I have a 2yr old orange Tabby cat who got out and was gone for over a month. When he finally came home he was covered in fleas and seriously underweight and underfed and dehydrated, but seemed okay. He was eating fine and drinking at first. However the past week or so he hasn’t been wanting to eat or drink and has lost even more weight. I took him to the vet today and they said he needs a blood transfusion bc he’s anemic and he’s jaundiced and needs iv fluids but they couldn’t do it bc they have no one there on the weekends and the vet wasn’t willing to go in. I’ve called every vet I can Google and everyone said the same thing and wouldn’t take him except the trauma vet but they quoted me an outrageous price and I don’t qualify for care credit so they said i should just euthanize him. He’s my baby and idk what to do but I do know he deserves a chance. Is there any way for me to treat those things at home? Please HELP

I have an 9 year old spayed female pit/terrier mix with a history of liver disease. She has recently been getting hairless black spots showing up on her sides and legs, especially in the rear. Her biopsy came back as possibly ischemic dermatomyosits. The antibiotic that her vet put her on seems to have made no difference, and the fish oil and vit E are A) difficult to give her and B) she hasn’t been on them long enough to know if they are helping. She has no apparent muscle involvement. Would doing blood studies for autoimmune diseases help me get a better plan for treatment? What specialist would be best to manage her care? Any information or help in this problem would really be appreciated!

Normally, Cookie needs minimum of 3 hours of high activity (running through the bush, chasing critters, playing …) daily, otherwise she climbs the walls (pretty much literally). Ortho suggesting a month or more of rest. I voice that it is impossible unless Cookie sedated. (Because the more energy she stores up the more she’s likely to go crazy regardless of environment, confinement and situation. As I mention, literally bouncing off the walls. Plus the frustration and feeling unhappy that would come with that I’m sure does not facilitate healing either.

So we discussed it and ortho prescribed the Trazodone as effective and safe. What is your experience with this products? Side effects? Interestingly I specifically asked about side effects and was told there were none. However, when one looks it up there are side effects listed. Of course, side effects such as sedation are desirable. Others, such as vomiting, diarrhea, agitation, hyperactivity, panting, shaking and restlessness are NOT.

Ortho vet also said drug doesn’t not affect either kidneys or liver but infor says should be used with caution if liver, kidney or heart disease present. Cookie does not have those but if it doesn’t affect those organs, why the precaution?

I am not a fan of drugs but I feel that in order for Cookie to be able to undergo the period of restricted activity some chemical management to help her feel more aloof is necessary. Thoughts?

Question for Dr. Krista; sorry, complicated question(?)

First, to review for benefit of others reading this question:

Patient: Cookie
Rottweiler, spayed female, 2 years old

Presented with lethargy, anorexia, vomiting and diarrhea (threw up only twice and one time diarrhea, then taken to vet, given antiemetics and antibiotics; diagnosed with pancreatitis; getting better since – this was Monday)

During exam foreign material found in stool (grain and corn; we think she got into the horse feed) painful cranial abdomen, low and large bowel diarrhea, enlarged submandibular nodes – this part worries me because these were temporarily enlarged not long ago; resolved quickly, though)

As I’m reviewing the blood results, there are things I could understand as being consistent with digestive distress/pancreatitis but some which are concerning me, namely the globulin and lymphocyte levels, even though they are not extremely low but low nonetheless.

Beside the cPL which is clear in its meaning, the free T4 is low – I assume this is what is meant by not testing for hypothyroidism in ill animals, because the thyroid hormones would be low with any disease process? Is that correct?

I would figure that the ALT/unhappy liver enzymes would also be consistent with such insult to the body, is that correct? And I imagine same would apply to bilirubin in a situation of digestive upset?

The values that concern me are the globulin and the lymphocytes, particularly together with the "easily aggravated" sub mandibular lymph nodes in the mix, particularly as it seems that lymphopenia would be present with both CPV and lymphoma … ? I’d assume that a) Cookie was recently vaccinated for CPV and is improving too rapidly to think CPV? Lymphoma has been on my afraid mind since the first time they were found enlarged.

It also says, though, that lymphopenia could be a result of underactive glands (the source doesn’t say which ones) so would that perhaps have to do with the lowered thyroid function during the digestive distress?

Didn’t find much on low globulins, other than immunodeficiency types of situations, which doesn’t seem to apply. What is the "life-span" of a globulin, and if short, would the low globulins have to do with the unhappy liver?

Can you, please confirm about the free T4 and talk to me about the globulin and more importantly the lymphocytes?

Blood results attached.