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suerena schaefer | 5 years ago
My Dog Is13 1/2 Years Old. He Is A Dachshund/German Shepard Mix. More Dachshund. He Has 5 …

My dog is13 1/2 years old. He is a dachshund/German Shepard mix. More dachshund. He has 5 fatty tumors that have all been biopsied and are not cancerous. They do seem to continue to grow in size. Not substantially but still grow. He had to go In for emergency surgery 2 years ago from cutting his artery in one of his paws during a walk. He has been a little different since then. More afraid of things. Urinates in the house every so often. I don’t know if it is from the surgery or just his age. But my question is whether or not I should have his Tumors removed with his age and how he responded to his last surgery. He is in very good health except for one health issue one time. A year ago he fell down and couldn’t walk. Took him to the vet. They kept him over night. They said it was old dogs disease. It went away 2 days later and hasn’t returned. Other than that he is very healthy. Gets his vaccines, heart worm, tick and flea meds. So do I remove them at his age or leave them alone. I keep debating this in my head and can’t make the call. I want what is best for him. I just don’t want to chance issues with going under anesthesia.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

4 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Hi there ???? I think I would chat with the vet at his next checkup and see what their thoughts are. There is always a risk with surgery, but if the pros outweigh the cons, then the answer is obvious. At this stage though, if your vet feels they aren’t a threat and you feel that the dog’s quality of life isn’t effected, then those would be strong factors in determining what the next step would be. You and your vet know your guy best, so that would be where I would start my discussion. Best of luck!!!

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I agree with Sarah. This needs to be a decision that you make with the help and guidance of the surgeon. You can get as many opinions as you need but they need tone from someone who can examine your dog. Find a vet (or two or more, or even a boarded surgeon) and ask for advice. Very best of luck.

    1. suerena schaefer Post author

      I have consulted my vet and she told me it was my decision. The tumors are not in the way of his normal every day activity, Yet. I’m just afraid left unchecked they might become too large to handle. I just don’t know what the recommendations are for an almost 14 year old dog in regards to surgery. I know with every surgery there is a risk and I would assume his risk is greater than others due to his age. My gut tells me to remove them but will they just grow back? My heart tells me to leave them alone due to the fear of losing him under anesthesia. I’m absolutely torn.

      1. Sarah

        Just thinking more about your situation…. wondering if you could just have it with your vet to have more frequent visits to check the tumors and make sure they aren’t growing or changing? That might help give you some peace of mind should you opt out of surgery.

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Krista Magnifico | 5 years ago
Dog Neuter. Meet Cletus. A Young Healthy Routine Neuter
Treatment Cost (USD): $315.00
Cletus is an almost one year old mixed breed dog.. He was seen for all of his puppy vaccines, and had pre op blood work before his neuter was performed.
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Mai | 5 years ago
Hello, I Have A 2.5 Year Old Desexed Female Cat And A 4-month-old Male Kitten. We Moved …

Hello, I have a 2.5 year old desexed female cat and a 4-month-old male kitten. We moved house 4 months ago, and adopted the new kitten about 3 months ago. In our previous house, we used to let the older cat out during the day to roam the neighborhood, although she never went too far.

Since we’ve moved, we only let her out once or twice a week as there are a lot of cats here and she gets into more fights and has gotten injured once. She seems very stressed out, wanting to go out constantly.

We have tried everything to ease her stress: playing with her a lot, brushing and cuddling her daily, giving her a mix of wet and dry good food (that she likes), putting up Feliway diffuser around the house, and she plays with the kitten daily.

However, she still exhibits signs of stress, ie hiding, minor crouching, hissing or growling from time to time to us or the kitten, sleeps more, meows more, generally less affectionate towards us.

Do we have to let her go outside daily like before, so she can be less stressed, or is there any other way to lessen her stress? It has been 4 months and I am worried it will become chronic stress for her.

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  1. Laura

    Have you taken her to the vet? Those are signs of stress, but they’re also signs of injury and illness.

  2. Laura

    OH, I forgot to mention – you could always build a catio for her to spend time outside, SAFELY, protected from the other cats. There are tons of videos and plans online for this. If she truly wants to be outside, this might be the best option for everyone.

    But get her to the vet, first, to make sure something isn’t actually wrong.

    1. Mai Post author

      Hi Laura, thank you so much for replying.

      We actually brought her to the vet a few months ago because of a fight bite she got from one of her outside trips. While the wound was not anything to worry too much about, we talked to the vet about letting her outside and expressed our worry (she’s gotten scratches before but it was the first time she got a bleeding bite wound), and the vet agreed that she should stay inside from then on.

      Aside from the wound she was overall fine, thus why I believe these are stress symptoms…

      As for the catio option, we are renting, and while we do have a garden, we share it with the landlord, so I don’t think it’s a viable option right now.

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Kate Reisinger | 5 years ago
I Have A 14 Month Old Pit Mix That Has Terrible Anxiety. He Is Terrified Of Being …

I have a 14 month old pit mix that has terrible anxiety. He is terrified of being by himself, even if we are just behind the closed door using the bathroom. He cries terribly & will pace the house until we’re done. If I take a shower or bath I leave the door open so he feels a little better, but he then cries & tries to grab my arm to pull me out (not in an aggressive way). When people come into the house he paces, jumps, & whines for them. He also does this outside when he sees people or other dogs. He is told “down” when he jumps & warned with the beeping noise on his training collar. He will sit but it is very hard for him to stay still, as he continues to whine, shakes, & then rolls into the ground. It’s like he knows to listen & tries very hard but literally can not stay still. He also is terrified of thunder & the sound the trash truck makes. When those sounds are occurring he runs right under the table & won’t come out. We are in the process of training & we were told by them that they also think he has anxiety. They think he would be able to comprehend better if it was under control. I have been researching non stop for things to help with this major issue. I don’t want him on prescription anxiety meds that cause him to seem “sedated” & not like himself (that happened with my family dog). I have come across a tablet to help with separation anxiety & the behaviors that come with it. It is called clomicalm & every review or story I have read about it was positive. I really do think this could be a successful choice for him IF I know this is something that is not harmful. There are possible side effects that could occur but that could happen with pretty much any medication humans or pets. This tablet does not cause dogs to seem drowsy from what I’ve read from people’s experiences & has a high success rate to treat anxiety. We have tried natural treats, oils, thunder vests, etc. & nothing has helped him in the slightest bit. I just want to know if this something that would be okay for him to take daily or even okay to take at all?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    It sounds like it is time to get help from a behaviorist. Please ask your vet for a referral and also ask them about medications to help bridge the gap as you start to help him overcome his fears and anxieties. Medications can help but they should not be used without also implementing training, socialization and behavior modification therapy. I hope this helps and I hope your pup gets help soon.

  2. Sarah

    I agree with Dr. Magnifico. A behaviorist will be money very well spent and will benefit ALL of you. Very best of luck. Don’t give up!!????????

  3. Laura

    I agree with the others – find a behaviorist. I’d also invest time in a sport of some sort. This can help build the confidence it sounds like he lacks.

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Melanie | 5 years ago
My 18 Month Old Pit Mix Woke Up With This Nodule Type Bump On Her Face. It …

My 18 month old pit mix woke up with this nodule type bump on her face. It was hard and crusty and now it’s open. I dint think it’s painful but she doesn’t like me to mess with it. I got the best pic I could. No other symptoms at all.

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  1. Sarah

    Trying to get info from a photo is very difficult. If it were me, I would make an appointment for the vet and ask them to do a biopsy. It could just be a small injury, but it could be worse too. I hope it is nothing- best of luck!!!
    .

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Rachel Pittman | 5 years ago
Our 15lb Chihuahua/Maltese Mix Has A Gurgling Belly. You Can Hear The Noise Just Being …

Our 15lb Chihuahua/Maltese mix has a gurgling belly. You can hear the noise just being in the same room as him. He is super uncomfortable, sits down for a moment- you hear a gurgle and he shoots back up and circles then sits down again. It happens about once a month and lasts for about 12-24hrs. We have taken him into our vet a few times for it but by the time we take him in it has subsided. I believe they typically give him a one time dose of an antiemetic. Most of the time we have him leashed & am outside with him so we do not believe he is eating something. No table food, eats science diet. Has regular, formed, bowel movements. Unsure of what to do or how to make him feel better! We can not afford to keep taking him to the vet & not have answers of why this keeps happening.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Maybe you can talk to your vet about a long term sensitive stomach food to try? Or make sure it doesn’t correlate with any of the preventatives you give. (And if you’re aren’t giving them you should check to make sure it isn’t intestinal worms with a fecal sent to the lab for analysis). Also some dogs benefit from probiotics long term and gi protectants. I can’t tell you what’s going on with your pup but I do think there are lots of low cost options to try to figure out what it might be. Also you should remove all snacks and treats for a month or two to see if this helps. I worry about gi issues and pancreatitis. In some cases there is excessive gas so a diet change might help. Talk to your vet about all of these. Let me know what happens. Good luck.

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Ed Burman | 5 years ago
Our 4 Year Old Chow/Australian Shepard Mix Male Dog Has Been Scooting To The Point He …

Our 4 year old Chow/Australian Shepard mix male dog has been scooting to the point he has lost hair on his hind legs /bottom – resembling a baboon. The skin is normal and not inflamed. We had his anal glands expressed, added pumpkin to his diet and had him checked a few weeks ago and his glands were ok. He has started scooting again. We were told he may have allergies and have put him on 1 diphenhydramine 25 mg daily. He stopped scooting for a few weeks, but is back at it again. Advice and suggestions are appreciated. Thank you.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    Well it sounds like you are addressing many of the usual suspects. I would say at this point that you call your vet back and tell them what’s going on. If you were my client I would recommend a recheck to include a rectal exam for anal sacs (some refill in a matter of weeks) a rectal exam of the colon (for masses or abnormalities causing discomfort), a thorough check for fleas (and to make sure Parasiticides are being given appropriately), and a talk about allergies with better medication options given to help eradicate the itch. This is where I would start. Yo it dog is either uncomfortable or itchy. Check again and try to rule out one versus the other. Also if they are scoring to the point of trauma to the skin you may need an antibiotic or topical treatment for the skin in the urogenital/rectal area. Let me know what happens. Good luck.

    1. Ed Burman Post author

      Thanks Krista … we are your clients 🙂 …. we’ll get Kimber back to see you guys. I appreciate the quick response.

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Dakota | 5 years ago
Pit Bull Mix With Suspected Ivdd. Losing The Mobility In His Hind Legs. Urinating And Defecating …

Pit bull mix with suspected ivdd. Losing the mobility in his hind legs. Urinating and defecating on himself and the only option I was give was a 10,000$ surgery. I just need advice on how to care for my poor dog so that he can have a quality life. I got him when he was 8 weeks old and I was only 16 so we have grown up together I love him to pieces. Please help me!

3 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I have a lot of Information on my blog and YouTube channel. Go there. Also a few questions below is the book I recommend. It’s available on Amazon. I also think it is imperative to call the vet who diagnosed you and remind them it is unethical to not provide options to you even if the preferred treatment option is cost prohibitive. We owe our patients options and when I hear they aren’t being provided I shudder at the number of let’s falling through the cracks because we have forgotten to be compassionate and flexible. It’s also a reportable offense to not provide care in the manner clients request. Please also look into physical therapy, acupuncture and adjusting your home to be more handicapped friendly. I would also ask for a referral to a vet who is versed in this and willing to help a client with financial constraints. Go back and talk to your vet. Demand help that is meaningful or find one who will. These pets can recover with conservativecare But you need to be hyper diligent and you need assistance. Reach out on social media to find a mentor locally who had been through this or ask your vet to give you a patient in the past who had this and build your own support network. Please keep in touch. And please let us know what happens. Good luck

  2. Dakota Post author

    Hello,
    I just wanted to respond with an update on my little pit bull who was diagnosed with ivdd. It’s day 6 of his symptoms and it has been really really hard. Especially the first couple days but we’ve got him on some pain management and I’m following you’re advice on resting the dog as much as possible. He’s been eating and drinking regularly the past couple days which is great and he seems to be more alert and happy. All great signs. But I do have a few specific follow up questions about his symptoms. The first is he’s not been defecating the past 3 days and I’m curious how I can help him with his bowel movements. And my second question is how
    Much movement is too much? My little guy is very determined to get up and walk regardless of the pain or lack of mobility in his hind legs. Is this something that I should allow or should I limit his movement significantly?

    Any help appreciated thank you

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Amanda | 5 years ago
I Have The Sweetest Siamese Mix, Goldie, Adopted From Our Local Humane Society. Unfortunately, She Has …

I have the sweetest Siamese mix, Goldie, adopted from our local humane society. Unfortunately, she has been a sick kitty and she’s had 4 URIs in her two years of life. She did take the full course of antibiotics for all of them and healed successfully.

Recently, she’s been making low snoring noises periodically when awake and sleeping and it seems to be only when inhaling. She’s a talkative girl and sometimes her voice changes when meowing. She has no other symptoms and is eating, drinking and playing normally and there has been no mouth breathing while making the noises. Her breathing rate has been normal. Sometimes it seems like she is making the noises and then stretches out real long in the first picture to get comfortable.

Below is a link to her video around 24 seconds you can hear it, you might have to put it at full volume:

If this is difficult to hear it sounds very similar to this:

I have a vet appointment next week and am concerned she has stertor from an oropharyngeal polyp from my online research and her symptoms. Is this something that a vet would be able to see without putting them under sedation? Are there any other suggestions you have as to what I could have them test for if it’s not a polyp? I wasn’t sure if she could have asthma or another breathing related issue.

Finally, do you by chance have any recommendations for vets in Phoenix, Arizona? I am just getting myself prepared if needed for a second opinion or if surgery is necessary.

Appreciate it and all your tips and videos online! You are doing incredible work!

3 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    hello Amanda!
    If you think your kitty has stertor, or what I call upper nasal snoring sounds, I think it is best to start at your vets office. A couple of things are important to discuss early on. One, lots of stertor sounds alike. For the many cases of polyps that I have seen it is important to look at the whole cat, take a very detailed history and do the basics, like ruling out URI (upper respiratory infection) first. Lots of cats get this, as mist have come through rescue/shelter scenarios. So, I always talk to clients about covering the basics first.
    URI should look like infection. Lethargy, fever, ocular and nasal discharge are usually present. Antibiotics are our first stop for these cats. I usually use clavamox, doxycycline, or azithromycin (I’ll even try all three before I move out of the infection suspicion scenario).
    BUT, some cats are instead chronic rhinitis. These are usually a little older, and a little distanced from the rescuing phase of their lives. They are usually the somewhat older cats (like 2-6 years old) and they were probably exposed to a herpes virus early on. They sort of never get over the snoring and sniffles. These guys are life long snifflers. Usually with some degree of nasal and ocular discharge.
    There are also the polyp cats, These are the ones I see often, because, their primary vet doesnt want to go take a look because if they find a polyp they are afraid to remove it. So most of the cats I see are the suspected polyps who cannot afford the $2500 plus estimate the specialists are giving for retroflex endoscopy, and removal with a surgeon.

    I know lots of general practitioners who will sedate (yes this is required to get an adequate look) who will look and will remove but the risks are important to discuss before hand. The risks are; regrowth. I have seen it happen in two cases. Both resolved permanently after the second removal. I have also seen significant bleeding after removal. The cat ultimately did fine, but, I was worried for a few days.

    If you find yourself with a vet who is reluctant to look ask for a referral. If the referral is to a specialisit and this is not affordable call the local cat specialty clinics, rescues and shelters for a referral you can afford.

    I hope this helps. Please let me know what happens.. If you cannot find help let me know and I can reach out to some of the rescue people I know in AZ.

    good luck!

    krista

  2. Amanda Post author

    If it is in fact a polyp and it goes without removal, does this lead to any suffering for the cat throughout their life? Do these polyps continue to grow to the point of full obstruction?

    I really appreciate all your advice and time! Thank you so much and I’ll report out after the appointment either way.

  3. Amanda Post author

    Hello, I just wanted to follow-up on my vet visit. The vet gave Goldie a Kenalog shot and to be honest, the noises she was making went away, but it’s strange as it seems now I’m not hearing her purr as often. Is a steroid shot ok to use on a limited basis? I know that it’s short term use and would not want to continue giving her shots every few months as I know it can suppress her immunity and for a cat that has had several URI’s I’m now second guessing the vet giving it to her.

    Thanks!

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Nick | 5 years ago
Our 2 Year Old Pitt Mix Recently Suffered From A Laceration To His Front Paw Pad. We …

Our 2 year old Pitt mix recently suffered from a laceration to his front paw pad. We ended up bringing him into the ER for stitches, which he received. However, neither the vets or ourselves were able to get him in his cone of shame. For about 4 days we were able to deter him from interfering with his wound through careful monitoring and a sock with cayenne pepper placed over the bandage. Day # 5, however, is when things went to pieces. Sometime between lunch and when I get off work, he was able to get his bandage off and proceeded to gnaw at his stitches… We took him back to the ER last night, but given how he is with strangers (not good), we opted to forgo getting him sedated and re-stitched, and try to take care of him from home. He lets us change his bandage, but when I tried changing it this morning, some of the gauze had adhered to the wound. I’m afraid if I pull more of it off, I will make the wound worse, but I can’t imagine that leaving it on there is a good idea either. If we can avoid even more costly medical bills without jeopardizing his health, that would be great. That being said, I’m reaching out to the canine community for any advice available! Thanks for taking the time to read my post 🙂

2 Responses

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  1. Laura

    Hi there! I’d be tempted to call and ask if you can soak the wound to release the gauze.

  2. Sarah

    Morning-
    I agree with Laura…. the other thought I had was maybe to try a soft cone? Our one dog is a bit with a plastic cone, but he will tolerate a soft cone.