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Amber | 5 months ago
My Son’s Dog Need Surgery. A Very Expensive Surgery. I Have Been Trying To Find …

My son’s dog need surgery. A very expensive surgery. I have been trying to find a place that will help with this with no luck. If my son’s dog doesn’t get the surgery he will need to put him down. There is something wrong with his jaw and now having a hard time eating. Someone plz help me save my son’s dog.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry to hear about your dog. You would have to give a better description of what kind of surgery is needed for us to offer any kind of assistance or advice.

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Ramin | 6 months ago
Need Second Opinion. Our Cat Shows All Of The Signs Of A Nasopharyngeal Polyp.

Hi Dr. Magnifico,

Our adopted cat (former stray cat, now 100% indoor) has always shown all of the signs of a nasopharyngeal polyp (about 4 years now). I didn’t know what it was until I saw videos of cats with similar breathing noises and eventually saw your YouTube polypectomy videos.

Three short videos of his breathing sounds (turn up your volume) follow:



Called our vet for a surgeon referral, but they’ll only refer for a CT scan ($2000) before they’ll refer to a surgeon. Surgeon’s websites all indicate that they will only accept appointments by referral from a general Vet, so I can’t just make an appointment for examination by a surgeon (which I’m happy to pay for).

Bottom line, looking for a second-opinion / consult (happy to pay!) on whether it’s really necessary to do a $2000 CT scan *before* being referred to a surgeon for (a probably $2000) surgery. I’d rather just have a surgeon put the cat under anesthesia, go in, look for the polyp, and remove it if they see one. Happy to pay $2000 for just that surgery, even if it turns out there’s no polyp.

Thank you in advance for any response.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I am sorry to hear about your dilemma. You are not alone. I know that a lot of people are in the same position that you are.
    I am not sure how vetmed got to this place. I am not sure why so few veterinarians are willing to go and look for a polyp that if it continues to grow will kill, by suffocation, its host.
    The idea that every single one of these cats needs a CT is incorrect. What every single one of these cats is is to breathe. Some of these cats will have polyps in places that we may not be able to get our hands on,, these cases may need a special scope to access. For this reason the price of care may increase.,, but for all of the cats I have seen I think I have given them a second chance at breathing, and a second chance at life.
    Call every vet in your area. Try every single veterinary practice that is single doctor (therefore privately owned) and every practice that has some old guy (or girl) working there. I promise that every veterinarian over 50 knows how to, and already has experience with this. They can help.

    If you cannot find anyone please come find me.
    I will do my best to help.

    Dr Magnifico

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Julie | 7 months ago
My 1.5 Year Old High Energy Goldendoodle Had Her Front Leg Amputated Almost 3 Weeks Ago Due To …

My 1.5 year old high energy goldendoodle had her front leg amputated almost 3 weeks ago due to a brachial plexus injury. She developed a seroma that was confirmed by the surgeon and she said warm compresses and rest. I have read that these can take weeks to go away and the only way to keep my girl quiet is trazadone, otherwise she wants to run around and play (and due to the amputation, she hops). Is there anything else i can do to speed up the absorption of the seroma?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    I don’t know of anything. I feel that the more you do to annoy or fuss with it the more delayed it gets in being reabsorbed.

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Teresa | 8 months ago
Torn Ligament In Cat’s Back Leg

My cats are patients of Jarrettsville Vet. I am reaching out please to get information for my friend. They are located in Michigan and Her 7 year old indoor cat hurt its back leg. Her vet told her that she needed to see an orthopedic specialist because the cat tore a ligament. They made an appointment and were told it would run $250 for the visit plus whatever they needed to do to identify the problem and surgery could cost up to $8000. They are a young couple with a small daughter, and are looking for other options. I thought I had seen a video that Dr. magnifico did regarding anti-inflammatories, pain meds, and cage rest. Can you please Point us in the right direction as to what she should do. I recommended that she contact her vet to see if those options were available to her through them and she could try that route first before seeing a surgeon. I am so blessed and grateful that Jarrettsville Vet is close to me and offers options such as those. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated! Her appointment at the surgeon is tomorrow.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello
    I’m sorry to hear about your friends cat. I’m also not sure what advice I can give as I don’t. Know what kind of injury or diagnosis this is.
    I do however think it is important to be honest about your financial abilities and express that to the surgeon. It is perfectly acceptable to ask for affordable treatment options and insist that they be provided.

    1. Teresa Post author

      Thank you Dr. Mag for your advice and I will forward that to her this morning. It is so difficult for us as pet owners to deal with the emotions, concerns and worry in the moment, without being given all possible available options instead of just surgery or amputation. This country most definitely needs more vet practices like yours! We will see you on our next visit and thank you for your time.

      Teresa, Girlfriend & Panda Bear

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Ethan | 9 months ago
Sudden Change In Dogs Behavior

Good evening. Before reaching out and scheduling an appointment with vet in the morning. I will ask here.

We have a 9 year old Sharpei-Hound mix named Emma, that has had a significant change in personality with-in the last 3-4 days. Overall her “Normal” behavior is what you would imagine with a blood hound; laid back and basically lazy. But when she’s outside her Sharpei side shows; playful but a little more on the aggressive side.

We have a fenced in property, and ability to closely monitor her and our other dog; a 12 year Chocolate Lab. With that said, 1 week ago February 25th we were going through our bedtime routine. Both dogs went out. Our Lab came back in rather quickly, but Emma stayed out a little longer before making her way back to the door.

When she came inside, she was shaking very much and appeared traumatized. My wife and I attempted multiple times to check her over and give her some love. But very unlike herself she did not want any part of it. She had No signs of cuts or abrasions or any type of trauma. But the only thing was when we touched the top of her head more over her left side she would yelp and whimper.

The next day she was back to her normal self. Only with in the last 3-4 days we are noticing some rather concerning things with her. That has never been previously observed.

1.Today she has developed a lump about the size of an acorn on the top of her head and still cries out when touched.

2. Appetite has not diminished, but she has had an increase in amount of water drinking.

3. She seems to be having trouble hearing.

4. Significant “Spotting” the last 3 days. This has never occurred before. And yes she is spayed.

5. Tonight when letting the dogs out after supper, I found Emma sleeping on her bed but with her eyes wide open and shallow breathing. I initially thought she had passed away suddenly, but after jolting her she awoke and came to in this rather “dazed and confused” state.

6. I would say that she is a slightly lethargic, she still wanted to go out and play but was more stand off-ish when around other dog and kids.

As stated we found no signs of being bitten by another animal, and until within the last day or so she has been her normal self. She has no underlying health problems, and is very active for being 9 years old.

We will be setting up an appointment, but in the meantime looking for help or assistance of others who have experienced this with their dog.

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  1. Laura

    I can’t fathom what this might be, though a toxicity comes to mind. Definitely get her to the vet.

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wendy | 9 months ago
Seeking Diagnosis/Treatment For Possible Nasopharyngeal Polyp In Cat Our 5#, 18 Mo Old Cat Has Been Having …

Seeking Diagnosis/Treatment for Possible Nasopharyngeal Polyp in Cat

Our 5#, 18 mo old cat has been having breathing difficulty for about 6 months. We’ve been to two “regular” vets and one specialty vet. The “regular” vets have done chest x-rays and bloodwork trying to diagnose. We’ve been on multiple rounds of antibiotics, several steroid shots, and a few breathing treatments. The first vet suspected asthma, but none of the meds worked. The second vet suspected lung infection, but again, none of the meds caused any improvement. The cat is acting fine, eating and eliminating normally. No nasal discharge. Sounds like she’s snoring all the time.

We saw a specialist today. She determined that the cat isn’t able to breathe thru her nose much, if at all. We are waiting on lab results for a fungal infection. The next step she suggested would be for CT scan and rhinoscopy to check for foreign body, polyp, or other physical abnormality. I’m ok with sedated imaging, but their estimated cost for that is $4,000. I called MS State University Vet Clinic, and their estimate was also in that range. We’ve already spent hundreds trying to diagnose and treat this. I’m ok with spending more but not $4,000.

Can anyone suggest a vet in the Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi region that we can try?

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Sandee | 10 months ago
Anyone Have Thoughts, Suggestions And/or Recipes For Homemade Dog Food That Provides Complete Nutrition For …

Anyone have thoughts, suggestions and/or recipes for homemade dog food that provides complete nutrition for large breed dogs, specifically lab mixes. I am interested in exploring what feeding homemade food would look like from both an ingredient and time commitment perspective. Thank you in advance.

1 Response

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  1. Laura

    I would say get your vet involved, and/or a veterinary dietician if there’s one near you. There’s a lot more leeway with dogs than with cats, but I’d be very careful about making sure they get the right balance of nutrition without overdosing them on anything.

    Oh, avoid legumes. There’s a link between heavy legume inclusion and dilated cardiomyopathy, which is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

    Lots of folks go with a raw diet. This seems to be somewhat controversial in vet circles (Dr. Magnifico will weigh in on this when she sees it), but it’s another feeding method that requires a lot of research first.

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Juveria | 10 months ago
Struvite (Ammonium Mg Phosphate) Stones Left Behind Following My Cat’s Cystotomy

My initial question : https://www.pawbly.com/question/hello-i-live-in-san-jose-california-and-need-urgent-help-with-my-male-7yr-old

Update: My cat went through a cystotomy on Friday, the surgery went well and he was sent home the same day. Unfortunately he was still blocked as the surgeon did not remove the stones in his urethra (He did not take any xrays after the surgery and also discharged my cat without making him pee on his own). I rushed him to the ER as he was very restless and trying to pee, the ER doctor immediately unblocked him with a catheter and while doing so, she was able to push the stones back into the bladder. Xrays (attached) were taken which shows three stones in the bladder. As the cost of ER was adding up and the surgeon who did his surgery was not available over the weekend, I decided to shift him with the catheter on to the hospital where his surgery was done. I would like to add that in the initial surgery, the surgeon successfully removed all the stones in his bladder but the stones in the urethra were left behind even though he said he flushed them. The ER doctor is very certain that she pushed those stones back into the bladder while unblocking him the second time when he landed in the ER post the surgery.

My cat is currently doing well, he is on Ivy and has a catheter on. He is on CD food since two days. The urine color has improved from bloody to fairly clear. Urinalysis results showed struvite (Ammonium Mg Phosphate) crystals . I will be meeting the surgeon tomorrow and need your advice on what should be the next steps for my cat. Which of the following would you advise?

1. Re surgery to remove the remaining three stones from the bladder. After the initial surgery, the surgeon had mentioned that my cats heart is weak and hence he had to adjust the anesthesia to a lower level (1 instead of the usual 2), though the ER doctor does not see why would that be the case as there is no murmur seen in his reports and he has taken the sedation well while he was unblocked twice in the ER.

2. CD food therapy: Urinalysis results showed struvite (Ammonium Mg Phosphate) crystals. Should we remove the catheter, make him pee on his own at the hospital and then get him home. Watch closely for re blockage while continuing his CD diet. What are the chances of his re blockage? Will the bladder have greater chances of rupture if he gets re blocked since he just had surgery?

Please advise.

@KristaMagnifico

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Kionna | 10 months ago
Dog Having Seizures And All Her Lab Results Came Back Normal. He Always Go Back To …

Dog having seizures and all her lab results came back normal. He always go back to normal after. She is eating, playing, barking.
Just don’t know what to do.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello.

    I have lots of information on seizures on my blog. Please go to kmdvm.blogspot.com and from there search seizures. Depending on how many your dog has had you might need a medication like keepra for this

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Cynthia | 12 months ago
My Little Dog Angel (14 Yo Shin Tzu/ Lhasa Apso Mix) Went To The Vet On November 28 …

My little dog Angel (14 yo shin tzu/ Lhasa Apso mix) went to the vet on November 28 due to stumbling , possible blood in stool, and weight loss. The vet said she had no blood in her stool and was diagnosed with intestinal parasites. She was prescribed metronidazole, Regan, and Pepcid. Prior to her starting the medication she was walking but slipping on her hind legs. Also prior to the medication she was eating and drinking water. As the days went by she started dragging her hind legs. I did research and found your videos on the beagel with IVDD. So yesterday December 3rd we took her to a second vet and explained everything that was going on with Angel as well as showing the vet the medications Angel was taking. According to the vet from yesterday the dose was too large for her 7.4 lb frame that she could have developed some neurotoxicity. However the vet said since she was having some difficulty walking prior to the medication then it was more likely IVDD. We were told she was too far along and would require surgery. I ask about oral medications to treat her IVDD and then we were told she was in renal failure. So due to her renal insufficiency and possible upper GI bleed they are unable to give prednisone to help with the inflammation. Angel’s lab work showed an elevated BUN/Creat and she is acidotic. I ask about IV fluids to resolve the renal insufficiency and the vet said we could do IV fluids for 24-48 hours which may only give her a 50/50 chance of renal improvement. The vet then went on to say even if we corrected her renal function she would still have the issue of IVDD and with her dark stools Angel would still not be able to take the prednisone. The final option the vet suggested was euthanasia.

She said we could take Angel home with gabapentin, sucralfate, mirtazapine, and cerenia. Just spend time with her and love on her with an life expectancy of about 2 days.

At this point I’m at a loss because it seemed everything snowballed very quickly.

Today December 4 my adult kids are coming to see her and my husband said we need to take her in for euthanasia on Tuesday December 5th. I feel like I’m giving up on her. The vet said her prognosis is poor and even with surgery she may never have a good quality of life.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you

2 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello

    I’m so sorry to hear about your dog. For Ivdd suspected cases I tell people to cage rest, give pain meds , and give them 3 weeks before giving up. Just my advise from being in practice. Most get better. They need time.

    1. Cynthia Post author

      Thank you so much for your response. I wish I would have seen this prior to everyone including the vet telling me she needs to be euthanized. My heart and my gut was telling me not to give up but everyone else told me this is the most humane option. Yesterday afternoon we buried her on my Mom’s farm and today has been so very difficult. I feel like I failed her in so many ways.

      Again thank you for your response.