paid so much? I hope things get better soon!????????
I agree with Sarah! Ask around to find someone locally to give you affordable options.
I would call your vet and see if you can schedule an appointment before the two weeks just to get your own vet up to speed and see if there are any changes in diagnosis. Err on the side of caution. I can tell you from experience- getting these things taken care of sooner rather than later and staying ahead of the game, is a LOT less expensive in the long run. Best of luck.