Question
Profile Image
carlie | 3 years ago
Hi, I Am Wondering If A Vet Can Help Me With My Dogs On Going Skin …

Hi, i am wondering if a vet can help me with my dogs on going skin problem, he is losing excessive amounts of hair, fibres and his paws are very irritated, constant chewing and biting his paws. I have tried everything from medicated shampoos like malaseb, omegas, blackmores PAW Nutriderm conditioner, Virbac spot on skin lipids and the dreaded prednisone which we just experienced some very bad side affects. My vet doesn’t know what is going on just keep telling me the same thing to wash them in malaseb 3 x per week for his paws and they say his skin is fine apart from some ATOPY.
Any ideas or suggestions would be very much appreciated.
Thank you
Carlie

1 Response

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    There are numerous things that can cause skin issues. For all of my clients I make sure they are on a good diet, good exercise plan and preventatives for fleas and ticks.
    After that skin scrapes, trichograms, and even skin biopsies might be needed. Also a full blood work and thorough physical exam. It is a long list of diagnostics to identify the root cause.
    For many people this can be costly so we take a step by step approach. We also try things like Apoquel and cytopoint if we suspect atopy

    If I can’t find the answer within a reasonable time frame I refer to a dermatologist.

    I hope this helps.
    Please understand that photos of bad skin often all look alike regardless of the cause.

Question
Profile Image
megan | 3 years ago
A While Ago My Cat Became Sick, Around The Same Time We Noticed He Had Been …

a while ago my cat became sick, around the same time we noticed he had been leaving our house and stealing cat food from the neighbors who leave it out for other stray cats (therefore he was eating after other cats) his lymph nodes became swollen, he stayed in one spot all day and rarely moved, he wouldn’t eat or drink, and lost weight. We brought him to the vet and they examen him and did x-rays and said that it appears that he could have cancer/a tumor that has spread to his lymph nodes already as well as some other things like fluid/pus in his chest. They said the cancer was very aggressive since it’s already gotten that far and we just noticed it. A few days later his lymph node swelling went away, he started eating and drinking again, and he was acting like himself. We brought him back to the vet and they performed FNA on the tumor which came back inconclusive. They were also shocked that his lymph node? weren’t swollen anymore, and they said the tumor had moved places, and they started to question their diagnosis saying that he could just have an infection. The gave him antibiotics and sent us home. Since then the tumor has gotten bigger and moved places, it feels sort of soft and moves around easily. I’m questioning if this is just a lipoma rather than cancer because of the way it feels and moves, it has also been about 2 months since we very first noticed this, and to me it doesn’t appear or feel to have spread anywhere, his vet was also talking like he wouldn’t live more that a week or two and it’s been 2 months. No one can really come to a definite diagnosis… so if anyone could give advice or help on this i’d appreciate it very much!! (i’ve also included a photo below of the tumor though it’s a litte difficult to tell)

1 Response

Comments

  1. Laura

    Honestly, I’d be looking for an oncology specialist to determine if it really is a tumor of some sort.

Question
Profile Image
Karen | 3 years ago
Teddy Sprained Something In His Left Hind Leg About 3 Weeks Ago. He Is A Standard Golden …

Teddy sprained something in his left hind leg about 3 weeks ago. He is a standard golden doodle, weighing 72 lbs, and before this injury, was having a hard time getting up at the end of the day, from lying on the floor. The vet said, without x rays, that Teddy has arthritis in his back legs, even though he is young for this, at 5. I’ve been giving him Dasequin, 2x a day for this. I thought he was starting to improve, when he took a bad step, running up some stairs into the house from outside. He let out a yelp, then cried for less than half a minute, and would not put his left rear foot on the floor. Eventually, he did try putting the foot down, and walking on it, but immediately picked his foot up again, and would not use that leg. I took him to the vet, who x rayed Teddy’s back legs and hips. Everything, bones and joints, looked normal and healthy. The diagnosis was a sprain, and I was given a bottle of carprofen to give Teddy, 2x a day. Teddy now is using his leg, but with a slight limp. I have taken him out of doggy day care, where he was going twice a week, to play with other dogs. I didn’t want to risk the sprain getting worse. I’ve also been taking him out on a leash, to potty, and for short walks for exercise. At the end of the day, however, he is obviously sore, and has a harder time getting up from lying on the floor. He is back to getting onto the couch, but can’t climb on the bed yet.
He’s also very bored, as I won’t play fetch with him (I don’t want him running on that leg yet), and is probably depressed at not seeing his doggy daycare friends. Poor guy won’t play with his toys, and now is turning up his nose at everything but treats. He will eat breakfast-at about 5 pm, then wants more kibble at bedtime. I’ve been reducing the amount of kibble late at night, and giving him apple slices and carrot sticks for treats.
So….how long will this sprain take to heal? How long until I can let Teddy go outside, and let him run around as he usually does? And, how long before I can let him go back to doggy daycare?

1 Response

Comments

  1. Laura

    Soft tissue can take a LONG time to fully heal, and I think the “when” questions are best addressed with your vet who knows him best. In the interim, though, I’d start working on brain games! There are things you can do at home with him leashed which will work his brain and pull him out of his depression. My favorite is nosework – Fenzi Dog Sports Academy has a class you can do at home. I STRONGLY recommend it. Here’s the direct link: https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/10-course-descriptions/13342-n101s-nw101-introduction-to-nosework

Question
Profile Image
Jennifer Taylor | 3 years ago
Last Summer My Beloved Cat, Summer Escaped My Home And Was Missing For Two Months. When …

Last summer my beloved cat, Summer escaped my home and was missing for two months. When she was found she had lost about 1/3 of her body weight and her personality had changed. While she was previously very much the “alpha” cat and could be a bit of a diva she is now timid and very loving. During the time when she was missing I was under an incredible amount of stress; having a pet pass away is heartbreaking but having a pet go missing is agonizing, I would not wish the experience on my worst enemy. I couldn’t sleep for much of the two months. Our cat Gracie was by my side the entire time. She did take over as the leader of our little cat pack (pride??). When Summer returned Gracie and her initially got along okay, however within about two weeks Gracie started going after Summer causing a significant amount of stress on Summer. She would chase her off the litter box and food bowls. We created a safe space for Summer and over the past year she has very much chosen to stay isolated away from Gracie, our other cats come “visit” without an issue. Several months ago Gracie started urinating outside of her box. We first had to go through the process of elimination to determine which cat was urinating outside the box. All cats have had urine and bloodwork done to rule out any medical issues. Gracie is now isolated and Summer has free reign of the house. Inappropriate urination has stopped. Our other cats can come “visit” Gracie without incident, however as soon as Summer enters the room Gracie attacks her. We have tried medication and we have tried putting a drop of vanilla on each cat so they smell the same. I would prefer to not spend the rest of my cats lives isolating one or the other to create peace in our home. I will note that Gracie has limited or no sight in one of her eyes, she has always been a bit of a “scrapper” with the other pets when they approach her on that side, that being said this isn’t a case of Summer startling her, she is seeking out Summer to attack her.
I would love advice from anyone who has had a similar experience; what worked, what didn’t?

1 Response

Comments

  1. Laura

    Hi there. I’m sorry it took us a while to respond…I’ve been pondering over this since you initially posted. I think you may have to consider permanent separation. This is doable in a cat household, as you’ve seen, though it can be annoying, but it might be safest for the clowder.

    I assume you’ve tried Feliway?

Question
Profile Image
Mary | 3 years ago
We Have Rescued Two Feral Cats For Our Farm. They Came From West Virginia Rescue With …

We have rescued two feral cats for our farm. They came from West Virginia rescue with vaccines. A Maryland rescue took them and thus we have them. They are friendly to us and one lets us pick him up. The other loves to be petted but not picked up. My question…..I would like to have them chipped. The problem is I don’t know when I can get them in a carrier. It will take some time. I don’t think I can set an appt. time for the chip. I have all their paper work for you. Any suggestions??

1 Response

Comments

  1. Laura

    Is it possible a mobile vet could come to you for this? Might be easier than trying to get them in carriers.

Question
Profile Image
Breauna | 3 years ago
Hello I Recently Watched A Lot Of Your Videos On Youtube About Ivdd And The Beagle …

Hello I recently watched a lot of your videos on youtube about ivdd and the beagle you were taking care of. My Gracie was diagnosed with ivdd yesterday and my vet gave her a steroid shot and she is now on steroid medication prednisone, pain killers and muscle relaxers. She is not able to walk or stand on her own, her right leg drags, her left leg seems normal. I have been using a makeshift sling to help her use the restroom, she is able to pee and poop on her own as long as I am helping her stand outside with a sling. She sometimes sits up in bed but mainly only using her upper body. Is this a good sign? My vet said I need to put her on a diet and give her strict rest but my vet also said if she is not better in two days I should take her to get surgery. I am relucatant to get surgery not just because of the cost but because my Gracie is 11 years old and I am afraid that it could worsen the paralysis in her other legs or it might be only a temporary fix. Me and my parents want to try naturally helping her, and I am not sure how to start or what to do. Should I just try making her get strict cage rest and see what happens or should I start physical therapy right away? I am planning on calling my vet to see what she thinks but from what she told me yesterday she seems pretty set on surgery only. Gracie has only been laying on one side when laying down. Her left side. Her right side is the side with the bad dragging leg. She is eating well and drinking well, I just want her to get better soon. Any advice or suggestions you can give me would be great. Thank you Krista.
Sincerely,
Gracie’s mom.

1 Response

Comments

  1. Sarah

    Good morning-
    So sorry about Gracie. Dr. Magnifico has a lot of videos on YouTube regarding ivdd AND she has information on her blog- diary of a real life veterinarian- that you may find helpful. Very best of luck to you and Gracie!!????????

Question
Profile Image
Nabia | 3 years ago
My Baby Brownie Was Diagnosed With IVDD 6 Days Ago. I Didn’t Go For The Surgery …

My baby Brownie was diagnosed with IVDD 6 days ago. I didn’t go for the surgery due to the cost. I’m giving him crate treatment at home he’s on two pain meds and a steroid at the moment. I hate seeing my baby in pain but I’m trying to stay positive. I saw your video on YouTube and it was very positive and hopefully. I’m hoping you can share any advice on our I can bring my baby back to good health. Currently his back legs aren’t working and he has no control over his bladder so I’m helping him go potty and cleaning his pee pad. His back and neck are in pain. I’m hoping he can make a great recovery.

2 Responses

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Wishing you the very best of luck. I have quite a few videos on this and you can also search Ivdd at kmdvm.blogspot.com. There’s lots of info there too

Question
Profile Image
Hunter | 3 years ago
My 4yo Labrador Retriever Hank Recently (two Weeks Prior) Underwent A Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy (TPLO) …

My 4yo Labrador Retriever Hank recently (two weeks prior) underwent a Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy (TPLO) to repair the torn cruciate ligament in his back left knee. He gradually increased activity in the affected leg, but now seems as if his progress has halted. He’s very hesitant to put anymore weight on that leg. He won’t walk up a small step to get into my bedroom (this was the case before the surgery too). He moves around somewhat freely in the yard, but reverts to standing on three legs or doing a three-legged hop to move around at times. He has taken a bad step two to three times that resulted in a loud cry out. He must be coaxed to move around at all and appears to have developed a plum-sized seroma at surgery site of the infected knee. Could this be leading to the halt in activity/progress? He allows me to massage the muscles above and below the affected knee. We have also been doing some range of motion exercises on both legs.

Seroma?: He allows me to touch it and it is soft to the touch. It feels like a water balloon filled with a slightly more viscous fluid. It is directly above the incision site and the fluid appears to rest directly on top of the knee joint. Per vet recommendation, I discontinued the use of Rimadyl to try to reduce the size of the seroma.

Other symptoms: Licking at the base of tail to the point of seeing some blood in his fur. Excessive licking of the blanket he sleeps on.

3 Responses

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Please contact the surgeon or your vet ASAP. Really. ASAP. This doesn’t sound normal and an exam is indicated. Good luck.

  2. Sarah

    Hi there-
    I am hoping that Hank has been seen by your vet and/or surgeon already???? We recently had one of our dogs undergo tplo surgery, and although her recovery has been slow, it has been steady. We have been very strict about what she is allowed to do and what she is not to do and she has undergone xrays along the way to make sure she is progressing ok. The fact that Hank has cried out in pain and is regressing is very concerning. Please keep us posted

    1. Hunter Post author

      Update: Took Hank to see the surgeon yesterday. They removed the sutures and checked the seroma. They think he is just still in a lot of pain and recommended putting him back on Rimadyl for another week and to let them know if he doesn’t get any better. The seroma is looking better, but still somewhat large and still resting on the joint, which may be leading to discomfort. I may have just been too quick to let him resume light activity.

Question
Profile Image
Eva | 3 years ago
My Dog Is 6 Months Old Roughly And She Started Her Heat Cycle For The First Time 6/10/21 …

My dog is 6 months old roughly and she started her heat cycle for the first time 6/10/21 and her brother (unaltered) and her got “stuck” few days ago I know she is pregnant and she started to lightly spot blood Yesterday. What could happen from this besides the fact That puppies may not make it? Also she is pitbull/ rottweiler mix

2 Responses

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I spay these dogs as soon as possible. Why wait to see if birth defects occur? And what would you do if they do? Euthanizing puppies is the most awful heartbreaking thing a pet parent or vet ever had to do.

Question
Profile Image
Jasmine | 3 years ago
My 16 Year Old Cat Has Been Diagnosed With Some Kind Of Nasal Cancer. I Don’t …

My 16 year old cat has been diagnosed with some kind of nasal cancer. I don’t know which specifically because I didn’t want to pay for the tests that would specify which kind. Regardless, we are not treating the cancer; we are giving her supportive care. She is currently on steroids (prednisolone) and painkillers (gabapentin). With all of this, she has recently had a new symptom: a bulging of the bridge of her nose. At first, I thought it might be the cancer, but then one day, it popped open, and started leaking fluids (probably blood mixed with other things). I gave her first aid, and it healed. Now, it’s doing it again, but the fluid is building back up, even after leaking out. I called the vet after the first time this had happened, and was told that things like this would keep happening, and that she’s probably near the end of her life. Nothing about what it could be or how to handle it.

So my questions are, should I see a different vet? Does the pressure cause her pain? Is there some way to treat this? I haven’t euthanized her yet, because she still seems to enjoy life.

1 Response

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    These are all questions to ask your vet. Without knowing specifically what the diagnosis is (or specifically what type of cancer) and what kind of fluid this is it is hard to predict outcome abd treatment options. Also the steroid can influence patient response. Cancer is defined as aberrant cell growth so it is by definition abnormal activity and asking to know and understand anything acting abnormally is also hard to predict. You have decided to keep her comfortable while declining the work up so we have a hard time answering specific questions about what to expect and do bed sue we do t have enough information to be able to answer questions like these.
    Pain is impossibly to answer without seeing your pet in person and doing an exam to look for the signs that might indicate pain. Also we don’t have great long term options for treating pain in cats. Pred has some properties to help.
    It sounds like you are doing the best you can with limited ability to diagnose which is the huge majority of cases I see. Keep doing what you can and it’s ok to seek multiple opinions.

    Good luck.