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Last summer my healthy, energetic 6 year old cat stopped eating, became lethargic. A trip to the vet turned into a trip to emergency where he spent a day and a half. The dx was hepatic lipidosis – or at least that’s what was happening to him due to something else. He got better. Didn’t return to previous weight (which was okay – he was a couple pounds overweight at the time) but he was back to his happy self.
A couple of months ago, he dropped a bunch of weight, but was still eating. Off to the vet for a blood draw. Low RBC. A trip to the emergency, where he got a transfusion, an ultrasound, and a huge variety of in-depth blood tests to find out what was happening. My vet thought cancer, but the results weren’t showing cancer. The results weren’t showing much of anything. I had no diagnosis. He was placed on prenisolone and an antibiotic. He went for weekly bloodwork. No significant change – and then it was going down again (RBC). Off the antibiotic since it wasn’t doing anything.
We were going to start him on B12 (cobalquin) and then he took a turn for the worse. Hiding away, no eating, no moving. I used a syringe to feed him and still gave him his steroid. He hid in his cat condo, peed in there but wouldn’t move. I set up a temp litter box and feeding area by the condo, and slept on the floor with him. I didn’t expect him to live through the night. In the middle of the night he came out and sat on me. The next day he moved more. And then – he got better. Moving, eating, jumping. Except for being too thin, he was acting just like his normal self.
That was about a month ago and I have been working to give him calories to have him gain weight. A week ago – we’re slowing down again. Sleeping a lot, not eating at the food bowl. So, I have begun using syringe feeding with kitten food (for higher calories) and a calorie/vitamin supplement. He gets B12 and the prednisolone daily. I’m assuming he’s going through the lipidosis issue again, but now that I recognize it I can catch it early and get feedings going.
My questions – how often should I be syringe feeding? I know my cat will only tolerate so much before he gets irritated and walks away, but I can get 10-20 ml in him at one time. I understand a feeding tube would probably be easier, but this cat has been through a lot and I’m trying to make him comfortable and happy and relaxed.
What could be causing this? My vet has been great at trying to find solutions, the specialist/internist didn’t really have any other suggestions, and I’ve been trying to find anything online about illnesses that could cause this drop in health so quickly. (This is an indoor cat, and my other cat is fine.)
Thanks for any help!
7 year old female beagle with a history of allergic reactions (bee stings, environmental/pollen/poison Ivy)- started to exhibit serious scratching and head shaking. I have a cone at home so I used that to deter the scratching and head shaking. I also tried these “allergy aid” treats (picture attached), and /or Benadryl to try and calm down the allergic response.
She was starting to get small hives on her head and one of her ears was swelling . She’s had the ear hematomas before in both ears, and the hives before in her head and back.
I was worried it may be fleas or ticks with the smaller hives, so I did the topical flea &tick K9 Advantix with no improvement.
I also gave her a bath two days ago with her mild oatmeal shampoo, and gave her a good scrub just in case there were any mites or critters.
My other half said she threw up yesterday when I was out and had some anal leakage? And now she is not eating- she didn’t poop today when I took her out, instead she peed, did her usual walk around and then just sat down like she was uncomfortable. So I am wondering if she’s constipated and that is why she’s not eating.
My almost 4 year old beagle was diagnosed with IVDD last July 2022. We had no Idea what was going on until we took her to emergency vet because she was in extreme pain, that’s when she was diagnosed. She was sent home with crate rest for 6weeks. About a week after the emergency visit she was yelping in excruciating pain, we took her back and she was given more meds. That day she walked out but by the end of night that same day she loss mobility in back legs. ???? we were devastated and didn’t know what yo to do. We got her a harness that was used to help support her back legs. We created a strict schedule and routine for her. We did everything possible for her because surgery wasn’t an option for her as we couldn’t afford it. Within 2 months our Mila moomoo gained strength and mobility back and was able to walk on her own again with any support but we still used the harness for support and to keep her from being more active. We were still cautious with her and it was until last month April, she had another episode and we were back in the emergency room, same diagnoses and treatment. Here we are 6 weeks later and she seems to be having another episode thank God we had some medication on hand to give her to ease the pain. This was earlier today and we are not sure what yo do, please help!
My cat lowered his right ear and shaking his head and when i look in his ear it had dark red spots and it was a litle bit swelling inside.i brought him to vet and also i said him that he closes his right eye and when he sleeps his left eye does not close-it is closed halfway.he gave me drops for eyes and something liquid for the ears.thing is that i can see the white tissue on his left eye.so basically the problem seems to be the left eye which do not close-it closes half way when he is bot awake and asleep.i can also see that his ears are not in the same position.he moves the right ear(which was the inflated)when he hears a noise,but the other ear is not moving(i am not sure about this).also note that a week before they injected him for anesthisia and i am thinking the possibility of nerve damage or that his left eye was injured by a scratch.
hello,
I’m sorry to hear about your cat. But I cannot provide much assistance based on what you’ve provided here. Certainly things like infection , trauma and other diseases might cause this. I think the vet needs to be consulted again.
If needed go ask for a second opinion from another vet,, maybe even a cat specialist
sincerely
dr magnifico
Recently every time my 7 year old black lab retriever jumps into the car he holds his back leg and whines a little or acts funny then lays down and is okay. He’s out running and seems fine any other time just does this when jumping up into the car. Any thoughts? Im going to purchase steps to help him into the car. Maybe just a sprain
I tend to be conservative with things like this – I will put a dog with a sore limb on crate rest for a week to see if it resolves. If it doesn’t, we head to the vet. This means on leash when in the yard for toilet, no jumping in the car, no jumping on furniture. Just crate or on a cushy bed on the floor.
Things to do: check paw pads, check nails (most people keep dog nails WAY too long, so if you can hear them clicking, it’s time for a nail trim…and then do them twice a week until they’re short, and weekly to maintain). I also move the limb and gently massage to see if there’s any sort of soft tissue soreness.
Is it safe to put chicken broth/stock on my dog’s food? She is a 13 year old German Shepherd mix who is a picky eater. She has no problem eating human food but isn’t especially interested in eating her dog food. Just trying to think of ways to get her more interested in her food.
Hello,
If you told me that you were making the stock and you werent using any salt, or dangerous ingredients (onions, garlic, etc), then I might say ok..
but the issue for me is in the why your dog isnt interested in a dog food? Ask your vet for recommendations on a diet that is suitable for your dog. This advice should come after you have done a thorough physical exam and blood work to include fecal, thyroid and urine. (maybe additional diagnostics after these?).
I also use canned and dry food with my dogs to keep the dry kibble more interesting and palatable.
hope this helps
My 12 year old male dog has two tumors on him and I took him to the vet but they said there wasn’t anything they could do about it because of where he is so old what should I do about these tumors I just need somebody to help me with him I will travel. He is a lab mixed with a beagle and is 12 years old
Hello,
I would find a vet who helps you and your pet. If you aren’t comfortable with the answer you are being given keep looking for a vet who helps you. There is no such thing as being too old to be helped.
Hello I have watched a lot of your videos and I have been very impressed with your work. I would like to know where you’re located to see if I could bring him to you. I have all of his records and he just got cleared blood work it came back good. I would like to see about getting them removed or at least see what you could do to maybe help me with my dog. I am willing to travel to help my dog. And pay whatever I need to pay.
I am in northern Maryland. Jarrettsville Veterinary Center
Amybody using nerve growth factor (NGF) inhibitor injections for dogs?
Hello.
I haven’t. Nor do I have any patients at the clinic with the other doctors who do.
What are you considering it for?
Cookie’s vet is recommending it for arthritis. I’m sure she’s got some, she’s 11 years and one-month-old Rottweiler now, but I don’t know how bad she has it–I don’t feel very bad. I think it’s quite interesting, but my question is whether it might inhibit something that shouldn’t be inhibited and so on. Very new around here, a little longer in use in Europe …
While I think it’s an interesting idea, I’m on the fence. I’m much more partial to things that are more natural such as PRP or stem cells, but nobody does that up here.
So it’s one of the things that sounds great on the paper, but is it really? Jasmine’s vet down South uses it on cats, but mostly because there are much fewer treatment options for cats, so more worth the risk.
Cookie’s PT has a couple of patients who get it and apparently, it helps them markedly. But will it eventually crop up some unwanted effects? So that’s the question.
I have a German Shepherd who suffers from allergies and is on apoquel again… but I continue to read that they are notoriously allergic to chicken. Wondering what is the best food for dogs with allergies?? Other than the pro plan Salmon and the Lamb, we tried both and both of my dogs hated it.
I have a Siberian Husky who has suffered from ear infections forever and now I can’t help but wonder if the food is the culprit. He has been to the vet more times than I can count for it and his peeling nose!
A friend’s chicken allergic Greyhound did well on Natural Balance turkey limited ingredient diet. Another friend feeds her Dobes Annamaet Aqualuk and Manitok with significant success – the dogs love it and look great on it.
Pro plan had a fairly recent recipe change of the sensitive salmon (as in last year), and a lot of dogs seemed to go off it. I’m told it may have improved since then.
Hello,
There is a possibility that a food allergen can be the culprit. I was told by a dermatologist that it is about 8-12% of the dogs with allergies. The problem is that there are no commercially available over the counter foods that are truly hypoallergenic. You have to get a prescription diet which is either a novel protein (like kangaroo or venison) or a hydrolyzed diet where the proteins are broken down to be so small the body cannot recognize them. These are expensive and the pet cannot have anything else out in their mouths while on these foods. We feed for at least a month and then we challenge with the old food to see if the itching returns. It is difficult to do and expensive. In my opinion it is imperative to be on a good flea and tick prevention and on it year around. Then use apoquel and shampoos to help. If this works it is the best affordable option most of my patients are on. Occasionally I have to add a steroid for a small period of time or cytopoint. But most are managed well.
Find a vet who has an interest in dermatology or ask for a referral.
Thank you for your replies! The apoquel definitely makes a difference. I think it works better on him than the Cytopoint shot did, but I’ve heard that the Apoquel has a lot of side effects. I have not noticed any issues. They are both on Frontline all year since we back to woods and like to spend time at the creek.
I was going to try Victor Ocean Fish? Doesn’t do anything for their breath though. I need to mix dasaquin in one meal a day and like to use wet food which makes for more searching of good quality food.
I will continue the Apoquel for now though.
My cat was constipated this morning (he has other issues, but this was the key problem this morning). The vet said I could give him Miralax, which I did. I knew it was kicking in because my cat started yowling a bit, most likely because he was feeling cramps. It’s a struggle because I don’t want him to feel bad but I know this is part of the problem with giving a laxative. Does anyone have a suggestion about what I can do “in the mean time” to make him feel better while we wait for him to defecate? Heating pad? Warm rice pad? Cold pad? Just rubbing his belly softly? Thanks!
For cats with constipation issues I recommend a high quality canned food only diet and lots of exercise. If you are worried about pain please talk to your vet about safe options for cats. There are not a lot of them.
Thank you. Since we’re dealing with several other health issues my cat has been less mobile, which I know was part of the problem.
Hello,
What advice has your veterinarian given you. ? It seems like there are lots of options for you they should be offering.
I think it’s a good idea to start with them. If you are worried about a budget be honest with them. They should be able to offer lots of things to try after they confirm it is allergies. These cases always start with a thorough discussion of history and a list of things to try. Some are over the counter and others are more expensive like apoquel or cytopoint.
I hope this helps.
Thanks Dr Magnifico. My dog is actually a current patient at Jarrettsville Vet and I plan on calling tomorrow to make an appointment. I called today but with the holiday they are closed. Totally understandable.
We have some medicine from her bad reaction last summer, but I was worried to try those because I am not 100% sure what the cause of her symptoms are this time around.
Only one of her ears is swollen this time, so I am curious if it’s an infection- but no foul smell or odd colors. Definitely red & swollen though.
I was mostly concerned about her not eating. Thank you for the advice, again I plan on calling the office tomorrow to hopefully get an appointment if there’s been no improvement.