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Hunter | 4 years ago
My 4yo Labrador Retriever Hank Recently (two Weeks Prior) Underwent A Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy (TPLO) …

My 4yo Labrador Retriever Hank recently (two weeks prior) underwent a Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy (TPLO) to repair the torn cruciate ligament in his back left knee. He gradually increased activity in the affected leg, but now seems as if his progress has halted. He’s very hesitant to put anymore weight on that leg. He won’t walk up a small step to get into my bedroom (this was the case before the surgery too). He moves around somewhat freely in the yard, but reverts to standing on three legs or doing a three-legged hop to move around at times. He has taken a bad step two to three times that resulted in a loud cry out. He must be coaxed to move around at all and appears to have developed a plum-sized seroma at surgery site of the infected knee. Could this be leading to the halt in activity/progress? He allows me to massage the muscles above and below the affected knee. We have also been doing some range of motion exercises on both legs.

Seroma?: He allows me to touch it and it is soft to the touch. It feels like a water balloon filled with a slightly more viscous fluid. It is directly above the incision site and the fluid appears to rest directly on top of the knee joint. Per vet recommendation, I discontinued the use of Rimadyl to try to reduce the size of the seroma.

Other symptoms: Licking at the base of tail to the point of seeing some blood in his fur. Excessive licking of the blanket he sleeps on.

3 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Please contact the surgeon or your vet ASAP. Really. ASAP. This doesn’t sound normal and an exam is indicated. Good luck.

  2. Sarah

    Hi there-
    I am hoping that Hank has been seen by your vet and/or surgeon already???? We recently had one of our dogs undergo tplo surgery, and although her recovery has been slow, it has been steady. We have been very strict about what she is allowed to do and what she is not to do and she has undergone xrays along the way to make sure she is progressing ok. The fact that Hank has cried out in pain and is regressing is very concerning. Please keep us posted

    1. Hunter Post author

      Update: Took Hank to see the surgeon yesterday. They removed the sutures and checked the seroma. They think he is just still in a lot of pain and recommended putting him back on Rimadyl for another week and to let them know if he doesn’t get any better. The seroma is looking better, but still somewhat large and still resting on the joint, which may be leading to discomfort. I may have just been too quick to let him resume light activity.

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Eva | 4 years ago
My Dog Is 6 Months Old Roughly And She Started Her Heat Cycle For The First Time 6/10/21 …

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

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    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.

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Jeri | 4 years ago
Hi, My Cat Daisy Recently Had Major Dental Surgery To Remove 12 Of Her Teeth. She Did …

Hi, my cat Daisy recently had major dental surgery to remove 12 of her teeth. She did well through it but shortly after started to pull her hair out as she grooms. Wherever she has rested there are clumps of hair and it’s primarily on her thighs. She’s eating well, acting normal and using the litter box normally. Can you help?

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  1. Sarah

    I would contact your vet and make them aware of this new behavior right away.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    I would worry this is pain. Or stress. There are lots of medications available for these. Please call your vet.

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Debra Brenner | 4 years ago
So Our Little Morkie Stella Had Jumped From My Arms And Landed Wrong On Her Hind …

So our little Morkie Stella had jumped from my arms and landed wrong on her hind leg. She then proceeded to have trouble walking on it and has been limping. It seems to be affecting her joint. She’s not crying out in pain, but is not putting any pressure on her leg. Her hip felt stiff under my fiance’s grasp.
I am freaking out, unsure of what to do. She’s not shrieking when we touch it. She’s just complying

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    The only time a joint injury is a true emergency is a hip dislocation in these cases time is of the essence to put it back into place. The classic presentation of this is a prominent bump on the hip and the leg appears to be rotated outward also they toe touch. Little dogs tend to have shallow hips so they can dislocate fairly easily and it is most common with a fall or jump. A trip to the ER is indicated they will take an X-ray and if dislocated try to put it back into place. The faster it is put back in place the better as the longer you wait the harder it is to correct and the more likely it is to fail (ie “pop back out”).
    The other possibility is a fracture. Little dogs have fragile bones. Although it sounds terrible this isn’t an emergency and cage rest is indicated. See a vet ASAP for an X-ray. An orthopedic specialist should be seen to repair this.
    Lastly a knee injury like a cruciate ligament rupture is the next possibility. This is like an ACL in people. It happens with trauma or abnormal forces on the knee associated with playing or turning the leg while the body is in motion. This is often a surgical procedure to correct.

    It is also possible to have a muscle, joint, tendon or injury elsewhere which would benefit from rest and analgesics or steroid/NSAID therapy.

    In cases like this I have to say it’s best to go directly to the ER for an exam and possible X-ray.

    I hope she’s ok.

    Keep us posted

    1. Debra Brenner Post author

      Even if she isn’t in pain when we touch that area? Is it possible that she just sprained something?

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Jasmine | 4 years ago
My 16 Year Old Cat Has Been Diagnosed With Some Kind Of Nasal Cancer. I Don’t …

My 16 year old cat has been diagnosed with some kind of nasal cancer. I don’t know which specifically because I didn’t want to pay for the tests that would specify which kind. Regardless, we are not treating the cancer; we are giving her supportive care. She is currently on steroids (prednisolone) and painkillers (gabapentin). With all of this, she has recently had a new symptom: a bulging of the bridge of her nose. At first, I thought it might be the cancer, but then one day, it popped open, and started leaking fluids (probably blood mixed with other things). I gave her first aid, and it healed. Now, it’s doing it again, but the fluid is building back up, even after leaking out. I called the vet after the first time this had happened, and was told that things like this would keep happening, and that she’s probably near the end of her life. Nothing about what it could be or how to handle it.

So my questions are, should I see a different vet? Does the pressure cause her pain? Is there some way to treat this? I haven’t euthanized her yet, because she still seems to enjoy life.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    These are all questions to ask your vet. Without knowing specifically what the diagnosis is (or specifically what type of cancer) and what kind of fluid this is it is hard to predict outcome abd treatment options. Also the steroid can influence patient response. Cancer is defined as aberrant cell growth so it is by definition abnormal activity and asking to know and understand anything acting abnormally is also hard to predict. You have decided to keep her comfortable while declining the work up so we have a hard time answering specific questions about what to expect and do bed sue we do t have enough information to be able to answer questions like these.
    Pain is impossibly to answer without seeing your pet in person and doing an exam to look for the signs that might indicate pain. Also we don’t have great long term options for treating pain in cats. Pred has some properties to help.
    It sounds like you are doing the best you can with limited ability to diagnose which is the huge majority of cases I see. Keep doing what you can and it’s ok to seek multiple opinions.

    Good luck.

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Michelle | 4 years ago
Hello To Everyone, I Have Three Cats (2 Boys & One Girl) And I Believe One Of …

Hello to everyone,

I have three cats (2 boys & one girl) and I believe one of them keeps throwing up their food. I have been feeding all of them with dry food since day one. I just started to notice a few months ago. Doesn’t happen A lot but it does happen often. I ordered cat grass to see if that would help which it did for a little bit. I also bought those new cat bowls which I feel that also helps but I just noticed he still vomiting his food. Not sure what to do.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    There are many reasons why pets might vomit. It’s best to figure who, or how many are vomiting and then talk to your vet about it. In some cases it can be intestinal parasites (diagnosed with a fecal sample sent to the lab) or eating too much too fast, or allergies or other diseases are also possible.

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Nina | 4 years ago
Hello Dr Magnifico I Watched Your Video On Beerus The Cat (Megacolon/ Obstipation) On YouTube! Currently …

Hello Dr Magnifico
I watched your video on Beerus the cat (Megacolon/ Obstipation) on YouTube! Currently my 8 year old English bulldog was diagnosed with megacolon. My dog is my life. The last week I’ve spent $4000 which included a deobstipation. The deobstipation wasn’t successful as there is a hard piece deep in the colon. They stated they removed a good amount but couldn’t reach the hard piece deeper in the colon and he will need two more procedures. I truly can’t afford to spend any more money and I don’t want anything to happen to my dog. Each procedure is about 2500 in the area and that only includes 24 hour care. Right now he is feeling much better but that piece is still in there. I’ve increased his exercise to 2-3 short walks. I’ve also changed his diet. Chicken, very little rice, raw liver, flaxseed, watermelon, blueberries, coconut oil, green beans, carrots and pumpkin. He’s feeling much better and is having diarrhea which I hope is chipping away from that hard piece. Can you recommend anything? Days ago he was vomiting, shaking, couldn’t walk, didn’t eat or drink and was lethargic. It was so scary! I literally would do anything for this dog. But I can’t keep shoveling out thousands of dollars and not get any results. Anything would help, I can’t have anything happen to my boy. You also mentioned to learn how to palpate the abdomen. Can you explain how that is done. Any help or recommendations would be much appreciated. Thank you!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry to hear about your pup. I think that diet and exercise are very important. I also think that monitoring daily for fecal output helps. I also think you need to find a vet who will help you manage this outside of the emergencies. Your dog is going to be very hard to palpate so although I don’t want to discourage trying it’s going to be hard to monitor that way. I would also ask about gi motility agents, laxatives and prescription diets. I am not a raw or homemade diet fan. I just see too many people missing hey ingredients. Also finding a bet who will allow X-rays to monitor might help. I think you also need to start a savings account for surgery down the road. JIC. At my clinic a sun total colectomy is about $3000 and we allow payment plans to pre existing clients.
    I hope this helps.
    Keep us posted.

    1. Nina Post author

      Thank you so much. I was hoping to try this for the next few days since he is having diarrhea where he couldn’t go to the bathroom at all even after the deobstipation. Do you think it’s chipping away at that piece? What is that surgery? Will that make this constipation issue go away?

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Kat | 4 years ago
My Cat Gave Birth To Her First Litter Last Night And Everything Seems To Be Fine …

My cat gave birth to her first litter last night and everything seems to be fine but she may have a slight fever. I’ve done a lot of research and I’ve given her wet food and added water to it while she eats, but she’s not drinking water directly from the bowl. What else can I do?

1 Response

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  1. Sarah

    Hello- congrats on kittens. Has your cat improved????? If she still seems feverish, I think I would call the vet to be on the safe side.

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Teresa | 4 years ago
I Brought My 12-year-old Cat Into The Vet Today. He Hasn’t Been Eating Or Drinking …

I brought my 12-year-old cat into the vet today. He hasn’t been eating or drinking a lot so they decided to hydrate him. Since I brought him home, his breathing has been shallow and he is coughing a lot. I am seriously concerned. I don’t hear much air moving in his chest. I have no idea what may have caused this. What a bummer on the back of hydration caused him to not be able to breathe? The fluid is already disbursed throughout his body, so I thought he would be feeling better by now. I know that this has helped to park him up before. Please help

3 Responses

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  1. Teresa Post author

    Dr. Magnifico, if you read this message, can you please let me know if this is normal.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I think your cat needs to be seen as quickly as possible. I hope he is ok. If you are a Jvc client please call us first thing and we will help.

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Gerry | 4 years ago
1 Week Ago I Went To Pick Up My New Kitten.  Male, Neutered. He Is Now A 13 …

1 week ago I went to pick up my new Kitten.  Male, neutered. He is now a 13 week old pure bred ragdoll. I got him from a ragdoll breeder. They had him to the vet a few days before pickup with a clean bill of health and second distemper shot, along with all documentation of prior visits and past test results. He sneezed a few times during the pick up process and they told us this was normal during his new transition. He is still sneezing regularly each day with no change now 1 week later.  No coughing. He also has some very bad smelling gas daily but not constant or consistently.  I feel that his breath is a tad stinky too but my nose is very sensitive to smells and odors so it may just be my sniffer. I kept him on the same food diet as the breeder with no changes. His bathroom habits are normal, tootsie rolls, no diahrea or vomiting.  He eats normal. Plays hard like a kitten. Sleeps at intervals between eating and play but changes positions alot during sleep sessions. He is snuggly, purrs happily but during his full on purring seems to snort or stall his motor slightly. No discharge of nose, ears, mouth or eyes other than a spray from a sneeze occasionally and dark brown eye crusties that have been present occasionally since adoption. He seems very happy and not lethargic. No coughing. He has a vet appointment in 2 weeks the soonest they can get him in and they didn’t seem extremely concerned with the symptoms to arrange a sooner date. This is a single pet home.  I may just be overly paranoid but any bit of information is always appreciated to a new cat mom.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    It is not uncommon for the stress of going to a new home and the changes in a kittens lifestyle once there to cause an upper respiratory infection. It is best to see a vet ASAP. Call your vet. Express your concerns and if they can’t get you in within a day or two call other vets. We are all busy right now but waiting until an infection becomes a life threatening illness is unethical. We always fit people in even though we are very busy. If all else fails go to the ER. Better safe than sorry.