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Pat | 5 years ago
I Need Help Getting My Kitty Off A Feeding Tube Now That His Cancer Surgery And …

I need help getting my kitty off a feeding tube now that his cancer surgery and radiation are complete. The doctor has suggested going from 3 feedings a day to 4 smaller meals, since he has always been a grazer. Prior to surgery he was fed 2 times a day. Each feeding he is offered food by mouth, then supplemented with tube feeding to complete his meal.
He is hungry in the morning, and eats well by mouth, but eats very little by mouth for the other 3 feedings. He is only taking in about 1/4 of his food by mouth daily, the rest being tube fed. I’m looking for suggestions on how to increase his interest in eating by mouth so I can decrease the tube feedings. Thank you.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I have found that with these guys you need a lot of patience. A lot! Some cats will do well with small offerings of all kinds of food and lots of options. I also try an appetite stimulant. Ask your vet about mirtazipine, Valium or even cyproheptadine. I also try things like warmed meat flavored baby food (beef chicken or turkey) and pouches of tuna, salmon or chicken. You have to try lots and lots of options and be super patient. Cats always decide. Also spend time talking to her and petting her around the food. That helps. I wish you the best of luck. Let us know what happens. Or reply back if you need more help.

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Stacey Harris | 5 years ago
I Went To Get An Annual Exam At My Vet. The Blood Work, Sedation For Blood …

I went to get an annual exam at my vet. The blood work, sedation for blood draw and exam was 250.00. Does that sound exorbitant? I have two senior cats, no health problems/history. Both are 10 yrs. and very healthy. But 500.00 for an annual exam for the two of them seems high. Just curious; wont be able to get both annual exams at this rate. ,,????

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    We added a storylines section to Pawbly. If you upload ir list each charge I can give you an idea of what we charge and what the national average is. It’s hard for me to assess this without breaking down the charges.

    1. Stacey Harris Post author

      Thank you Krista. Ive included a photocooy of the receipt. Wow, spent a long nite watching my baby not have function in her back legs. It took over 6 hours for her to be able to walk again. Disturbing to say the least. After 18 hours she’s slowly coming back to neurological normal.. Seems like a powerful sedation just for a blood draw.

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Juilan | 5 years ago
We Have Two Italian Greyhounds. The Older, A 16-year-old Neutered Female, Is Nearly Blind From Cataracts (…

We have two Italian Greyhounds. The older, a 16-year-old neutered female, is nearly blind from cataracts (can only see shadows) and almost completely deaf (responds to loud noises with one ear). She is otherwise healthy having recently had some teeth removed with the vet commenting on the great shape she is otherwise in. She has always slept in the bed with us at night, however, with her lack of eyesight, she cannot judge the edge of the bed and has fallen off so we stopped that practice. She now sleeps on the ground floor of the house in her own bed on the floor. In fact, she spends 24 hours a day in that bed except to eat and when she goes out.
The problem is that at night she will awaken every two hours and begin to bark making it necessary for me to come down to her. I usually will take her out, but often she will just stand there barking until I bring her back in, so I do not think it is a bathroom issue. I think she realizes she is alone and that is what causes the barking. We have tried leaving lights on all night, or the TV, we even got her a heartbeat pillow, but still she will get up and bark every two hours at night. During the day, she will sleep all day without the barking.
The only thing I have found is if I sleep on the couch in the same room she will not get up. What I do not understand is that she cannot see or hear me sleeping in the room yet my being in the room seems to prevent her from waking.
If someone can explain to me how she knows if I am or am not in the room when she cannot see or hear me? It is uncanny. If I am sleeping silently in the room she is fine, but as soon as I leave the room, she is awake and barking within two hours. Better still can someone tell me how to deal with this issue. She is afraid to walk on a lead any more so ‘taking her for a walk before bed’ is not an option. We have tried several different feeding schedules (I make all their food) with no success. Now she is fed in the morning and in the evening. She is not on any medication. It is truly bewildering. Any help would be appreciated.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    You have a greyhound. Emphasis on “hound”. She can lose her hearing and sight completely but that nose of hers is a secret weapon. I would guess she knows you are there by all of her sense most importantly her nose. I would either move downstairs or use a gated play pen upstairs for her. It’s safe. She’s with you and it might be a solution. Keep us posted. Also look into cognitive dysfunction in older dogs. There are lots of tips and helpful supplements that might help. Good luck. Keep us posted.

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Mackenzie | 5 years ago
My Puppy Is Breathing Fast And Sometimes Panting. He Feels Warm But I’m Not Sure …

My puppy is breathing fast and sometimes panting. he feels warm but i’m not sure if that is normal or what to even look for.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello. If this is a puppy call your vet immediately. We always err on the side of caution with the very young and the very old. Don’t wait.

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Jordan | 5 years ago
I Have An 8 Year Old Dalmatian That Out Of The Blue Started Crying Out In Pain …

I have an 8 year old Dalmatian that out of the blue started crying out in pain when lying down or getting up as well as being unable to shake his head to itch ears. Emergency vet has suspected IVDD as likely problem. He is not dragging, going to the bathroom fine and seems energetic but cautious because of pain. I just watched a video by Krista Magnifico on IVDD recovery without surgery should I be crating him as much as possible for time being? The doctor sent him home with anti-inflammatory, steroid and pain meds.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    My advice for these patients is to treat them like an IVDD dog even if I am not sure what the cause is? I start with strict cage rest for 3-5 days (as long as nothing else is worsening and they are eating and drinking normally. If they worsen at anytime or aren’t better in a few days I have them come back for a recheck. If I am still not sure what is going on I refer to a specialist for help. Best of luck.

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Juli | 5 years ago
I Think My Cat Got Into The Trash And Eat Some Of The Casing Off A …

I think my cat got into the trash and eat some of the casing off a large summer sausage (from redners grocery store) earlier this evening! She is acting very normal, but I am concerned about the strips of casing getting lodged inside her bowels or else! This cat is my world, so I am freaking ou! Any advice, any other cats do this? I dunno what the material was made from.

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  1. Laura

    So, the casing on sausages is usually “natural” – meaning it’s made of intestine. It’s meant to be digested. I would monitor, but I don’t think I’d overly stress. Dr. Magnifico might have another opinion, and if she chimes in I’d listen to her more than I’d listen to me. Just relaying how I’d react in this situation.

    I WOULD plan to alter the trash situation, if your cat can dig around in it. Don’t want kitty getting something really dangerous, like cooked chicken bones!

  2. Krista Magnifico

    I agree with laura. Monitor your cat closely and call the vet at the first sign of concern. I would also recommend that you call them anyway and just ask them what they think. It might be helpful if something does come up to have spoken with them before hand. That way they can hopefully see you ASAP.

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Amelie | 5 years ago
Hi Everyone, Great Website. My 10 Year Old Sweet Darling Cat, Has A Cyst Next To Her …

Hi everyone, great website. My 10 year old sweet darling cat, has a cyst next to her eye, I was told by the vet it’s a cyst and to keep an ‘eye’ on it to see if it got bigger. Which it has.. they are saying to have it removed.. I was wondering if there’s anything I can do at home to help the cyst or does she have to have an operation? Many thanks, help really appreciated.

3 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    In my long tenure as a vet I have found that the best way to eradicate a cyst is to surgically remove it. No matter what you try they always return if you don’t fill excise them. Depending on where they are some can wait a little while, but, if it is near the eye it’s probably better to remove it sooner while it is small, versus waiting for it to get bigger. Hope this helps. Good luck.

    1. Amelie Post author

      Thank you Krista I will take her back to the vet then as it has grown.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello. Yes. It looks like a cyst. And it is in a tough spot. I would remove it ASAP. There isn’t much room to work with as it is never mind if it gets larger. Please send a post op photo and please add the surgery and invoice to our storyline section. That way others can benefit from your experience.

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Harsh | 5 years ago
Is It Normal For A Puppy To Limp After Getting A Dose Of Calcium Injected In …

Is it Normal for a puppy to limp after getting a dose of calcium injected in it’s leg?
Today was his vet’s appointment for a dose of calcium injection.
He’s a 3 months old Alsatian German Shepherd.
Unfortunately , I was picking up his litter to throw it and meanwhile he chewed a stone and gave a loud cry. I immediately came to him and stroked his fur,n Soon , his mouth was dripping so much blood! I immediately took him to the vet , who treated his wounds. Now he’s completely fine.
But after 3 hours of the dose , he started to limp (in the leg in which the dose was injected).
I asked a friend , who has taken care of many dogs! He said it’s completely normal as the dose of calcium is a bit strong and that he’ll be fine when he wakes up in the morning.
But I wanted to double check.
Please answers asap.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Please call the vet who gave the injection. And if he is not acting normally or continues to lip past 12-24 hours go back to the vet to have him seen. I hope he is ok.

    1. Harsh Post author

      Thank you for responding. I did contact the vet. He’s totally fine now and as energetic as always. ❤️

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Tony | 5 years ago
Https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RCRwkQXd3Qs Hi, Please If There’s Someone Who Knows …

Hi, Please if there’s someone who knows a vet like this near York, PA who won’t charge an arm and a leg to remove a polyp from our cat’s throat! we have to pay $2,000 and wait forever just for an appointment! Please! She almost died a few times because she can’t breathe. Her name is Destiny and she’s a sweet and loving cat. Our vet misdiagnosed this as asthma. Tonight she’s having another hard time breathing. We can’t afford to keep taking her to the Emergency vet they charge a fortune and don’t help. Please let me know ASAP. My email is tshelleman@juno.com. Thanks in advance!

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning
    I am so sorry you are going through this. What does your regular vet say? Are they willing to do the surgery? If so, I would start there- and work out a payment option ahead of time. If they are not able to do the surgery, I would ask my vet for help and begin calling around to other vet practices. Hopefully your vet can work with the one you find and share their diagnosis so that the vet performing surgery will be fully aware of your cat’s situation and can schedule right away. Very best of luck ????????

  2. Tony Post author

    Our regular vet said that she has asthma. I had said that I believe that it’s an obstruction, but the vet at the time insisted that it was asthma and showed me X-rays and was to the point of being rude and arrogant about it. This was when she was about a year old. She had the snoring sound that is talked about in the video and got to the point where she could barely breathe. So we gave her the asthma treatment for a while and she seemed fine, but she still always made a noise when she breathed. Almost a year ago, she had another episode. She stopped eating and started to have trouble breathing again. We took her to the Emergency vet and they said she didn’t respond to any asthma treatments and they thought it was an obstruction. I did some research and figured that it was a polyp. Our vet (different doctor than original diagnosis) referred us to specialists and said they couldn’t do it themselves, but the specialists would charge about $2000 and we would have to wait at least a month, get an appointment and pay for her to be examined, then wait again for the surgery. The vet also tested her for feline leukemia and said she had it and that her white blood cells were very low, so we thought she wouldn’t even live for long. But we gave her fluids and electrolytes extravenously and she survived and started to eat again and gain weight. We were waiting to see how she would do if it was worth the money to have the surgery. She had been fine for about 8 months, but yesterday, she started to have trouble breathing again. I found the video and saw that maybe Krista can do it for under $200 that would be much better for me.

  3. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    The veterinarian in this post works at jarrettsville vet in harford county maryland. You can call the clinic and make an appointment to be seen. Iot you can call lititz vet in lititz pa and ask to be seen there. Both are excellent vet practices who will help and work and are not expensive or unwilling to work based on a budget.

    1. Tony Post author

      So, is this the “Dr. Krista Magnifico” from the YouTube channel? I called the Lititz vet and they want $165 for an exam and ~$2500 for the surgery. I wouldn’t call that reasonable after watching the above video since it only takes about 10 – 15 minutes to do. I called your clinic and they said to send you an email, but you haven’t responded yet. I’m not going to pay almost $3000 for this surgery, so I need to know if you can and will do it or not. Destiny has had trouble breathing for the last 2 days and might die by the time I get an appointment with Lititz or any other clinic.

  4. Tony Post author

    Yes, I found out where her clinic is at after I initially posted. I called the Lititz clinic and they want $165 for the consult and ~$2500 for the surgery, which is on par with every other specialist in the area. I saw on the video that “Krista Magnifico” (looks a lot like a poster’s name) did it for $130. Even if it’s $500, that would still be a steal. I would be very hesitant to spend ~$2665 on a pet, but I would be willing to spend under $500.

  5. William

    I have the same problems and questions! Is there a veterinarian school that does this for less? I’d attempt surgery myself before paying $2500+ ???? In all seriousness that is absolute robbery after watching the video and how simple/fast it is. Like you said, even $500 would be reasonable.

    1. Tony Post author

      William, if I find out anything, I’ll post here. The vet in the YouTube video is in Jarrettsville, MD which is less than an hour from York, PA where I live. I called them, but they can’t give me any information on the availability of this mysterious “Krista Magnifico” so what’s the point in posting videos like that if you can’t even find out if she can do the surgery?!? Meanwhile, my cat is having an episode of hard breathing that she could die from while this miracle vet can’t be reached!! Hello, are you out there Dr. Krista?

      1. William

        Wow, that’s crazy! So this lady on here isn’t her? I’m so confused by the whole video and how she replied to your comment. I wish your furbaby the best! Good luck! I can’t even get quotes around my area, I get phone replies like “We would have to see her first and we are 3 weeks out on appointments” and “We aren’t taking new patients because of Covid-19”. Then I saw this video and it gave me hope! ????

        1. Tony Post author

          William, I found out that it is her. She has had a family emergency and I feel horrible for pestering on this site, but my cat is having a lot of problems breathing and hasn’t been eating for a few days and I don’t want her to die. BTW, where do you live?

          1. William

            Tony, that’s awesome! I’m from Pittsburgh so it’s a lengthy drive for me but luckily my kitten isn’t in dire need of surgery (at least not yet) But I’m So glad you were able to talk to her and I really hope everything works out for you.

  6. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I expect to be in the clinic on Monday 5/18. I can call you to arrange an examination. If you would like to do that please call the clinic and ask to leave me a message. As soon as I return to work I will call. Tell them you spoke to me via Pawbly. Krista

    1. Tony Post author

      Thank you so much! I’m so sorry, I didn’t know that you were in the middle of a family emergency. I hope and pray that everything is well. I appreciate you doing this for me.

    2. Tony Post author

      The appointment is set for 10AM on 5/18. Do you have any ballpark figure on the cost?

        1. Tony Post author

          Thanks for asking, William. Destiny passed away on Saturday morning at 1:06AM, so she never made it to the appointment. She had been having trouble breathing for a few days. She almost died on Friday morning from not being able to breathe. She was starting to go limp and out of desparation, I slid my pinky down her throat to try to clear her airway. I also have an oxygen concentrator for her and I used the hose for a breathing tube and she was able to breathe again. I took off work that day to keep monitoring her. Her breathing would be better almost to the point of being normal (still with the snoring sound), then she would have trouble again after a while. Occasionally, she would not be able to breathe for about 20 seconds and she would be able to clear her airway and breathe again. This continued until Saturday morning when she couldn’t breathe for almost a minute. She had been in our closet all day and she ran under the bed to try to catch her breath. I pulled her out from under the bed and tried the same thing, but she was not able to breathe on her own. She was coughing up mucous. I don’t know if her lungs had filled up from the polyp. It was so horrible to see her struggle for breath. She was the sweetest cat anybody could ever have. She was so full of life and personality and love and it’s so hard not hearing and seeing her around the house now. She was 6 years old and she had the polyp since she was 1. Our vet at the time told us that it was asthma. That vet is gone from the clinic now and fortunately because I would give her a piece of my mind if I saw her. Maybe she had asthma as well, but from a little bit of research, it should’ve been easy to see she had a polyp. If I would have known that earlier, maybe I could’ve taken her to a specialist while her breathing was better. I’m sorry that I couldn’t give you better news. I hope you find someone in your area like Dr. Krista.

          1. Krista Magnifico

            I’m sorry about your kitty. My mother passed away last week. I was not at work for the last few weeks so I could be with her. My deepest sympathies for your loss. For everyone’s knowledge I need to clarify a few things. One any vet at jvc could have seen this patient. Even with an exam these patients often need advanced diagnostics and we are not an ER faculty therefore scheduling and providing immediate emergency care can be difficult. We t dry to help everyone and every case. And we always try to be affordable. The emergency cases are not always feasible for this. Sending hugs to all. Krista. .

          2. Tony Post author

            Thanks for the response, Krista. I’m so sorry to hear about your mother. That has to be very tough with all you do. I’ve been busy so I haven’t had a chance to reply, but I wanted to thank you for at least trying to help out. We buried Destiny a few days after she died, but it’s still so hard to believe that she’s gone. She was only about 6 years old, but she had been through so much. We thought she was a goner on several occasions, but she always pulled through and cam back strong. She was such a sweet. loving cat and I still sometimes think I hear her. She made that breathing sound and you could even hear her if she was outside close to a window sometimes. The last time we took her to the Emergency Clinic on S. Queen St. in York, they gave us the information for specialists in Lancaster and Towson (maybe your clinic could get added to their list). Both of those were cost-prohibitive and we wanted to make sure she was going to live long enough for the month plus that it took to get an appointment and also save the money. This was in August and she hadn’t eaten for over a week. Our vet had also said her white blood cell count was almost non-existent from feline leukemia. We fed her subcutaneously and also gave her solid food with a syringe. She eventually started eating again and gained weight back. We were so happy that she was healthy. She was back to her regular lovable playful self. Whenever she wanted something, she would always come up to one of us and meow. Then we would pet her and say “show me”, then she’d walk to the food dishes or her play area or to the cat door. She could go in and out or eat herself, but sometimes she just wanted some love beforehand. She had been through so much in her short life, but she was an inspiration.

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Mackenzie | 5 years ago
Hi, Madonna Vet Suggested I Post On Here To Get Some Advice. I Have 3 Cats, One …

Hi,
Madonna vet suggested I post on here to get some advice. I have 3 cats, one is around 7 1/2 and the other two are around 4 1/2. Last week I noticed one of them had pooped out side of the litter box and there were drops around it that had bright red bloody mucous around it. I tried looking it up and found that this can happen sometimes and not to be too concerned as long as the stool was formed. So I kept an eye out when cleaning and scooping the litter box to see if it happened again and who it was. I hadn’t noticed any more blood until today, I found some in my bathroom (picture attached). One of them is over weight and likes to eat random things sometimes, but none of then are acting any different than usual. Without trying to sound super weird i tried to inspect all 3 of them, but i can’t tell who it was so i can take them to the vet (it would be impossible to get all 3 at the same time especially with this whole pandemic going on). I guess I’m just hoping for some advice on what to do and whether or not to be super concerned. All of the vets I’ve called to talk to are booked, and I’m not really sure how to go about it.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    It sounds like the first thing is finding out who is having the issue. The ways we usually do this are as follows:
    1. We separate them in the home and monitor closely. Not always the easiest.
    2. If we are sure it is a urinary issue we talk about adding something to the food to change the color of the cats urine.
    3. We drop them each off at the veterinary clinic to watch them there.
    After we know who and where the problem is we start working on a treatment plan. In some cases it can be blood from the colon from intestinal parasites (as an example), or, blood from a urinary issue, like cystitis or infection or stones are all possibilities.

    I hope this helps.

    Let me know if you have questions. And just so you know we are all happy to help you even during covid.
    Thanks for the questions. . .