Ask questions and share about your pet's health to help others.
Hi Pawbly friends- my neighbor 2 houses down has chickens- they are free range, so they frequent our yard. I honestly do not mind; we live in the country and I’m not worried if my lawn looks like a golf course or my garden is picked through. A few months ago, one of our shepherds got one of the chickens as it was running from our yard, I assume back to it’s yard. Sadly, she got it right next door at the house between us. Since then I have tried to be diligent about when I let the dogs out to check and see if the chickens are out and where they are. On Saturday my son had the dogs with him in the driveway and didn’t notice the chickens down below and one of the dogs got one by our garage at the bottom of our driveway. He did not tell me this by the way until this past Thursday. He told me Thursday because yet again, he was in the driveway with the dogs and one of them saw a chicken in our front yard and gave chase- ended up killing it in the house between’s yard again. I of course went to the neighbor down the street right away and told her what happened. She is very angry and upset, understandably. I asked if there was anything that I could do- but honestly she wanted nothing to do with me, so I let myself out. I’m devastated and have told the kids they cannot be outside with the dogs anymore unless I am with them or the chickens are not out. I got some gift cards to shoprite and wrote another apology and left it on her door as she didn’t answer. We are looking into a fence of about 900 feet if we can afford it, to put up just between our acreage and our immediate neighbor’s yard in an effort to keep the chicken out and the dogs temptation at bay. My fear is that I won’t be able to let my dogs outside now that they have found out about chasing chickens. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Five days ago my 7year old German Shepherd was out side playing and running with my beagle puppy. Next thing I know she is yelping in pain and rolling around on the ground. By the time I get to her she has stopped crying out and is laying still. I realize both hind legs are paralyzed. We immediately take her to the vet and she is examined. She doesn’t appear to be in any pain and she DOES have deep pain sensation! She is immediately started on Steroids, Muscle Relaxers, and Anti Inflammatories. She remains at the vets for five days and receives cold laser therapy and a small amount of PT. She never looses her DPS and really seems to be in good spirits. I took her home yesterday and I am determined to help her regain her mobility. I do not have a true diagnosis and seeing a Neurologist is not going to happen due to finances and living so far from one. My vet told me to take her home and gave me range of motion exercises and told me to buy her a harness. He said it will just take time. She is able to relieve herself without help! She is reacting more each day to us touching her legs and back!!
I am so confused and have read everything I can find on the subject and can’t get any answers. Should I start working with her and letting her walk or should I confine her to her kennel for a while? Should I use a harness or not? I just wish I had some answers!! Please help!!
Hello-
I am so sorry this has happened. I would monitor her closely as you have been. I would also check in with the vet daily and gives progress report and get advised on each thing you should be doing with your dog as far as therapy and recuperation. I hope she improves and gets better!!
Hi. I have a 7 months female husky and she has jaundice symtoms. I’m really stress to her coz i really love my dog. And I want her to survice to her situation. Is any idea for hime remedies treatment for this kind of symptoms. I kinda scared and nervous on what will happen to her on the nextday. So please of you know some home treatment for her support. Please 🙁
If you suspect jaundice or some type of liver disease, you need to get to gather vet right away.
However, i just need something that i can lessen her pain. 🙁 or additional treatment not only for medicine
I understand that, but the only way to get treatment is for a vet to assess her situation and give a proper and full diagnosis. Please get to a vet right away to get help for your dog.
Hello animal lovers! I am seeking advice about a shoulder hematoma/seroma in an adult dog, resulting after microchipping.
I recently adopted a wonderful shelter dog. The problem started when she had to be microchipped, she was uncooperative and the technician had to do 2 insertion attempts, over the left shoulder. She bled from the injection sites for a few hours, but seemed ok otherwise.
Two days later, she jumped down out of our tall cargo van, started limping within minutes, wincing in pain, and had obvious swelling on the shoulder where the microchip was placed.
We took her to the vet, where they sedated her and placed a drain for a hematoma. The vet said there was a lot of inflammation, blood and clots. She prescribed an anti-inflammatory, no antibiotics. There was a lot of drainage the first few days, then less and less. The microchip came out, I found it on her bed one morning.
They removed the drain on day 8 with almost no fluid drainage present.
Within 36 hours of drain removal, the drain holes are well scabbed over and I can see and feel a small pocket of fluid (feels like a tiny waterbed) where the hematoma was. It is not growing, even with short walks and normal backyard activity. Her behavior is totally normal, no signs of pain or infection.
After researching, this seems to fit the bill for a seroma. I would prefer to watch and wait as long as she is acting normally instead of return to the vet for diagnosis and more possible interventions…
My questions are:
Does this sound like a seroma?
Could the hematoma have returned?
Should I go to the vet to have fluid drawn to confirm? Does it sound appropriate for me to decline another drain or aspiration as long as she is behaving normally?
Is attempting to place another microchip advisable?
Is it reasonable to assume that these are complications from a poorly done microchipping?
Any insights appreciated, thank you very much!
Hello,
I’m glad to hear that things have resolved and seem to be doing well. I always think it is best to talk to your vet about anything that you are worried about. It is always neat to keep the lines of communication open and healthy. Usually a seroma is just fluid clear and no blood or clots. I am not a fan of draining. It can introduce infection and keep a resolving problem an active problem. But you should discuss this with your vet. I think all pets should be microchipped. Find someone who is very comfortable doing it and try again. Best of luck. Keep us posted
Hi Krista, thank you so much for your response on this awesome platform. I found pawbly through your blog post on seroma.
Is the only way to diagnose a seroma to pull out some fluid with a syringe? Or can it be reasonably assumed via palpation?
Thank you again. I am so grateful for this resource. (I am living in Portugal, so the language barrier can make clarity difficult at vet visits!)
Hi there! Thank you so much for rescuing a dog. It does sound like it could be a seroma. I think if it starts to feel warm to the touch or your dog shows signs of discomfort that you should go to the vet ASAP. However- I would express the concerns and suspicions that you have shared here with them- regardless of when your next visit is. A simple discussion and quick Q and A would help get a good relationship started between patient, client and caregiver. I highly recommend micro chipping. Perhaps during your chat you can figure the best way to go about it next time? Very best of luck to you????????
Thank you so much for your response, I am very grateful!
My vet strongly suspects my cat has a nasal polyp. She has be snoring/snarling consistently for 2.5 years, but is otherwise fine. When it began, I first had a potential infection treated with two antibiotics, followed by a teeth cleaning, that yielded no issues with the teeth, and ended with a nasal flush. My vet was hoping to be able to see and grab the polyp during the flush, but couldn’t. Because she was otherwise healthy, eating, and playing, I went without treating it. Recently, she was treated for a G.I. flair up that had her not eating. She had begun not eating or moving get bowels for days. Once vomiting was added in, I took her to Metropolitan Emergency Vet. They gave her an ultrasound, saw the inflammation and gas in her abdomen, took a CBC, gave her fluids and nausea medication and sent her home a couple hours later for $800. Her bloodwork was was fine, aside from dehydration. She continued not to eat, so I brought her to my vet a day and a half later. They did an x-ray and saw the lower intestine looked aggravated. They kept her for the weekend and gave her fluids and more nausea medication. She returned to me after two days and began eating again at home. I’m awaiting the additional $600 bill for that. While being discharged, one of the docs urged me to address what she felt strongly was likely a polyp in her nasal cavity, as she believed it may now be large enough that it’s limiting her ability to smell, which may have contributed to the refusal to eat with the G.I. issue coexisting for a few days. She referred me to the specialty docs locally to have the nasal polyp removed. They are quoting me $3,195 plus. They said it would be $195 for a internal med consult, $1,500 for a “necessary” CT, and $1,500 or more for the Rhinoscopy. My vet said Lilah is otherwise a healthy 12 year old cat. I am sick with the cost, as I will need to put it all on a credit card. I have called around to multiple other specialty vets and I’m getting comparable quotes. I have had family members suggest I euthanize my cat over a nasal polyp, which I absolutely will not do. I stumbled across a Utube video of you removing a nasal polyp, so I tracked you down by name, wondering if you could help Lilah? I’m two hours from your practice, which is close enough. I’d really appreciate you getting back to me. As of now, we have a consult scheduled for 3/4, and I’m sick over the cost.
Thank you,
Diana Maginn
Hello,
Well! That’s quite a huge long laundry list of issues. Has anyone done a FeLV/ FIV test? What does the blood work look like?
While no one can rule out a polyp without a scope or ct scan this does sound like a long list of issues and I worry there is an underlying issue causing many of them. I would ask your vet to sedate her and look behind the soft palate to see if there is a visible polyp that might be able to be removed with traction avulsion. Otherwise I think the retro flex endoscopy and ct are the only way to diagnose. Although I would ask some very hard and direct questions about what can actually be done if they’d one it buried dee within the nasal cavity? I hope this helps.
Blue is an approximately 7-8 year old Rottweiler. I recently adopted her last year from a family that had adopted her 5 years before when she was brought to a Rottweiler rescue as a stray. Recently have some issues with her licking paws and biting at the hair on her legs, also severe dandruff with scaly scabs along her flank with leathery skin, also scabbing along the outer ridges of her ears. I initially suspected an allergy as have had rottweilers before and experienced their tendency to have allergy to food etc. Visited the vet about the skin, did antibiotics and it subsided but not completely cleared up. I decided to change food and in doing so she had 2 bouts of diarrhea that both had to be treated with metronidazole. In this process comes the problem, on one of those visits my vet discovered her spleen was enlarged. confirmed by xray, no masses just enlargement. In process of having her thyroid checked by a 3 panel test as I think the vet is going in the direction of a low thyroid causing multiple ear/skin infections which in turn is enlarging the spleen. I did check with previous owner and she has had skin/ear infections in past, treated by Keflex and allergy shot but never confirmed as to why. Vet stated she has little confidence at this point it could be cancer, but possible. we are embarking on finding out why her spleen is enlarged… My question is has anyone had a similar situation and or what do you think will be the outcome? Also if this does play out as a thyroid issue, given proper treatment will the spleen return to healthy size or will it need to be removed? I am aware of the possibility of hemangiosarcoma and do know what that outcome would most likely be.
Hello! Lilah, my 12 year cat is believed to have a nasal polyp/s by our vet. She has the classic symptom of the constant snoring/snarling sound. It actually began over two years ago, but we waited to address it due to cost. Recently, she had a short GI flair up that she had treated, but she would not eat for several days during it. My vet suspected it was because the potential polyp is large enough that she couldn’t smell her food well on top of being sick. I had her hospitalized for the weekend to get fluids and nausea medication. She resumed eating. My vet urged me to get the polyp addressed, indicating it is a simple procedure, and Lilah is an otherwise healthy cat. Her blood work was fine. She was both ultrasounded and x-rayed with the GI issue, and just had inflammation in the lower intestine at the time. The referred specialty vet is quoting us over $3,000. $1,500 for a CT scan and $1,500 plus for the Rhinoscopy. In searching for options, I stumbled across you in a Utube video. The cat you were doing the procedure on both looked like and met the snoring description of my cat. She had a nasal flush two years ago, when the snoring began, and they could not see or reach it at that time. They presumed it was in the nasal csvity. We love our cat, but we just paid $1,500 for this GI issue and an additional $3,000 plus would require us to borrow the amount. When we saw your video and that you helped someone in a similar predicament, we wondered if you could help Lilah? We are drivable to your practice, though in Pennsylvania. If appreciate any help or advice. Thank you so much!
Diana Maginn
Hello,
I would wait for the thyroid panel to return before speculating too much more. I also advise people that hypothyroidism is one of the most over diagnosed diseases we see. The dog should be acting like they have a low Thyroid along with appropriate test results before diagnosing. As far as the spleen goes. I’m not sure if oversized is a problem. It is just a finding. And I have no guess as to what it will do. You can ask for an ultrasound to better appreciate it and speculate on its underlying issue and best course of action. If I think a spleen is, or is going to be a problem I remove it before that happens.
4 days ago my cat began acting really lethargic. She has been sleeping all day and won’t move. I offered her canned food on day 2 and she scarfed it down as well and drank water. Over the last 48 house she has declined severely. She is eey weak and has lost and extreme amount if weight despite my efforts. I have been syringe feeding her, stimulating her, administered Pedialyte as well as tried to maintain her hydration. I began subcutaneous fluids yesterday and she is still of a deep decline. I’m afraid I will lose her. She was fine the day before this started. None of my other cats are sick not have any symptoms at alll. She is 6 months old. Her name is Honey.
My 16-1/2 year old calico has been on prednolisone since August. Even though she was still eating normally she went from about 9 pounds to 7.2 pounds in a year. Tests showed everything was good with the exception of inflamed intestines. Being on the prednolisone has helped her gain weight again, she now weighs about 8.4 pounds. Within the past month on occasion she has started howling very loudly for no apparent reason. She doesn’t seem to be in any pain, sometimes it actually seems as though she’s confused. Any ideas on what could be causing her howls? What can I do to help her? Dr Graff has been her vet since she was a tiny kitten, I would bring Pumpkin in if necessary but hate the idea of stressing her out in doing so. Thanks for any suggestions.
Hello,
I think it would be best to bring her in. In cases like these I get worried about kidney and liver issues and these are best diagnosed with bloodwork and/or an ultrasound. Certainly dementia can happen to any and all mammals but we rule out medical issues first. Dr graf is at the clinic on mon-weds through Saturday. I hope this helps. Best of luck.
I have a question directly for Dr. Magnifico. I reached out through Jarrettsville Vet, and they directed me to Pawbly to reach Dr. Magnifico more directly:
I am reaching out after watching your YouTube videos on nasopharyngeal polyp removal. My cat Fitzgerald has all of the symptoms of this (and has for multiple years). A couple of years ago, he had a full-mouth tooth extraction due to stomatitis at University of Georgia. (I live in Atlanta.) They suspected his wheezing, occasional sneezing, snoring, and other symptoms could be due to a polyp, but, as a vet school, they refuse to check without putting him under and doing $3500 in scans. They would then have him come back in to be put under again, taken to the pet hospital, and then would extract the polyp as a costly surgery. They are not alone in the high costs of treatment in the Atlanta area.
I have seen your expertise and candidness regarding this simple diagnosis, actual procedure, and the lower cost and would like to bring my cat to your clinic. Fitzgerald has been on longer car rides in the past, so I’m sure it would be okay. I am a graduate student living on a small stipend in the city. $3500+ is not possible for me, which is why I am willing to drive 10 hours. It’s the only way I can afford to take care of Fitz’s polyp.
Please let me know how I may proceed with scheduling this. I am eager to do so as early as this month. I appreciate your time.
Best,
Christy Kinney
(and Fitzgerald)
Hello,
I think that in older cats an oronasal-pharyngeal polyp is less likely than in younger cats. I also think that it is hard for me to fathom why so many vets are afraid or reluctant to look for them. If you would like me to look we have to arrange the trip as you are so far away. This can be done by calling the clinic and asking for the office manager to arrange this.
I always tell people to call every rescue and shelter around you and see if someone local has experience with this.
In almost all cases of older cats with suspected polyps it has turned out to be a nasal cavity mass or chronic rhinitis. So I am worried you will make a long trip for an inconclusive exam. I hope this helps.
7 MONTHS LATER MY CAT IS SLOWLY CHOKING TO DEATH !
I posted this 7 months ago : My rescue cat of 5 years is showing all the symptoms of Nasopharyngeal Polyp. He is my everything!
OH please I am begging for help here ! I am disabled and he is the center of world . I am on the south west coast of Washington State, my rescue cat Kiki presents with all these symptoms ( I come from a family of RN and Bachelor in Nursing ) I have called vest around here and ALL of them say they do not do this surgery because they dont have the scope, or they will not even discuss possible price or treatment without me coming in and the vet seeing them. They say they will diagnose and refer me to a specialty clinic not far away . The specialty clinic gave me a quote of $3,500-$5,000 !! If this is even what is wrong with him . I am devastated that no one will even discuss this with me without paying for a vet visit. It looks like i could spend hundreds in visits before i can find someone who is even willing to think about this surgery without referral to the very expensive specialty place . PLEASE HELP I CANNOT AFFORD THAT MUCH !! Meanwhile my poor sweet Kiki is slowly getting worse. I dont know what to do anymore !!!!!!!!
UPDATE : PLEASE PLEASE I AM ONCE AGAIN BEGGING FOR HELP !! My cat displays all the symptoms of this I do not have a lot of money . i can come up with a few hundred dollars but no where does this surgery without a scope or it being a specialist . I keep being quoted THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS to have it removed ! I have called and called and called vets around here and either they dont know what I am talking about or they will only refer me to a very very expensive specialist ! I asked for help months ago and finally chatted with you and all you told me was keep calling vets in my area and asking . I have over and over , I am watching my cat slowly choke to death more and more each day ! this is a nightmare ! I dont have $3,500-$5,000 that they are telling me it will cost ! Why can you do this for so little and no one else can ? PLEASE I AM BEGGING YOU !!! ANYONE PLEASEEEEEEEEE HELP !!!!!! He is choking to death !
Hello- I am sorry that no one is willing it seems to even discuss this with you. I would call your local animal shelter to see if one of their vets might be able to help or even another local rescue that might be able to assist you. Social media may help you as well- if you post your situation and enough people see it, someone may step up. Other than that, I would fight with my vet. If you’ve been having this issue for this long and your vet isn’t apparently listening to you, I think a serious conversation with them is in order. Tell them, I have “x” dollars and euthanasia is not an option. Tell them again the symptoms and your suspicions. I’m sorry I cannot offer you any other help. Hopefully you will get somewhere with your vet….
thank you and yes i have been through all that . i keep getting apology after apology ” sorry thats all we can do ” ” I can refer you to a specialist “
I am so sorry to hear what your going through. I have been in the same situation with my Shar Peis.. I lost 2 so far with what they guessed was throat and lung cancer.. it was very expensive, and there was no guarantee that it would save them also, But I couldn’t afford it ether.. you got to be rich to save your animals.. Vets are as bad as doctor’s now days, They think its a privilege to get medical care for your animals.
Hello,
I’m sorry about what happened. I’m sure you are devastated. Here’s my best advice. I would call animal control and ask for their advice. This does two things. One it protects you and your dogs and two it puts her on notice. It’s hard to be good neighbors with bad blood in between. Next I would keep your dogs leashed at all times and in your yard. While she is ultimately at fault as her pets were on your property I worry that the prey drive will increase and it might be a dog or a cat next time. My dogs are squirrel obsessed and leave the house everytime with squirrels on their first to do list. They run out and chase them all. I am also fearful that one day they will see a cat so I am trying very hard to break this focus. So far it has been only squirrels they are interested in but I have no doubt they will escalate if allowed.
The fence is the best idea I think but I know it comes at a considerable cost. I am here for you. Sending love to you all