Good morning. So sorry about your cat. Have you been in to see your vet?
Blue Is An Approximately 7-8 Year Old Rottweiler. I Recently Adopted Her Last Year From A …
Blue is an approximately 7-8 year old Rottweiler. I recently adopted her last year from a family that had adopted her 5 years before when she was brought to a Rottweiler rescue as a stray. Recently have some issues with her licking paws and biting at the hair on her legs, also severe dandruff with scaly scabs along her flank with leathery skin, also scabbing along the outer ridges of her ears. I initially suspected an allergy as have had rottweilers before and experienced their tendency to have allergy to food etc. Visited the vet about the skin, did antibiotics and it subsided but not completely cleared up. I decided to change food and in doing so she had 2 bouts of diarrhea that both had to be treated with metronidazole. In this process comes the problem, on one of those visits my vet discovered her spleen was enlarged. confirmed by xray, no masses just enlargement. In process of having her thyroid checked by a 3 panel test as I think the vet is going in the direction of a low thyroid causing multiple ear/skin infections which in turn is enlarging the spleen. I did check with previous owner and she has had skin/ear infections in past, treated by Keflex and allergy shot but never confirmed as to why. Vet stated she has little confidence at this point it could be cancer, but possible. we are embarking on finding out why her spleen is enlarged… My question is has anyone had a similar situation and or what do you think will be the outcome? Also if this does play out as a thyroid issue, given proper treatment will the spleen return to healthy size or will it need to be removed? I am aware of the possibility of hemangiosarcoma and do know what that outcome would most likely be.
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4 Days Ago My Cat Began Acting Really Lethargic. She Has Been Sleeping All Day And Won…
4 days ago my cat began acting really lethargic. She has been sleeping all day and won’t move. I offered her canned food on day 2 and she scarfed it down as well and drank water. Over the last 48 house she has declined severely. She is eey weak and has lost and extreme amount if weight despite my efforts. I have been syringe feeding her, stimulating her, administered Pedialyte as well as tried to maintain her hydration. I began subcutaneous fluids yesterday and she is still of a deep decline. I’m afraid I will lose her. She was fine the day before this started. None of my other cats are sick not have any symptoms at alll. She is 6 months old. Her name is Honey.
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Sarah -
Laura What did your vet say when you took her in? You DID take her in the day this started, right? If not it’s beyond emergent now…
We Brought A Re-homed Cat Home To Our House One Week Ago. She Is 4 Years Old, …
We brought a re-homed cat home to our house one week ago. She is 4 years old, spayed, up to date on shots and healthy. She came from a multi-cat and dog house to our single-dog house. Her previous owner says she had no problem standing up for herself against other cats and the dog (reports the other cats are much more willing to come out of hiding since she has been removed). We have noticed that she is shy and skittish, but eating and drinking. She spends most of her day hiding under a bed.
Unfortunately she refuses to use her litter box (so far preferring kids closets and under desks). We’ve taken a step back and confined her to a single room. She has a clean litter box. Food, toys and bed are at the opposite side of the room. We’ve also confined the dog to a separate part of the house
None of this is ideal. We have few doors, so keeping them apart also keeps the humans apart. I can put food or litter in another part of the house, but the cat is more likely to encounter the dog if I do that.
Thoughts?
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Krista Magnifico Hello,
In general I take the ridiculously slow and gradual approach to new cats joining the family. I do the following. I place a big cage with a little box in it and place that in a room by itself. The new cat is kept there with a big blanket covering as much of the big cage as needed until everything is calm and happy. This means the new cat is coming to you and purring. Using the litter box and eating normally. It can take weeks. We let them get used to their own new place before expecting them to adapt to ours. After they are doing well we open rhe big cache and let them acclimate to their own room. Now they can sniff the other animals under the door until that is also calm and peaceful. No hissing at others under the door. If that goes well so short small supervised visits with others housemates. If any thing doesn’t go well go back to bases. Ideally the cage and box stay accessible until the new cat is using the community boxes. If all else fails go back to small and safe. Cats need time and patience and they don’t always adapt well. Also super important to talk to your vet and rule out any issues. Think about different litter and litter boxes. Let you cat decide which they like. Hope that this helps.
I Rescued A Kitten Several Weeks Ago. He Was Said To Be A Female And To …
I rescued a kitten several weeks ago. He was said to be a female and to be 4 /5 weeks old. Took him to vet next day and she turned out to be a boy around 3 weeks old. Was very sick and had fleas really bad. He is healthy now but very aggressive. I have an 8 year old cat who has never been with any other cats. The kitten attacks him to the point he cries and I can’t get him to stop attacking my adult cat. Please help
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Sarah Good morning- keeping the kitten confined may help. I am confused as to how a kitten so small can have the ability to be attacking a full grown cat though. As far as introducing them, I would keep visits monitored , and go slowly.
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Chrystal Post author We are already past the introduction and at first they were fine and all was well. The healthier the kitten gets the more aggressive he gets. My adult cat will not return the aggression. I honestly don’t understand it either
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Krista Magnifico Hello!
Here’s what has worked for me in the past. We set very strict schedules and regiments to help define acceptable behavior and safe times and zones. I think that the other very Important item to talk about is cats don’t think like us. They usually like and need the opposite of what we think they want. So. For cases like this we define individual and community zones. All cats get their own space where no one can bother or harass them. If needed cages are used. At the clinic with all of the cats coming and going we cage them at night and it reinforces a safe me only zone. It also reduces intercat aggression. Things like toys, Feliway and games help. Cats with too much energy are given toys to keep busy and burn off excess steam. Things like hunting for food (my way of scattering dry kibble instead of getting it given to you without working for it. I also use catnip, catnip toys, laser pointers and neutering ASAP. In some cases we have used harness training to let cats go outside on chaperoned walks.
It’s important to say that you cannot reprimand a cat. They are not trainable like dogs. Reprimand will only cause fear and heighten aggression. If all else fails sometimes finding a kitten to play with your kitten helps. They can correct each other and exhaust each other. I hope this helps.-
Chrystal Post author Thank you for the advice. They did well last night and Koba, my adult cat actually layed with me for an hour like he did before Stinky Pete, the kitten came. The vet said he can’t be neutered until May so that will have to wait. I say a lot that I will send Stinky Pete packing but I honestly would never do that. He is with us til I pass and at that point one of my kids will take them then.
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My Female Jack Russell, Rowan Was Recently Diagnosed With Protein And Crystals In Her Urine As …
My female Jack Russell, Rowan was recently diagnosed with protein and crystals in her urine as well as being acidic. Her vulva is also irritated and a little puffy. We tried 10 days of antibiotics, no change, so now are trying Sci. Diet C/D , does not really like the kibble, can I mix in veggie puree, pumpkin or anything else to make it more palatable for her. Any suggestions are welcome. Maybe wet food?Again we are under vet care, not just home medicating.
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Krista Magnifico hello,
for these cases I try to add a little of the food they will eat to a little of the food I want them to eat. Is the vulva irritated because she is in heat? or could it be vaginitis that is causing the urinary tract to be affected.
Lily Had Some Mild Dental Calculi And Had A Routine Dental Cleaning Under General Anesthesia.
Treatment Cost (USD): $383.00
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What Should You Do When You Find A Mass On Your Dog And It Doesn’t Go Away? Surgery And Biopsy!
Treatment Cost (USD): $760.00
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Eye Trauma In A Puppy. What Happens When A Barky Foster Puppy Meets The House Cat
Treatment Cost (USD): $131.00
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I Have A Question Directly For Dr. Magnifico. I Reached Out Through Jarrettsville Vet, And They …
I have a question directly for Dr. Magnifico. I reached out through Jarrettsville Vet, and they directed me to Pawbly to reach Dr. Magnifico more directly:
I am reaching out after watching your YouTube videos on nasopharyngeal polyp removal. My cat Fitzgerald has all of the symptoms of this (and has for multiple years). A couple of years ago, he had a full-mouth tooth extraction due to stomatitis at University of Georgia. (I live in Atlanta.) They suspected his wheezing, occasional sneezing, snoring, and other symptoms could be due to a polyp, but, as a vet school, they refuse to check without putting him under and doing $3500 in scans. They would then have him come back in to be put under again, taken to the pet hospital, and then would extract the polyp as a costly surgery. They are not alone in the high costs of treatment in the Atlanta area.
I have seen your expertise and candidness regarding this simple diagnosis, actual procedure, and the lower cost and would like to bring my cat to your clinic. Fitzgerald has been on longer car rides in the past, so I’m sure it would be okay. I am a graduate student living on a small stipend in the city. $3500+ is not possible for me, which is why I am willing to drive 10 hours. It’s the only way I can afford to take care of Fitz’s polyp.
Please let me know how I may proceed with scheduling this. I am eager to do so as early as this month. I appreciate your time.
Best,
Christy Kinney
(and Fitzgerald)
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Krista Magnifico Hello,
I think that in older cats an oronasal-pharyngeal polyp is less likely than in younger cats. I also think that it is hard for me to fathom why so many vets are afraid or reluctant to look for them. If you would like me to look we have to arrange the trip as you are so far away. This can be done by calling the clinic and asking for the office manager to arrange this.
I always tell people to call every rescue and shelter around you and see if someone local has experience with this.
In almost all cases of older cats with suspected polyps it has turned out to be a nasal cavity mass or chronic rhinitis. So I am worried you will make a long trip for an inconclusive exam. I hope this helps.
Hello! I Could Use Some Guidance On A New Foster Puppy. Puppy Is 10 Weeks Female CH …
Hello!
I could use some guidance on a new foster puppy. Puppy is 10 weeks female CH puppy and is coming from Mexico from a rescue. She has a shot record and will be flying with a companion on February 11. I need to put my furry family first. Can you help guide me on precautions that I need to take other than shots? Do I quarantine her in my house or another? I’ve received several videos. She looks healthy. I’m probably taking on more than I should right??. I guess I can google this but thought I’d ask someone who knows the real risks.
Thanks
Heidi
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Krista Magnifico Hello,
I’m going to answer this two fold. First you are my fiend and I know. And second as a person who wants to provide info to others in your situation.
Ok. I know you are the kindest most generous person I know. I also know that you cannot turn away from an animal in need it makes you the exceptional one in a million person that you are. So. For this case. Since I think you are already committed to taking this pup I would make very sure that you undetand and meet all of the government restrictions and requirements placed on you and the dog. I honestly don’t know what these are. The state vet, the transport carrier and the local animal agencies can help. Or talking to a rescue who does this more commonly. My point is to call multiple agencies to make sure that your paperwork and requirements are covered. Next see your vet in the first few days or arrival. Next quarantine for at least two weeks. Double barricade are and clothing change in between visits. Or find a vet facility with quarantine abilities.
Next. For everyone else. I would never recommend taking a pet from a foreign country. The risk of bringing in a disease like the paranoia and death associated with corona virus in China is a good example why. All medical professionals are afraid we will introduce a disease the native population hasn’t seen before and will not be able to manage. It is a very low risk but no one wants to be that patient zero. No one. Also I feel strongly that There are Soo many pets in need here. So why would we risk disease when our own Here are being euthanized. That is my personal opinion.
Please have your vet run a bloodwork and fecal at the first visit. And watch closely for any signs of infection or disease. Vomiting diarrhea, lethargy. Etc.
I hope this helps. I know your heart is always in the right place.
Sending best wishes. Krista -
Laura Dr. Magnifico’s your best bet for medical stuff, but I’d be very, very careful with any dog imported from outside our borders. Even a dog coming in from Hawaii would have me concerned.
Why?
In the last year I’ve trained two puppies from outside the continental US, and both died of distemper due to misrepresented shot records. PLEASE follow quarantine protocols to the letter, for the safety of your existing pets.
Hello! Lilah, my 12 year cat is believed to have a nasal polyp/s by our vet. She has the classic symptom of the constant snoring/snarling sound. It actually began over two years ago, but we waited to address it due to cost. Recently, she had a short GI flair up that she had treated, but she would not eat for several days during it. My vet suspected it was because the potential polyp is large enough that she couldn’t smell her food well on top of being sick. I had her hospitalized for the weekend to get fluids and nausea medication. She resumed eating. My vet urged me to get the polyp addressed, indicating it is a simple procedure, and Lilah is an otherwise healthy cat. Her blood work was fine. She was both ultrasounded and x-rayed with the GI issue, and just had inflammation in the lower intestine at the time. The referred specialty vet is quoting us over $3,000. $1,500 for a CT scan and $1,500 plus for the Rhinoscopy. In searching for options, I stumbled across you in a Utube video. The cat you were doing the procedure on both looked like and met the snoring description of my cat. She had a nasal flush two years ago, when the snoring began, and they could not see or reach it at that time. They presumed it was in the nasal csvity. We love our cat, but we just paid $1,500 for this GI issue and an additional $3,000 plus would require us to borrow the amount. When we saw your video and that you helped someone in a similar predicament, we wondered if you could help Lilah? We are drivable to your practice, though in Pennsylvania. If appreciate any help or advice. Thank you so much!
Diana Maginn
Hello,
I would wait for the thyroid panel to return before speculating too much more. I also advise people that hypothyroidism is one of the most over diagnosed diseases we see. The dog should be acting like they have a low Thyroid along with appropriate test results before diagnosing. As far as the spleen goes. I’m not sure if oversized is a problem. It is just a finding. And I have no guess as to what it will do. You can ask for an ultrasound to better appreciate it and speculate on its underlying issue and best course of action. If I think a spleen is, or is going to be a problem I remove it before that happens.