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Help Dr. Magnifico of Jarrettsville Vet Our beautiful 13 year old Husky/beagle mix Sadie was struggling with getting up and climbing stairs because we thought her arthritis was getting worse. We took her in to the vet to get some pain medicine and they discovered that she has a large tumor on her spleen. We were told that the surgery is quite expensive. We are unable to afford much due to our current financial situation. The doctor suggested that we should euthanize her if we were not going to try to do the surgery. we have scheduled an appointment for tomorrow. 6/3 with lap of love.
My husband was looking for solutions because she is walking around and it is so hard for us to imagine putting her down. We saw the article by Dr. Magnifico. We tried to call Jarrettsville vet and they told us our only option was to put a question on here. Beth.a.acton@gmail.com
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?
Hello,
I’m sorry to hear about your dog. This is a complicated and difficult disease to manage. Please try to find a vet you trust who will help you manage this. Involuntary movement may or may not be indicative of improvement. So I don’t want to provide a false sense of hope. Be diligent with follow ups and know it is a process that takes time and patience. There is a lot of information at my blog and YouTube channel on this.
I wish you the best of luck.
My dog is 6 months old roughly and she started her heat cycle for the first time 6/10/21 and her brother (unaltered) and her got “stuck” few days ago I know she is pregnant and she started to lightly spot blood Yesterday. What could happen from this besides the fact That puppies may not make it? Also she is pitbull/ rottweiler mix
Hello,
I spay these dogs as soon as possible. Why wait to see if birth defects occur? And what would you do if they do? Euthanizing puppies is the most awful heartbreaking thing a pet parent or vet ever had to do.
Please spay her. NOW.
Hi Pawly Friends, my 3-year-old cat is having UTI and has a blockage. He has a very hard time with urine and sometimes he urined blood. He has no appetite to eat, but when he gets too hungry he will eat his dry food that the vet provided. I brought him to the vet two weeks ago. They unblocked him using a catheter and hospitalized him for almost a week without IV fluids. I brought him back but he’s still weak and wouldn’t eat. After a day of staying at home, he peed in blood in such a big amount. I brought him to the vet again at around 1 am because I was too afraid. The vet uses the catheter again and hospitalized him for another week. Again, I brought him home with some antibiotics and some other meds, he was so hungry because he didn’t eat well in the hospital. I boiled fish for him (no added spices, preservatives, etc) to mix with the dry food because he wouldn’t eat it alone. He ate and drank a lot. After 3 days, he started to pee in the blood again! HELP I don’t know what else can I do to help my baby!
Hello,
I’m sorry to hear about your cat. Was bloodwork, Xray or urinalysis done? It might even be time for an ultrasound? It is time fir a diagnosis and better treatment plan. It is also time for medications and at home sq fluid therapy. I think I would also recommend seeking a second opinion. It just seems like you aren’t really getting anywhere with your current vet and treatments.
Thanks, will bring him to another clinic tomorrow. For the meantime, he’s getting weaker every day. He pees while sleeping or while walking now, more bloods on the floor, sometimes my bed. I’m afraid I will lose him. Anyways, bloodwork, Xray and urinalysis is done. He’s bladder is always full and is now blocked by mucus. We were given cystopro (protexin), and some inflammation meds.
Allergies? My American Staffy mix just turned 1 year old. Once we started cutting our grass this season and flowers/trees started blooming he is sneezing while outside and he is getting eye boogers frequently (only in 1 eye). Are there dog allergy medications, or is benadryl a viable remedy for him? This wasn’t something we saw last year when we adopted him in early July.
I’d talk to the vet – they may have some very specific suggestions. On a more general suggestion I know benadryl is safe for dogs, but I’d discuss that with your vet. They might have something more tailored to your dog’s specific allergy.
Hi! I am interested in doing longer day hikes with our dog. He’s a 3 year old Hound mix and easily does 4-5 miles. I want to get him up to about 10 miles for trips every once in a while. What supplies should we take for him? What snacks would be best? How should I increase his mileage? Should I get him used to booties (I think that might be tough though)? Thanks for any suggestions and advice you have.
Hi there- I think it’s great to hike with your dog- although I have never done 10 miles. I would first and foremost make sure his obedience is up to snuff. Trails can suddenly have multiple dogs on them when a moment ago there were none around, or wildlife can be very tempting… etc. you might want to get a dog backpack to carry water in, which you’ll probably have to introduce to your dog and get him comfortable with. And a collapsible water dish too. And probably a check in with your vet if you haven’t been recently- just to be sure. Have fun out there!!!
My dog is a 3 year old terrier mix and went to a new vet and she said he has mild luxating patella medial grade 1. No other vet ever said anything about that. She said he was probably born with it. Will it effect his walking?
Hello-
I apologize that no one has had a chance to answer your question. I think your best bet would be to have a detailed discussion with your vet- and probably ask for a second option as well- to find out exactly what is to be expected.
My small 12 pound terrier/chihuahua mix has suddenly (in the past 24 hours) stopped jumping up on things – couch, chair, etc – which is very unusual because she prefers to be on the furniture. She will stand and stare at the couch and seem like she’s going to jump, she even starts to a bit, but then she won’t follow through. If I pick her up and put her on the couch, she will not hesitate at all to jump down when she’s ready. She will let me touch and move all of her legs and has not vocalized in pain. She walks and runs normally and will come up and down the stairs with no problem. I assume she has injured something. Is there an injury to a specific place that would cause her reluctance to jump up but not affect other behavior? (I should note that she is very independent and doesn’t like to be picked up, so it’s not that she’s preferring to be lifted up)
Hello,
Well I would start by saying that I wouldn’t encourage jumping on or off of the couch. I would get her a ramp and train her to use this. My concern is that someday she will land wrong and either strain/sprain/fracture a leg or injure her back. Next the best way to try to understand what’s going on now is to have your vet examine her. I can’t tell you what is going on here without an exam.
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I called the vet but she seems to be back to normal now. I will still keep her from jumping for a while just to be sure.
Our 7 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback / German Shepherd mix, Duke, had surgery a couple weeks ago. He came home with a small fluid pocket where his tumor was removed. It ended up becoming bigger, and retaining a lot of fluid. As of now it is getting smaller, at least a little bit, but I noticed it’s feeling a little more solid on one end. I’m not sure if that is normal. He seems to be doing fine in all ways otherwise, no discomfort or any other noticeable changes to his behavior. I’m not sure if I’m starting to worry over something that may be normal, but the portion that feels more solid is still engorged and it doesn’t sit well with me. I don’t know if it will start to feel more solid, if that’s normal… I don’t know.
Hello,
Did you discuss this with the person who did the surgery? That’s the best place to start. I wouldn’t assume anything. It’s best to have it rechecked.
Hi, I have a 14 month old australian shepherd mix that has had a terrible time dealing with the car since I got him, specifically a lottttt of drooling. I’ve been able to counter-condition him to be relaxed just sitting in the car but whenever we try to go to the next step and he notices we start moving in the car, the drooling comes right back and he is visibly anxious. I have started taking him to a nearby park with trails (about a 10 minute drive) after seeing Dr. Magnifico’s video on youtube about the subject. He has not vomited yet on these trips but the drool is definitely a concern and so far hasn’t improved (just had our fourth trip today). Also, after these trips he appears more wary of the car, with drooling sometimes starting as we approach the car to return home. As long as he is not vomiting am I not pushing him too much? When I first got him at four months, he was fine until the last 3 minutes of a 45 minute car drive, at which point he threw up. I think this has unfortunately traumatized him since and I just want to make sure I’m not creating further trauma.
I have also tried anti-nausea medication both OTC and from the vet with limited success, definitely does not help the drooling which makes me further believe it is anxiety related.
Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Hello,
The drooling is part of the anxiety. In my opinion and experience the only way around it is through it. Keep working with him and keep thinking of new ways to make the car less scary. Like sitting in it and not going anywhere. Offering treats. Just going for a quick ride to the post office. Or a little jaunt around town anything and everything to make it less stressful and more enjoyable. Foe my pups this usually takes 4-6 months. But now they can (and do) go anywhere and it doesn’t matter if it is a ten minute or ten hour drive. They love to go anywhere and always think it’s an adventure.
Thanks so much for your reply, it is relieving to hear that despite the lack of results I should be on the right track, I’ll keep chipping away at it!
Hi there- Dr. Magnifico is definitely right. We had one shepherd (Butch) that was terrified of the car. It took about 6 months, but we finally got there. My trick with him was to make the ENTIRE experience worth it. At first, the car itself meant a treat of ham. Then, staying in the car meant more ham. We actually would go to visit the vet to get a treat, not for an appointment. Many times, I would just go to the end of the road and back- before the anxiety could grab ahold. After those first months, the car became a fun experience for him???? Also- a strong bond with your dog will help them overcome seriously just about anything. So working on that will help. If their bond with you is right, no matter where you are, they will want to be. Time, lots of love and patience are key. Keep up the good work????????
Ahh, I’ll try using some ham. I had been using bullysticks in the car but once the car gets moving he got sick pretty quickly. Ham might be a bit easier on his stomach. Fortunately I have had lots of time to train him so I do have a pretty good bond and can keep him in a down position in the car. Thanks for the reply!
Use a crate. My Doberman is a hellion if she isn’t secured – she screams and whines and won’t settle. Try a crate, and cover it.
Hello,
I’m sorry to hear about your dog. I am happy to see your pet at my vet clinic in Maryland. It is the only way I can offer pertinent advice that is specific to each patient.
Without a biopsy it is impossible to know whether this is benign or not. Also in some cases the mass may be an incidental finding (no clinical relevance). We should always treat the patient and not make presumptive decisions, especially euthanasia.
I feel it to be morally and ethically dishonest to ever recommend euthanasia without a definitive diagnosis AND a suffering patient.
I hope this helps. I apologize for the delay.