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Shay | 10 months ago
My 18 Year Old Cat (long Hair) Has Been Having Some Issues For About 2 Weeks Now. On 2/10/24 …

My 18 year old cat (long hair) has been having some issues for about 2 weeks now. On 2/10/24 he started throwing up at breakfast and didn’t want dinner, Stopped drinking and eating from that point and howl crying by sunday night into Monday. Got hospitalized on Monday the 12th got labs done, a urinalysis, semi ultrasound and xrays. He was severely dehydrated, negative for UTI, severely anemic (6.8 range was 10.9-15 ). Over night he got IV fluids and antibiotics and ate some the morning, labs were normal by discharge except for anemia. Xray ray did reveal, distended stomach with gas, arthritis, one small kidney. He came home didn’t really eat much, followed up with regular vet got subq fluids and appetite stimulant (rubs on ear), 1-2 days after he ate like a horse mostly broths and liquids foods. He is now constipated and vomiting again, not eating and lethargic. Took him to the vet 2/24/24 for subq fluids vet also gave him an enema. He has not pooped still its been about 30 hours. I tried to give him gabapentin yesterday but he threw up. This morning he threw up “poop” like vomit. We gave him 1/2 ish teaspoon of miralax this morning threw up a little while later more poop like vomit. Seems to have broken a bit of his k9 tooth off also, doesnt seem to bee botbering him… We are considering doing at home mineral oil enema with a baby enema glycerin suppository with more miralax. He has eaten a tiny bit of Broth treat today and gotten outside for 2 walks. Are we doing the right steps ? Is there more or less we should be doing ? Trying to get to a more equipped vet hospital but probably won’t be until Tuesday 2/2724. Should I seek emergency medical attention or waiting until Tuesday be okay. Planning to take him to regular small vet tomorrow for subq at the least.Please help.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    It sounds like your cat doesn’t have a diagnosis and we are chasing treatment options that don’t seem to be working. This tactic always gets me concerned because it makes it very hard to know what to do next or where to go for help. If you can afford it I recommend you see a feline practitioner. This is a veterinarian who only sees cats, or has a veterinary practice that only takes care of cats. I would also ask about trying a steroid, appetite stimulant, feeding tube and better help with at home care if you do not re hospitalize for iv fluids and in patient care.
    I also strongly recommend that the constipation be confirmed with a recital exam by the vet before enemas are done at home.
    This is a tough case and your cat needs to see the vet.

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Gerry | 4 years ago
1 Week Ago I Went To Pick Up My New Kitten.  Male, Neutered. He Is Now A 13 …

1 week ago I went to pick up my new Kitten.  Male, neutered. He is now a 13 week old pure bred ragdoll. I got him from a ragdoll breeder. They had him to the vet a few days before pickup with a clean bill of health and second distemper shot, along with all documentation of prior visits and past test results. He sneezed a few times during the pick up process and they told us this was normal during his new transition. He is still sneezing regularly each day with no change now 1 week later.  No coughing. He also has some very bad smelling gas daily but not constant or consistently.  I feel that his breath is a tad stinky too but my nose is very sensitive to smells and odors so it may just be my sniffer. I kept him on the same food diet as the breeder with no changes. His bathroom habits are normal, tootsie rolls, no diahrea or vomiting.  He eats normal. Plays hard like a kitten. Sleeps at intervals between eating and play but changes positions alot during sleep sessions. He is snuggly, purrs happily but during his full on purring seems to snort or stall his motor slightly. No discharge of nose, ears, mouth or eyes other than a spray from a sneeze occasionally and dark brown eye crusties that have been present occasionally since adoption. He seems very happy and not lethargic. No coughing. He has a vet appointment in 2 weeks the soonest they can get him in and they didn’t seem extremely concerned with the symptoms to arrange a sooner date. This is a single pet home.  I may just be overly paranoid but any bit of information is always appreciated to a new cat mom.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    It is not uncommon for the stress of going to a new home and the changes in a kittens lifestyle once there to cause an upper respiratory infection. It is best to see a vet ASAP. Call your vet. Express your concerns and if they can’t get you in within a day or two call other vets. We are all busy right now but waiting until an infection becomes a life threatening illness is unethical. We always fit people in even though we are very busy. If all else fails go to the ER. Better safe than sorry.

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jessica | 4 years ago
Recurring Anal/Rectal Prolapse In Kitten

We just began an adoption trial with an adorable 4 month old kitten named Georgia. She’s very playful and happy but we instantly realized a few things seemed off with her health.

She’s got a watery eye, sneezes occasionally, scratches a lot, shakes her head occasionally, has a lot of gas, has diarrhea on and off, and is dealing with some mild bowel incontinence. But, most concerningly, seems to be dealing with a recurring anal or rectal prolapse.

We’ve taken her to two vets where she’s been given full examinations and deemed healthy. She has had two fecal tests, which return good results – no parasites are seen. She has prescription eye drops, a prescription antibiotic, prescription canned food, and a probiotic that we’ve just started. But no one seems to be as concerned about this rectal issue as we are.

Throughout the day, we notice a tiny bit of pink tissue poking out of her rectum. It’s very small and comes and goes. She also passes gas when this happens. And sometimes poop leaks out. She licks her butt a lot too.

Sometimes a cylindrical round bit of red tissue protrudes much further and what looks like a piece of poop can be seen poking out too. This tends to happen most often when she wakes up from a nap. It seems that her muscles relax and her bowel starts to come out. It will be out for seconds to a few minutes after she gets up and is moving around and then it pushes itself back in. It’s very disturbing to see!

We already have one special needs cat and, while we absolutely love this kitten and want to keep her, I’m afraid that this is going to be a recurring issue that will become very stressful. The vets we’ve seen are trying to treat the underlying cause, which they assume is diarrhea. But I’ve read that some parasites don’t show up on fecal exams or under microscopes – is this true? I’ve also read that stitches and surgery can help if this doesn’t improve on its own but that, with some cats, this is just a recurring problem throughout their lives.

Help! 🙂

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I think that almost everything you are worried about it fairly normal for a newly adopted kitten. I always tell clients that we put these guys through a tremendously stressful time when we move them away from their family and into a new home. It’s a huge advisement and with that the immune system gets totally stressed out. Upper respiratory infections are a very common sequela. Also most kittens come with parasites. I send out at least three fecals before I deem them to be parasite free. Also stay on a good kitten food. Between the change in homes, families and diets I see loads of issues like this and they almost all resolve completely within a few weeks. All I really care about for the first few weeks is if they are happy, eating and playful and gaining weight. Stay in touch with your vet and I swear love cures almost all of these new kittens. Best of luck.

    1. jessica Post author

      Thanks! I hope you’re right. I was feeling the same way until this prolapse thing started. That has overwhelmed me as it seems to be getting worse, not better. And the vet visits and prescription foods are already getting expensive! Just afraid there won’t be a quick fix and we’ll be dealing with two very expensive special needs cats soon.

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Michelle | 4 years ago
Yesterday We Got Home From Work And Our Dog Broke Into Our Bathroom And Told Through …

Yesterday we got home from Work and our dog broke into our bathroom and told through at least 5 soiled baby diapers. The brand was hello bello. My dog has not vomited, and is eating and drinking, but his gas is out of control. Is there anything else I should be keeping an eye on?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    If he is eating and drinking and urinating and defecating normally those are all good signs. I would continue to watch him and call your vet immediately if these change. Also please get a container that is lockable for things like diapers ans tampons or any other product he might get into like trash. An obstruction surgery at an er in the USA can be multiple thousands of dollars and potentially life threatening.

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Clarice Ann | 4 years ago
Is My 4 Month-old Puppy Suffering From Depression Or Something Else?

This is the third day without Atlas — Apollo’s littermate, alpha and captain. We lost him due to hemorrhage and dehydration. He just recently turned 4 months. Apollo hasn’t been eating and drinking water today. Was asleep all the time, too. Previously, he wakes up at night and cries so he comes to me in bed to wake me up. Last night he started vomiting and having loose stools. I can also here rumbling in his stomach, and i think is passing gas. Earlier that day we went on a walk and had munched a few plants/weeds on the way. He has also accidentally taken in expired milk he left the other day. Today the stool had a few blood patches in it. I’m worried he might end up his brother. Is he only suffering from dog depression, or is there other medial conditions?

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  1. Sarah

    This sounds very serious… the lethargy, the blood in the stool and loose stool. Not how a four month old puppy should be acting. I would make an appointment with the vet right away. The first fear that comes to mind is possibility of parvo… which can be deadly. I hope your puppy is ok.

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Kathleen | 4 years ago
My Dog Has Episodes Of Severe Gas Pain Every 1 – 3 Months. I Have Taken Him To …

My dog has episodes of severe gas pain every 1 – 3 months. I have taken him to the ER Vet and her regular vet on several occasions and they do x-rays but can never find anything wrong. They prescribe meds for the pain, but I would like to know how to avoid this happening in the first place. Any advice?

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  1. Laura

    Honestly, I would talk to your regular vet about it. Discuss what you’re feeding, how you’re feeding (type of bowl, frequency of meals), and ask their advice. They know your dog best and may have suggestions.

    That said. I would worry very much about possible bloat in his future. I would invest in a slow feeding bowl and feed scheduled meals. If you don’t want to get a slow feeder, using an old muffin pan is an option worth considering. If you feed dry food, a food dispensing toy is a good option. I have a breed with a higher than normal likelihood of bloat due to chest size, and we opted for a Kong Wobbler for breakfasts and the occasional lunch (as she gets her breakfast dry) and a slow feed bowl for dinners. She is always fed 2-3 meals a day. She is never allowed to graze from an always-full bowl.

    I would also look at activity levels around meals. Keeping a dog calm prior to and immediately after a meal is ideal.

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Diana | 5 years ago
My Vet Strongly Suspects My Cat Has A Nasal Polyp. She Has Be Snoring/snarling Consistently …

My vet strongly suspects my cat has a nasal polyp. She has be snoring/snarling consistently for 2.5 years, but is otherwise fine. When it began, I first had a potential infection treated with two antibiotics, followed by a teeth cleaning, that yielded no issues with the teeth, and ended with a nasal flush. My vet was hoping to be able to see and grab the polyp during the flush, but couldn’t. Because she was otherwise healthy, eating, and playing, I went without treating it. Recently, she was treated for a G.I. flair up that had her not eating. She had begun not eating or moving get bowels for days. Once vomiting was added in, I took her to Metropolitan Emergency Vet. They gave her an ultrasound, saw the inflammation and gas in her abdomen, took a CBC, gave her fluids and nausea medication and sent her home a couple hours later for $800. Her bloodwork was was fine, aside from dehydration. She continued not to eat, so I brought her to my vet a day and a half later. They did an x-ray and saw the lower intestine looked aggravated. They kept her for the weekend and gave her fluids and more nausea medication. She returned to me after two days and began eating again at home. I’m awaiting the additional $600 bill for that. While being discharged, one of the docs urged me to address what she felt strongly was likely a polyp in her nasal cavity, as she believed it may now be large enough that it’s limiting her ability to smell, which may have contributed to the refusal to eat with the G.I. issue coexisting for a few days. She referred me to the specialty docs locally to have the nasal polyp removed. They are quoting me $3,195 plus. They said it would be $195 for a internal med consult, $1,500 for a “necessary” CT, and $1,500 or more for the Rhinoscopy. My vet said Lilah is otherwise a healthy 12 year old cat. I am sick with the cost, as I will need to put it all on a credit card. I have called around to multiple other specialty vets and I’m getting comparable quotes. I have had family members suggest I euthanize my cat over a nasal polyp, which I absolutely will not do. I stumbled across a Utube video of you removing a nasal polyp, so I tracked you down by name, wondering if you could help Lilah? I’m two hours from your practice, which is close enough. I’d really appreciate you getting back to me. As of now, we have a consult scheduled for 3/4, and I’m sick over the cost.

Thank you,
Diana Maginn

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Well! That’s quite a huge long laundry list of issues. Has anyone done a FeLV/ FIV test? What does the blood work look like?
    While no one can rule out a polyp without a scope or ct scan this does sound like a long list of issues and I worry there is an underlying issue causing many of them. I would ask your vet to sedate her and look behind the soft palate to see if there is a visible polyp that might be able to be removed with traction avulsion. Otherwise I think the retro flex endoscopy and ct are the only way to diagnose. Although I would ask some very hard and direct questions about what can actually be done if they’d one it buried dee within the nasal cavity? I hope this helps.

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Sandra | 5 years ago
My 12 Year Old Jack Russell Just Recently Had A Some Drops Of Blood In Her Stool. …

My 12 year old Jack Russell just recently had a some drops of blood in her stool. She was straining a bit the last time she went, and this time she was straining a lot. Her stool wasn’t completely solid, nor was it diarrhea. She has been very gassy the past couple of days. Now her stomach is making noises, but she just passes gas and it stops. She ate her food normally before this happened, and now she doesn’t seem to have any other problems besides being gassy. Do I need to be concerned, or could it be from straining so much?

2 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning,
    I would keep an eye on her bathrooming. Hoping she just ate something that isn’t agreeing with her. If she continues having difficulty, then I would definitely call the vet. Sometimes, it may just be a one off and they get back to normal just fine, but if it doesn’t resolve quickly then they could get into trouble. Try to give her bland food… boiled chicken and rice. That might help settle her stomach from grumbling. When she passes that, I would check the stool. Then go from there. Good luck!????

  2. Sandra Sellers

    Usually a few drops of blood is normal if they are constipated. A large amount or not happening every time would be a sign they need to see a vet. I agree with some bland food. Also a little pumpkin can help move the stool along. It could be a small episode that will never happen again. I would monitor and if it continues they would need to be checked out for a blockage or tumor or something.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
My Cat Won’t Stop Peeing On My Gas Stove.

My cat won’t stop peeing on my gas stove.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
The Dog Only Eats 2-3 Morsels If Any. Shouldn’t This Food Be Kept In A…

The dog only eats 2-3 morsels if any. Shouldn’t this food be kept in a glass or metal containers?
Can dry dog food turn rancid and put off a gas that makes it difficult to breath. I’ve been smelling this for months and its getting worse. Can this be unhealthy for me?

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  1. Jana

    Here is a problem with expired food or with food exposed to air – it’s poisonous. The nutrients degrade and more importantly the fats go rancid. It’s definitely BAD for the dog.

    I don’t know whether or not inhalation of the odor would be an issue to a person; theoretically you smell by exposure to “particles” so I’d say potentially yes.

    I understand that your roommate’s finances might call for budgeting but this is a very bad way of saving money. I’m surprised the dog is still alive. There are affordable dog foods out there which don’t have to be past expiration date not to break bank. And leaving food in the bowl upt to a few weeks is just crazy.

  2. carolyn autuori

    Thank you, after I showed her your comment. She doesn’t believe it but she went and bought 73% hamburger meat, and cooked it in microwave with frozen green peas. I know dogs can eat peas if run through food processor. I had a lasa apso 28 years and a pekingnese 14 years and never seen anything like this. Im too the point of wanting to take the dog to a vet to make sure its okay. The animal seems happy, energetic but skin is dry, hair is course and shedding terribly.I’m just concerned as this is her first dog and she feeds it everything she eats the dog gets some too. I showed her the list of do’s and don’ts for what to not give your dog. The dog does go to the bathroom but doesn’t urinate maybe twice a day if that. I’m just so concerned for the dog. The owner thinks she knows best.

  3. PK Dennis

    Jana is right on!  Plus I need to think that if the dog is not skin and bones, and is leaving food in a dish for weeks there is too much food down at any one time!

    Dog food should be purchased in small quantities, stored in an air tight container and fed to the dog according to the instructions on the package.  AND being a responsible dog owner includes buying the best food one can afford — and anyone but the homeless can afford better than expired dry food from a discount store.

    Put that food out for the rats and go get that poor dog some decent grain-free food, look for a pet store that does not sell puppies and pick a grain-free kibble that has real meat as the first 2 or (and even better 3) ingredients.  You should be able to get a very good kibble for $14.00 a bag.  

    Follow the instructions for the amount to feed per day on the package (based on the weight of the dog) and put only that amount down each day for the dog.  Put a little water on the kibble before you put it down.  If the dog doesn’t eat it within 20 mins than pick it up and throw it out.  Unless the dog is one of those that are so picky they only eat one or two bites unless hand fed, it will be eating its meals in mins and licking the bowl clean.

    Once you have accomplished this it will be time to have a heart to heart conversation with your room mate.  Explain what the food costs, how much better it is for the dog, how much happier the dog is eating it — and most of all, how much better you feel not having the nasty discount food in your environment.  And see where it goes from there.  

    The reality is that you may need to find a new room mate if she cares so little for her dog to treat it this way.

    Fight the good fight!  

  4. carolyn autuori

    Thank you, PK Dennis,

    I will show her this comment as well. Yes, I will get a new roommate as Icannot sit and watch this dog get fed this way. Im so concerned if something happens to her dog while she’s gone,she will blame me. I’ve never let either of my two dogs go without the best food available. My dogs ate like princesses and prince’ s until I had to put them down. They were my children. This has open my eyes that everyone shouldn’t own animals! God bless.