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Jen | 5 months ago
I Have A 6 Year Old, Female Doberman Mix (we Rescued Her And Not Sure Her Exact …

I have a 6 year old, female Doberman mix (we rescued her and not sure her exact breed-she is smaller than most Doberman-she is around 44 lbs. About a month ago, she started having accidents in the house, constant urination, and dribbling stream when she actually pees. I thought she probably had a UTI and took her to the vet. They assumed as well she probably had a UTI and gave me a prescription. After ten days on prescription, no change. I went back to vet and told her there had been no change. They started her on Proin. She has been taking this for about 2.5 weeks and there has been no change. When I take her out , she pees about 4 times in a dribble.

They have done blood tests, urinalysis, and x ray. Even after using bathroom twice, her bladder still had urine in it. They are going to send it to a specialist, but we are already about $800 in and no answers. I feel so bad for my girl, because she is embarrassed when she has an accident inside. Any help would be great!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I think that there are really only two good options. See if you can find another general practitioner to review your pup with an examination and a review of what you have done already or take the referral for the best chance at getting your diagnosis.
    In some cases your original vet can call for a consultation with the veterinarians who provide the diagnostics. You can ask about this. It is free and often gives them access to a specialist without the cost.

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Pam | 5 months ago
I Could Really Use Some Advice About My 7 Year Old Cat, Squeak. I Posted A Comment …

I could really use some advice about my 7 year old cat, Squeak. I posted a comment on Dr. Magnifico’s YouTube video about a cat named Bear that had ear polyp surgery but thought I’d post here, too. I am an emotional wreck right now because yesterday morning I got some very bad news regarding Squeak’s cytology results from a FNA that was done at a specialty hospital. Sadly, my poor boy was diagnosed with malignant melanoma for the 3rd time in two years! I’m heartbroken… The trouble started at the end of December 2022 when I noticed a small lump on his right pinna. My primary vet did a lumpectomy and sent it off to be evaluated. Came back malignant melanoma. Excision was complete with clean but narrow margins. All was well until September 2023 when I found another lump at the base of the same ear. My vet advised me to go for a consultation with an oncologist and it was recommended that Squeak get a TECA-BO done. I was told that this procedure can be “curative” in some cases. The cost was astronomical but I wanted to do the best for my cat. He means the world to me! I began calling specialty vet hospitals to schedule the surgery as soon as possible but none near me were able to fit Squeak in. I finally found one in Pennsylvania and made an appointment for a surgical consultation. The surgery was done on September 25. My boy was a real trooper and recovered well. He did lose the blink reflex in his right eye but it resolved in about 2 weeks with me putting moisturizing drops in his eye daily. I was thrilled with Squeak’s progress and I thought we might have won the fight even though there was no guarantee that he’d be out of the woods now. I had to take money out of my retirement savings to pay for this surgery (it was actually more than $10,000!!) but it was worth it to save my cat’s life. Recently, I noticed that Squeak had been shaking his head and scratching where his incision was. I had an appointment scheduled with my regular vet for a checkup and to get some chest x-rays to make sure all was well. While there, I mentioned about the scratching and head shaking and asked if maybe it was scar tissue causing the reaction. My vet wasn’t concerned and just said “Maybe he feels something.” X-rays were clear and showed nothing concerning. I was told to come back for a recheck in 6 months. However, the symptoms gradually became more frequent and I brought Squeak back to the vet. This time, thinking it might be an infection of some kind, he prescribed Baytril and prednisolone for a course of 2 weeks. There was no improvement and this was very concerning for both the vet and myself. He said that it would be beneficial to get a CT scan to find out what we were dealing with. I was beginning to panic because I had a feeling where all this was leading. I took Squeak to the same hospital where he had his oncology consult. He was examined by a veterinary surgeon first and she did a FNA . Unfortunately, the CT scan could not be done because their machine went down. I got the cytology report yesterday morning. The pathologist’s interpretation was “Lymphocytic proliferation and many atypical multinucleated cells; suspicious for lymph node with metastatic amelanotic melanoma.” The vet that did the FNA said she would consult with an oncologist and get back to me with options for “treatment”. Surgery, radiation and/or chemo was mentioned . Meanwhile, I have been scouring the internet for any information I can get to help me make the right decision about what to do next. I have also posted on numerous cat health forums but only got one response from a vet in Virginia. He said that radiation would be recommended if there was a concern about margins but chemo would not be a good choice for this kind of cancer. He wanted me to keep him posted so I told him about the cytology results. I have not heard back from him yet. Can I please ask for your opinion about all this? I posted this in hopes that Dr. Magnifico would see it because she has done a similar type of surgery for a cat. Can anyone give me some guidance about how I should proceed? I will be discussing this on Monday with my regular vet after he reviews the report that was sent to him. I know I should just calm down but I’m basically a mess! Any information about a way to extend Squeak’s life and keep him comfortable would be SO much appreciated. Thank you!

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    I apologize for the delay. This case is likely too complicated and difficult to provide much assistance via text.

    In all of these cases I think it is best to contact as many local rescues and pet care providers as possible. This might mean reaching out to your local shelter and veterinary college. You can also start a go fund me page. Post on all social media accounts and personal accounts. Start with general practice vet who the rescues recommend. Give them a realistic budget for you. Ask about payment plans and payment plan companies like care credit or vetbilling.com. There are places to help. Keep trying and keep asking.

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jasmine | 5 months ago
What Are The Best Calming Treats To Give My Dog? He Appears To Get Very Upset …

What are the best calming treats to give my dog? He appears to get very upset when in the crate.

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  1. Laura

    This is a training issue, not a medication issue. Look into Susan Garrett’s Crate Games. You need to train him to be okay with being in the crate, and her method is a great way to start.

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Amber | 5 months ago
My Son’s Dog Need Surgery. A Very Expensive Surgery. I Have Been Trying To Find …

My son’s dog need surgery. A very expensive surgery. I have been trying to find a place that will help with this with no luck. If my son’s dog doesn’t get the surgery he will need to put him down. There is something wrong with his jaw and now having a hard time eating. Someone plz help me save my son’s dog.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry to hear about your dog. You would have to give a better description of what kind of surgery is needed for us to offer any kind of assistance or advice.

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Kristen | 5 months ago
Dog Had Abscessed Gland That Busted. I Cleaned It Up And Got All Brown Stinky Liquid …

Dog had abscessed gland that busted. I cleaned it up and got all brown stinky liquid clean out of it. Will she need an antibiotic?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Sorry for the delay. Yes. I always put these patients on an oral antibiotic and a medicated solution as a compress to keep the area clean.

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James | 6 months ago
My Dog Is Predisposed To Have Reactions To Ingredients In Every Heartworm Medication. I Have Received …

My dog is predisposed to have reactions to ingredients in every heartworm medication. I have received no definitive answer from my vet as to what to do except to basically play Russian Roulette which I’m not really willing to do. I would like to know if you have any advice on how to herbally treat heartworm without using conventional treatment. He is a husky, German Shepherd, wolf mix he has been DNA tested and he is 20 months old. Any information that you could provide would be helpful. My name is James Dalton and if you need to contact me my number is 864-906-4305. Thank you

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Ramin | 6 months ago
Need Second Opinion. Our Cat Shows All Of The Signs Of A Nasopharyngeal Polyp.

Hi Dr. Magnifico,

Our adopted cat (former stray cat, now 100% indoor) has always shown all of the signs of a nasopharyngeal polyp (about 4 years now). I didn’t know what it was until I saw videos of cats with similar breathing noises and eventually saw your YouTube polypectomy videos.

Three short videos of his breathing sounds (turn up your volume) follow:



Called our vet for a surgeon referral, but they’ll only refer for a CT scan ($2000) before they’ll refer to a surgeon. Surgeon’s websites all indicate that they will only accept appointments by referral from a general Vet, so I can’t just make an appointment for examination by a surgeon (which I’m happy to pay for).

Bottom line, looking for a second-opinion / consult (happy to pay!) on whether it’s really necessary to do a $2000 CT scan *before* being referred to a surgeon for (a probably $2000) surgery. I’d rather just have a surgeon put the cat under anesthesia, go in, look for the polyp, and remove it if they see one. Happy to pay $2000 for just that surgery, even if it turns out there’s no polyp.

Thank you in advance for any response.

3 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I am sorry to hear about your dilemma. You are not alone. I know that a lot of people are in the same position that you are.
    I am not sure how vetmed got to this place. I am not sure why so few veterinarians are willing to go and look for a polyp that if it continues to grow will kill, by suffocation, its host.
    The idea that every single one of these cats needs a CT is incorrect. What every single one of these cats is is to breathe. Some of these cats will have polyps in places that we may not be able to get our hands on,, these cases may need a special scope to access. For this reason the price of care may increase.,, but for all of the cats I have seen I think I have given them a second chance at breathing, and a second chance at life.
    Call every vet in your area. Try every single veterinary practice that is single doctor (therefore privately owned) and every practice that has some old guy (or girl) working there. I promise that every veterinarian over 50 knows how to, and already has experience with this. They can help.

    If you cannot find anyone please come find me.
    I will do my best to help.

    Dr Magnifico

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Ty | 6 months ago
My Indoor/outdoor Cat Has Jaundice After Being Gone For Two Days. He Came Back With …

My indoor/outdoor cat has jaundice after being gone for two days. He came back with fleas and looked as if he lost weight. He also is already diagnosed with ulcerative colitis so I’m not completely sure what could be causing his jaundice. I can’t afford to take him to the vet at the moment and I’m not sure how long he can be left untreated. I’ve been feeding him foods high in protein, vitamin b, and omega 3s; tilapia, eggs, milk thistle. Although he’s been eating and drinking regularly, he’s lost a decent amount of weight over just a few days and I’m not sure what to do. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated

3 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello
    I’m sorry to hear about your kitty. In my experience jaundice is an indication that something serious is going on. This is not a sign of a condition that permits monitoring at home as an option. These cases can be anemia, infection, organ disease like liver disease and these cats need emergency medical attention immediately. I just can’t safely give you any advice without knowing more. In almost all cases I give these guys iv fluids and antibiotics and in some cases I place a feeding tube. At minimum you probably need fluids and force feeding but even this might cause other problems. Please call and ask for help from a veterinary professional. Ask about payment plans and seek help at a rescue or shelter. Good luck. I hope your cat is ok

    1. Ty Post author

      Unfortunately the vets in my area aren’t taking new clients. Still waiting for a call back from the two vet clinics I’m established at but nothing as of yet. I can’t afford emergency care pricing and I’m running out of options. He’s a fighter and I believe he can overcome this with proper treatment, I’m just worried about what I could be doing to help him until then.

      1. Krista Magnifico

        hello,
        keep calling,,, keep asking for help. Tell the vets that you are willing to come in if they have a cancellation,, my point is that I do not take no for answer when the degree of need is this high. Every vet at my practice fits people in everyday. There is almost NEVER a day that we turn away anyone especially someone who is an established client. Call the shelters and rescues. Put out a plea on social media. My experience has been that these people who do this always find help.
        Ask about SQ fluids, a steroid and an antibiotic. Deny diagnostics if you cannot afford them. But get your cat help ASAP.

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Sandee | 6 months ago
Can You Use Neosporin On A Cut On My Dog Assuming It’s A Place They …

Can you use neosporin on a cut on my dog assuming it’s a place they can’t reach to lick?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    While it isn’t unsafe to use a triple antibiotic ointment topically on a dog it is almost always not effective enough on its own to make much of a difference. If you have a wound or cut or laceration showing any signs of infection you need an oral antibiotic. I believe that almost all bite wounds get infected and an ointment isn’t adequate. Please see your vet if you are worried about infection or your pet has any signs of infection.

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Valerie | 6 months ago
Hello! I Have Two Cats That Seem To Have Ear Polyps. I Am Trying To Find …

Hello! I have two cats that seem to have ear polyps. I am trying to find out how much this can range to remove them.

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