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Rebekah | 1 year ago
Hi I Want A Few Options To Give Our Teething 11 Week Old Puppy To Chew On …

Hi I want a few options to give our teething 11 week old puppy to chew on safely. We do frozen soft rubber toys, frozen carrots always supervised with both. Could we offer a yak cheese chew to her as well? Our older dog loves them.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I tend to stick with the old faithful king toys. Always pick a size larger than the diameter of the neck. Just so swallowing is not possible.

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S | 1 year ago
Hello, Our One Year Old Cat Has Been Having Soft Bowel Movements For The Past Few …

Hello, our one year old male neutered cat (domestic shorthair) has been having soft bowel movements for the past few weeks. The vet prescribed him the Hills Z/D diet to help with it. He had some improvement but we weren’t told to stop other treats until recently which we did. He is now exclusively being fed wet Z/D and only a few pieces of the dry Z/D.

His blood test showed elevated eosinophils and the vet suspects IBD.

Three days ago we noticed a few millimeters of rectal prolapse after he had a bowel movement. The tissue went back inside and I gently wiped his backside. There was a little bit of blood. We called and took a vet appointment and he’s being seen in a couple of days.

Since then he’s had the prolapse each time he poops, and it retreats about 30 seconds later. I am very worried that this will become a chronic problem requiring surgery. I would like some advice please on what questions I should ask the vet. What if they suggest surgery? Should we get an ultrasound done, or a colonoscopy? Thank you.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    I would call your vet and discuss this with them. I suspect the diarrhea is causing constant straining and this is causing the prolapse. So I would ask about something for pain and get the diarrhea under control.

    At my clinic I would talk about trying gabapentin or a steroid and adding a probiotic. Or ask for a second opinion from a feline specialist. Also ask about diagnostics available. Like a fecal or maldigestion profile.

    1. S Post author

      Thank you so much for your advice. We will ask the vet these questions tomorrow. Our cat’s bowel movements are not diarrhea anymore but he is still prolapsing. Is it possible that the high fiber in the Z/D diet could be a factor? Maybe it’s making the poop too wide?

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Mikayla | 1 year ago
I Have A 4 Year Old Male Cat(Lucifer, After The Show) That I’ve Had Since …

I have a 4 year old male cat(Lucifer, after the show) that I’ve had since he was maybe 6-7 weeks old. For the first 2 years, he was living with my Fiancé, whom lived in 3 different households throughout those 2 years. And then Lucifer lived with my aunt while I searched for an apartment. Each household had dogs and other cats (both male and female) he got along well with the male cats, but not so much the females. and he loves the dogs. he’s lived with us in our apartment for 2 years now and hasn’t stayed anywhere else. On July 23rd, we decided to take in a 9 week old male kitten. Had I known then what I know now, I certainly wouldn’t have rushed the introduction as, Lucifer was my very first cat and I never got the chance to slowly introduce him to other animals. but unfortunately I was a bit hesitant to leave the kitten in my daughter’s room as she likes to play in there every morning and I was worried she would get into the litter box or the food and water. (she’s 3 and, she still sleeps with me here and there) it’s now July 31st and Lucifer hadn’t eaten in two days, so in an attempt to get him to eat, I set up a litter box in my daughter’s room, placed food and water in there as well as Salem’s (the kitten) toys and little nap basket. and I go up there often to play with him and make sure he’s eating and using the litter box. Lucifer began to eat after about an hour of not seeing Salem. Now that he seems to be doing better, my question is how long should I keep them apart before reintroducing them? Lucifer was my first pet, at 19. Growing up, we never lived in a home that allowed pets of any sort. So having 2 cats was really exciting for me. But now I’m starting to wonder if because I screwed up and rushed the introduction, they’ll ever actually get along or if I’ll have to permanently keep them apart..? Any advice helps!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Is everyone spayed and neutered? That might help settle down of the stress?
    After that make sure everyone is healthy. At my clinic this would include an exam on all of the cats and perhaps even blood work.
    Then we talk about a more gradual acclimation period. I’ve seen this be between two weeks to years. Cats are their own bosses. So they decide on their own terms

    Good luck.

    1. Mikayla Post author

      Hi! Lucifer is neutered but Salem is not, they won’t perform the procedure on him until he’s 6 months old! Salem also has a vet appointment today for his first vaccine, deworming, and a stool test as well as anything else he may need. And I will definitely bring up the behavior of my adult cat as well to see if they want me to bring him in too! I have noticed when Lucifer sniffs his food, he begins to drool and makes a chattering type movement with his mouth but no sound comes out and I’m not sure if this is something I should be worrying about as he’s adjusted perfectly fine to other cats!

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Blakely | 1 year ago
Puppy Visit
Treatment Cost (USD): $140.00
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Blakely | 1 year ago
Dog Spay
Treatment Cost (USD): $584.69
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Matt | 1 year ago
We Just Added Another Dog To Our Household (we Previously Had One Dog Who Is Now …

We just added another dog to our household (we previously had one dog who is now three and is well adjusted and behaved). The new dog is a rescue who is 2 years old and was neutered a few weeks ago. On the whole, he is a very sweet dog, but there is some resource aggression and some damage being done to her house in terms of chewing that we want to nip in the bud.
We also realized that, as much as we love our first dog the way he is, he could probably use a bit of training and structure now that there are two dogs in the house. Is there a trainer or training approach you would recommend?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Thanks for reaching out.

    I think a few things might help and they include lots of exercise for both dogs. A tired dog has less energy to put into the household stressors and it can help avoid possession issues as outside is neutral territory. It also might help them realize they can play together and develop a stronger relationship.

    Next feed separated. And monitored. Food is always a resource that dogs worry about so try to minimize this.

    If they are resource guarding toys then I would say to relive them until the dogs are more relaxed and comfortable around each other.

    Trainers are available through places like the shelter and humane society and polite pooches. I would avoid any and all trainers who use any kind of negative reinforcement training. No shock collars or drop off care. I always feel the most important part of a pet parent’s responsibility is to hike trust. Having someone else do it or using painful punishment isn’t the way to build trust.

    Lastly don’t hesitate to ask about anxiety meds as you embark on all of this. It is a tool that can help the transition and crate adjustment.

    I am off this week but I am happy to help anytime.

    Also if you wouldn’t mind would you please go to pawbly.Com and register as a user and post this there as a question. It’s a great one that I know many others have.

    Take care.

  2. Laura

    Crate the newcomer when you cannot 100% supervise. When you can supervise his behavior, treat the dog like a puppy and tether train for a while – this means leashing him to an adult. Additionally, as Dr. M said, feed separately – I would STRONGLY suggest feeding dogs in crates. I would also meal feed, if you aren’t already doing this.

    Look into the 2 week shutdown. This was beneficial in our situation, and something shelters recommend to help the new dog adjust. This means not letting the dogs interact much, at least until those 2 weeks are up, then all interactions should be fully supervised.

    My Doberman was a bit resource guardy around my MIL’s senior mutt, so they were only allowed toys when fully supervised, and my dog was NOT permitted to go anywhere near hers when there were toys about. No high value treats/chews should be available freely, either. Those should only be given in their crates.

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Deborah | 1 year ago
Hello, Our Cat Bruce Is Over Grooming His Leg Until It Bleeds. I’ve Tried Cortisone …

Hello,
Our cat Bruce is over grooming his leg until it bleeds. I’ve tried cortisone shot, Valium, (both which I didn’t want to do but was desperate)
I have tried no chicken in his diet, and various hotspot sprays. He is extremely active and healthy in every other way. Loves to go outside and play with all the neighborhood cats. He showed up as a stray on our doorstep. His skin was fine. He got his tests and shots and was neutered in November. Skin issues started in January. He is little over a year old. I have him on a homeopathic drop for skin allergies and itching. Hopefully it will help. Any ideas??

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello my friend!
    As with all skin cases the following is super important.
    1. Get a good history of the patient and their clinical signs.
    2. Do a thorough examination
    3. Treat for parasites.
    4. Start your diagnostics based on most likely rule outs.
    5. Offer treatment plans that work for the patient the pet parent and your list of most likely diagnosis.

    Here’s where I think your cat needs more help; it doesn’t sound like a list of most “likely conditions” work up and diagnose has been formulated to start a treatment plan that is best directed at the source of the itching.

    For your cat I would ask your vet (or come see me and I am happy to help). I would use revolution monthly and place an ecollar while starting gabapentin. I might also suggest a shampoo if you think he will let you bathe him.
    After that I would talk about the next tests that might need to be done to start to treat and rule out possible causes to the itch.

    The most common thing that causes itching in pets is fleas. In some cases one flea with one bite can cause a pet to become extremely itchy . And the more they scratch the more it itches until the skin is so inflamed secondary infections happen. Which just perpetuates more itching.

    So for me I start with a plan. And go through the list of control. And treatment until we get it figured out.

    The old days of “give a steroid and hope it works” are over. We can do better.

    Keep me posted.

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Alison | 1 year ago
I Just Learned From Dr Magnifico That Little White Dogs Love Their Bladder Stones. I Have …

I just learned from Dr Magnifico that little white dogs love their bladder stones.

I have a little white dog. She does not have bladder stones as far as I can tell and I’d like to keep it that way. She’s a maltese, about five or six years old, a puppy mill rescue I adopted about seven months ago. I also have a 13-year-old dorkie and a vet I’ve been seeing for almost 25 years.

I’m lazy and don’t count on myself to brush my dogs’ teeth so I’ve always fed my dogs Hills Science Diet t/d (large size kibble). They also get rawhide chews sold by my vet. The maltese’s stool is very dry compared to the dorkie’s.

Is there anything I should be doing to reduce the risk of bladder stones? Half wet food half kibble, maybe? Flavour their water?

Thank you!
Alison

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello!
    The best ways that I know to avoid bladder stones is a good diet. Leaving fresh clean water available at all times and checking a urine every 6-12 months. Also on some little dogs I can palpitate rhe bladder for clues about its contents. If you want to be super pro active an X-ray or ultrasound is the best diagnostic tool for looking inside the bladder.

    Good luck! Thanks for the question

    1. Alison Post author

      Thank you! I will follow up with regular palpation and urine testing.

      Could my dogs’ diet be better in the context of bladder stones?

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Jam | 1 year ago
I’m From The Philippines, My Cat Named Gabe Wasn’t Eating And Drinking Water For 1 …

I’m from the Philippines, My cat named Gabe wasn’t eating and drinking water for 1 day already and i saw him struggling to pee or poop, but a day before that he was fine and pee and poop so much.
So I took him to the vet and said he needs to have catheter because his bladder was full and blocked, so they did insert a catheter and IV fluid on him and saw some blood coming out too. They said he’s a bit dehydrated as well since he didn’t eat and drink for a day. Unfortunately I can’t afford to admit him to the vet for another day because the admission per day is way too expensive, I only admitted him just for today and I will take him home tomorrow because i have no other choice.

is it okay for me to take him home after cathetherized for 1 day? his vet suggested at least 3 days for him to stay but i cannot afford it, only 1 day but they removed the blockage already.. what can i do after taking him home after catheter? can i take him home with iv fluids just in case he wont eat?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry to hear about your cat. I don’t know what to say about this as I don’t know the full extent of his issue. If the vet thinks he needs the urinary catheter in place for multiple days is it possible for him to go home with it in? Or be transferred somewhere that is more affordable? I would ask these questions. Also can he be given medication to help with anything? Perhaps a steroid or anti inflammatory?
    See if there are any options for you?

    Best of luck

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Also ask about long term diet options. I recommend a high quality canned food with water added. And stop or reduce feeding dry food.

    1. Jam Post author

      thank you so much! ???????? another question, is boiled chicken breast, liver, squash and carrots be alternative? its blended as wet food. is it safe for him to eat it every day?

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Noelle | 1 year ago
My Cat Coco (female Three Years Old) Has Blood In Urine. After Bringing Her To The …

My cat Coco (female three years old) has blood in Urine. After bringing her to the vet and having a Urine analysis done, the vet decided to give her antibiotics. He mentioned that they could see a bacterial infection and thought it was coming from the liver. After treating her with a round of antibiotics for 15 days, the quantity of blood in Urine was lower but unfortunately still there. He switches the antibiotics to amoxicillin and treats her for 7 days. It went a lot better but still blood in the urine and Coco was developing a fever at this time. Blood analysis came back alright with no specific sign except an infection showing. So the vet changed the antibiotic and used on for the kidney this time. He mentioned that if nothing gets better then, it might be a pancreas infection and as our cat is obese (very tall cat 16.7 pounds), the kidneys are suffering and gorging or are inflamed from the pancreas and it might be why she is bleeding. We were giving kibble to my cat and for now a full month, she is eating only one can of food a day (a small can of Nulo). He told us to continue the third antibiotic (Baytril)and if at the end of the 10 days, she still bleeds, we should treat the pancreas with some other tablets and do eventually an ultrasound to see where we are staying at. I am getting worried for my cat as she is developing a fever, starting to sleep more, and searching for comfort, pee still blood, and even more as when we brought her the first time! She is not dehydrated, she drinks normally and pees a lot, with no blockage. She is going to her litter multiple times (too often for sure) and does not seem to be in pain. She strangely loves to go into our bath tub now and lays there. My worries and my question is how long can a cat keeps going on like that with rounds of different antibiotic and not getting better? Should I consult another vet for a double opinion?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    If the first round of antibiotics isn’t helping I would consult about a blood work being done to look at internal organ function. If that isn’t helpful an X-ray to look for a bladder stone or ultrasound is the next step. Before trying multiple antibiotics you. An also ask about a urine culture and sensitivity test.
    Ask about these.
    For cats with persistent blood in the urine I worry about idiopathic cystitis which is best treated with a diet change to a urinary prescription diet and anti inflammatories, or, bladder stone which is either treated by a prescription diet based on what kind of bladder stone I think it might be (this is based on urine ph and appearance of the stone on X-ray) and cancer.