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cynthia | 1 year ago
My Dog Just Had Puppies Today. She Seems Like She Is Warm Because She Is Panting. …

My dog just had puppies today. She seems like she is warm because she is panting. She has had water and food and the puppies are nursing. I don’t want the puppies to get cold but how can I make it more comfortable for her? I have a heat pad on low with several layers of a towel on top of it. Maybe I should remove that?

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  1. Laura

    This is a question you should ask your repro vet, because they’ve been monitoring her through the pregnancy…

    Right?

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Mary | 2 years ago
I Saw The YouTube Video About Constipated Cats. I Really Need Help With My Cat. We …

I saw the YouTube video about constipated cats. I really need help with my cat. We have been through so much starting with elevated liver enzymes that are finally back to normal,  diabetes that has resolved and now constipation.  He was at the ER over the weekend and had an enema, and is on Lactulose and Miralax.  I live alone with him and my dog. I am a grad student and completely exhausted from all the  care I have given him and and my dog (who also has elevated liver enzymes) in addition to trying to keep up with school and the bills.

Please contact me with any help at maryob814@gmail.com or 415-754-9587. After watching your YouTube video, I took away the dry food. I should have thought of that sooner. I want to know how to care for him and my dog.  They are my babies and all I have. Please contact me.  Thanks.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I am sorry for the delay.

    These cases can be really frustrating. If at all possible try to find a feline only veterinarian.

    I scrutinize diet, environment and do a thorough physical exam and talk about blood work, xrays. ultrasound and try to identify any underlying causes that might be causing the difficulty in ability to defecate.
    im sorry but i can only provide medical advice and care for established clients. if you are near northern maryland i am happy to see you at the clinic, jarrettsville veterinary center.

    you can ask your vet about trying to identify the cause(s) and trying medications to see if they help,, like metocolpramide., motility agents, even anit nausea medications and providing fluids at home (we sell sq fluids kits at my practice).

    I really wish you the best of luck

    1. Mary Post author

      He has been on sq fluids and now on a motility agent. He passed 4 small single round pieces of poop throughout the day on Friday after I gave alittle Lactulose. Nothing Saturday and now I’m debating on giving alittle more Lactulose to help him out going into Sunday. I don’t want to use the laxative too much not wanting him to depend on it but also don’t want to go through another enema. He has now had two of those (Saturday morning and Wednesday morning last week). I’m trying to stay on top of it. It’s very frustrating and scary.
      I wish I was in Maryland. I’m not. I’m across country in Bay Area, California if there is anyone you can recommend here. He has been seeing an internist since we started with the elevated liver enzymes back in December. I’m looking for a feline only vet. Found a couple. He doesn’t have a primary care right now since we moved just before the pandemic hit. I’ve been trying to find a good one. So hard trying to find a doctor I trust.

      He was playing with his toy today and I have been walking around the house having him follow me for exercise. He has been sleeping comfortably and the meds seem to help with urination. That was being retained too after getting off the steroids. I’m really hoping the steroids were the cause of this. All blood values are normal. He had x-rays along with the enema and had an ultrasound back in January with the liver enzymes. That can be repeated if needed. The x-ray showed he had a large bladder both times but didn’t see anything else. I’m hoping since the meds helped him empty his bladder that the poop should follow soon.

      I’m trying to keep fluids up by offering gravy from the canned food a couple times throughout the day in addition to the sq fluids. Trying everything I can…. please pray we get through this. Thanks for your help.

    2. Mary Post author

      Hi Krista,
      I am overwhelmed with joy and had to share the news. He just had his 1st fully formed, normal sized, normal color, alittle soft POOP!!! This is the first since the 2 enemas and starting on the laxatives. We have an acupuncture appt in the morning and hope he continues to do well from here.

      Thank you again for your help. Thank you for posting that video and validating that I was on the right path to helping him. I am sooo grateful. ????????

      Mary

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Patty | 2 years ago
Is It Safe To Put Chicken Broth/stock On My Dog’s Food? She Is A 13 …

Is it safe to put chicken broth/stock on my dog’s food? She is a 13 year old German Shepherd mix who is a picky eater. She has no problem eating human food but isn’t especially interested in eating her dog food. Just trying to think of ways to get her more interested in her food.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    If you told me that you were making the stock and you werent using any salt, or dangerous ingredients (onions, garlic, etc), then I might say ok..

    but the issue for me is in the why your dog isnt interested in a dog food? Ask your vet for recommendations on a diet that is suitable for your dog. This advice should come after you have done a thorough physical exam and blood work to include fecal, thyroid and urine. (maybe additional diagnostics after these?).

    I also use canned and dry food with my dogs to keep the dry kibble more interesting and palatable.

    hope this helps

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Sandra Sellers | 2 years ago
Just Caught My Dog Eating A Churu Cat Treat Wrapper She Dug Out Of The Trash. …

Just caught my dog eating a Churu cat treat wrapper she dug out of the trash. I only found 1/3 of it. I’m guessing it’s plastic and foil and I have no idea if this is going to cause her to be sick.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    It depends on a few things.. how much of the wrapper was swallowed. How much was chewed (for example did the wrapper get chewed into small pieces), and how big and healthy is your dog?
    All of these influence the ability for it to be passed.
    I wish I could help you more.

  2. Sandra Sellers Post author

    After I finished panicking I went on a scavenger hunt and found all the pieces that I could and compared to a new wrapper. It looks like only a few small pieces were ingested—maybe 3. The pieces left over were all squished up and I had to smooth them out. If it was that easy to chew through and tear up I’m going to hope it passes ok. She’s a regular patient with Dr Morgan and is a youthful 11 year old border collie/lab mix. Her lab work is decent and only real health issues is arthritis and some lumps and bumps. She’s healthy weight of 42 lbs.

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Janie | 2 years ago
My 12 Year Old Male Dog Has Two Tumors On Him And I Took Him To The …

My 12 year old male dog has two tumors on him and I took him to the vet but they said there wasn’t anything they could do about it because of where he is so old what should I do about these tumors I just need somebody to help me with him I will travel. He is a lab mixed with a beagle and is 12 years old

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I would find a vet who helps you and your pet. If you aren’t comfortable with the answer you are being given keep looking for a vet who helps you. There is no such thing as being too old to be helped.

    1. Janie Post author

      Hello I have watched a lot of your videos and I have been very impressed with your work. I would like to know where you’re located to see if I could bring him to you. I have all of his records and he just got cleared blood work it came back good. I would like to see about getting them removed or at least see what you could do to maybe help me with my dog. I am willing to travel to help my dog. And pay whatever I need to pay.

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Rexie | 2 years ago
Was Wondering If I Could Ask A Question. About My Shih Tzu MeiLing: MeiLing Is Not …

was wondering if I could ask a question.
About my Shih tzu MeiLing:
MeiLing is not having symptoms. My question is related to lab values. She is 14 years old and just acts tired at times.

1. The paperwork shows that she is positive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Her vet did not offer any treatment advise on this or even mention this to me during the visit. I happened to find it later when reviewing her lab work. I have never found a tick on her since I rescued her 9 years ago.

2. Other lab work:
BUN 41, had been 33 year prior, one month after that was 29;
ALT 227 was 134 year prior, one month later 117;
ALP 673 was 668 one year prior and 1040 one month after that;
MCV 59.3 was 61.1 year prior and one month after that was 59.8;
Platelets 504 was 542 year prior and 561 one month afterwards;
Plateletcrit 0.62 was 0.66 and 0.68 one month later.

Based on some of the labs in point 2 the vet started MeiLing on Hepato Tru Benefits which supports healthy liver function and is telling me that we should do an MRI.

I love my dog and would like very much to do whatever is necessary for her health. However, I am retired, living on social security and am not able to afford a monthly payment for health insurance for her much less $1000 or more for an MRI. So my question is, with these labs, considering she is having no symptoms, granted she is not as lively as she once was but she is 14 years old, in your opinion how necessary is it that she have an MRI? Also why would he have not even mentioned the Anaplasma phagocytophilum? Should I seek another opinion?

I don’t expect that I will be able to afford other treatments revealed by an MRI.

I know I am asking a lot here but if you could just help me with a little guidance I would deeply appreciate it.

Thanks for any info you can give me.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I think that I would ask for a second opinion from a different vet at another practice. I say this because I cannot interpret lab values without an examination. These go hand in hand to make an accurate assessment of a patient. Ask your friends and family who they use and trust and go there.

    I also think you should bring all of the things that you mention above to your old vet.
    Also I think it is important to talk to your vet about your financial abilities and ask for diagnostics you can afford. This is your right and the vet’s responsibility in my opinion. If they cannot help you find answers that are meaningful to your pet and their care go elsewhere.

    Lastly I have been a vet for almost 20 years. I have not had many patients able to do an mri. And although I may offer we always (always!!!) tell about more affordable and readily accessible diagnostics like an ultrasound. I also ALWAYS talk about why I am asking questions them to do this. I fear very few vets do this. There is almost no point in asking you to do (and pay for) a diagnostic if we cannot do anything about the disease or problem from there. So what is an mri going to get you that is treatable? And Would you be able to afford that? If the answer is no why are we worried about the mri?

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Jana | 2 years ago
Rottweiler, Female, 11 Years Old. Vertically Split Nail; Under Vet Care But I Think We Need To …

Rottweiler, female, 11 years old.

Vertically split nail; under vet care but I think we need to get more decisive.

The vet trimmed the nail half way with local (dog has bad reaction to sedation protocol, narcotics, etc). Still hurt and vet said it would cause undue pain. However, the nail continues on splitting.

How common of a procedure is cutting the nail off all the way to nail bed? How does that improve outcome? How much faster is the recovery?

By what percentage is anesthesia risk lower with such a short procedure? (Has to be anesthesia as explained above). Last time, after anesthetic procedure, she had heart rhythm problems and other problems; became critical and almost died. But was also full of drugs and had pancreatitis as complication of splenectomy. I’d assume the shorter the time under, the lower risk of complications?

I’m concerned about putting her under but I’m also concerned about dragging this out for weeks, taking valuable time from her, and having to do it that way anyway eventually.

I really don’t know what is the best thing to do for her. Hubby leaning toward waiting if it heals but I’m not seeing it healing any time soon if at all. (Photo of the present state of the nail attached.

I’m sad, depressed, concerned, and don’t know what I should decide for her.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    First I will admit that I have had cases like this and they are frustrating. So I remind my clients this.
    Next we take it in small steps. I do start with trimming the nail as much as able and start toe/foot soaks to keep the area clean and place an ecollar to stop the patient from licking and further traumatizing the nail and seeding infection from the mouth . I ask them to give it a week or two to heal.

    If it doesn’t or other nails start cracking we talk about oncodystrophy. And start talking about what to do if that is the case. The treatment options are not great so the decision to treat needs to be made with a great deal of thought or referral to dermatologist is recommended.

    In one case I had a dog who was placed under general anesthesia and the nail was ground to the base to allow a new nail to grow back.

    Risk of anesthesia is something discussed on a case by case basis and usually has little definitive concrete information to allow predictive measures or reasoning. That would be a conversation for an anesthesiologist.

    Also I have had some cases with underlying nail bed infections so antibiotic’s, foot wrap and medication or culture and sensitivity testing might be helpful.

    1. Jana Post author

      It’s already been three weeks now. It appears the nail was vertically cracked from the beginning with the first part in the middle (which is now the end)

      How well did the grinding to the nail bed work and what was the recovery?

      The other nails appear to be fine.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Grinding the nail was a last resort for a difficult chronic case. It worked but it was a last resort treatment.

    1. Jana Post author

      Actually, it looked quite bad and hurt every time she brushed it on something. We had the nail entirely removed last Friday. Anesthesia was a risk, but I didn’t want her to spend whatever time she has left trying to get that damn nail healed–she already lost months with the first one.

      The upside–48 hours of bandage, some pain meds, and all done. It looks good now and doesn’t bother her at all. She can now get on with her life and have fun.

      I hated taking the risk but I”m glad I did.

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Anna | 2 years ago
This Isn’t Anything Urgent But It’s Been Happening Over Time.. My Dog Frequently Secretes …

This isn’t anything urgent but it’s been happening over time.. my dog frequently secretes fluid from her anus; she has had her anal glands expressed multiple times and uses the bathroom normally. She licks her anus afterwards and when I try to get close and/or disinfect the area she gets aggressive. So I just want to know the reasoning as to why she secretes fluid frequently if nothing is wrong with her?

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  1. Autumn

    Good morning.
    Sometimes dogs may need their anal lands expressed on a normal basis. Some come in every 2 weeks, others 4-6 weeks. There may not necessarily be an “issue” per se, but some may need this as a routine for them.
    If it becomes a concern, you may want to talk to your vet about removal if they start to become impacted/infected…

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Shannon | 2 years ago
Last Night About 8pm My Dog Had Lump Around Her Eyes And Her Mouth Was Swollen, …

Last night about 8pm my dog had lump around her eyes and her mouth was swollen, this morning they have gone down but now she has got some more on her head, they seem to not hurt her but they are very itchy for her.

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  1. Autumn

    Hello!
    Could she have possibly been stung by a bee? allergic reaction?
    You can give benadryl 25mg, it is 1mg per pound… for instance if she is 50pounds, she would receive 2- 25mg tablets. This can be given every 8-12 hours. If she does not improve, I would reach out to your local vet for a check up.
    Hope this helps
    – Autumn

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Cristina | 2 years ago
My 2 Year Old Female Dog Was Neutered Last Week And The Incision Site Is Looking Concerning. …

My 2 year old female dog was neutered last week and the incision site is looking concerning. The only veterinary clinic close to us is closed today and I am worried about infection or other issues. The dog is an obssesive licker and I don’t know if the wound is healing ok.

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