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April | 6 months ago
Help Saving Ava, Our 7 Yr Old Chihuahua! She Is Currently At Our Vet In Oxygen, Fighting …

Help Saving Ava, our 7 yr old chihuahua! She is currently at our vet in oxygen, fighting for her life, her trachea is 100% collapsed. She also suffers from epilepsy and is on 3 different meds to control her seizures. The specialty vets want at least $10k to just get in the door. We are fairly close to you, is there anyway you or someone you know can perform this surgery??? They have her on numerous injectable medications to try to bring the inflammation down including several antibiotics, we went to visit her today but if we take her out of the oxygen even for a minute or two her tongue starts to turn blue. Please help if you can, we are desperate at this point! She’s only 7 ????

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jewel | 6 months ago
How Can I Best Extract Bowels From My Injured Cat? She Is Not Using The Litter …

how can i best extract bowels from my injured cat? she is not using the litter box, but there is some leakage. she has no tone in her anus and most likely is healing from nerve damage. i have figured out how to extract her bladder. she is still eating and lively. more details of her condition and our process to support her below.

moonstone is about a year old and showed up at our house 4 months ago brave and spirited. she disappeared for a week and came back with a serious injury. we took her to the er because she was leaking urine and had a limp tail and left hind leg. we learned that her bladder needed to be urgently expressed and that her bowels were backed up. we also learned that she had a tail avulsion and a fracture in her left femoral joint. they expressed her bladder and bowels and sent us home with pain meds and anti-inflammatory medication. we went to aspca the next day hoping to get treatment for her fractured bones, but they suggested nursing her at home and learning how to express her bladder and bowels to see if she could regain control and tone in her anus. they said that maybe in a few weeks she could regain feeling and be able to use the bathroom on her own, and then they would consider amputating her tail and treating her leg. we have quickly learned how to express her bladder, but are struggling to get her to poop. please help us keep moonstone alive!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello

    I’m sorry to hear about your cat.

    I think that you need to find a veterinarian or a veterinary technician who can show you how to do this. I would also recommend you start gentle physical therapy and feed canned food to keep the feces soft and able to pass more easily.

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Marie | 6 months ago
Is There A Difference Between Human Probiotics And Dog Probiotics?

Is there a difference between human probiotics and dog probiotics?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    This really depends on the brand/manufacturer. The reputable manufacturers specifically produce a product that is species specific. I use proviable forte, or fortiflora.

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Marie | 6 months ago
Has Anyone Had A Dog Die Of Congestive Heart Failure After Being On A No Grain …

Has anyone had a dog die of congestive heart failure after being on a no grain diet? My American Bulldog had bad allergies to grains and anything w feathers so I kept her diet limited ingredient grain free. She died suddenly of congestive heart failure and I would like to know what to do if your dog needs to be on a restricted diet how do you keep them safe from hear failure. She was only 8 and it broke my heart to lose her. She collapsed right in front of me

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    The answer for this comes in a few parts.
    First, yes, I suspect I have had some patients die from heart failure secondary to grain free diets. These were confirmed as suspected by the cardiologist who saw them after me. So. Yes. I am concerned that grain free contributes detrimentally to heart disease and death.

    Second was heart disease confirmed by your vet? Or a cardiologist? I see far more bulldogs dying from brachycephalic syndrome disease than anything else. By a lot. I had three die this summer from inability to breathe after getting too hot or too overexerted. Unless your dog was diagnosed with a heart condition I suspect it was the head and face that caused the issue and not the heart. That’s just been my experience over 20 years in practice.

    1. Marie Post author

      Is there a way to see Racheal’s syndrome disease coming? I never let her over exert or get too hot. She’s my baby and I guard her health and well being ferociously. I have been called over protective but I want her to be with me as long as possible.

      What are your thoughts on Raw and freeze dried raw diets.? It makes sense to me to feed as close to nature as possible but the diets also scare me – bacterial infections etc.

  2. Laura

    A friend’s golden lost his life to a cardiac event after several years on a grain free diet, confirmed by necropsy that he had a heart attack. The problem with grain-free diets is the substitution of legumes as fillers – this seems to be the contributing factor for dietary DCM. Did you have a necropsy done to verify it was the heart?

    I’m so very sorry. Assuming your dog had dietary DCM, DCM is the absolute worst. We lost our Doberman in the same way, to sudden death, but in her case it’s endemic in the breed and she was diagnosed a little over a year prior. If it’s any consolation, the arrhythmic form of DCM – also called sudden death – does not allow the dog to suffer. It’s over like someone flipped a light switch. I know that’s the form I preferred for my dog – it SUCKED for us, but it was an easy departure for her, and that’s what matters most.

    I would start researching raw, if you have a dog in need of a very restrictive diet that cannot easily be satisfied by mass produced options. Do a L O T of research into raw, as it’s more complicated than feeding a kibble diet.

    1. Marie Post author

      It’s so heartbreaking to lose our fur babies so suddenly. Well anytime to be honest but it’s worse when you can’t prepare. I am sorry for your loss.

      I have been researching raw and freeze dried raw and the decision making is daunting.

  3. Marie Post author

    Many thanks to you both for the responses. My Bunny did die from congestive heart failure confirmed post mortem. It was so chocking when she died. I came in the door, she bounced across the room to greet me and collapsed at my feet. The emergency clinic could do nothing to save her.

    I now have a second American Bulldog and am worried for her as she has allergies as well. I am doing a partial limited ingredient diet and looking at raw or freeze dried raw. But it’s a lot to sift through so it’s a process. I don’t believe Peanuts allergies are food based but environmental. Apoquel sparingly and Cytopoint are keeping things at bay.

    What are your thoughts on giving a taurine supplement to counter the effects of the no grain diets?

    1. Laura

      I would do trials of various proteins to verify the allergies are, in fact, environmental, and then feed a limited ingredient kibble based on that. There are several on the market if you’re in the US. I know someone whose greyhound couldn’t do fish or chicken and did exceedingly well on Natural Balance.

  4. Marie Post author

    Thanks I did 6 months worth of food trial as well as feeding a hypoallergenic Rx diet. It did not change her itching/allergies. Seasonally they seem to be worse and being outside makes them worse. So indoors it is, Apoquel and cytopoint. For now.

    1. Laura

      Ah, sounds environmental for sure. I’d just feed a decent grain inclusive food.

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Vanessa | 7 months ago
Hello. I Got A Puppy A Few Weeks Ago And Was Told That He Was Six …

Hello.

I got a puppy a few weeks ago and was told that he was six weeks old. I started him on stage two puppy formula and over the next three weeks, transitioned him to dry puppy food. For the last two weeks, he still eating a normal amount of food drinking a normal amount of water super energetic as a normal puppy would be, but he has persistent diarrhea. I assumed it was from changing his food’s.

I had set up an appointment with Vetco for this past Tuesday for his first visit/wellness checkup and his first set of shots. They called me Monday night letting me know they have to reschedule me for this upcoming Tuesday (4/30). I wanted to have them look at Artemis’ anal gland/sacs because I feel like they are not being released while he is having really bad diarrhea. Within the last four days, there has been drops of blood in his stool from him constantly pushing and nothing coming out. He will use the restroom and then he will stain himself to the point that his rectum or colon is popping out. I explained all this to the vet Monday when it was starting and I told them that I have been giving him homemade sweet potato cakes, and carrots to try to build up his fiber intake to help him fight the diarrhea. I also told them I changed him from Purina puppy chow to pedigree puppy chow, and I even tried giving him rice mixed with his puppy food, but he rejects it like the plague. They told me if there’s any blood to get him to urgent care, but I don’t know if I can afford the bill for urgent care and he hasn’t shown any signs of being in distress.

He’s still eating healthy, drinking and being extremely active as a nine week puppy would. I don’t know how to get the diarrhea to stop and I don’t know how to get him to stop pushing when there’s nothing to push out. When he does poop, it is soft, but not liquidy. This last batch of sweet potato cakes I made I have mixed them with the white rice and he can’t seem to get enough of them, but it isn’t making a big difference as far as helping his feces harden to the point where they will help him release his sacs.

How do I get him to stop trying to poop every few minutes there’s nothing there?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    We our puppy needs to see a vet asap. You also need to have a fecal sample submitted for intestinal parasites. Start there. Please do not buy an otc dewormer. See a vet. And do a fecal.
    I always recommend that a vet see a new pet within 3 days.

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Kate | 7 months ago
Hi . I Have A 9yr Old DSM/Tabby Female Cat. I’ve Recently Taken To JVet …

Hi . I have a 9yr old DSM/Tabby female cat. I’ve recently taken to JVet but for years she was seen at Banfield Pet Hospital since I adopted in March of 2015..for years she has chronic ear infections most of the time tested positive for Yeast bur one year was positive for bacterial, however usually it is her left ear that bugs her the most then her right ear…however I thought maybe this could be an issue with possible food allergies because I do see her scratch around her face, neck and ears.. I first had her on Purina kitten. Pro plan then transfered her to adult pro plan..bur noticed she had stressed locked some fur off her back right leg due to maybe a grain allergy so I changed her to grain free diet of Purina Beyond; which she was fine for awhile but by the time she was 7 yrs of age Banfield recommended she be put on Royal Canin Satiety support diet …..which ik not sure if maybe the carbs in the dry food may be causing her to have an allergic reaction…. recently ive decided to take her off dry food completely and go to an wet food diety. I have her trying backwoods , weruvia and backwoods.. she seems to like the weruvia gluten free. Grain free and Carrigan free series and the backwoods duck & rabbit giblet/shreds … how would you recommend to portion her wet food so she go from 11 lbs to 9 lbs over time gradually and for allergies what symptoms I should look for if it may collate to her chronic yeast infections in her ears?

I have her schedule to be seen at JVet soon again since I don’t feel at all satisfied with the care at Banfield

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I think this question is best answered after an examination. I have to say that I don’t see a lot of cats with food allergies. If they do it’s usually the face and not the ears.

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Michelle | 7 months ago
This Question Is For Dr. Magnifico. I Looked For Your Video On Herpes In Your Cat…

This question is for Dr. Magnifico.

I looked for your video on herpes in your cat’s eye to get the medication you use for your cat so I can ask my personal vet for it. I can’t find it. Can you please let me know as soon as possible? Koneko is having a pretty bad flare up again.

Thanks Michelle Polansky

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Maddy | 7 months ago
Hi! We’ve Adopted An Old Cat Who Was Previously A Stray, He Has Hyperthyroidism And …

Hi! We’ve adopted an old cat who was previously a stray, he has hyperthyroidism and is underweight (6.5 pounds at last vet checkup a month ago). He’s been getting better in most aspects (his labs are normal now, no FIV, etc), but he’s been fighting ringworm consistently since January. We’ve done regular rounds of lime sulfur dip, miconazole spray and baths, and pretty constant environmental spore cleaning (regular laundry, Rescue antifungal spray, cleaning/vacuuming) for 2 months but he keeps picking it back up. We’ve been UV lighting him often, and when it finally seems to be going away a new spot pops up!! Any tips? We were initially discouraged from getting the prescription oral antifungal med for him due to his health fragility at first, but with his labs more normal and a higher weight would the systemic medication help?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    There are a few things here to discuss. First the black UV light as a diagnostic test is not confirmatory. Second if he is not responding as expected I would be concerned that there is another problem making this lack of response difficult. Lastly in my experience it can take months to resolve.
    If you feel like your cat isn’t doing as well as you hoped you can ask for a referral to a dermatologist.
    If you would like to try the oral antifungal medication you can also ask for this to be considered again by your vet. In some cases it does help patients but we are always trying to avoid potentially causing any adverse reactions by taking the most conservative approach to every condition.

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Julie | 7 months ago
My 1.5 Year Old High Energy Goldendoodle Had Her Front Leg Amputated Almost 3 Weeks Ago Due To …

My 1.5 year old high energy goldendoodle had her front leg amputated almost 3 weeks ago due to a brachial plexus injury. She developed a seroma that was confirmed by the surgeon and she said warm compresses and rest. I have read that these can take weeks to go away and the only way to keep my girl quiet is trazadone, otherwise she wants to run around and play (and due to the amputation, she hops). Is there anything else i can do to speed up the absorption of the seroma?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    I don’t know of anything. I feel that the more you do to annoy or fuss with it the more delayed it gets in being reabsorbed.

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Emily | 7 months ago
My Rescue Cat Has Always Been Sort Of Aggressive, Her Rescue Didnt Really Get Her Any …

My rescue cat has always been sort of aggressive, her rescue didnt really get her any type of evaluation to determine if there was any underlying issue causing her to have this aggression. So we kept her because I knew it would be difficult to adopt her out and I didnt want her going to petsmart for boarding, bounce around from home to home or worse be put down for behavior. This was over a year ago, she has since adjusted to our family, our pets and for the most part seems over all happy, Well last night she suddenly began to freak out, kept licking her lips excessively, her back along w her ear and paws were twitching. She would seem to be trying to catch something around her but there was nothing there, almost like hallucinations? She was running back n forth looking at her back, bottom, and she just looks stressed out. Her eating has slowed down as wekk as her water intake, she goes outside and doesnt want to come back in. I just feel her behavior changed almost over night. Ive made an appt w her vet and its scheduled for next week, in the mean time I did some online searching and it looks like all sgns point to hyperesthesia? It says it could be due to fleas , parasites amongst other things however she is on revolution she doesnt have worms, I even bought a flea comb just to see if maybe that was a possibility but theres nothing! Im concerned about her since she looks uncomfortable. Is there anything to do or give her till her appt to keep her calm and less uncomfortable

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I think that the best step you can take is to see a vet and talk to them about your concerns and suspicions. Ask for help in addressing pain and anxiety. I like gabapentin for cats but there are lots of other options to discuss.