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Andrea | 1 year ago
Last Summer My Healthy, Energetic 6 Year Old Cat Stopped Eating, Became Lethargic. A Trip To The …

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!

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Erin | 1 year ago
7 Year Old Female Beagle With A History Of Allergic Reactions (bee Stings, Environmental/pollen/poison Ivy)…

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.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    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.

  2. Erin Post author

    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.

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Cafer | 1 year ago
I Hope This Email Finds You Well. I Wanted To Provide You With An Update Regarding …

I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to provide you with an update regarding my kitten’s condition and share the findings from another veterinaries opinion I sought.
As previously discussed, I took my kitten to two different veterinarians for examination and attached their report for your reference. They provided their own insights and suggestions for potential treatment.
Additionally, the second veterinarian suggested exploring the possibility of physical therapy (PT) as a potential avenue for helping my kitten. He mentioned that PT has shown positive outcomes in some cases of mobility issues in animals. I wanted to seek your professional opinion on this matter and discuss the feasibility and potential benefits of PT for my kitten’s condition.
I greatly value your expertise and I am seeking your guidance in determining the best course of action for my kitten’s well-being.

If you could kindly review the attached report and provide your thoughts I will be appreciated.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    In my experience these cases do best with at home physical therapy We make a detailed plan and recheck about every two weeks. You need to teach your kitten how to walk with some assistance from light splinting for support. I have a few videos on my YouTube channel that demonstrate this.

    Good luck. Ty for helping this little one.

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Theresa | 1 year ago
My Cat Has Hematoma In One Ear.it Has Been Drained Several Times But Keeps Filling …

My cat has hematoma in one ear.it has been drained several times but keeps filling up and gets puffy.he had Lazer done a few times also.it is puffy again can it just go away on its own or do I need to get drained again

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  1. Autumn

    Hello!
    Typically it needs drained in order for it to go away.

    Has your vet prescribed any medications? We often do antibiotics, anti inflammatories etc. to get everything calm and feeling better.

    Is your kitty scratching? If so, add a cone in. If very active, maybe ask your vet to add in a sedative to keep calm while the ear tries to heal.

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Corinne | 1 year ago
My Almost 4 Year Old Beagle Was Diagnosed With IVDD Last July 2022. We Had No Idea What …

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!

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Cafer | 1 year ago
Kitten Legs Do Not Bend From The Joint

I am writing to seek guidance and assistance regarding a concern I have about my four-week-old kitten. Last week, I noticed that her legs do not bend from the joint, and I am unsure of what steps I should take to address this issue. While she can move her legs, she is unable to walk and instead crawls using her front legs. I believe this condition may have been present since birth, as there have been no accidents or injuries that could have caused it.

I would greatly appreciate any advice or assistance that you or anyone else could provide in helping my kitten. She is a Scottish kitten

Thank you in advance for your attention and support.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Your kitten should see a veterinarian for help. I cannot advise what to do until the kitten has an exam. In almost all cases it ir very hard to treat these guys as they have bones with open growth plates if it is a congenital defect she may learn to ambulate around her defect.
    I wish her well and I hope you can get to a vet soon

    1. Cafer Post author

      Thank you for your prompt response. I appreciate your willingness to assist with my kitten’s condition. I have scheduled an appointment for my kitten’s examination on Tuesday. I’ll keep you posted on the results afterward regarding the findings and any recommendations provided by the veterinarian.

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Lloyd | 1 year ago
Middle Stage Of Urinary Blockage Of 7 Year Old Neutered Male ‘tux’ Cat. I Hasn’t …

middle stage of urinary blockage of 7 year old neutered male ‘tux’ cat.
He hasn’t peed in a day and very little before that, is very needy, but still reasonably active. His abdomen
Doesn’t feel hard but he isn’t well.
My last vet here retired and he’s such a horse I lagged finding another.
The local spay/neuter service has a vet but am not confident, nice folks that they are…
I got a tiny amount of Apple Cider Vinegar down him and have ordered the UTI Drops from amazon which should be here tomorrow but am quite worried.
It’s jut me and him now, we have outlived everybody.
Ideas?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    These cases need to be addressed as a medical emergency. There is no safe advice I can give outside of seeing a vet and going from there

    1. Lloyd Post author

      that is my general plan. this will be our 2nd trip, a month ago he did this and in the hours before we went to the night vet he started peeing again and seemed OK, his bladder isn’t hard, he went a few time in the past few days but not much.
      I think I am to blame for this by giving him people food while feeding him cheap dry food.
      Hopefully we can get in tomorrow night, he’s a handful though and gets very scared/aggressive on the table.

      1. Lloyd Post author

        thank you for your quick and honest reply. I am retired and will end up staining credit for this but he is my best friend.

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Lori | 1 year ago
Hi, I’m Watching A Cat For A Neighbor For About A Month In My Apartment. …

Hi,
I’m watching a cat for a neighbor for about a month in my apartment. The cat throws up food every 6 days or so. It smells horrible, like raw sewage. I’ve had cats of my own before and I don’t recall any of them vomiting and having it smell as bad as this cat’s vomit. She actually eats relatively slowly, so she’s not inhaling her food in 3 seconds. She’s not that big of a cat, I was told to give her 1 can of Fancy Feast per day ( broken up into 3 feedings per day for that 1 can). She eats it all on the spot, no leftovers. I also give her small handful of dry food when I’m at work for 8 hours so she doesn’t get too hungry during that time. And maybe a few more grains of dry food if she begs me. Dry food isn’t her favorite, but she’ll eat it there’s nothing else. Can anyone offer advice about why her vomit smells like raw sewage? It’s so bad it makes me wretch. She’s basically a happy cat, doesn’t seem otherwise sick or displaying any odd behaviors. Thanks so much for any help.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    There are a few things that this might be.. diet,, maybe try a different food, one that is made for cats with sensitive stomachs, intestinal parasites ( this is determined by sending a fecal sample to your vets office for analysis), or a disease of the gi tract… maybe even bad teeth? My point is that this is a case where a veterinarian should be consulted to help rule in or out, some of these.
    Good luck.

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Dimitra | 1 year ago
My Cat Lowered His Right Ear And Shaking His Head And When I Look In His …

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.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    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

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Jessica | 1 year ago
Recently Every Time My 7 Year Old Black Lab Retriever Jumps Into The Car He Holds His …

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

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  1. Laura

    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.