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Megan | 2 years ago
Our 10 Year Old Beagle Bassett Hound Mix Has Been Down Since Last Wednesday. She Had What …

Our 10 year old Beagle Bassett hound mix has been down since last Wednesday. She had what we thought was a seizure, and couldn’t get up after. We took her to the vet, and they kept her but said that she wasn’t giving any indication to where the pain was or where the infection might be (a blood panel revealed high WBC) Sent her home with phenobarbital and clindamycin for the infection. Fast forward to yesterday, they decided to do an x ray and discovered she has degenerated vertebrae that have fused. They gave us prednisone and methocarbamol and advised us to call in on Friday if no improvement. Our poor girl can’t get up hardly at all, and the vet isn’t giving me any information as to what caused this, if it’s curable or manageable. I don’t know what I’m up against and a 2nd opinion isn’t something we can afford right now.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I would probably go find a different vet and ask for more help. It doesn’t sound like your vet is helping you enough. I also think that a full patient care conversation is warranted. I talked about how to help manage these guys wrt feeding peeing pooping ambulating and pain meds. I also talk about methocarbamol as I think these guys need this. Also ask about gabapentin and acupuncture.

    I have a lot of information on my blog and YouTube channel. Kmdvm.blogspot.Com search Ivdd.

    1. Megan Post author

      Thank you so much. Does this seem like IVDD to you? That’s how I came across your blog, and to me, the symptoms you describe sound a lot like what our girl is experiencing.

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Matt | 2 years ago
I Recently Had To Put My Kitty To Sleep. He Was 2 1/2 Years Old And Dealing With …

I recently had to put my kitty to sleep. He was 2 1/2 years old and dealing with leaking at times, then blockages. He had this issue for over a year. We switched him to the Purina prescription wet cat food for Urinary Tract issues. He wasn’t a fan of drinking water from a bowl, so we added 1-2oz of water to his wet food. His total water intake was about 8-9oz of water daily (He was only an 8lb cat and the water also includes what the canned food provided.) He was hospitalized 3 or 4 times — the last time he was in the ER for 14 days. The vet didn’t put the catheter in correctly for the first time — causing major urine scolding on his rear end. They did the catheter correctly for another 7 days. A month later, blocked again. With his issue, PU surgery was not an option. His blockages and urethra damage was too far up close to the bladder — this was told to us by multiple vet opinions. With multiple vet opinions, the only suggestion with the last blockage was to do the same 7 day catheter to help the urethra repair again. Our primary vet was honest with us and said that this option would help him, but wasn’t sure if we would ever have a permanent solution to his blockages. In total, we probably spent upwards of $15,000 with all of these issues over the year (The 14 day emergency room stay was $6,500). Money was not a factor for my wife and I — If I knew we could actually fix him and give him a good quality life, I couldn’t put a price tag on it. With a lot of discussion, we decided it was best to put him to sleep. Feeling good for a weeks or a month, then blocking again, then lengthy procedures wasn’t fair for him. It’s been 3 days since we put him to sleep and I can’t help but feel guilt like we didn’t do everything we possibly could do. I did so much deep diving in google for ANYTHING — I read up on stents, bypasses, etc. I truly don’t think there was anything else we could. It would help me feel better if you could give you opinion on if we did everything we could. Thank you!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello
    I’m so sorry to hear about your kitty. These cases and this condition sometimes go like this. As much as we try to do everything to avoid them they do happen. Urethral tears and complications from unblocking happen because the area is so sensitive and the tissue so thin and fragile and the force and effort so intense to try to unblock. There is no way around these misfortunate unhappy endings with some of these. It’s why so many cases don’t even get to the point of unblocking. We have to explain that things like this can happen and lots of cats reblock and the cost can escalate quickly and still a cat may not survive.

    I hope that you take great comfort in trying. It sounds like you really did do all that you could have.
    I refer to this as part of the grief process. I have been in your shoes many many times. Heartbroken, emotionally devastated and still without my best companion. Time will help and you just have to believe you did the best you could.

    Thank you for sharing your story. I would like to add it to our storyline section. And build a data base for others to share.

    If interested please email me at Krista@pawbly.com.

    Sending ❤️

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Carol | 2 years ago
I Think My 2 Month Old Foster Kitten Has A Nasal Polyp. I’m Working With A …

I think my 2 month old foster kitten may have a nasal polyp. I’m working with a vet who doesn’t think she has a polyp because he says she’s too young to have one. We’ve tried a couple of antibiotics and nothing has worked yet. Her breathing is getting louder and she breathes with her mouth open while holding her head up when she sleeps. I had 2 other kittens last year that had polyps with the same symptoms. After 5 months of trying to treat the congestion with antibiotics, during spay surgery, both were found to have very large polyps. I don’t want to wait that long with this little one.
Do you think it is possible for a 2 month old kitten to have a polyp? If so, what is the earliest age for exploratory/removal of the polyp? Thank you!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello
    I don’t think being too young is a reason to not look for one. I know many rescues and shelters who spay and neuter this young.

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Ashley | 2 years ago
EMERGENCY!! HELP HELP I Have A 2yr Old Orange Tabby Cat Who Got Out And Was Gone For Over …

I have a 2yr old orange Tabby cat who got out and was gone for over a month. When he finally came home he was covered in fleas and seriously underweight and underfed and dehydrated, but seemed okay. He was eating fine and drinking at first. However the past week or so he hasn’t been wanting to eat or drink and has lost even more weight. I took him to the vet today and they said he needs a blood transfusion bc he’s anemic and he’s jaundiced and needs iv fluids but they couldn’t do it bc they have no one there on the weekends and the vet wasn’t willing to go in. I’ve called every vet I can Google and everyone said the same thing and wouldn’t take him except the trauma vet but they quoted me an outrageous price and I don’t qualify for care credit so they said i should just euthanize him. He’s my baby and idk what to do but I do know he deserves a chance. Is there any way for me to treat those things at home? Please HELP

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m so sorry to hear about your cat. I would call every rescue and shelter and see if anyone can help. At minimum I would see if anyone will help you with fluid therapy (even if it is sq), an antibiotic, appetite stimulant and syringe feeding. In essence you have to provide round the clock care for her to see if she can survive this. Even with all of the money in the world it sounds like she is in very serious poor condition and her prognosis is not good.
    Put out a social media plea and keep calling and asking for help. Don’t delay and very best of luck.

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Richard | 3 years ago
My Four-year-old Boy Chihuahua Named Buddy Is In Very Rough Shape. He Is Such A Loveable …

My four-year-old boy Chihuahua named Buddy is in very rough shape. He is such a loveable highly active very fit healthy dog. He suffered a type one IVDD incident. This was six days ago. He went from stage one to stage four in 48 hours. He was not diagnosed until after an x-ray when he was already in stage four. Four days after that he has been diagnosed to be in stage five. He showed signs of improving his stability when holding himself up with his front two legs two days ago and did not eat until just 12 hours ago. He’s eating and drinking and his general comfort seems to be much better but he has zero high pain feeling and has no bladder or control of his annular muscles. My regular vet who is not a surgeon has recommend putting him down. I named him Buddy because he literally is my buddy. He was adopted two years ago and rescued from Mexico with scars all over his body that already healed when I got him. He is a survivor and so am I as I have suffered emotional and physical scars as well. I can’t bear the thought of losing him and not seeing him run and be happy again. I don’t want to give up on him yet. I also don’t want him to suffer. He is totally responsive from his front legs forward. He is kissing, eating and drinking now. I am hoping I hear from Krista. I have seen Krista’s videos on IVDD recovery stories. I don’t know what to do for him. I am doing every thing I can but not surgery which I can’t afford. Is there any hope?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry to hear about your Buddy. I have lots of information on my blog at KMDVM.blogspot.com search Ivdd and YouTube channel. Go there.

    There is always hope

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Yvonne | 3 years ago
Our Adult Cat (probably About 10-12 Years Old) Has A Fracture On Her Front Left Paw/…

Our adult cat (probably about 10-12 years old) has a fracture on her front left paw/leg. It’s the holiday weekend, so we splinted it but we don’t want her to suffer until Tuesday. There’s an emergency vet but it’s over 2 hours away (we live in a rural area) and of course the expense will be outrageous so while we are willing to do whatever needed we’re wondering if there are any OTC pain meds we can give her until Tuesday when we can take her to our regular vet, or is she at risk of complications if we wait? Any info is appreciated. The break seems to be right above the paw joint.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry to hear about your cat.
    Sadly there really aren’t any otc medications that I feel are safe for cats.
    The best advice I can give is to place her in a cage that allows her room to sleep, eat and use a litter box. Nothing bigger than that. If you are worried about the cost of an orthopedic surgeon than resting in a small ache to allow it to heal is the next best option. For pain meds you would have to see your vet.

    Good luck

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Sandra | 3 years ago
My Dog Got Spayed On August 1st, She Is A 13 Year Old Poodle Mix. She Also …

My dog got spayed on August 1st, she is a 13 year old poodle mix. She also had a mastectomy along with her spay so she has a very big incision. She is on her 4th week and the lower half of her incision does not look like the top half. The surgeon said it may take a while to heal because of the placement but I noticed a bump at the base of her incision at day 4 that has not gone away. She keeps licking at it and the surgeon suggested we must let her heal and later investigate. Also, at day 10 I noticed a white tiny pimple sized thing trying to come through under her skin. I really checked it out today since it has not gone away and it feels like something sharp poking under her skin, she has two of these that feel the same. I am scared she might have torn her internal stitches but the surgeon did not seem too worried. I notice when she eats she seems to look like she feels uncomfortable. She threw up yesterday but I took it as maybe her pancreatitis acting up. I am freaking out and don’t know if I am making a big fuss over nothing. She did not run during her recovery but she would stand up on her hind legs no matter how much I attempted to keep her calm. She did slip 3 times and land on her tummy, twice at day 8 because I had her on a short leash and she would try to run, the third slip was at day 13 and for the same reason of the short leash and attempting to run. I feel so sad and don’t have peace of mind. I feel guilty she slipped on me those three times but then again don’t know what to make of that lump at day 4. After the two slips at day 8 and after on day 10 she started having severe diarrhea. I contacted the surgeons team and they suggested boiled chicken and boiled rice, but at day 12 the diarrhea was a soft serve ice cream consistency and then she thew up so I took her into emergency immediately. At emergency they checked her vitals and incision and could not figure out what may have caused the stomach upset since from her pancreatitis history did not have the swollen tummy and her incision looked fine. They attributed the upset to possible pain med side effect and prescribed a probiotic and to stop the gabapentin. It’s has been a tough healing process for her. I will attach pictures of of what the incision looked like at day 7, 10, and now. I hope it’s not what I am fearing but it’s better to know if I should advocate for her and have them check again. Thanks guys, sorry for the long story but this is my little girl who is my first owned dog and who has been by my side for 13 years. I love her so much and it pains me to see her uncomfortable. Fyi her appetite is always good no matter what and her bowels are back to normal since the 18th of august and they were fine before the 10th of august as well.

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Jenn | 3 years ago
My 9 Yr. Old Megacolon Cat Eli Wasn’t Able To Poop. It Happens Sometimes. He’s …

My 9 yr. old Megacolon cat Eli wasn’t able to poop. It happens sometimes. He’s on Cisapride and Merilax daily, but he still get’s backed up. When he started vomiting after not being able to BM and jumping out of the litter box I took him to the vet. They did an enema on June 20th. He’s still backed up! I can’t afford 1k plus to have a vet manually extract the feces (this is Washington, DC area – everything is very expensive!). He hasn’t started throwing up again, but he’s not eating much and I need to find out if there is something I can do more at home to get him through this emergent time. I can’t just watch my cat suffer. I have Pedi lax, but don’t know if that would help or hinder at this point. I watch videos on palpitating the colon to try and break up the feces. I know there are specific enemas to give cats at home. Is it too late to try this? My vet is frankly bad and too busy to bother, so she said to just go to the emergency. It sure seems like there are other steps that can be taken ,,,at least I hope so becuase I just don’t have that kind of money left with the cost for caring for my hospice Husky, Loki. Help!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    For these cases I talk a lot with owners about trying to identify the underlying cause. Often it is poor diet and sedentary life but there are also diseases and illnesses that can contribute. If able start to learn how to palpate your cats colon and feed watery wet food and use the fiber supplements and laxatives. Exercise is also very important. For these cats we start training in a harness to go outside for walks. I feel that if you don’t increase environmental enrichment and stimulation they won’t start moving.
    But before all of this you have to remove the obstructive feces. This often needs a vets help. Call rescues and shelters and keep asking for affordable help.

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Herd | 3 years ago
Household “accidents”, Need Advice, Please!! I Have 3 Cats, 3 Dogs, And A Toddler Human. In The Past …

Household “accidents”, need advice, please!! I have 3 cats, 3 dogs, and a toddler human. In the past few months my two youngest “house trained” dogs (9 & 5 yrs) and my youngest cat (4 yrs) have been purposely relieving themselves in different parts of my house. The dogs poop/pee on the floor, in the past month they began peeing on my couch, it’s gotten so bad I have to keep them in crates most of the time they’re inside. The cat will pee on my toddlers belongings – first on clothes in his laundry basket (which is now inside a closet) and on his stuffed animals (which I had to hide in a bin), now has resorted to peeing on any accessible hard plastic toys. If I put the cat in a kennel she uses the litter box 100% of the time, once releasing her she’ll behave for 1-2 days then starts up again. The dogs will have “accidents” within 10 minutes inside after being outside for 30-60+ minutes. I have 3 litterboxes, each with a different kind of litter, all clean, no diagnosed medical issues (taken all 3 to the vet twice since this started $$$). My oldest dog has been going through dementia for the past year, it’s getting worse but not yet at the point of euthanasia. I started preparing to move the past 6 months, house is almost done being packed/cleared. I’m not sure which/both/none are triggers for them acting this way. All of them have moved with me before and they never did this on previous moves. Vet prescribed multiple anxiety meds which are not helping at all, they have no other solutions to offer. Ironically my 14yr old dog with dementia barely ever has accidents in the house. Personality wise they aren’t acting any different. Messes are thoroughly cleaned immediately and they don’t even bother to do this secretively, all 3 seem to purposely do it right in front of me. The situation is driving me to my wits end, I really need help 🙁 Besides keeping them all in crates I have no other solution. Does anyone have insight to what I can do? Thanks so much!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    In cases of inappropriate urination we always start with looking for a medical reason and start addressing the behavior possibilities. That means every animal urinating outside the box or inside in unwanted areas gets an exam and a urine check. It might be that one has a urinary issue and is soiling and the rest are following the same behavior because the area now smells like a place to pee. You have to clean so thoroughly they can’t smell residual urine (and remember their noses are so much better than ours!)
    Also rhe stress of moving might be contributing. Or even the stress of the other dogs dementia might be a contributor. I use a lot of calming agent like feliway and DAP and add more litter boxes. Different kinds of litter and even try different kinds of litter. Try not to get angry at them. They think they are doing something completely appropriate and never do anything to make you upset or for spite. (Only humans do those things). If all of that fails you can try an oral behavior modification medication. They have worked well in many cases I have had.

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Gina | 3 years ago
My Rescue Dog Is A Miniature Chihuahua And Today She Broke Her Front Left Leg And …

My rescue dog is a Miniature Chihuahua and today she broke her front left leg and I have no funds to help her until I get my Disability check next month.I was already taking her to the vet as soon as my check came.I don’t know what to do, she is everything to me and in awful pain and I have Never felt so helpless in my life.We have a very strong bond and I love her so much please help her I don’t know what to do I just want to die for real please help Thank you Gina

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello.
    In all cases it is best to have an orthopedic surgeon review the fracture to give options. In many cases it seems cheaper to place a cast but in lots of cases it is not superior to surgery and in many cases it can cost as much to manage over the long term and still give a poorer outcome. In some cases strict confinement can allow healing but it takes weeks and your pet must stay quiet and calm. In all cases I would never recommend amputation or euthanasia until all else had failed over weeks. In fact I never want to recommend euthanasia but these animals must be cared for and given appropriate analgesics. Good luck.