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My beagle is 2 weeks post op from her 2nd IVDD surgery. Despite steroids and pain meds, she still yelps when picked up and sometimes when she repositions herself. I don’t recall her yelping after her first surgery, but I know this procedure was more delicate because of spinal cord maniplulation (removal of calcification from first surgery) along with nerve root issue, but is it reasonable to expect she’d still be in pain after 14 days post op? Her vet is continuing steroids and pain meds. So discouraging when she goes almost 24 hrs with no audible signs of pain only to end up yelping on a routine potty break. Truly feels like one step forward, two steps back.
I have a 1year and four month old chihuahua mix. She is 8 lb full grown, not over weight, and eats a grain free natural diet. Last night as I was petting her, I noticed this red bump. I am scared to death and am going to make a vet apt when they open today, but for now…anyone know what this bump could be? It is red, moveable, topical (doesn’t feel like it is attached to deep tissue at all), and is not causing pain. She is eating and drinking normally. should I be worried? Anyone have any ideas as to what it may be?
GOod morning
It’s hard to tell from a photo, but it could be something as simple as a clogged hair follicle or a pimple, which hopefully that is all it is? I would still call the vet and make sure, but try not to stress yourself out over it. Good luck!
I agree with Sarah. Also a bug bite, wound, etc? Dont get too worried. See your vet when you can about it. Also if she isn’t spayed I would inquire about that. That’s a bigger worry for me.
Hi pawbly friends…
It was a snowy, no school day here. Try as I might, I could not get the dogs to stay in while the kids were out playing in the snow, and all that running and horse play took a toll on our 12 year old GSD Butch. He just fell going down the stairs…. not the whole stair case, the stepto get onto the landing. My husband picked him up and rather than having him try to use the stairs tonight, we brought him round the outside way to use the hill instead. He seems fine on his walk just now, but slow going. My question is this: he’s got rimadyl that we give him sparingly for pain from his arthritis. Should I give him some tonight, or wait til morning when he will probably be really stiff, or give tonight and tomorrow? Thanks for anyand all advice!
Just to update:
Butch is stiff this morning, so I did give him his pill. I did not give it to him last night because when I went fir the dogs last tuck in, he was already comfortable. He had a tough time getting up the stairs this morning, and we had to help him… he needs a little help most mornings, but again after all his playing and running yesterday its no surprise he needed more help than usual this morning. If any of you have any other advice on how to help him recover from thinking he was 10 years younger yesterday, please share.
I didn’t see this last night but I wouldn’t give NSAIDs preemptively.
I think I would try to work on leashing him if he’s going to go a little off his rocker on snow days. 😉 That or work on the kids not letting him out.
Oh, and for recovery, crate rest for the day.
Hi Sarah, just wondered if you had considered Acupuncture for Butch? I know it helps a lot of dogs.
You could also ask your Vet about Gabapentin as an alternative to Rimadyl. It gives good pain relief and has no side effects in canines.
Do hope Butch is feeling better soon ?
My cat seems to have an ulcer on his neck, this is the second one he’s had the first was on his shoulder blade it’s clean and there’s no hair around he’s eaten today but it worries me, he doesn’t seem to be in pain or even notice it but it’s gooey and smells odd should I rush him to the vet?
Yes definately take your cat to the Vet. Whatever is on his neck needs diagnosing. Its obviously infected from your description and also needs antibiotics. There could well be a reason your cat keeps getting these ulcers (if thats what they are) and it would be wise to find the source of the problem. Good luck.
My cat was hit by a car and broke her pelvis. The vet suggested surgery which is very expensive. Is surgery the only way to treat her? or is there any other alternative? So far she can urinate on her own but having problem pooping. I think she’s in pain. The vet prescribed Tramadol and lactulose for her. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Hello,
Well this is a somewhat difficult question to answer. Here has been my experience. If you do not have the ability to see a surgeon and have this corrected by them (in my area it would be anywhere from $2000 to $5000. Then I always suggest strict cage rest. No leaving the cage for two weeks. No exceptions. The crate should have a very low bed, low sided litter box and food and water. They should be fed a watered down wet food to keep the stool soft and easy to pass. After two weeks see your vet for a recheck X-ray to see how the pelvis is healing.
Have the cat spayed asap.
If the cat presents with anal tone and deep pain in all four feet I recommend cage rest
The best option is surgery. If you cannot afford it try cage rest. They will be painful for a few day. A fentanyl patch might help or try buprinex. Ask your vet about these.
Let me know how she does
Her pelvis is broken. It needs to be stabilized, surgically, for proper healing. If you DON’T get the surgery, she will be in pain, most likely for the rest of her life.
I would get ahold of my vet and try to have this very discussion with them perhaps there is something they can do that fits for both of you.
My Boston terrier is in a lot of pain. His jaw is swollen and he keeps tilting his head sideways. I don’t know what happened,if he was maybe kicked or bit by a spider or if it is a tooth or ear infection? I live in a small rural town and the closest 24 hour emergency vet is 2 hour drive away. What can I do to help him. Do u have any suggestions or advice you can give me?
Hello Amie, when does your Vet open? Is there one closer than the emergency Vet? We couldn’t begin to tell you whats happened to your dog it could be any number of things. Have you checked his ear for infection? One thing is for sure he needs a Vet urgently. You could try a hot water bottle, not too hot but warm) held against his jaw it may ease it a little. Other than that please get him to a Vet for diagnosis and the correct treatment as soon as you possibly can. Good luck.
Has anyone had a kitty that developed an autoimmune disease where their body attacks the plaque on the teeth causing extreme pain and inability to eat? I have 2 now that have developed it and have had to have all their teeth extracted. I’m having such a difficult time making sure they get the nutrition they need. Looking for sugggetikns and possibly an explanation as to why this happens to cats. I just want to make sure I’m not doing anything that caused it.
Are the cats related in any way?
I think you are referring to stomatitis? I have seen it most often in young cats.. even whole litters.. in most cases the only way to resolve it completely is to remove all of the teeth. I know it sounds terrible but these cats are so much happier afterward.. I have done many of them. I have also tried every other conceivable treatment option. At this point I tell my clients to save their money on all of the other stuff,, like steroids, anitbiotics, and just pull the teeth. Often we do it in stages. All of the molars first. As these are what are most commonly affected. Canine teeth last.
1 year old cat left home alone for one day (not unusual for her). When owners camehome she was very clingy and needed to sleep in primary owners lap. As she would sleep her head would suddenly drop down and she seemed to have slower heavier breathing. After sleeping off and on for a few hours she began to get very aggressive especially towards male owner. Has also been moving head erratically and seems to shake head when moving it. Will only eat if food is on the floor and out of the bowl and has shown irregular signs of back pain sometimes being sensitive and sometimes not at all.
A veterinarian should really check out the cat’s unusual behavior. The doctor would need to determine if there is an injury which would determine the course of care. I wouldn’t delay seeing a vet as the cat may in pain. Best of luck, I hope the kitty is acting better soon!
I would worry about trauma to the spine or head. Please encourage them to get her in ASAP.
A month ago we went out of town and left our dog in the care of friend but when we came back our dog seemed lethargic and in pain. We took him to the vet who stated that our dog had hip dysplasia and he could go back to normal activity, (just not sprinting) and here is arthritis medication, but when his pain got worse and walking became difficult, we got an appointment to see a surgeon to have a hip replacement. The surgeon stated we would have to get an appointment to get an MRI because he stated that there is a problem with our dog’s spine because of the ataxia and pain. This came as a shock because of what we were told previously but that now we have to some how get the dog to an MRI specialist in the next coming days and handed us a 30 day supply of dog opiate. His diagnosis was never given but taking into account what was said to us that it may be IVDD. Is there something we could do that may make him more comfortable. I have read that he should only be restricted to a crate and let out to bathroom on a leash. Our vets on the other hand say he would be fine for a walk? We are just wondering because we do not know when the MRI facility an hour and a half away will have an opening we can take our beloved companion to.
Hello,
I’m sorry to hear about all of the troubles with both your dog and the vets run around that has left you lacking a direction and a helpful immediate and long term treatment plan. The best advice I can give is to call the vet you trusted the most and felt the most confident with and ask them to help you navigate your way through this. You need to get a firm diagnosis and start with that treatment plan. And then see how your dog does. Yay would be my advice. To get better direction from the vet you think can help you best. Very best wishes. And please let us know what happens.
Hello, I am writing because I’m really desperate at this point. My dog hasn’t been feeling good for a few days now (nearing a week now) she had been steadily losing her appetite and vomiting/trying to vomit. I was really concerned and took her to the vet 3 days ago. He told me that physically she looked fine and asked me if I’d be ok with a full blood work (because it would cost) I told him that that was the least of my concerns and that he was free to take blood and check her for everything he was afraid she might suffer from. After the vet drew blood I noticed my dog started limping so I called him.again and he came straight back to check on her again he checked her leg and it was completely fine her nerves were responding, he muscles were also ok and when he checked the movements of her leg everything was fine too but she was still limping so he started checking her spinal cord and when he reached a certain point my dog jumped and turned around to try and bite him that was how intense her pain was.
Her blood work came back completely fine and he told me that her organs seemed to be in perfect condition too. So he started administering 2 injections one antibiotic and one for pain relief. My dog was back to normal again and the limping has gone away completely but she steadily goes back to feeling weak and depressed until she takes the shots again. She stopped vomiting but today she started again. My vet instructed me to withhold food and just offer a small amount of water and I should check if she still vomits today. Unfortunately, where I live I don’t have the option of taking her to second vet for a second opinion on the matter so I decided to post here for help or at the very least ask someone here if these symptoms remind them.of something specific. The vomit was phlegm like white sometimes she throws up the water she just had after that she started vomiting anything I tried feeding her followed by a yellow substance today I found a dried brown like substance that scared me because I thought she might have thrown up blood?! But after I found that she vomited again and it was mostly water again so I figured if it was blood she would have thrown up blood again? She hasn’t gone to the bathroom for a few days (which is ok I guess since she hasn’t been eating much) but when she did go two days ago her feces we’re very soft and a few days before all these I noticed there was also mucus in some of her feces. She’s a pitbull mix and she is family to me I love her so much and I hated seeing her suffer and me being unable to do anything about it… The vet has recommended some pills as well because he suspects an intestinal or stomach parasite but my dog is way too clever as I’ve tried everything hiding in into food which she refused to take, tried putting it into sausages which she found again and proceeded to take the sausage out on the floor and eating it from the floor little by little around the pill, I’ve tried peanut butter which she outright refused and I even tried opening her mouth and putting the pills inside which she coughed out again and now when I try to open her mouth she keeps it tightly shut. Please help me if you can does anything ring a bell? Do these symptoms remind you of a case you might have encountered? Will my dog be ok?
I’m so sorry about your dog. I would call the vet again- first thing this morning. I would go through every single detail with him/her. Get another appointment- for today if possible. Try to brainstorm together in case you may have missed anything along the way. Is there a chance your dog got out and may have sustained an injury that you are unaware of? When exactly did the symptoms start? What was happening up to the point the symptoms started as best you can remember? Everything you can think of. If there is more than one vet at your office, see if they can brainstorm together about possible ideas. I hope everything works out ok.
That’s what my vet has suggested but everything seemed ok and normal the first day she refused to eat I thought it was due to the heat wave that we experienced here a few days ago she was drinking lots of water which I also attributed to the heat. The next day I tried feeding her later at night when the temperature was much lower she still refused to eat but she still drank water perfectly fine. So I figured if she continues with not eating the next day I’d take her to the vet which she did and I also found white dried throw up resembling dried foam and noticed she would try to vomit to no avail I was immediately scared it might be bloating and rushed her to the vet.
He gave her a physical there and found everything to be normal and asked me about the blood work and whether I’d be ok if he checked everything from a general blood work to see how her liver works even her brain as I said before I urged him to look for and check anything he was suspecting just make sure. After the blood drawn she started limping which buffled me and asked him to come see her he rushed back checked her leg her nerves were responding, her muscles were fine and all the movements of the leg were ok she only jumped when he check a certain place of her spinal cord. He left again and then my dog went from limping to a complete and utter disinterest about her surroundings and even when we tried getting her excited she would not stand she’d just lay there wagging her tail and not being able to put weight on her hind legs to stand up. I called the vet immediately and he came back again and saw the state she was in and immediately administered an antibiotic and a pain relief shot almost instantly she stood up (the limping is completely gone now too) and my vet told me to check on her regularly through the night and provide her with plenty of water and try feeding her 100 grams every 3-4 hours. She started eating and ate almost 300 grams and stopped throwing up. Then the blood work results came back everything was clear and her organs seems fine too. My vet also suspected pyometra but ruled it out because there was no increase in white blood cells present also no vaginal discharge and my dog is peeing fine and the color is normal meaning yellow. So he continued with the two shots the next day as well and then she threw up again! So yesterday in addition to those two injections he gave her a shot filled with vitamins to boost her immune system and also help her get those vitamins since she’s not eating right now. He instructed me to withhold food and just offer 250ml of water every 3-4 hours and monitor her to see if she throws up again. Which she hasn’t so far.
Because he also suspects an intestinal or stomach parasite he gave me a strong dewormer to give her but as mentioned before I’ve tried everything! But she’s just too clever and always finds the pill and knows when we’re trying to give her the pills. So the vet told me she HAS to take them so he’ll be giving her the dewormer via an injection as well. He is the only vet in town (I don’t live in a big city) and what’s worse he told me he HAS to attend a seminar and won’t be back in town till Monday but an assistant will be giving Zira (my dog) her shots.
As far as injuries are concerned I only found a splinter at the back of her leg like a week ago I think when I saw her limping I removed the splinter washed the little wound there then put betadine ( disinfectant) on it and then Fucicort Lipid (antibacterial cream). I did that for three days and she was fine and the wound is completely gone now too.
Now it’s become even worse she threw up blood and blood clots my vet suspects an ulcer due to the injections she’s been getting and has immediately stopped both the pain reliever and the antibiotic. He’ll only administer the vitamins today and an IV to keep her hydrated. I’m feeling lost and helpless because I can’t do anything for my dog and the vet hasn’t even given me anything definite yet… As I said before I don’t have the option of a second opinion as he’s the only vet in town but I feel really bad for her I wish the vet would find out already what it is even if it’s extremely bad I just want to know… so that I can prepare her and me as well I don’t know what I’ll do without her and I will miss her so bad if something happens to her but I also hate seeing her suffer. As a pet parent you always know there’ll come a time when you’ll have to say goodbye but I think we all imagine that time will come when our baby is old and she/he will go peacefully in their sleep or their bodies will naturally shut down because of old age but not like this… This is what’s killing me the most knowing this could be it for her and I spend her last few moments scrabbling around trying to cure maybe something incurable instead of being by her side…
Just an update because I know how worrying it can be when someone post something worrisome about their dog and never give an update on what happened. Also this might also be used for someone one day to understand the symptoms quick and help their dog. I haven’t replied as I’ve been really busy trying to take care of my dog. We ended up redoing her blood work and taking an X-ray fearing a foreign body that might have obstructed her stomach or intestines and found out she had pyometra she was immediately admitted for surgery and was essentially sprayed, the vet informed us that there was another option if we wanted her to have puppies but I didn’t wanna risk anything and just agreed to her being operated on. She’s now home with us and recovering. Thank you for your reply though!
Hello,
I’m so sorry to hear about your pup. I think it is super important to lean hard on your vet and their expertise. BUT don’t be shy and don’t be afraid to ask for a second opinion if you are feeling lost and concerned. Sometimes it takes a second eye to see things in a different light. Also please reach out to a neurologist for help. They are excellent resources to utilize.