Ask questions and share about your pet's health to help others.
We have a new puppy, a 9wk doxipoo, he seems extremely lazy and doesn’t ever really want to move unless we make him. Even when he goes to the bathroom, he goes while laying down and it doesn’t seem to phase him? He doesn’t cry or whimper.. just lays there. His eating schedule has been quite unpredictable as well. At first I thought that he just needed an adjustment period to get used to his new people and place but now I’m getting worried. Shouldn’t he be playing more than this? Or at least have some interest in exploring? Should I be worried about Parvo or another sickness?
He came from an in-home breeder and I haven’t been able to get ahold of her since I became worried.
My 11 year old cat was diagnosed with a nasopharyngeal polyp via CT scan and rhinoscopy last year. A biopsy was taken and found not to be cancerous. A nasal flush was the only intervention taken (which improved her symptoms) as I was told it was too small to remove. 3 weeks ago she was taken back with the same symptoms (noisy and difficulty breathing, quacking noises, and problems swallowing food) and another nasal flush was done under anesthesia and an antibiotic injection given with steroids also. Since then she has gotten progressively worse in her symptoms. The same vet wants to do another rhinoscopy and flush and cannot guarantee any results. I am not a rich person and so far between last year and now I have spent over $4,000 to help her. I was hoping you or someone in the Brooklyn area can recommend a reputable veterinarian for at least a second opinion as I am beginning to feel that I am being taken advantage of monetarily because of my dedication to getting help for my cat. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hello-
I’m sorry you are finding yourself in this situation. I would make a few phone calls to see about finding a second opinion. Your local humane society or scpa may be able to recommend another vet. I would also have a candid discussion with your current vet about your financial situation and your concern for your cat. Perhaps together, you can come up with a good plan that works for the both of you and more importantly, benefits your cat. Hope this helps- best of luck!!!
Thank you for your reply.
So Stella just pooped a red gelatinous blob and I have no idea what this is. Could it be anal glands or diarrhea from maybe finding our fruit snacks on the floor? She’s been pooping a bit more than usual.. Maybe 4-5 times per day. She seems totally fine otherwise except for wiping her butt on the floor (sorry so gross). Her poop just before this happened seemed like diarrhea.. PS Stella is a Morkie (yorkshire terrier mixed with maltese) and 3 years old.
Here’s Stella for reference
So I just took her to the groomer and she confirmed it was not anal glands needing drained.. Also was confused by the picture… Could it have been renegade fruit snacks on the floor?? Lol..
She’s acting normal with tail wagging and running around..
I have to say I have never heard fruit snacks come out just like they went in? Is there a human out there to confirm. And why is she eating fruit snacks?
My bet is it is from the colon. Dogs with large bowel diarrhea often get red gelatinous feces (we call it “raspberry jam” because we relate everything to food (gross!)). My recommendation (as your vet which I am) is to check her gum color, make sure they are pink and not red or pale, check her gums for tackiness (indicating dehydration) and then stop feeding for about 12 hours if the above is normal. Then go to a bland boiled skinless chicken and rice meals for a few days. I also add a probiotic like fortiflora. If it persists, she is straining, or she seems dehydrated see a vet for fluids and a fecal exam. Let us know what happens.
My 6 year old Bijon Shih Tzu is a very active dog and has been running, jumping, and using her long legs her whole life. Just a couple of days ago she was about to push off her hind legs to run up the stairs as she has done thousands of times before and immediately screeched and ran off limping and then ultimately losing control of her hind legs. After a few minutes of resting she was hobbling along but was able to stand on all four. However the morning after she could not stand any longer on all four and los control of her hind legs. The Vet says she has IVDD and gave us options of surgery, treatments or putting her down. I couldn’t fathom that idea since she isn’t in pain, still wags her tail, still drinks, eats, and goes to the bathroom. I’m in desperate need of some support and help. She is a trooper and I know this cannot be the end. She is currently on meds from the vet and going in today for acupuncture treatment. She is left in her cage and we try to keep her resting as much as we can. I have watched Krista Magnifico’a videos on this subject and hoping my dog can recover as the beagle she cared for did.
Hello.
I’m sorry to hear about your pup. I have a lot of information on my YouTube channel and blog.
Please go there, read everything,and explain to your vet how you feel and if they aren’t supportive find one who is. These cases take a lot of time and TLC but many can recover if given the chance.
Heres the link to my blog; go to it and search “IVDD” https://kmdvm.blogspot.com/
and use YouTube too,,, my channel has lots on Hank,
Very best of luck!
Krista
Can you help me with my case please
I have a 5 year old male Maltese and all he does is bark we have tried everything I have done training with him I have tried anxiety meds for dogs I have tried bark collars thunder vest and even leaving a tv on with dog music a blanket with my scent toys bones and nothing at all works and my neighbors get really upset and complain about his barking and have even threatened to call animal control but I don’t know what to do any more please help
Hello,
I firmly believe that every dog barks for a very good reason. The challenge is spending enough time and effort to figure out what they are trying to tell you.
Start at the vets office with an examination and diagnostics. Look for any signs of pain, infection, allergy, inflammation, discomfort, etc. I always (ALWAYS!) also do a rectal exam to check anal sacs. Then we talk about the home life environment. How much exercise and attention is your dog getting? Has anything changed in the household? A recent arrival or departure? Anything?
If the barking is becoming obsessive and troublesome talk about seeing a behaviorist and starting anxiety medication. Medication should only be used after everything else is ruled out and a behavior modification plan is underway.
please keep us posted on your progress.. good luck! I hope that everything works out ok
SO I noticed my kitten has a UTI and I couldn’t afford to do a bladder express surgery so I brought him home and I came across a video of sometimes you can express the penis to see if the calculi comes out and if it does you don’t need a catheter. So I gave it try at home and some white stuff came out like salt and he peed so much! What a relief but then this morning he was straining again and I helped him again and more white stuff came out (they look like white salts) I am trying to figure what is this white stuff and I am thinking it’s the magnisum that I am giving him since he can’t walk due to Bengal polyneuropathy. How can we flush him out ? Does he need surgery to remove these white specs? What antibiotics should we get to help him with pain? I need help please
It looks like that is crystals. I would advise you getting to the vet and talking to them. Until then, I would make sure he is hydrated and drinking LOTS and possibly continue expressing and hopefully more will continues to come out. Even if he starts urinating on his own, I would get a visit to the vet. Let us know how Hong’s are going.
What kind of medication should I get ? If he is able to expel them would he be okay? He is able to pee but he keeps straining I believe trying to expel them out ? if he is expelling these crystals can it do harm to his penis?
Hello! I have a 14.5 year old japaenese splitz who had disc surgery 2 years ago. This year he developed new weakness in his lower extremities and had a 2.5 kg weight loss so he had a full body ct with contrast and ct brain.
Findings included a chronic herniated disc explaining his weakness and an incidental finding of a splenic mass with some splenomegaly and no evidence of metastasis. Ultrasound findings were non significant. The nature of the mass remains unknown. His blood tests were good and he has no anemia. My veterinary doctor recommends a splenectomy. But i am worried of putting him through general anesthesia given that he has a heart murmur (on no medical Tx). I want to maximize his quality of life. I dont know if i should put him through major surgery given that he is asymptomatic but i am also worried abt internal bleeding and the suffering of metastatic disease if i dont operate. What should i do?
Good morning-
The first thing that I would do is sit down with the vet and have a heart to heart about your thoughts and concerns. Hopefully you have a good relationship with them, and you are able to have an open discussion regarding whether or not surgery is the best option. I would mention your concerns (anesthesia, etc.) about quality of life and surgery risks for sure. I would also recommend having a “family” meeting with the household of applicable, regarding the pros and cons, the vets advice, and the recovery process (if you go through with surgery) or any other day to day changes that will be necessary in the near future for your pet. But again, my first step would be with my vet to weigh the options for my pet. Best of luck.
Hello,
I had the same situation a few weeks ago. I am asking that patients mom to contribute to this question too.
My first piece of advice is to ask for an echocardiogram exam. You don’t mention the degree or severity of the heart murmur (usually graded on a scale of 1-6) and it is important to say that a low grade doesn’t always indicate it is safe or irrelevant.
From here you can better assess anesthetic risk.
In general I tell clients to take out the spleen before it becomes a problem. A bleeding spleen can kill a dog quickly. So quickly you may not even have time for successful surgical intervention.
You have done an amazing job with diagnostics and treatment options. Don’t stop here.
Please let us know what happens.
Best of luck
Wow, what you are going through sounds quite sillier to what I just experienced with my oldest dog, who is almost 12. He is a Lab mix weighing about 54 lbs. A few months back he had is senior checkup, including a full blood panel and all looked good except trace amounts of blood in his urine and he has had a heart murmur his whole life and had never been on heart medication. He ate carpet a few weeks ago and while doing X-rays and ultrasounds to be sure it wasn’t causing a bowel obstruction, we found he had an enlarged heart and two masses on his spleen, with no indication of metastasis. He was acting himself, except for the belly issues from eating the carpet. Once we knew the carpet issue was under control, I got a second opinion about the spleen and had long talks with my vet about the situation. Both veterinarians suggested a splenectomy, and also to consider a cardiology evaluation to be sure his heart was strong enough for surgery. I was so nervous about what to do, he is older, acting fine and his quality of life is great. The thought of putting him through what I felt was major surgery was so frightening, especially since he is older, but I was also getting nervous about internal bleeding and ending up in emergency surgery and that being life threatening. I made the decision to see a cardiologist and they cleared him for surgery, and started him on heart medication; he then had the splenectomy the next day. The recovery was quick and he actually wasn’t much bothered by the surgery, maybe a day or two of lethargy. By the end of the first week I was having to keep him from playing and running, he was back to himself. Now, a few weeks later, I am so thankful I made the decision I did, he is just so happy, playful and back to being his energetic (in the old man style) self and even starting play sessions with his siblings. It was a roller coater ride for the few weeks after getting the diagnosis, getting a second opinion and making the decision to go forward with the surgery, but it was all worth it to have him back and not sit here and worry if he might be bleeding internally. I learned your mind can play those games with you when you know there is a potential unseen problem with your dog. One thing that made the decision a little easier was my vet telling me the surgery wasn’t much more on him then say a spay for a girl, it really wasn’t as major as I thought it would be, and based on the experience I went through, I’d agree it really didn’t take much out of him at all. I wish you all the best in making your decision, and I’d be happy to help answer any other questions you may have.
Trish
this is the answer from my client, Trish, who’s dog had a very similar issue (heart murmur and incidental splenic mass found via ultrasound).
“Wow, what you are going through sounds quite sillier to what I just experienced with my oldest dog, who is almost 12. He is a Lab mix weighing about 54 lbs. A few months back he had is senior checkup, including a full blood panel and all looked good except trace amounts of blood in his urine and he has had a heart murmur his whole life and had never been on heart medication. He ate carpet a few weeks ago and while doing X-rays and ultrasounds to be sure it wasn’t causing a bowel obstruction, we found he had an enlarged heart and two masses on his spleen, with no indication of metastasis. He was acting himself, except for the belly issues from eating the carpet. Once we knew the carpet issue was under control, I got a second opinion about the spleen and had long talks with my vet about the situation. Both veterinarians suggested a splenectomy, and also to consider a cardiology evaluation to be sure his heart was strong enough for surgery. I was so nervous about what to do, he is older, acting fine and his quality of life is great. The thought of putting him through what I felt was major surgery was so frightening, especially since he is older, but I was also getting nervous about internal bleeding and ending up in emergency surgery and that being life threatening. I made the decision to see a cardiologist and they cleared him for surgery, and started him on heart medication; he then had the splenectomy the next day. The recovery was quick and he actually wasn’t much bothered by the surgery, maybe a day or two of lethargy. By the end of the first week I was having to keep him from playing and running, he was back to himself. Now, a few weeks later, I am so thankful I made the decision I did, he is just so happy, playful and back to being his energetic (in the old man style) self and even starting play sessions with his siblings. It was a roller coater ride for the few weeks after getting the diagnosis, getting a second opinion and making the decision to go forward with the surgery, but it was all worth it to have him back and not sit here and worry if he might be bleeding internally. I learned your mind can play those games with you when you know there is a potential unseen problem with your dog. One thing that made the decision a little easier was my vet telling me the surgery wasn’t much more on him then say a spay for a girl, it really wasn’t as major as I thought it would be, and based on the experience I went through, I’d agree it really didn’t take much out of him at all. I wish you all the best in making your decision, and I’d be happy to help answer any other questions you may have.
Trish”
hope this helps.. i am going to ask Trish to add Reggie’s story to our storylines section asap!
I have an 18 month old male cat, Chubbs 🙂 – he was a stray that we took in from the neighborhood as a kitten, vaccinated and neutered and we just adore him. On Monday this week, I noticed he was having urinary issues – lots of in and out of box and no action. Our vet was full so we drove about 30 minutes to another town to take him to an emergency vet. Vet told me that he did not have a urinary blockage, but his urinalysis showed evidence of infection and crystals. A chicken and the egg situation he said. They gave him subQ fluids, antinausea med, anti-inflammatory med and send us home with a supply of pain meds and antibiotics. He was low key the next day, but seems back to normal as of yesterday. However, still lots of urinary urgency and frequency attempts with dribbles here and there, but is producing actual normal appearing size voids 3-5 times a day. No blood, no howling. Bowel movements seem a little looser, assuming from antibiotics but no diarrhea. Is this expected behavior? Can male cats have partial blockages that wax and wane like this? Will this continue on for 1-2 weeks while treating the UTI component? Emergency vet told me to follow-up with our vet in ~2 weeks for repeat urine.
I would call your vet and see if you can schedule an appointment before the two weeks just to get your own vet up to speed and see if there are any changes in diagnosis. Err on the side of caution. I can tell you from experience- getting these things taken care of sooner rather than later and staying ahead of the game, is a LOT less expensive in the long run. Best of luck.
Hi I’m curious as to the general thoughts in treating anxiety in small canines with CBC oil. Shitzu breed in particular when it comes to fireworks, thunder storms, and trucks or buses accelerating. Any information is appreciated and thank you all for what you do. Regards Kathleen
Hello,
There is a lot of speculation about what it can and can’t help but unfortunately no real science about it. I also don’t have any personal experience I can share. For my noise anxiety patients I discuss lots of medications that they can try that I actually have seen work and even things like the DAP or thunder shirt.
Hi I’m curious as to the general thoughts in treating anxiety in small canines with CBC oil. Shitzu breed in particular when it comes to fireworks, thunder storms, and trucks or buses accelerating. Any information is appreciated and thank you all for what you do. Regards Kathleen Munna
I am on a search for a boxer. I was told that it is important that the dogs are tested for ARVC and DM. Is this true? Is there other boxer owners out there who have this issue?
Hi Kathleen – I would discuss this with your vet, to be quite honest. They know your dog best.
Hi Shelley – If you’re searching for a breeder, I strongly suggest going through the breed club for all questions pertaining to the breed. They will have a breeder referral list somewhere on the page, as well as a list of chapter clubs. I STRONGLY suggest finding a chapter club in your area: https://americanboxerclub.org/
I would get to the vet immediately! Puppies should not be lethargic like that. And the fact that the person you got the puppy from is not getting back to you is concerning. Let your vet know your suspicions when you make the appointment so that they can be prepared. Best of luck. I hope things turn out ok.
Yes. I would be worried. Any abnormal behavior, especially in puppies this young , makes me very very worried. It’s time for a visit to the vet ASAP. I hope they check a parvo test and fecal. Along with physical exam and temp. Please go today. Let us know what the vet says.
Vet said could be PARVO, anemia from fleas, parasite or a congenital defect since he was so much smaller than the rest of the litter.
We’re hoping just anemia from fleas since that’d be easiest to treat