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8 year old Shih-tzu Maltese diagnosed with a bulging disc 🙁
Hi, thank you for making all of the videos on youtube. I have found them very helpful with my little guy Benson…it’s nice to see a vet that goes the extra mile for their patients. Our vet clinic is also caring and affordable as well, which is hard to find these days.
Benson is a miracle dog. He has already survived a grade 2 mast cell inguinal tumor so Cornell and our local vet love him and call him their miracle dog (this was 2.5 years ago)
Now for his most recent issue which is why I’m writing; For a week, he was dragging his front left paw. We took him to our vet (on Monday, March 19th) and she diagnosed him with arthritis….things got worse throughout the week to the point where he would knuckle his front left paw. Our vet had only told us to limit his activity and no jumping so we didn’t restrict him to a crate. By Sunday morning (March 25th) (and he was on 5mg of prednisone since Monday) his back left paw was now knuckling and he was getting worse to the point where he could barely stand up.
We took him back to the vet and they did x-rays and found a bulging disc right around his shoulder blades. He has been on 10mg of prednisone, Methocarbamol, gabapentin and in a crate 24/7 ever since Sunday the 25th. Luckily, he is really only affected on his left side of his body.
We are seeing a little bit of improvement at times and at other times, he is still just as bad as he was on Sunday.
He has never lost the ability to pee or defecate (thankfully) annnnd Benny loves to eat (or drink) so that will never be an issue haha…
However what worries me is the fact that he is ALWAYS as stiff as a board in the morning when we get up or when he gets stressed/excited. It’s as if he re-injures himself because he can’t walk and can barely stand. It takes him at least an hour to recover, stop panting and then relax again until it seems like he is not in pain anymore….
Is there anything we can do to prevent the “morning/excited episodes” or is it all just part of the process? I thought the muscle relaxer would help but it isn’t. I have even gone so far as to put signs on our front door asking visitors to not knock or ring the doorbell.
Last question-do you have an opinion about a dog chiropractor?
Any advice you could give, we would appreciate! We love our little guy-he has such a personality and adds so much fun to our lives.
Thanks so much,
Megan and Missy
My beagle is 2 weeks post op from her 2nd IVDD surgery. Despite steroids and pain meds, she still yelps when picked up and sometimes when she repositions herself. I don’t recall her yelping after her first surgery, but I know this procedure was more delicate because of spinal cord maniplulation (removal of calcification from first surgery) along with nerve root issue, but is it reasonable to expect she’d still be in pain after 14 days post op? Her vet is continuing steroids and pain meds. So discouraging when she goes almost 24 hrs with no audible signs of pain only to end up yelping on a routine potty break. Truly feels like one step forward, two steps back.
Hello,
I’m so sorry to hear about your pup. I think it is super important to lean hard on your vet and their expertise. BUT don’t be shy and don’t be afraid to ask for a second opinion if you are feeling lost and concerned. Sometimes it takes a second eye to see things in a different light. Also please reach out to a neurologist for help. They are excellent resources to utilize.
I have a 9 month old cavalier king Charles puppy. He has just started drooling a lot (enough to leave a big, very wet spot) when is is laying around or sleeping. He hasn’t done this up to now. What can cause this? Is it normal? Should he be seen by the vet?
Hello,
Drooling can be caused by many things; nausea, eating something that is caustic, or tastes bad (be careful with plants, house cleaners, etc), something stuck in the mouth, and even be a sign of impending disease or even something like a seizure. I cannot tell you which, if any, this might be, but if you are concerned, it is worsening, or persisting, it is always better to be safe than sorry and see your vet.
I have 5 cats and 2 dogs. All of our pets area rescues. We just took in our second rescue dog. She is 7 mths old and is terrorizing the cats. I need some advice on how to have a happier home with all the pets. The cats are indoor/outdoor but spend most of their time outside. 3 of the cats tolerate the new dog the other 2 won’t come near her. I did the proper introductions, I’ve given the cats a “safe space” but nothing seems to help the last 2 cats. The biggest problem is that the new dog likes to chase the cats. She is a small dog, smaller than the cats. She doesn’t nip at them or try to bite them, she’s just curious and wants to play with them. All of my cats love my other dog who is 11 years old. They were raised with him, sleep with him and play with him. I’m sure the chasing and the spontaneity of the new dog freaks out the cats because they are nor used to that. I am at my wits end trying to figure this out. Countless hours of research has not helped at all. I am not giving up not am I giving any of my pets away, as has been suggested. I know this can work out, I just need help. Or just possible reassurance that my cats won’t be permanently scarred and things will work out as time passes. My anxiety level is at an all time high and everyone tells me just leave them alone and let them work it out. I don’t think I can do that. HELP!!
Hello,
A safe place for the cats is a place the dogs can’t get to. It is the place that they can hide and take refuge from. Also it is time to start training the dog who is harrassing them. This might include crating them for periods where the cats can come and range freely, keeping the dog on a leash attached to you at all times outside of the crate so you can train and in general establishing boundaries and safe calm scenarios. It takes time. And a lot of dedication. And patience. And most importantly safest for your cats.
The cat i recently adopted has started meowing in the middle of the night and wandering around my room. I always check that he has both food and water as well as accessibility to his litter box. I also make sure to leave my door open so that he has freedom to come and go. Ive had him for 3 weeks and he has just started doing this. Anyone have any ideas? I read that it might be because he is bored through out the day but.. ive bought him every type of toy imaginable and he has free roam of the house.. so im not sure what more i can do to tire him out for bedtime. The meow isnt normal is a low bellowy noise. Reminds me of the meow my previous cat did when our other cat died..
He may still be going through an adjustment period… this might be part of it. Our cat meows very loudly (like a call) right after we all get settled into bed for the night for only a few minutes. Then she gets settled herself. You could try redirecting your cat when this behavior starts. Maybe call to him and see if he will come and settle back down? Another thing to try- you mentioned that you had lots of cat toys- perhaps a good play session with your cat right before bed time will help to get him tired enough to sleep longer into the night. Hope these suggestions are helpful?
Dr.Magnifico, we adopted him in hopes he would get along with and be a companion to our cat Mia… but they dont seem to like each other too much. He refuses to leave the room if he knows shes in the hallway
Hello,
Cats are nocturnal creatures. Maybe he is bored or lonely? Maybe a companion for him to play with while you sleep will help.?
They seem to be doing okay right now, both laying on my bed relatively close to one another. Which never happens, at least not without growling.
My maltese mix has had 2 or 3 warts since Ive had her (5 or 6years). But recently I’ve noticed that a few more are popping up all at once. Does this mean anything or is this just something that happens with age or something
Hello,
Some of these skin masses are benign cosmetic lesions and require only monitoring. But others can be more dangerous to your pet. Th best advice is to consult with your veterinarian and if you or they are concerned about any of them have them removed and submitted for a biopsy. That’s the best and in some cases only way to truly diagnose them.
My new cat (have had for 3 weeks) and resident cat refuse to tolerate each other. I brought Louie home with the knowledge that they might never like each other but they would at least learn to tolerate. The first week seemed to go pretty well because when we let Louie roam and get a feel for the house Mia avoided him… but now… things seem to be getting aggressive. It doesnt matter where Louie goes or what hes doing (even just sleeping) Mia wants to attack him. Granted, as soon as he sees her he starts growling… but he only started doing that after she batted at him the first time. The episodes seem to be getting more and more aggressive. I would keep him in my room but its clear he wants to roam. And i find it unfair to lock her in a room after 6 years of letting her roam around the whole house. Before we got mia 6 years ago we had an older male cat, they got along well but he passed about 2 years ago. And according to the shelter Louie was surrendered with a sister but she was adopted without him. I need help on this one
Thank you Sarah, the baby gate didnt work… i had one up and then a door screen up but no wwy to secure the screen so he found a way to get out of his own space. For the most part, he does confine himself to his own space still but now its more so the residemt cat that is ckming to him. I have thoe litter trays and food/ water areas still seperate so theres really no reason for him to HAVE to leave his room or for her to come in to his room but they still do. I just dont want this to be a stressful situation for either of them. Mia has never been a fan of any large cat toys (trees or posts) both of my cats are declawed (adopted that way) so they dont tend to “scratch” other than the occasional carpet scratching after a stretch. Shes afraid of the tree we have for her and hes too heavy for it, he knocked it over. (Hes 22 lbs) Any other ideas are welcome
3 weeks in is still a fairly new situation. This will take more time than that. Having said that, keeping them together but separate may help. For instance, a baby gate or two could possibly help you confine them and keep them separated when not supervised, but still allow them to see each other and continue getting used to each other. It also gives them their own space which may help with the adjustment period. Just make sure each has access to their own litter tray and food and water. A few kitty “distractions” might also be helpful- for instance a cat tree and some scratch posts. If they have an outlet for some pent up energy, they may not use it on each other. Don’t give up? There are lots of people on this website that have lots of helpful ideas to share. Hopefully they will add more. Best of luck!!
My 9 year old Boxer had MCT (benign) surgery on her side in the Fall. Its been healed for months. Overnight a very large growth appeared at the incision site. Egg sized. Its firm and a little warm. The dog is acting normally. Is this urgent? The soonest I can get into my vet is a week from now. I explained the issue when I called the vet’s office, sent pictures and was told it’s not urgent. Perhaps they are thinking its a seroma? Is it okay to wait so long to see a vet? (I like my vet and really don’t want to be a nuisance–nor do I want my pet’s health to suffer.)
Hello,
I am not sure if this is urgent or not as I don’t know what the swelling is due to. Is there any way your vet can refer you to someone who can see you sooner. Just to look at the incision? Hopefully it isn’t anything serious.. but you cannot be sure until your vet (or a vet) looks at it.
Thanks so much for the response. I do feel like my dog should be seen sooner but didn’t want my vet to think I was pushy. Thanks for the suggestion to just ask her for a referral.
So, just to update, the swelling was a very large post surgical abcess. While I was trying to find a different vet who could see me sooner than my regular vet, the abcess ruptured. My dog was in a lot of pain. I regret not being more persistent with my own vet. When I called and told my regular vet about the rupture, I then got in on an urgent basis. Next time I’ll know to just be a pushy nuisance when I think something is really wrong. I am just sorry I made my dog suffer. (She is now on antibiotics, warm compresses etc and seems to be getting better. Fingers crossed.) Thanks again Dr. Magnifico for the advice.
My dog has had about 10 seizures since last nite he is taking phenobarbital he is 11yrs old
Hello,
Please consider this an emergency and go immediately to your vets office.
We did they put Jim on phenobarbital but he still having just as many seizures is der anything we can do or give until we have enuf money to go back to vets we only get paid on Mondays and we brought him Monday gone they put him on phenobarbital 2 2wice a day
Perhaps you can Call the vet and ask for a prescription of Valium? Or another sedative to help manage the seizures like gabapentin? Maybe these can help and be affordable? They are also available at human pharmacies and often are very affordable. Or ask your vet to see you and allow you to make payments. Your pup needs help ASAP.
Hi everyone! One of my pups is acting very strange. We took him on a car ride today and on the way home he started acting weird. It’s almost like he’s dizzy and can’t keep his balance. He had a tiny (not even half) of piece of bacon this morning and later hit his head off of the coffee table. I’m not sure if it’s something to be concerned about but I’m just worried!
I would get to the vet….
Head trauma would lead to dizziness. Please get that pup to the vet today.
I’d definitely get to a vet ASAP.
Hello,
Thanks for being such a kind parent and for all of the nice things you commented on. I think that some of the morning stuff is normal and that the pain has been unmedicated overnight sonit often takes a little while after the morning meds to see them relax and feel better. I think asking about acupuncture is a better place to start than chiropractic help. By massage is also beneficial. Also aquatherapy when she feels stronger might also help her recovery. You can also ask about laser therapy. I hope this helps. Very best of luck.