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Sharon Kim | 5 years ago
My Male Cat Is 2 Yrs Old And He Has A Small History Of Urinary Issues. He …

My male cat is 2 yrs old and he has a small history of urinary issues. He went in for not being able to pass urine in May 2019. Vet #1 suggested prescription wet food(hills c/d multicare) and perineal urethrostomy. While he was hospitalized with a catheter and IV fluid therapy I did my research and the surgery seemed risky and I wanted a second opinion. After my boy was discharged I went to vet #2. Vet #2 reviewed urinalysis and bloodwork and didn’t see reason for surgery at the moment as cat was passing urine okay. Vet #2 said to continue with the food and gave dasuquin supplements.
Fast forward to present day April 2020 almost 1 year later he’s still on the c/d wet food, hasn’t had any blockages since. I want to change his diet to Open Farm which is a higher quality food and I am a bit nervous. Should I get another urinalysis or bloodwork done before making the transition? Is it necessary to make an appointment and ask my vet? The c/d is ranked below average for nutrition and ingredients from what I have read and I don’t want to be paying for food that’s not the best but it has a high price tag! I currently feed him 1 can/day and add salmon oil.

3 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning????What does your vet say about the food change? Is this food a recommendation from them? If your cat is doing well with their current diet, I personally would stay, unless of course the vet feels change is necessary. Just coming from the mindset that it is working so I wouldn’t mess with anything. I know that lately there are a lot of pet food brands vying for our attention- some of them are valid, but a lot of designer pet foods are just flash. The fda does have a list of information on pet food and regulations as well as a listing of pet foods that consumers might want to be wary of (ones that have been linked to cancers, heart disease, etc.) that might interest you. Very best of luck to you both ????????

  2. Laura

    I’d LOVE to be able to switch my cat back to his normal food, but the veterinary diet he’s on is keeping him as healthy as possible. I pay more to keep him healthier.

    Yes, you need to ask your vet about this. Don’t change foods without their involvement.

  3. Krista Magnifico

    I agree with Sarah and laura. You are sooo lucky that your cat has done so well and soo tempting fate and a 2500 PU surgery if you change food. Stick with what works. I have seen this happen too many times to ever recommend changing diets.

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Kristen | 5 years ago
Hi! My Pup Was Spayed Last Monday. They Kept Her Overnight And The Next Day Until 3…

Hi! My pup was spayed last Monday. They kept her overnight and the next day until 3pm. They called asking if we wanted to bring sedatives home because she was going crazy there in her crate and dashing everywhere. I said sure and brought them home. They didn’t use sedatives there… she was fine when she came home. She wasn’t too active just random bursts of energy. I tried the sedative one night and it just made her even worse and irritated and couldn’t settle down. From then I’ve been crating her a lot. Anyways Wednesday I noticed a swelling puffy bump on the left side of her incision. Hasn’t gone down yet. Took her to the vet on Friday and she said probably being too active caused it. Which I don’t think she’s been too crazy at home. Idk what happened the day after surgery at the vet but I don’t know. If it’s a seroma, what do you do for that? I’m not sure what to do. She doesn’t lick or bite at that area. And everything else looks good.

2 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning-
    Since surgery was so recent, and you’ve had your vet look at it and they seem to not be too concerned, I would just keep an eye on it. Make sure it doesn’t become painful or warm to the touch, and keep tabs on her activity level. If anything changes, please call the vet and get her in to see them. I’m assuming you have another follow up scheduled soon- any concerns that you might still have, you can address then. But again- if you notice any changes in temperature, behavior or the incision please call your vet and get her in.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    I agree with Sarah. This needs to be seen by the vet who did the surgery. Hopefully it is something simple and normal. But. Just in case, and because we always need to err on the side of caution call your vet to check. Hope things are all ok. Thank you for spaying her!

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Debby | 5 years ago
Asking For Any Perspective For A Friend Who Hasn’t Been Able To Set Up An …

Asking for any perspective for a friend who hasn’t been able to set up an account. Young ridgeback has this on inside of lip. She says she can feel it on inside and outside. It’s granular.

At first she thought was just change in pigment. Has been there a few months. Doesn’t know if it has grown. She is very tight on funds. Any feedback?

2 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Please have your friend send me their email address and I will see if we can help figure out the log in details. Next there are quite a few things this can be. I’ve seen it be papillomas, histiocytomas, allergies, and dental disease. I’m sorry but it is always impossible to diagnose via a photo. I would say it’s best to start saving some money to get a vet appointment or call all the local rescues and shelters to see if they know of any local free clinics. We have a few around where I live. They help people with limited funds. Also I would watch the lesion and keep photos of its progression. It helps with identifying and diagnosing. I hope this helps. Good luck.

    1. Debby Post author

      Thank you. I believe she emailed about the issue but I will ask. Which email should she use

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Marygrace | 5 years ago
I Am In Obx And I Have Been Looking For Help With My Dog . I Have …

I am in obx and I have been looking for help with my dog . I have saw your blog and your videos on you tube and wanted to reach out to you. My dog might have disc disease . She is in a hospital on another island down here . Actually it is my grandsons dog, he lives with me alone and this has been his best friend for 4 years . He is 11 and we adopted her . She woke up Monday and her back legs were shaky and then we took her to hospital and she has been there ever since . They have treated her with meds incase it was a bacteria or tick disease but she still can’t use her back legs. She still can’t stand . She is still in vets resting and getting great care. We don’t have much money so we can’t get her an mri but I grew up near jarretsville(went to John Carroll high) and when I saw your blog and video I thought maybe you could give us some advice. Can we email you? My email is Marygrace58@aol.com . I thank you so much! The vet here is so awesome and still gives us hope! but they are saying I might want to consider putting her down. Which I understand but I saw your videos and thought I might reach out. My grandson wants to bring her home but she can’t walk and use bathroom. Was hoping you could give us some help or advice. I just called up to your office because I was hoping to talk to you. The lady that answered the phone said this was the best way to contact you. My phone is 804 814 5068. I do not want to put the dog down. I would like to try and would like some ideas from you. Thank you for your time. Marygrace and AJ

8 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I am happy to help you here. I have a lot of information on my blog KMDVM.blogspot.com and my YouTube channel. If you go to them there is a lot (I hope all that you could need) there.

    I have to say that I rarely advise giving up on these cases until a few weeks has gone by and they are not making any progress. It usually takes these patients a few days (at least 5-7) to get to a stable place where assessment can even begun to be made. In that time it is very important to keep them eating, cage rested and clean. In some cases I water down the food to make it easier to pass and less painful for posturing to defecate.
    These patients need time, dedication and a devoted family and vet to help get through the first few (often hard and painful) days. Please see these blogs for help;
    https://kmdvm.blogspot.com/2016/05/ivdd-dr-kelcourses-advice.html
    https://kmdvm.blogspot.com/2016/08/ivdd-days-immediately-following.html
    https://kmdvm.blogspot.com/2017/01/hank-cervical-disc-disease-management.html

    and my youtube channel here; krista magnifico and search IVDD
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq7z_qtov_Al1dEEfjZt8iQ/search?view_as=subscriber&query=ivdd

    i hope this helps.. if you can get your pup to me in Jarrettsville I am happy to help,, it is very difficult to help someone without seeing the patient.

    i hope this helps, i wish you both the best, safe safe and be well

  2. Marygrace Post author

    Thank you for responding . Lucy’s vet says she cannot feel much in her back legs. but when they do the test on her and pinch her legs or paws she moves a bit. She also had rectal feeling. but they say she is not in any pain. SHE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO SYMPTONS BEFORE I FOUND HER. SHE WAS RUNNING AROUND LIKE NORMAL AND SHE WOKE UP LIKE THIS . She has never cried out in pain, even when I first found her and she could walk much on back legs. Even when we visit her she does not cry out in pain. She just wines cause she wants us to tak her home. but now she seems content at vets and they are so good to her.
    She can use her front legs but not her back legs. We want to
    bring her home but don’t know how we would get her to go to bathroom. She is alert and eating and drinking. She looks very normal
    except she can’t move her back legs. Her paws are turned back under she does not lay them flat so I can’t stand her up. She has been in the vets since this past monday. she is still on antiobotics and steroids. they are keeping her there still. Because I can’t take
    her to bathroom. they think i should consider putting her down if she doesn’t change. I can not afford much since I am unemployed from virus and raising a grandson alone. My grandson does not want to put her down.

    I know it is hard for you to help me without seeing her but any suggestions would be great. I was also thinking if I knew someone that could help me with her to recover we could bring her there. If you have any suggestions please let me know.

    Lucy is a lab/border collie, 4 years old, 55 lbs and in great shape . she loves running after squirels and is very very active here in
    OBX.

    Thank you

    Marygrace and AJ

  3. Marygrace Post author

    We would like to bring Lucy home and see what we can do . I am wondering if you knew anyone that can help me? Work with her if I brought her to them?

    1. Marygrace Post author

      I received an email saying someone responded for my help questions? but did not see a new post. If you can
      please respond if you can help us. thank you

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Brittany | 5 years ago
We Rescued Our Almost 2 Year Old Dog In Early January. She Was Spade In November I …

We rescued our almost 2 year old dog in early January. She was spade in November I believe. In late February she was diagnosed with a UTI and has seemed to have issues ever since. She was given medicine for her UTI and as soon as she finished she seemed to have some more dribbling at times, and straining and not a large production of urine. We took her to the vet and they said there was some formation of crystals, her PH was high, and they recommended notto do a certain kind of testing (I can’t remember what) because she just came off antibiotics and said it wouldn’t yield true results. They said we could do a blood test and X-ray, but I wasn’t sure it was necessary. A few days later she had what I believe they called large intestine diarrhea and needed medication for that. She just finished the medication and probiotic for that this week and now she is having some dribbling or puddling issues. I noticed it yesterday, but I thought my son just scared her with his toy. Today, it was after coming in from a walk. She was laying down and peed a small puddle. She has been drinking plenty and goes to the bathroom and produces a normal amount of urine, she doesn’t seem to strain at all. Not sure if I should call the vet and what kind of tests she should get moving forward. It is getting very expensive and I can’t keep spending almost $200 for each vet visit.

3 Responses

Comments

  1. Laura

    I think I’d get a second opinion.

    I’d also wonder if this is spay incontinence with other issues happening.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    It seems like there are a few things going on here and I am not sure if any of them are related. I absolutely think that the urinary issue needs follow up and better assistance from your vet in both the immediate and long run. I think that a urinary diet is a good place to start talking to your vet. Also a urine culture and sensitivity and rechecking the urine sample before and after every antibiotic is given.
    Spay induced incontinence is a possibility but you have to treat and address infection before starting any medication. Also talk to your vet about helping you manage your pup in a budget.

    1. Brittany Post author

      What do you mean about a urinary diet? Can you expand on that a bit?

      I haven’t called the vet yet because i wanted to watch her and she hasn’t had any other accidents or dribbling today.

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Holly | 5 years ago
Hey Everyone! I Was Hoping I Can Get Some Insight On How To Battle For Ringworm …

Hey everyone! I was hoping I can get some insight on how to battle for ringworm in my household? we adopted a cat from the humane society and they were not aware that he had ringworm and it has passed to the 2 humans in the house and the other cats.

I’ve been doing the daily cleaning, washing the sheets, vacuuming, spraying Lysol, wiping surfaces down, etc. I got topical medicine for both humans and cats.. I have lime sulphur on order. I also have deep played my couch covered with plastic and tarp and sheets. Cat towers are outside to be cleaned and stored away until it’s over.

Is there any of suggestions? If I would lock my cat’s in the basement and keep them away from the living quarters could that possibly help keep it contained and help eliminate the issue?

Thanks in advance! I appreciate any opinions!/advice I may get! ????

5 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning- ringworm is usually medicated with an anti fungal treatment from a prescription. I am not sure if anything over the counter is safe for your cats- you should call your vet about that. Meantime, quarantining your cats will help. Be sure to wash your hands after you handle them. It sounds like you are definitely on top of things as far as laundering and cleaning. I would recommend li trolling your furniture and then throwing the tape out- just to help get all the fur the vacuum may miss in case there are spores on it. Best of luck!!!!

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Have you spoken to your vet about this? There are OTC medications that can be tried and oral medications, and like the lyme sulfur topical shampoos. In some cases I shave the cats down (if they are long haired) and make sure they are otherwise healthy. I have seen it happen many times in newly rescued cats. It will run its course and it is a big nuisance I know but it passes. Please call your vet and ask for help.. There is a lot you can do.
    although I am not a VCA hosptial fan this is a good article
    https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/ringworm-in-cats
    now Maddies Fund I love;; this is helpful too
    https://www.maddiesfund.org/kb-ringworm-in-cats.htm

    I guess i would just say to please stay calm, be patient and practice safe handling.. your kitties will be well soon..

    be safe and best of luck!

    If it is any consolation I once had 10 of my clinic cats all get it.. We had to move them to our adjacent house for two months,, but they all got better!

    1. Holly Post author

      Thanks so much for the info! I appreciate it! I have talked to a vet who suggested lime dip and OTC cream. She said I can to oral, but since I caught it at the beginning I may not need it. So I ordered so lime dip, pet collars and going that route. The ringworm spots have almost disappeared with just the topical cream and only 1 more spot has popped up. However, I am still going to treat them all with the lime dip and keep up with the excessive cleaning for a couple more weeks.

      Thanks again, I really do appreciate the info!! 🙂

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Princess Mae | 5 years ago
My Dog’s Stomach Got Hard 4 Days Ago. That Night, She Vomited What She Ate. Since …

My dog’s stomach got hard 4 days ago. That night, she vomited what she ate. Since then she rarely ate. Sometimes we can coax her with a piece of chicken but only rarely. She drinks a lot of water. On the 3rd day, she barely ate. Now she has some discharge on her private parts. It is a cloudy white. She keeps licking it and could not sleep. She keeps pacing too. She would walk in circles.

She always looks tired but likes going for a walk. But when at home, she doesn’t even stand up.

We are not able to go to a vet’s office right now because of financial issues and the lockdown. What can I do?

2 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    I’m sorry, but this really sounds very serious- potential blockage which can be life threatening. I do not know what vet you use, but they may work with you payment -wise and should have some sort of protocol in place regarding corona virus. Please get to a vet asap

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Mariah | 5 years ago
I Think My Dog Has Separation Anxiety. He Gets Very Sad And Freaks Out When He …

I think my dog has separation anxiety. He gets very sad and freaks out when he knows we are leaving and cries nonstop. I was wondering if there was a way to make him more comfortable at home when we will be going to work?

1 Response

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning- anxiety is something that takes time, patience and in my opinion routine. Routine definitely helps. When your dog learns that they can expect “x,y,z” at certain times, and can depend on that routine, it builds trust. There are also other things like leaving a radio on low while you’re gone, walks/exercise to get them good and relaxed before you go, chew toys and toys you can hide a treat like peanut butter in for them to work on while you’re out…. I will also say that making walks a priority part of your daily routine helps a ton. For both of you- it helps with strengthening your bond- in turn helping them trust you more, as well as being physically tired. Training and repetition (even the most basic) is mental work and also helps keep their mind tired. A tired dog is a better behaved dog. There are lots and lots of tricks and tools. Lastly, I would check in with your vet and make sure it is not something that is more serious and needs medical attention. It is definitely something that you can work with and potentially overcome. One of our shepherds had terrible separation anxiety when we first rescued him- chewed EVERYTHING. It took time, but he is well adjusted and one now. Don’t lose hope????

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Jenn | 5 years ago
Our 4 Month Male Lab/husky (a Patient At JVV) He Has Episodes Of “attacking/biting”. Today …

Our 4 month male lab/husky (a patient at JVV)
He has episodes of “attacking/biting”. Today he went after my 5 year old grandson. Bit him in the leg. Not provoked. He also has biting episodes at night. My daughter, his mom, puts him in a hold and he calms down. CN u offer advice how to train him to stop. This is scary. Thank you

2 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning-
    I am sorry this is an issue. I would first start with a vet exam to rule out any medical issue. Then I would search out a reputable behaviorist to help you with training. It will be time and money well spent. In a serious case like this, a behaviorist is very helpful. Very best of luck to you all. I hope your grandson is ok.

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Jagoda | 5 years ago
Hi, My 2 Years Old Cat Doesn’t Want To Eat Wet Food (I Have Tried Every …

Hi,

my 2 years old cat doesn’t want to eat wet food (I have tried every kind and brand ). He only eats small amounts of dry food (urinary).
In the result he is skinny (weights only about 3,5kg) and has ongoing problems with urinary tract and struvite crystals.
We’ve been dealing with these problems since he was a child and I am afraid the situation won’t change unless he starts eating properly.
I can’t afford such frequent visits to the Vet clinic, especially since he recently had a blockage and the treatment costs a lot ( vet care in Poland is really expensive too).
He is such an active cat and despite the poor diet, he still has the energy to play.
I’ve examinated his blood and everything seems fine. His teeth are also fine..I honestly tried every internet trick to encourage him to eat.
I don’t know If he is picky or sick. Is the urinary porblems affected by diet or he doesn’t want to eat becouse of the urinary tract issues..
What should I do?

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    It is ideal that your cat eats the right (prescription) urinary food, but, it is even more important that he eats. For these cases I talk to my clients about trying high quality urinary friendly over the counter diets. I also talk to them about adding little bots of the urinary prescription food into the OTC food they will eat. If all else fails I try watered down over the counter wet food. Also ask your vet about giving subcutaneous fluids at home daily to help keep the urinary system diuresing. I also think it might help to add an appetite stimulant. Also think about toys, playtime and lots of things to keep him active, engaged and feeling good. I also take a long hard look at the litter boxes, the type of litter and where the boxes are placed, along with making them impeccably clean. Please talk to your vet about all of these. Also an antiinflammatory might help?

    Very best of luck!

    keep me posted.