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Jasmine | 5 years ago
How Do I Help Keep My Dog From Knuckling His Paw. Day 17 Of IVDD.

How do I help Keep my dog from knuckling his paw. Day 17 of IVDD.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Dogs knuckle for one of two reasons: muscle loss or weakness from atrophy (chronic non-ambulatory use of a muscle causes it to shrink), or inability to innervate the muscle because the nerves can’t talk to them. I don’t know which one your dog has but your vet can help identify these. It is important to keep placing the feet correctly and encouraging your pup to stand so they don’t lose muscle and can hopefully regain walking as hopefully heal from their spinal injury. Physical therapy is a key part of recovery and lots of dogs knuckle with this disease. Please see my videos and blogs on IVDD. I hope they can help. Best of luck.

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Morghan | 5 years ago
Need Help!! My 9 Year Old Dog Has Had A Lump On The Side Of His Face …

Need help!!
My 9 year old dog has had a lump on the side of his face which looks like a cyst for a couple of years now. It didn’t look serious and he appeared fine so we never took him to a vet. Now we are getting worried as it keeps getting bigger and now appears a reddish colour and appears to be bleeding slightly. We are going to be taking him to a vet but I also would like some opinions before I go there.
In the image I have put in below is the lumps current state.
If u could please give what a normal procedure would be to treat it and estimated price(UK) that would be greatly appreciated

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    It is not possible for anyone to diagnose via a photo. Please bring your pup to the vet as soon as possible. I am very worrie this is going to rupture and it will not stop bleeding as it is not normal tissue. I am concerned it might be some kind of cancerous lesion but I also hope and believe ( based on how slow growing it is ) that is is not a malignant or aggressive kind. Please see a vet and have it removed. It looks like this can be done without too much difficulty. I wouldn’t waste time or money on aspirates. If you are on a tight budget find someone who will remove it before it becomes a bigger problem. Please let us know what happens. And best of luck.

    1. Morghan Post author

      Thanks so much for the opinion. We are taking him to a vet ASAP. I hope he will be ok. Will keep u updated about it.

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Ben | 5 years ago
I Noticed Last Friday A Faint Circle On My Dog Head Between His Eyes The Following …

I noticed last Friday a faint circle on my dog head between his eyes the following day it opened up and they was a circle of blood. I took my dog the vet on Monday and was given cream that I applied till Friday yesterday morning. Yesterday the scab came off and they was a small red circle not sure if they was any bleeding. The 4th picture show what it look like today. Can this be cancer? As I don’t understand if cancer develope a scab ? If it was just a bump that opened up and a scab formed for it to heal then should it not be showing a fleshy circle still ? How long does it usally take for this type of thing to heal? I have spent days looking at picture of cancer and they are all lump that bleed and I ain’t seen a picture of a scab forming over any. I asked my vet on Monday after she checked it out if it could be cancer and she said it could be but if it was just a scab would she not know ? Or can cancer form scabs?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    The saying goes that cancer can do whatever it wants. The best way to identify what this is is by taking a biopsy. Please ask your vet to help you monitor the masses progression and consider surgical biopsy if it persists or doesn’t heal.

    1. Ben Post author

      Hello and thanks for the response. How long should I watch this for? If it just a bump from say hitting his head that opened up and scabed over Then should it of not already healed within a week or does it take longer to heal? It been 8 days since the faint circle appeared for it to open up the next day then form a scab so how many more days should I wait to see if it heals? His also got other little lump showing up 2 on his neck and 2 on his side but they ain’t progressed like the one on his face, they are just small hard lumps.

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Ben | 5 years ago
I Noticed Last Friday An Outline Of A Circle On My Dog Head That You Can …

I noticed last Friday an outline of a circle on my dog head that you can to look for a certain angle to see. The next day you could see it more and it open up and was bleeding. I took my dog to the vets on Monday and asked if it could be cancer and was told it could be then given betafuse that I applied twice a day till today, the cream done nothing. The growth itself I don’t think has grown outwards but I think it grown a bit upwards. His been acting less energetic lately it mite be due to him getting older as his close to 8 he only seem full of energy when it come to walks or play but he just seem a bit of off less up for going up the stairs. His also got a small lump on his side and neck tho they ain’t the size of this lump.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    The only way a lump or bump is definitively diagnosed is with a biopsy. A photo can’t provide the answer as many of them look very similar. I would follow the directions of your vet and follow up if it worsens or doesn’t resolve. You can also ask about a biopsy or a referral to a veterinary dermatologist. Because it is on the head I would also ask about it possibly being a histiocytoma. Let us know what happens.

    1. Ben Post author

      Hello and thanks for the response. How long should I watch it for, would waiting and seeing not risk the chance of spreading or is this not a concern with tumour on top of the skin?

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suerena schaefer | 5 years ago
My Question Is About Food For My Cats And Dogs. Cats Ive Always Been Told To …

My question is about food for my cats and dogs.

Cats
Ive always been told to keep dry food out at all times so I do but I also feed them in the morning and at dinner with a mixture of wet and dry. They are all 6 years old and they are putting on weight. Should I take up the dry food so they don’t graze on it all day and just feed them their 2 meals a day. Is that enough?

Dogs
I have always fed my 13 year old once a day with a mixture of wet and dry and of course he gets tid bits from our plates through the day. Lol. He’s always been a healthy weight and seems very happy. I rescued a dog a year go that was a stray and she was 1. I kept dry food out for her all day, as suggested by my vet, and also feed her with her brother at diner time with the same mixture. I have recently taken up her dry food and only feed her once a day Now with the brother.

Am I doing the correct things for my animals. I don’t want to overindulge them and have them become overweight and have the many problems that come along with that. But i also don’t want them hungry. Not sure what to do.

Thanks

4 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Hi there???? Personally, we feed twice a day, our cats and dogs both. They get fed in the morning after their first walk and then again in the evening after their last walk. We also only feed dry food. They do get small pieces of dog treat throughout the day for good behavior and training as well. If you are truly questioning your feeding habits though, I would speak with your vet for advice. Best of luck!

  2. Laura

    I agree with Sarah, as well. Never free feed, especially with multiple animals in the house. It’s hard to track who is eating what and who’s off their food. In addition, you may find it better for both dogs to feed twice a day, to keep their blood sugar even and their guts happy. (I have a breed prone to bile pukes if they aren’t fed twice daily.)

  3. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    For indoor overweight cats I recommend one 5 oz can of a high quality canned food per cat twice a day. I also say to add water. It will help them feel full and not add calories. Also limit how much dry food you offer and the type of dry food. There are lots of low calorie options available. I use these as snacks during the day.

    For dogs I feed twice a day because they need calories twice a day and that way you know who is eating and how much. Which is super important if anyone gets sick or isn’t feeling well. I am a bit old. Fashioned. I like science diet. They have lots Of options and Are always affordable.

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Jasmine | 5 years ago
My Dog Is On Day 9 After Being Diagnosed With Ivdd . He Was Walking A Lot Better …

My dog is on day 9 after being diagnosed with ivdd . He was walking a lot better after losing mobility in his right front and back leg but today it looks like he’s losing the mobility in his 2 front legs all over again. What happened?? He was doing so well. His pain looked like it had gone away and he was sleeping through the night without the pain killer.

2 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    This is a hard question to answer for a few reasons. One we hardly ever get a confirmatory diagnosis on this disease. To do that you would need an mri or ct and an csf tap. Without them we guess that it is IVDD which is the most common cause of acute paralysis or weakness. So trying to understand what is or isn’t normal when we aren’t sure of the diagnosis is difficult.
    If it is IVDD then yes it is not uncommon for them to get worse as we try to get them better. The worsening can occur because more of the disc is slipping into the spinal cord area or because another disc is also slipping. Or because the damage to the spinal cord is progressing. Please call your vet with any questions or concerns or changes to your pet. They can help. Best of luck.

    1. Jasmine Post author

      Does this mean a longer recovery time? He is now on day 15 since he went down. I have him on around the clock Gabapentin and galliprant which seems to help . He’s still very wobbly and can only walk a few steps before falling.

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Jasmine | 5 years ago
Has Anyone Ever Used The Assisi Loop For Their Dog With IVDD? Does It Work?

Has anyone ever used the Assisi Loop for their dog with IVDD? Does it work?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    I haven’t used it, nor had clients who have. But I’ve seen them at the trade shows. I don’t think there is any hard evidence or studies to support their use. But I also don’t think they do any harm. If you use it and like it will you let me know.?

    1. Jasmine Post author

      Sure, still doing my research on it but I’ll let you know if I buy it.

  2. Jasmine Post author

    Sure, still doing my research on it but I’ll let you know if I buy it.

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Jasmine | 5 years ago
My Dog Is 15 Years Old And Was Diagnosed With Ivdd. He Keeps Trying To Walk Around …

My dog is 15 years old and was diagnosed with ivdd. He keeps trying to walk around but continues fall. I have him in a play pen right now. Should I continue to let him walk around? I feel like he’s going to end up hurting himself more.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I suppose I would ask why do you think he is walking? I’d be bored? Felling better? Stressed? What do you think? In my experience they start walking when the pain dissipates so I am all for walking and maintaining muscle mass. But, it doesn’t displace the need for physical therapy to regain lost nerve function and muscle mass. Ie you still want to encourage them to use the weak legs and not just the sting and functional legs. As long as it is safe (no stairs or access to danger) and they are not causing abrasions on the feet they can’t use normally, AND you can keep doing your pt then I am ok with it.

    1. Jasmine Post author

      Hi Dr. Magnifico, thank you so much for replying. Half of me thinks he is doing it because he’s bored but the other half of me says that he does it because he’s in pain. Because right before he wants to start walking he cries a lot and then I stand him up so he can walk and he stops crying and only whimpers a little as he walks.

      ok, so I will continue to let him walk around under supervision .

      Thank you!

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Rachel Pittman | 5 years ago
Our 15lb Chihuahua/Maltese Mix Has A Gurgling Belly. You Can Hear The Noise Just Being …

Our 15lb Chihuahua/Maltese mix has a gurgling belly. You can hear the noise just being in the same room as him. He is super uncomfortable, sits down for a moment- you hear a gurgle and he shoots back up and circles then sits down again. It happens about once a month and lasts for about 12-24hrs. We have taken him into our vet a few times for it but by the time we take him in it has subsided. I believe they typically give him a one time dose of an antiemetic. Most of the time we have him leashed & am outside with him so we do not believe he is eating something. No table food, eats science diet. Has regular, formed, bowel movements. Unsure of what to do or how to make him feel better! We can not afford to keep taking him to the vet & not have answers of why this keeps happening.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Maybe you can talk to your vet about a long term sensitive stomach food to try? Or make sure it doesn’t correlate with any of the preventatives you give. (And if you’re aren’t giving them you should check to make sure it isn’t intestinal worms with a fecal sent to the lab for analysis). Also some dogs benefit from probiotics long term and gi protectants. I can’t tell you what’s going on with your pup but I do think there are lots of low cost options to try to figure out what it might be. Also you should remove all snacks and treats for a month or two to see if this helps. I worry about gi issues and pancreatitis. In some cases there is excessive gas so a diet change might help. Talk to your vet about all of these. Let me know what happens. Good luck.

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Zack | 5 years ago
Hi Everyone I’m In Desperate Need Of Some Help Here! I Have Two Cats (one 4…

Hi everyone I’m in desperate need of some help here! I have two cats (one 4YOM and one 1.5YOF both fixed) that keep peeing outside the litter box. Unfortunately it has been confirmed that they both go outside the litter box. The male likes going on things such as the curtains by the front window, the trash can by the back door and in my pretty much anywhere in my niece’s play room. The female likes going on dirty clothes, floor mats, and pretty much anything in both my niece’s playroom and bedroom. Unfortunately this problem has been going on for almost a year with no real improvements.

Some more information about the cats. I’ve had the male cat since birth. He is healthy barring anything showing up at the next vet visit. The female was adopted about a year ago from a local shelter and is also healthy. We have three litter boxes placed throughout the house but for the past 2ish months they’ve only used one of them. We do unfortunately have feral cats outside (caught two and had them neutered.)

I really need some help. I ripped up all the carpet in the house and replaced it with hardwoods. We’ve thrown out hundreds of dollars of clothes and toys. I’ve gone through at least $100 worth of enzyme cleaner. We swapped the litter boxes. We swapped the litter we use. We swapped diets. We close off most of the house during the day. I even attempted (much to my heartbreak) of following other online advice and confining them separately to a big dog crate for a week to retrain them on the litter box.

Nothing has worked and I’m at my wits end. I called my vet today to ask for a behaviorist but they suggested I try this resource first.

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  1. Zack Post author

    The forum says there is a response on my question but it isn’t popping up. Can you please repost it?