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William | 5 years ago
Hi There, I Wanted To Ask If Polyps In The Throat Can Be Felt. My Kitten …

Hi there, I wanted to ask if polyps in the throat can be felt. My kitten that can’t meow I suspect of having polyps. The vet tested for Leukemia and FIV negative, xrays negative, and lung worm negative. Now I notice both sides of her neck has lump, one side bigger. My other kittens do not have these lumps. My vet said she doesn’t think it’s polyps because that’s uncommon in kittens, so $500 in tests later and I have no answers. Shouldn’t they have noticed these lumps? They are the size of a small marble.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I have only been able to feel a polyp a few times. Every so often I can do a quick enough oral exam to feel them in the back of the mouth. But even with these I needed to do a sedated exam to be sure. Kittens can get hyperthyroidism which can cause palpable enlargement of the glands on the outside throat area. This is diagnosed and confirmed with a blood test. Please call your vet to discuss these. If finances are a concern call the shelters and rescues to see if there are low cost pet care options available.

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Madison | 5 years ago
My Pug Just Threw Up And I Am Worried But The The Clinic Next To Me …

My pug just threw up and I am worried but the the clinic next to me is closed till Monday will he be okay he is also chasing his tail a lot but he has been eating and playing I am starting to worry I called his doctor and she said to wait till Monday because they are closed she also said it might be his anal glands but why is he vomiting

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  1. Madison Post author

    He has never been sick this is very unusual he is up to date with his heart hard and vaccines

  2. Sarah

    Good morning
    If your dog continues vomiting, you may want to get him to a vet ER. If he is eating and drinking normally and doesn’t seem to be lethargic- he is probably fine.

  3. Laura

    You asked this question 3 days ago, as well. I think I’d call the vet today and ask their opinion since he’s vomited twice now.

    1. Madison Post author

      Hello thank you very much I took him today in the morning and they told us to change his food and it is an allergic reaction they also told us that many dogs are getting sick and it might be a virus going around

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Christine | 5 years ago
Hi Again! (Ref: Penny & Sampson) I Asked About Switching From Raw Food Last Week. I …

Hi again! (Ref: Penny & Sampson)
I asked about switching from raw food last week.
I don’t know what food is best. One site says, kibble is over processed and has very little nutritional value because of the high heat used. Then there is organic and non gmo but dehydrated or freeze dried keeps more nutrients but I can’t find a dehydrated food that is also organic. They (mainly Sampson) did not do well on any of the kibbles and both gained weight even on the prescription diet food. I would cook for them but I’m afraid I wouldn’t give them all the nutrients they need. I tried to find a nutritionist on line but no success. I welcome any suggestions you may have. Who knew finding good nutritional options for your pet would be this difficult. Just want them healthy and to live a long like.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I know that food is hard. It is hard because the labeling parameters are essentially a joke and the manufacturers make it confusing. There are lots of good articles in the AAHA guide or you cab go to the veterinary nutritional college specialist page and see if they lost anyone locally. I know Virginia tech vet school has a few nutritionists on staff. Some do phone consults too. I am happy to tell you that I do the purina EN, it is very similar to science diet I/D and add deli fresh to it. I also do strict portion control and they get lots of exercise. I wish I could say I am an expert but I am not. And I do not trust or beleive many of the labels. With the small boutique brands I think they are trying to provide an exceptional product but they have a tough time with oversight of outsourced ingredients. In general I like Fromme, Royal Canin and Wellness. I hope this helps.
    Hugs to the pups. Krista

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Jess | 5 years ago
Hi! This Message Is For Dr. Magnifico: I Just Watched One Of Your YouTube Videos On …

Hi! This message is for Dr. Magnifico: I just watched one of your YouTube videos on IVDD disc disease and it gave me so much Comfort listening to you speak about the pup you were treating and the amount of pain he was in. I have my boy, 11 year old schnauzer_ 25 lbs- we did an MRI Last Saturday which revealed a disc extrusion a C3-4 with other milder disc protrusions. My guy has also had some liver issues for the past three years which has him on denamarin every day but also since this supplement, his liver enzymes have gone back to Normal. He is currently on Dexamethasone 0.5 mg, gabapentin 100mg and tramadol 50mg. Even though I did ask the doctor from the emergency hospital as well as Rex’s (my dog) other regular physician if these medications would be OK with him and his past liver problems, They both said yeah, I still can’t help but feel a little bit worried that these medications are going to hurt his already damaged liver. I’ve been trying to take it easy on the tramadol as a matter of fact they waited only until yesterday to start giving it to him because he is fine during the day he can still walk poop,pee and is still a total scavenger, But come night time that’s when he starts getting more comfortable and about 4 to 5 times he has woken up crying in pain which breaks my heart. Of course these episodes thank God only last about 10 to 20 seconds no longer and then he shakes it off and is fine after that. During these episodes though he gets up lift his right leg up and sort of paralyzes for that short amount of time his neck is not able to move his whole body hunches it’s a really scary experience the first time I saw it happen I thought he was dying, so you describing it the way that you did in one of your YouTube videos really really made me feel so much better about Rex and what he is going through and if anything made me feel thankful that even though my baby is in pain and is feeling uncomfortable there are so many other puppies out there doing so much worse than him. I’ve decided to buy him a stroller just because his brother, him and I are outdoor people we would go every day on 2 to 3 hour walks and now we’ve diminished them to 10 to 20 minute walks which still think that’s a lot so I think his stroller is going to help all three of us. I’m sorry for the rant I’ll finally get to the point-I just wanted to ask you what’s your experience with those three medications that I just mentioned do you think they are going to eventually become an issue with his liver? Also what’s your opinion on a neck brace for dogs I was thinking and looking up a few neck braces that might help him keep his next treat would you recommend this?
I hope to hear back from you soon and once again, thank you so much for your YouTube videos. I wish all veterinarians were like you.

Sincerely,

Jess V.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Although dex is a great anti inflammatory and analgesic I would be more worried about it with the liver. I also am not a fan of tramadol. I prefer gabapentin and robaxin for the IVDD dogs. Some of this is personal preference. Please call your vet and ask about your concerns with the liver and if they think the drugs I mentioned might help. Keep us posted. I have a long blog on IVDD at kmdvm.blogspot.com. And multiple YouTube videos. Please review all of them for help. Good Iuck.

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Jacqueline | 5 years ago
My Lab Will Be 11 In June. He Was Diagnosed With Diabetes 4 Years Ago. We’ve Never …

My lab will be 11 in June. He was diagnosed with diabetes 4 years ago. We’ve never been able to regulate his insulin and have tried both human and dog insulin. He’s currently taking 31 units of vetsulin 2 times a day and has been for over a year. No matter what dose/medicine brand we try, his blood sugar is still really high (between 250-400)! Recently, he’s been throwing up a few times a week after eating or drinking. The vomit is white and clear and looks like its mostly slobber with only a very small amount of food. What’s causing this?

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I have had a few cases like this. Here’s what I do; I talk about diet, exercise and make sure everything is very consistent. I also check and recheck bloodwork. Diabetes can cause concurrent illness and this needs to be monitored very closely. I also refer to an internal medicine specialist when I feel stumped. I know it’s not what people want to hear but ask your vet to run a full bloodwork with urinalysis (and maybe even a urine culture) and then ask to be referred to a specialist. They can help. With the immediate vomiting your vet can help. Vomiting can mess up the insulin so make sure you are monitoring the blood sugar closely. Good luck! I hope this helps. Let us know what happens.

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Ed Schmitz | 5 years ago
My Dog Sampson Is A 15 Year Old Boxer/pittie Mix(50 Pounds). Has Had Diabetes For 7 Years. …

My dog Sampson is a 15 year old boxer/pittie mix(50 pounds). Has had diabetes for 7 years. Been on arthritis pain meds the last year.. Has become very sluggish the past 2-3 weeks. Vet diagnosed him with a early stage heart murmur and slight anemia. Changed his arthritis pain meds to Gabapentin. It made him so drowsy that he fell asleep while eating. Became unable to walk without assistance. We weaned him off the Gabapentin and back on the old pain meds. His walking has improved a little but still is wobbly. Yesterday he refused to eat, which is highly unusual for him. Still drinking, but not eating today. He sleeps a lot but also has 30-60 minute spells of restless/repetitive behavior. I’m thinking he may have dementia. Any suggestions on how to help him?

2 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    This is largely a diagnosis of exclusion. I would call your vet back. Go over everything and repeat the blood work, cheat radiographs and discuss a cardiologist. There are too many things going on with your pup for me to say with any kind of degree of confidence to add that diagnosis to the list. All of the conditions you speak of can cause mental depression. So I would start over and ask for a referral to both an internal medicine specialist and even a catdiologist. I have a lot of information on my blog about cognitive dysfunction and there are lots of things you can do at home to help. But don’t over look previous issues before jumping into a new condition. To find the information on cognitive dysfunction please go to kmdvm.blogspot.com and in the search bar type cognitive dysfunction. I hope this helps.

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Moika | 5 years ago
I Inherited A Healthy, Except For A Slight Heart Murmur, 10 Year Old Chihuahua. She Is Current …

I inherited a healthy, except for a slight heart murmur, 10 year old chihuahua. She is current on shots and had no reaction to them. She ate small breed pedigree at first, but now feed Lotus good grain chicken kibble and pet plate topper (left over from a dog that died). I noticed she scratched her back alot, but didn’t see fleas, hair loss, a rash, and she mostly scratches after coming in from walks or arriving anyplace other than home. For a month, I left her home with my 7 year old chihuahua. They had the run of the house. One day I noticed pieces of my carpet in the hall. Now a whole corner of the rug is gone. I crated her. She screamed and whined and eventually escaped. I secured the crate with a carabiner. I came home to a crime scene. The bridge of her nose was bloodied and one of her nails was pulled out. I am taking her to work with me at a doggy daycare and boarding facility. Her nose has hair missing. I want to treat it, but with what and when will the hair grow back? Money is an issue because my hours are severely deceased now

2 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Oh my goodness! I am so sorry this has happened. I think it depends on a few things as far as treatment. If it is a deeper wound, then you will need antiseptic solution to keep it clean, and possibly antibiotic because of possible infection. If it is superficial, then that would be a different story. I am more concerned about her nail pulled out. I think that needs to be seen by the vet. I would call and get her in to be checked out. I know these are tough times. Your vet does too- and would hopefully be willing to give you a bit of time to pay for service. I hope your dog is ok????????

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I am not too worried about the abrasions to the nose or the nail. I have seen these both happen many times and they always heal well if given time. I am more concerned about the heart and based on age and breed; dental disease. The rest needs behavioral assistance as it sounds like separation anxiety. This is resolvable with time, attention and patience. I would see a vet. Have the degree of heart disease assessed and discuss preventative care like heartworm etc if needed. The carpet, if ingested is also a real threat to health as it can cause a foreign body obstruction. There’s a lot going on here. Your vet with a simple exam can help you. Find someone who is willing to take the time to help you and budgets are a normal constraint for most of us these days. Ask around for a reputable kind and patient vet. They are out there.

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Sarah | 5 years ago
Charley Is A 9 Year Old Lab Mix Female, Approx 70 Lbs. She Has Always Been An Incredibly …

Charley is a 9 year old lab mix female, approx 70 lbs. She has always been an incredibly active dog. Over the last year or so we have noticed her slowing down and assumed it was wear and tear of her joints after being so athletic and active. We started her on anti inflammatories (ostimax) after speaking with our vet, and used it as needed. It seemed to help. Within the last 3 months things worsened and we began giving her the anti inflammatory daily, as well as gabapentin. Things worsened again, and we finally requested that xrays be taken. They found a partial tear in one back acl and a fully torn acl in the other, we aren’t sure when this happened. She is receiving an injectable (adequan) 2 x a week for a month, and is taking the anti inflammatory, a cbd chew and gabapentin. This regimen is new this week and she looks a little better but still prefers to be laying down, has a hard time standing up/sitting down. We try to walk a block and she stops to lie down (we never push her). She sleeps most of the day, assuming from the meds. She is a different dog, it’s heartbreaking. She still eats and drinks but we put her food in front of her now, and mix it with wet (to hide the pills), otherwise I don’t know how often she would eat on her own. Thoughts on how surgery will help? Recovery? Our consult with the surgeon referred by our vet isn’t until July 31st (there is a backup with Covid) so we are looking for other options and might have a spot with a local vet- we are hoping to not have to wait that long because she’s just not our Charley, and we don’t want to see her in pain any longer.
some notes from vet: Ambulates tender hind legs R+L . thickened stifles- toe touching both and small stride on gait . Sits
slowly and swings legs out to avoid flexing too much . Crepitous on flex/ ext R side- patellar groove . Rlat- chip prox tibia- thickened JC and irregular lat collateral. L side – joitn mouse caudal joint – thickened JC irrgular medial collateral lig mild drawer both

3 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I think a few things might help. Call and get a referral to an orthopedic surgeon. Start there. They can help more than anyone else at this stage. The other option is to try a veterinary school. Everyone is backed up now do you covid. So I cannot promise these willl help. Also look into a suitcase type harness and orthopedic bed. Also swimming or underwater treadmill might help. I would also make sure your dog has had a full bloodwork done including thyroid. I also always check Lyme status. You don’t want to miss infectious or other disease when you are so focused on orthopedic. The best places around me are VOSM and VaTech vet school. If you cannot get into to surgery you can ask about braces. They might help. The folks at doglegs. I will forward their website. Did the vet take hip radiographs? Is your dog overweight? Did anyone help with other medications or supplements?

    1. Sarah Post author

      Thank you! My aunt Janet has spoken so highly of you, I appreciate your feedback! The vet said her hips and back looked great on the xray, was just the back knees. I will ask about getting bloodwork and checking for Lyme’s. As far as meds and supplements she is taking the ostimax, gaba, cbd chews and the adequan injections. Thank you again!

      1. Krista Magnifico

        Hello! Please let me know how things go. If you have trouble call Janet and have her send you my number. I can make some local calls to see if we can get some answers and help started. Good luck.

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Valerie | 5 years ago
Hello . My Dog Was Just Diagnosed With Ivdd. She Is 5 Years Old . We Are On Day 6 …

Hello . My dog was just diagnosed with ivdd. She is 5 years old . We are on day 6 and at night I notice she will wake up from a sleep and Yelp and try to get comfortable again . Sometimes she twitches too . She seems restless . She is on gabapentin tramadol and predisone . I feel that she is still in pain any suggestions?

2 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning- so sorry about your pup. You should speak to your vet again and explain your concerns about pain, medications and management. Also- I know that Dr. Magnifico has a lot of information on ivdd on her YouTube channel, in case you have not checked there already. Very best to you????????

    1. Valerie Post author

      Thank You Very much . Update my pup is doing Very well I am so happy to say! She will still need to be in crate for another two weeks but that’s ok I’m so happy she made a turn around

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Oliva Melo | 5 years ago
I Have A 4 Year Old Poodle That I Adopted After He Became Paralyzed From His Back …

I have a 4 year old poodle that I adopted after he became paralyzed from his back legs. He became paralyzed Dec 2018 and due to lack of resources, we chose the conservative method, but have seen minimal changes in the past 1.5 years since his injury. He is a very happy and friendly dog and doesn’t appear to miss his rear legs. My question is if he’ll ever feel his rear legs again? If his brain will ever detect them or know they are there? He has a wheelchair, but he dislikes it. His diagnosis is a slipped disk from two vets who also said he would be paralyzed for life. I took him to a trial treatment at Texas A&M Vet school, but unfortunately, the product they are developing is too far into the future. Looking for your opinion on what options, if any, my pet might have.
Thank you!

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I am not a neurologist specialist, but, I think almost every veterinarian would say that if you haven’t seen much, or, any progress by this point you are probably very unlikely to. I do however know many many dogs who have done quite well for many years in the same condition yours is. I would insure a few things;
    1. The home is safe and handicapped accessible. Block stairs and provide same level access to all needed things. Like bed, food and water.
    2. Make sure you protect the wear surfaces on his body. Like legs, ankles and joints. If he is dragging he isn’t using the toe pads which are thick and protect the skin.
    3. Make sure he is urinating completely (learn how to palpate the bladder to make sure it is emptied after every urination.
    4. Make sure he is moving feces normally and comfortably. Think about soft food and adding a probiotic or motility agent.
    5. See your vet often. I would say very 3 months or more if you are worried about anything.
    6. Get him in the grass for play and exercise as often as you are able.

    Good luck. I hope this helps.