was wondering if I could ask a question.
About my Shih tzu MeiLing:
MeiLing is not having symptoms. My question is related to lab values. She is 14 years old and just acts tired at times.

1. The paperwork shows that she is positive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Her vet did not offer any treatment advise on this or even mention this to me during the visit. I happened to find it later when reviewing her lab work. I have never found a tick on her since I rescued her 9 years ago.

2. Other lab work:
BUN 41, had been 33 year prior, one month after that was 29;
ALT 227 was 134 year prior, one month later 117;
ALP 673 was 668 one year prior and 1040 one month after that;
MCV 59.3 was 61.1 year prior and one month after that was 59.8;
Platelets 504 was 542 year prior and 561 one month afterwards;
Plateletcrit 0.62 was 0.66 and 0.68 one month later.

Based on some of the labs in point 2 the vet started MeiLing on Hepato Tru Benefits which supports healthy liver function and is telling me that we should do an MRI.

I love my dog and would like very much to do whatever is necessary for her health. However, I am retired, living on social security and am not able to afford a monthly payment for health insurance for her much less $1000 or more for an MRI. So my question is, with these labs, considering she is having no symptoms, granted she is not as lively as she once was but she is 14 years old, in your opinion how necessary is it that she have an MRI? Also why would he have not even mentioned the Anaplasma phagocytophilum? Should I seek another opinion?

I don’t expect that I will be able to afford other treatments revealed by an MRI.

I know I am asking a lot here but if you could just help me with a little guidance I would deeply appreciate it.

Thanks for any info you can give me.

I am agonizing over the hardest decision we have as pet parents…euthanasia. Our 12 1/2 year standard schnauzer has been having various behaviors and symptoms the past 6 -8 weeks. Excessive panting, fatigue, decreased appetite. We brought him in and he was diagnosed with pneumonia. He finished all his meds and we brought him back in for follow up X-ray and labs. He really wasn’t much better. X-ray confirmed pneumonia had cleared but lab work, which had been normal 2 weeks prior, now showed probable pancreatitis. He has declined rapidly the past 3 days. We are trying to get him to take meds, Pepcid, Cerenia, Carafate but we literally have to force them down his throat. He will not eat and I have tried everything , rice, scrambled eggs, bread, even doughnuts He is isolating, going upstairs instead of being with us. He still has labored breathing, his legs give out, he is restless. He has a strange odor. I have had dogs my whole life and all this points to end of life. I know this in my heart. When do you know when is the right time? I really was hoping he would pass naturally. Thank you for listening

My 9 year old Potcake (probably shepherd/lab/etc mix) has a long history of lipomas, which grow fairly large. In late October of 2022 I found a lemon sized mass on the back of his right hind leg, which was not bothering him but was firm. Our vet in Ottawa ON is a VCA practice nearby; I was able to get an appointment the next day. The vet and I were both concerned at the location, size and consistency of the mass.

She recommended an xray of the limb and a chest xray to rule out cancer and metastasis as well as blood work. (all normal) She sedated him for the radiorgraphs and aspirated the mass multiple times with a presumptive diagnosis of lipoma. We discussed the fact that it was probably and inter-muscular lipoma, between the two muscles of the hind leg at the back . To remove it she advised a board certified surgeon elsewhere, who she said would want to do an MRI of the limb first to evaluate the extent of the mass in preparation for surgery. When I expressed concern about the cost she offered a surgeon at the VCA who is not board certified but who may be able to attempt a surgery without the MRI.

Since October the mass has grown, especially medially, and is now the size of a grapefruit. He is still not lame or uncomfortable when I feel the mass. I want to prevent problems for him with this leg but I also worry about the invasiveness of the surgery – and the cost, which I can’t afford right now. I am waiting and watching at this time. I worry about having the mass return even after surgery and wonder about removing the majority of it just to give him more comfort when moving – is it ok to wait until it gets bigger? I know that lipomas don’t tend to spread to other parts of the body like malignant cancer – this is why we took the xrays, to look for other signs of cancer in his body. Now i wonder if this was too soon, and should have waited on those tests.

Hi,

My 1 year old lab was taken for neutering. We were aware that he would be a crytorchild situation as his 1 testicle was not descended. VET did check for 2nd testicle by his abdomen incision but couldn’t find the other testis for a long time. N now recommending to go for a higher level ultrasound with a surgeon..to confirm if there is another testicle or not in the body. N then do the next procedure accordingly.

1. Is that possible to have just one testicle in Labrador dog?

2. If its hard to find the undecended testicle via ultra sound, can we take plan B – the visible n descended testicle is removed n then blood test is done in 4 -5 months for testosterone hormones in blood if anything changes to be sure if there is another testicle in body?

Youemf valuable inputs are much appreciated

Thanks mahesh

Hi Krysta,

Just recently saw one of your videos regarding IVDD our soon to be 6 yr old Chocolate Lab Bruschi was recently diagnosed with this condition. We don’t know what to do surgery seems out of the question financially. What are some physical therapy practices we can do to help him? Please advice

My 14 year old Lab mix has been diagnosed with Laryngeal Paralysis around 6 months ago. She is doing okay except at night sometimes coughing for 15-20 seconds and then going back to sleep. Please let me know what experiences there are from the surgery. I want to see if this is something that she can survive. Thanks for your help…

Saturday I was working in the yard and later came across poison ivy. My 6 year old lab was out with me and I’m worried I touched his toy with poison ivy hands or his toy touched poison ivy. Should I be concerned that he will get poison rash in his mouth?

My 8 year old chow/lab mix got diagnosed with IVDD 7 days ago. She was chasing a rabbit when her back gave out. She stayed in the vet hospital over the weekend where they monitored those first few days. We are not able to afford the surgery, but we have been working with her since she has been home. I noticed over the last couple days that she is able to twitch her legs in her sleep, which she didn’t do the first 3 days of being home. Is this a good sign or is that just a subconscious reflex?

I have an 8 year old lab who’s had an ear infection for 6 months. I’ve taken him to my vet probably 15 times and she’s tried a variety of remedies, including steroids (which he’s allergic to) ear flushes, and antibiotics. He’s now on Apoquel, and an ear flush that I use twice a day, which has really helped with the itching but there is still pus inside the ear. He doesn’t seem to be suffereing much from it at this point, but I need to get it resolved. I have an appointment with a dermatolgist that she consults with but the earliest appointment I could get was at the end of Sept.

Just wondering if you have any suggestions. I can give you all of the medications he’s been on if you need them.

Possible anal sac issue? I am currently unable to drive due to a tbi so I’m trying to figure out if this can wait until Monday or not. She is a 4 year old lab mixing started licking the area last night. Other than that, she’s going to the bathroom fine and she has a little area of concern which I’m attaching the picture for. She’s acting normal, eating, drinking, playing.