Question
Profile Image
Josh | 2 months ago
Hello, Firstly Thank You For Making This Site And Sharing Your Message And Trying To Help …

Hello, firstly thank you for making this site and sharing your message and trying to help both Vets and pet owners do better by and for their sake.
The cold weather in Oregon is setting in, I attached some photos I hope help. I’m trying to figure out the best way to identify and treat this issue.
The following are my observations of the marks located at the base of the tail areas side and underside only, surface level circular with some being slightly more crater like. Hair loss and area effects remain the same after what feels like over a month already. Plasma is typical puss in 2 or so spots, no swelling since first observed till present day, skin near effected area looks okay, over grooming of the area likely but not believing this is a source of pain. We live in a farm setting he is a stray I will watch over like my own and treat as such, I’m not against funding anything from big or small for his care but he’s strictly outdoor hunter and sometimes I wont see him for days. Would be most appreciative to any insight in what this might be or how I can help, likewise if there is a wound spray or dewormer I could purchase he is 100% outdoors and I see no signs of worms but he drinks from bird bath dishes. He will allow me to handle him but only so much I’d be much more worried when his patience runs out. I’d say he weighs about 15 pounds and overall health and appearance / dental is amazing. I always offer him a safe clean area and access to the property I will be buying a breakaway collar with a GPS tracker for him, he’s a farm cat my neighbor and me watch after. Would this be something to just give more time to mend? or should I step in and apply or seek help. Thank you! I will 100% be doing a donation, really wish more Vets were like you or highlighted in the community.

EDIT, the donation link via paypal says this is indelible, you can click 1-2 photos below that say Ads to be redirected to those to donate, if you have a place in mind please add it to the response I’d be happy to donate to your place of choice.

2 Responses

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    Thank you for taking care of this kitty. It sounds like he really needs to have a friend in his corner.

    I think that a few things are really important to discuss. One, although the skin wounds are concerning I think that too often pet parents are focused on an exterior (often transient and benign things), and forget about all of the immensely important things going on in the inside. Like, is this cat spayed, neutered or vaccinated? These are the absolute foundations for a healthy pet.

    I also think that your vet can help you understand if this is a parasite issue like fleas?
    I wish I could tell you that this is and give you the answer to help it get better, but, medicine isn’t just looking at a picture. It is about helping the pet from the inside and out.
    I think that you need help from a vet. I think this cat needs to be spayed/neutered and vaccinated. I also think they need an antibiotic and a product to help with fleas.

    Good luck.

    1. Josh Post author

      I will search for a Vet office and bring him in for some treatment or an ER clinic for results. Glad I’m he does not have flees presently, as I comb him and check with flea combs. Those things are terrible as for infestations go and I love Food Grade DiatomaceousEarth for getting rid of that mess. My neighbor is a farmer who lives offsite and does not visit, more or less he picked up this cat some years ago and it only gets put in doors when they spray chemicals on the crops. I was worried with cold weather approaching and any injuries present much less bald spots like this. They either seen this on his tail by now or would have got him help. In his words he is just a friendly stray, pretty sure he is fixed but I will bring him in and get everything covered. He will be okay though I will make sure of it just wanted to get some insight on this. Could be days or sometimes a week or two before I see him day or night, but I will always watch for him and over him. Thanks again for your time and care you give in this field. The donation links did not work for me paypal related / sign up email Have a great day, take care.

Question
Profile Image
Emily | 7 months ago
My Rescue Cat Has Always Been Sort Of Aggressive, Her Rescue Didnt Really Get Her Any …

My rescue cat has always been sort of aggressive, her rescue didnt really get her any type of evaluation to determine if there was any underlying issue causing her to have this aggression. So we kept her because I knew it would be difficult to adopt her out and I didnt want her going to petsmart for boarding, bounce around from home to home or worse be put down for behavior. This was over a year ago, she has since adjusted to our family, our pets and for the most part seems over all happy, Well last night she suddenly began to freak out, kept licking her lips excessively, her back along w her ear and paws were twitching. She would seem to be trying to catch something around her but there was nothing there, almost like hallucinations? She was running back n forth looking at her back, bottom, and she just looks stressed out. Her eating has slowed down as wekk as her water intake, she goes outside and doesnt want to come back in. I just feel her behavior changed almost over night. Ive made an appt w her vet and its scheduled for next week, in the mean time I did some online searching and it looks like all sgns point to hyperesthesia? It says it could be due to fleas , parasites amongst other things however she is on revolution she doesnt have worms, I even bought a flea comb just to see if maybe that was a possibility but theres nothing! Im concerned about her since she looks uncomfortable. Is there anything to do or give her till her appt to keep her calm and less uncomfortable

1 Response

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I think that the best step you can take is to see a vet and talk to them about your concerns and suspicions. Ask for help in addressing pain and anxiety. I like gabapentin for cats but there are lots of other options to discuss.

Question
Profile Image
Peggy | 1 year ago
?Emergency? Dog Had Scrotal Ablation And Attempted Removal Of Inguinal Lymph Node. Within 1 Hr Of Surgery …

?Emergency? Dog had scrotal ablation and attempted removal of inguinal lymph node. Within 1 hr of surgery Vet called said there was a problem with bleeding and massive swelling, he had to go back in to tie off some vessels.

At pick up, the dog’s prepuce looks like an eggplant! He is still oozing blood from 2 tiny puncture sites. There is obviously swelling in the perineum and inguinal regions but the most dramatic is the prepuce.

Vet said one of the pudendal vessels needed ligature when he went back in. Also said he should be able to pee just fine. I only noticed a trickle of pee last night, not a full stream.

Should I take my dog elsewhere for evaluation? Is this hematoma/swelling so dramatic that he will have necrosis to the preputial skin or even the penis? any concern for the urethra ?

1 Response

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m so sorry to hear about your dog. I think that anytime your gut tells you to get a second opinion that you should listen. I hope things turn out ok and I apologize for the delay in answering.

Question
Profile Image
Sara | 3 years ago
I Adopted A Feral Cat Just Over A Year Ago. My Elderly Father Was Feeding Him …

I adopted a feral cat just over a year ago. My elderly father was feeding him twice a day for two years. He moved to a condo when my mother passed and the cat sat at the empty house day and night waiting for my Dad to come home. I ended up taking the cat and have worked on taming him. I’ve been making progress but not quite where I can pick him up.
He’s been mostly healthy up until 8 weeks ago. He seemed to be straining to urinate in his litter box and had decreased appetite. I took him to an animal hospital. At this time, I couldn’t touch him. He was anesthetized and examined. His exam and bloodwork were all neg. He was put on a urinary diet and given mirtazipine to stimulate appetite. I was not able to consistently get the stimulate in his ear but he would eat, just not a lot.
Followed up with my vet who said maybe he isn’t that hungry because he doesn’t have to worry about food and just watch his weight.
Weight continued to drop and found out last week he has tapeworms. He got a topical dewormer. Since then, it seems like he’s lost more weight and his lack of appetite is worse. He does eat enough to poop and pee daily.
My vet does house calls only and is coming Thursday. She’s limited in what she can offer for interventions. I am contemplating taking him back to animal hospital for evaluation,
It gets dicey though because he’s not completely tame. When I went with him before I could hear the attending talking to resident on other side of door saying, “he’s feral, what does she expect us to do,” I get that, but to a point. Is it unrealistic for me to want Pinky treated? He’s getting sweeter and sweeter and enjoys being petted.

4 Responses

Comments

  1. Shiria

    Hello,
    No it is absolutely not unrealistic. When we get feral cats at our shelter we try to treat them as best as we can, too. Obviously there are things that you can’t do with feral cats like you can with tame ones. But still we were still able do give daily fluids and feed them with a syringe, when they wouldn’t eat on their own for most of them.

    However for this it helped a lot that they are usually in large crates, as this makes daily handling a lot easier. We place them in pillow cases to feed them or give them fluids. Most stay calm when they can’t see.

    Also, a lot of needed exams can be done under anesthesia. Ultrasound (except heart), xray, bloodwork, urin analysis…
    Not all treatments can be done with ferals, but there sitll is a lot of possible. That also depends on how far you are willing to go, and how stressfull daily handling for him would be. Most, while obviously hating to be forced daily, were still able to build trust after treatment or even with ongoing treatment. However it is helpful to have a second person do to the “bad” things.

  2. Sara Post author

    Thank you for your response. He is currently hospitalized and being ruled out for a brain tumor. He is getting excellent care and the medical team is treating him well.

  3. Krista Magnifico

    Hello!
    I applaud your dedication to this cat. It’s a hard case based on the cats temperament but it sounds like you are doing all you can. I wish you the very best of luck!

Question
Profile Image
Melissa | 4 years ago
My 7 Year Old Dog, We Aren’t Sure Of Breed, But We Think A Lab/beagle …

my 7 year old dog, we aren’t sure of breed, but we think a lab/beagle mix of some sort experienced extreme pain and loss of the use of his back legs 2 days ago. I immediately took him to the emergency vet. They told us med management and cage rest. They brought him to the car with the use of a sling for his hind legs stating he still had some movement of his hind limbs intact. 2 hours later I believed he had declined and had no use. I called back to the vet who made me feel guilty for asking for further evaluation stating she would not put a dog through an MRI and surgery that still exhibited neurological function. He cried all night long and every time I moved him to potty was in excruciating pain. he wouldn’t eat and no longer could void. I took him back to the vet the next morning where he received an MRI and underwent surgery for a ruptured disc. at that point he no longer had deep pain sensation. My question is did that delay diminish his chances of recovery? and what are the odds now? I’m just heartbroken for him and do not want him to suffer. I am a nurse practitioner and very willing to provide the care he needs however I don’t want him to be in long term pain or have a poor quality of life.

2 Responses

Comments

  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Please dont beat yourself up over doing the best you could in a very difficult time. I really hope things work out. Stay in touch with your veterinary team and I’m sending hugs to you both. You are doing the best you can. Give your dog some time. It’s always really hard the first few days. Hang in there.

    1. Melissa Post author

      thank you for your encouragement. I’m going to remain hopeful that he can make a full recovery.

Question
Profile Image
Pam Brooks | 5 years ago
Had CT Done Of My Cat Lucas Due To No Resolution Of Respiratory Problems With Antibiotics. …

Had CT done of my cat Lucas due to no resolution of respiratory problems with antibiotics. Here are the results.

Moderate to marked thickening of the roof of the nasopharynx
• Otitis media bilaterally
• Lymphadenopathy left medial retropharyngeal lymph node

The marked thickening of the mucosal lining of the roof of the nasopharynx in conjunction withthe enlarged left medial retropharyngeal lymph node are highly suggestive for neoplastic
, and round cell neoplasia is the top differential diagnosis. Differentials include mast-
cell tumor, squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, other. The mucosal thickening of the roof
of the nasopharynx can explain the bilateral otitis media due to mechanical obstruction of the
openings of the auditory tubes into the nasopharynx. A differential to neoplastic infiltration is
marked non-infectious inflammation (e.g. lymphocytic plasmacytic, eosinophilic) or
granulomatous inflammation (e.g. Cryptococcosis) but the later one is considered far less likely
here. The findings are not typical for inflammatory polyps.The bilateral otitis media is explains the history of head tilt and Horner’s syndrome.
Rhinoscopy/retrograde pharyngoscopy is recommended for further evaluation including FNA
sampling and biopsy. FNA sampling of the left medial retropharyngeal lymph node is warranted
as well. The prednisolone treatment may influence results of the samples.

I think all the tests and surgeries that may follow will be out of my budget. Already spent over $1000 to date with no resolution.
Wondering if there are veterinarians who would go in and remove the polyp – appears to be a poly under soft palate – just to give the cat some relief and time.

Opinions and suggestions are welcome.

2 Responses

Comments

  1. Sarah

    Good morning- I’m sorry you’ve been through so much already, and still are having issues. Did you speak candidly with your primary vet already about all of these findings and your wishes? (Meaning the removal of the polyp or at least some relief) That is probably where I would start. I would also make a few phone calls… local rescue organizations that may be willing to help fund your surgery. Or possibly your vet may let you pay a little at a time as you have already paid so much? I hope things get better soon!????????

Question
Profile Image
Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Really Need Advice On This And Im Trying To Figure If I Really Want…

i really need advice on this and im trying to figure if i really want to work with wild animals to , i want to be the doctor that just talks aboutu medicien and evaluate medication also the doctor to make medicine one day like where do i start am i on the right track .

3 Responses

Comments

  1. PK Dennis

    I don’t know about learning to be an animal doctor by reading a book — but I will suggest that you start volunteering your time with a vet or animal clinic.  You will learn how to work with animals, and get enough exposure to understand if you really want to make this your life’s work.  

  2. Eboni Wright

    great idea ! but does it count that i already have pets at home and watch the surgery videos on youtube .

  3. Dawn Ferara, DVM

    Yes that helps but you still need to volunteer at a vet’s office.

Question
Profile Image
Pawbly | 9 years ago
VitaHound Is Continually Evaluating And Searching For Highly Dependable Dog Care Resources. Over…

VitaHound is continually evaluating and searching for highly dependable dog care resources. Over the past 20 years we have assembled a directory of the top organizations to reference for canine care issues by category. We are currently evaluating our selection of Pet Poison help lines and or Websites. Our current recommendation is http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/, our staff would truly appreciate the opinion of pet owners on this source and suggestions on other sources. This site currently is for profit and a current survey of pet owners indicates the fees involved in any pet care service creates a real barrier to access.

1 Response

Comments

  1. Kelly Furgason

    Just bumping this into the answer section….

    from Dr. Magnifico, founder of Pawbly.com : Would love to talk to you all about this.. Krista@pawbly.com.