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My 14 year old boxer bulldog mix (probably pittie) fractured her tibia (confirmed by vet) but they want 100 bucks a week to change the splint. Can you give me a reference to an accurate how-to video on how to properly wrap it myself? She has a plastic splint that a youtube video called a “quick splint” (see photos). We have rewerapped it two or three times and the first time she got right up and ate a whole bowl of food and put weight on it. The past two times she hasn’t put weight on it and she’s barely eating, only people food. I can tell she’s not happy cause she won’t let me stop touching her. I have no idea what we did the first time that was right vs what I’m doing now that is wrong, but I think there is some slippage happening (see photo of knee joint). I’m making sure to line up the joint and the splint, but when I take it off, it isn’t lined up. How do I prevent slippage? Also, I’m going to wash her before I rewrap, her skin is very dry and she needs conditioner. She also has significant blackheads and chafing- I was going to use the benasoothe shampoo, should I take any other precautions?? I was thinking I would try some clay and apple cider vinegar for the blackheads?? She started licking her leg so I just put a little extra wrap on it so she can’t irritate it. What signs should I look for as an absolute NEED to return to the vet? Swollen toes, what else? Please respond ASAP
My 4 year old Lab has been sick since Thursday. She wouldn’t eat, threw up bile, has diarrhea and just wasn’t herself, I took her to her vet Friday afternoon unfortunately they were closing, they gave her some fluid and medicine to calm her stomach, and sent us home with some medicine and a canned food.. They said if she wasn’t improving in 24 hours to take her to the emergency room for a full work up Unfortunately, we had to take her in on Sunday, after some test and after 3 day they told us she is finally eating a small amount and her stool is thicker and not bloody anymore. Her protein is low they did a ultrasound of her stomach and said everything looked normal but her adrenal glands are small so they are now testing her for Addisons disease. I tried to do some research but cant figure much out, does anyone have any information or has had a pet with Addisons disease? Is it common for a 4 year old healthy dog to start showing symptoms?
I just want my baby home!!! thank you!
Hello,
It sounds like you are getting a thorough work up and moving in the direction of some answers.
I have treated quite a few Addisonians and once diagnosed and started on treatment most do very well. If you have any questions or concerns ask for an internal medicine referral and go from there. Good luck. I hope she is feeling better soon.
2 year old neutered male, indoor only. Was taken to the vets and had crystals removed form his bladder. His kidneys appeared to be a little elevated and was put on amoxycilin, prazosin and meloxidyl. Prazosin for 7 days, amoxycillin for 7 days and meloxidyl for 14 days.
He was absolutely fantastic for about 7 – 10 days. When he was ill previously he was very distant (usually extremely affectionate), hiding under sofa, lethargic, not eating or drinking, struggling to pee and mewing. This time when he was ill he has actually still been affectionate and following the owner everywhere, a little slow and seems sad, but mainly noticed that he kept trying to pee – even outside his litter tray. Took him back to the vets and they recommend euthanasia so went to another vet. They gave him an epidural to relieve his bladder and put him on Hypovase for anti spasm relief, gabapentin for pain and buprenorphine also alprazolam for anti spasm.
All the above happened in the last few weeks
Heās back in the vets again this morning with another blockage and because he keeps removing the cathather they want to remove the urine via needle!!
Any help would be appreciated.
Hi there-
The experience that I had with my blocked cat (years ago) was time consuming. He did undergo surgery to remove the blockage. Then sent home after urinating on his own. We had to keep him confined as he needed to rest and recuperate, plus he was leaking for a while and clean up was easier in less space. He needed Rx food for the remainder of his days. His recovery took a few weeks, but he did live quite a long time after that experience. Our vet had also advised us to change the type of litter we used as some apparently can cause stones/crystals. I know that they did some sort of ultrasound on his bladder at the time to help assess the situation. Perhaps to see the number of crystals and if they could pass? Not 100% sure…. regardless, I would check with the vet about diet, litter, recovery and expectations as to whether they feel all the stones have passed or if further surgery is needed. Please keep us posted ????
Hello,
Most of the cases is see happen like this. It takes weeks, months for the urethra to heal and the bladder to regain full function. I strongly suggest a canned urinary prescription diet and medication options to include a steroid. I also recommend discussing a PU surgery before recommending euthanasia.
Thanks Krista. Heās back to the vets again today to have his bladder evacuated and the same yesterday and the vets wants to do the same until Friday via needle. He been on the urinary food but wonāt even do a droplet of urine. The vet is recommending euthanasia Friday because of his suffering….. at a loss!
my cat is maybe 1 1\2 – 2 ish years old. she is not fixed but she has always been very healthy and active and very into food and snacks. i couldnt find her for dinner time and thought maybe she was just sleeping somewhere hard, when she finally came out she did not seem interested in me making her food, i showed her the can and she slowly walked into the kitchen, no meowing or jumping on the table as usual. when i put her food down she sniffed it and walked away. since then she has been laying down, she has an odd expression on her face that seems very blank. her stomach seems to hurt as she stayed hunched over when she stands or moves and growled when i was trying to feel it. when she does stand or move she does it very slowly and as if she doesnt have enough strength to do so. she tried to stretch once and her back leg only shook a little, she tried to get up and move and meowed in pain. every now and then her ears seem very warm. she has recently had her first hairball from her new sister cat that has long hair. she has eaten the same dry food and about a quarter of a can of wet food at night and in the morning. shes not eating or drinking and she has not vommited since a hairball the other day or had diarhrrea.
Honestly, this sounds like a vet visit needs to happen immediately.
I agree with Laura. This sounds like you need to get her seen right away. Anytime appetite vanished and lethargy sets in, I consider it an emergency.
This is an emergency. I hope you have taken her to the vet ASAP!
Hi Shyla, it’s been a few days. What did the vet say?
Hi everyone this is my grandpas furbaby hes elderly and this dog is 13 years old recently i took her to the er because she wouldnt eat and we was so shocked to find out her teeth are in horrible condition the doctor told us she needs a few pulled out but unfortunately due to financial problems my grandpa cant afford the surgery does anyone know a veterinarian hospital thata a low cost in the baltimore area im gonna post a picture of the estimate she needs this done asap we know that right now shes on tramadol and clavamox and shes eating but only wet food also not to long ago she had a tooth that fell out again this isnt my dog its my grandpa’s eldrly baby any advice would be appreciated thank you
Hello,
Thank you for visiting and asking a question. I am very open and honest when I say that this cost would be an accurate estimate from my clinic. It is a difficult surgery and it can take quite a bit of time. At our clinic we allow payment plans for our clients. There is also carecredit available. There are resources available on our website. JarrettsvilleVet.com. We list affordable options and also resource contacts to help people like you. Let me know if you find anyone so I can pass it along to the next person. Also Helping Hands in Va is affordable. But itās a long drive.
Dr magnifico thank you so mucg for respinding i appreciate it and i will keep you posted i may just put “honey marie” my grandpa’s dog on your schedule as you already know my princess has surgery coming up at your office so ill try and book honey marie the same day and bring her for a exam i know she wont get surgery that day but atleast you can get a look in person and check her to see if surgery is a safe option especially as old as she is
Sounds good. See you soon!
Princess, one of my cats was seen Sunday for having her days and nights mixed up and a lump on her belly. Up through last Thursday she would do anything she could to get me up from knocking things over to stepping on the alarm clock and my CPAP machine.
She was seen Sunday and overall visit looked good.
However, starting Friday night she has only meowed one time. Unknown to me at the time of the visit was that she had thrown up a strip of soft plastic that covers the sticky side if envelopes. My husband saw it and cleaned it up. He said it was folded similar to an accordion. This probably happened during the last night that she was talking all night and into the morning.
She is eating okay but is sleeping most of the day or night. She also is either sneezing or coughing at times. I don’t know which one but she stretches her neck out and makes this repetitive noise.
Is it possible that the plastic may have scratched her throat and that is why she will not meow? I have an appointment for today that I made before bringing her to the clinic on Sunday. I am debating as to whether I should bring her back to be checked.
If she were my kitty, I would bring her in just to make sure all is well now.
My 5 month old kitten Has become sick. Not eating but still drinking and very tired is there anything I can do
Hello,
Without knowing a whole bunch more information all I can safely recommend is that you seek immediate veterinary help. If you cannot do this, or cannot Afros to do this please call a rescue or shelter and ask for assistance. There are many Facebook groups that might also be able to provide direction. At this age and based on this description please consider it an emergency. I hope things work out ok. Best of luck to you both.
I would say this is an emergency since the kitten is so young and things can turn dire very quickly with young ones. Please get to the vet ASAP.
Now a second kitten from the same litter is also sick . is there anyone that could help or knows What this could be
Hello,
I just can repeat what Krista already said.
You need to get them to a Vet, and if you can’t afford that try to get help from shelters or similar.
There is no way for us to know the reason why your kitten is sick, a vet has to take a look at it. Especially if now a second one is sick you should get them checked.
Not eating and being tired can be the first signs of cat flu, of gardia (altough here they usually have diarreha first), kitens with FIP can show those signs too – but all of those are just examples, there can be much more reasons and they usually are accompanied by other symtoms.
And all of them need to be seen by a vet, they can cause severe damage, even if they manage to heal on their own or can even lead to death (except FIP, which sadly is always deadly…).
Please get them to a vet, only they can help the kittens.
Best luck to you!
I have a question about dog food. Years ago, we had a german shepherd who was allergic to chicken. We switched him (and our other 2 dogs) to grain free and they all did amazing on it. We mixed proteins and had no issues. Now, years later, we have a german shepherd pup (9 months old now). When he came to us at 8 weeks he was eating Victor grain free active dog and puppy. Our vet is anti-grain free and recommended Purina Pro Plan large breed puppy (chicken). We transitioned over a couple of weeks, but he had soft stools or diarrhea all the time and was itchy. He ended up having anal gland issues. We added pumpkin, bananas, yogurt and nothing helped.
We switched to the sslmon/sensitive skin and stomach puppy formula but it didn’t get better. We ended up adding Victor back in, and he got better. Now he is back on the Victor puppy grain free, mixed with the Victor grain included formula. No issues. But our Vet has us worried about heart issues, and I’m worried that we’re going to get a lecture because she only recommends Purina Pro Plan, Science Diet, RC, Ian’s – big companies with a vet on staff. Should we keep trying these, or stick with what’s working? (Our previous vet retired š ) We want to do the best thing for our puppy.
Hello,
I am anti grain free too. I have seen perfectly healthy dogs die, in some cases even multiple dogs in the same house die from grain free diets and heart disease. It has changed me and I wonāt recommend grain free until we know exactly what is happening and why. Along with what we can do about it. For now I donāt feed or recomend grain free. I also do not believe the anal glands are associated with the diet. Iāve seen thousands of dogs over decades and they donāt correlate to diet and anal sac issues. Please donāt think that we lecture because we are influenced by anything other then our training, our individual experiences and our deep fondness for the animals we have dedicated our lives too. To say we are paid or influenced by the pet food companies Is both untrue and unkind. You should find a diet that works for all of you and is safe to feed. My best to you all. Be kind to your vet. They want whatās best for your dog.
Thank you! I definitely don’t think that our vet is influenced by anything. I just feel sort of lost – we’ve had many dogs but never one with a sensitive tummy. We want to do what’s best for him. We’ll keep trying!
Hi- we have a household of german shepherds. We feed Purina One large breed with glucosamine. There is a sensitive stomach option as well as a senior option. At the moment our GSDs are loving the venison option. Our youngest did have an adjustment period of about 2 weeks from when we got him until his stools got back on track with our food. Other than that one instance, we have always been very happy with this food. I should add that their health and lifespan has been great on this diet as well. ..14 years and very healthy up until the end. I would say chat more with your vet and see what comes of it. They may be able to provide you with more information that you will find useful.????????
Thank you!
I feed the food the dog does best on. If that means Victor, or some other grain free brand, then that’s what it means. (Though I’m really not a fan of Victor.)
I have been a fan of Merrick for a long time. Try them, or Castor + Pollux, their other brand. If you think your dog is allergic to chicken, make sure you read labels carefully – LOTS of brands use chicken fat in formulations which do not list chicken as a main ingredient, and even a little of it will make our girl break out in hives and have loose stool. I can feed grain-inclusive foods as long as they’re limited ingredient.
Hello!! I found Dr Kristaās YT vid (Stripes the cat re nasal polyps) while researching my kittyās condition. I have had Percy out to Pet ER w. initial thick mucus that became tinged w. a bit of blood. He was prescribed Doxy to treat the infectionā¦ it wasnāt until during the course of treatment that he began the āsnoringā at which point I rushed him back to Pet ER. Having limited funds and no experience w. these issues ever before, I opted for Labs (figuring that would be a start). Unfortunately, the results did not ātell me anything unusualā and I am not a vet. It was then that I learned about these polyps ā¦ and I feel confident that this could be what Percy is suffering from (unless there may be a foreign object obstructing his airway). At this point I have no dx!! Iāve been on the veterinary roller-coaster ride trying to determine the best course of action between my local vet (Dundalk Animal Hosp), Pet ER or another vet altogetherā¦ at this point not knowing the cause of his breathing issue or how much the costs may beā¦ I guess I can understand why āestimatesā canāt be given ā¦ I am just trying to determine the LESS COSTLY route and there seems to be no clear answer. My head is spinning and I want the best for Percy and to NOT have to lose him, thatās the bottom lineā¦ my heart is hurting as this was so unexpected!! Would it be possible to fit Percy into the clinicās busy schedule ASAP?? I called this morning and was told that Monday is already full. Emily advised to reach out on Pawbly ā¦ I also sent a pm on FB.
I really need help, I cared for 2 cats last year both former strays, one Main Coon mix w. Hypercardiomyopathy and the other cancer of his paw which was eating away. Both these babies tore my heart in 2 but I did what I had to until it was time to journey on RIPā¦ we had a family of 6 at that time along w. my deceased uncleās dog. My Care Credit card was easily almost maxed outā¦ my boys and I are pitching in together as many ways as possible for Percy. He is the last of our most recent feline family and I do NOT EVER want to stop caring for animals!! Thank you for my restored faith in humanity!! ~Love~ Shelley & Percy
Hello,
I am happy to meet you and your cat at my clinic. If that would help. We work very hard to provide affordable options to help people with their pet care needs. I am at the clinic Sunday thorough Thursday.
Thank You so much, you are a blessing to ALL pets and their humans!!
My tabby cat male had PU surgery 2 weeks ago Heās currently squatting every 3 minutes like he has to go but nothing he pees a lot at first but just keeps squatting over and over again heās eating drinking and cleaning but seems to be obsessed with the squatting his stitches are due to come out tomorrow help us ?????
Good morning- if the stitches are scheduled to come out, I would definitely bring these symptoms up at the visit. Make sure that the vet is aware of what is going on… unless have you already spoken to them about this? If you have, then explain your concern as there is no improvement. Best of luck- hope your cat recovers and is ok????????
More pictures
Hereās my professional 25 years of experience advice. Pay your vet! Itās a very very fair price. Iām guessing that you can not afford surgery so you are going to be lucky to have it heal as it is. You can not manage this alone. You shouldnāt even try. Honesty is the best policy. I tell clients that even with me checking it weekly (often more often than that) the chance for failure is high. Be the pet parent your dog needs and stuck with your vet. Not being hateful. Being brutally honest. For your dogs sake.
I took her in today actually, she was there all day. I renewed her health plan and got her a full workup, and they changed her splint (and tape signed it) and I’m taking her back next week to get it checked. There are some family problems with spending the money because my family doesn’t think it’s worth it, but I put my foot down. She’s 14 and she’s the sweetest dog that’s ever existed, literally the only reason I didn’t commit suicide when I was late teens early twenties. She has absolutely earned it! Thank you for your advice!