Dolittler - Virtual Vet Hospital

New cancer diagnosis

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:33:00 -0400

Chris, 14.5-year-old 58-pound mix who has diabetes, lower back problems, some laryngeal paralysis, and severe heart disease (DCM, mitral valve leak, atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, premature ventricular contractions) has now been diagnosed with cancer - found 4-5 small nodules in the lungs.

We aren't going to search for the source of the cancer as it is essentially a race lately to see which organ fails first. :( His heart rate these days is typically 200 even though no congestive heart failure.

So I'm just looking for any words of advice on comfort, hospice, etc. Anything we should be considering that we haven't thought of.

He's on Atenolol, Vetmedin, aspirin for possible clot/TIA, Metacam for lower back pain and we just added Amantadine.

Eosinophelic ulcer

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:13:19 -0400

I brought my four year old mostly white cat Krista to the vet last week for what I thought was a routine checkup. The vet found a huge red sore on the inside of Krista's upper lip that she said was an eosinophelic ulcer. When she pointed it out, I did notice that side of her face was kind of puffy. The vet prescribed prednisone tablets and clavamox drops, and said to bring Krista back in two weeks for a recheck.

Krista's an inside cat, tested negative for feline leukemia, eating and drinking ok. In the four days since she's started the meds, my husband says the side of her face looks a little better, I don't really see any difference. How long does it normally take treatment to work? I guess I'm freaking out because I lost a cat I really loved to oral cancer last year. The vet said oral cancers in a cat this young are really rare, but is there a chance this is cancer or could turn into cancer?

Chocolate Lab urine leak.

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:49:44 -0400

My 3 year old female spayed Choc lab has just started leaking urine when she lays down for a long period. She seems to be fine other than that. She is not overweight, and is a big girl at about 82 lbs and almost waist high. Do you have any suggestions about what it is?

Gentamicin used in a nebulizer? (Feline)

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:25:40 -0400

This is a follow up to my cat Charlie, having tested positive to E-coli in his nasal culture...he was given an injection of Convenia, and 2 weeks later for his follow up,was no better, so the Vet suggested Gentamicin with the use of a nebulizer.... Anyone used this or know about it? Thanks Dawn N Charlie

Dog's First Ear problem

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:51:56 -0400

My almost two year old Lab/Pit mix started shaking her head today. Not a convulsion shake but the normal head shake. But alot of shaking and she is holding the right side of her down a bit. Kinda lopsided. We rinsed her ear and do not see anything. I know it is bothering her. Any advise?

Epileptic newf receiving emergency blood transfusion

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 21:54:18 -0400

My 5 yr old (next month) newf oundland Bossco was diagnosed with epilepsy 3 years ago, hes on phenobarb, potassium bromide, and soloxine (for hypothyroidism). 5 days ago he was very unsteady and falling, I took him to the vet the next day and vet suspected bromide toxicity. His blodwork came back normal on Wed, but the vet still thought it was the bromide and told us we had to wait it out.

He got much worse. Drinking a ton of water and not able to walk, stopped eating completely on Thursday morning. Vet said he would see him on Mon.

He had blood in his urine on Fri so we rushed him to ER. ER vet says his meds are not the problem but she doesnt know what is. His white blood cells are up, red down, platelets down. He has a Urinary tract infection, fever, anemia, etc. He is on IV fluids, antibiotics, steroids (for suspected Addisons), and tonight he is getting a blood transfusion. The vet said if it was her dog she would put him down and doesnt think he will last another few days, but his prognosis would have been better had he been seen sooner. She suspects cancer, pancreatitis, kidney infection, adrenal disease, addisons, and auto immune disease.

Anybody have any suggestions? He was fine a week ago. How could my vet have missed this? He didnt even take his temp, Boss would have died before getting to the vet on Monday! Please keep us in your prayers, this is a young sweet dog and we have been through a ton with him and his epilepsy, thinking the worst was behind us.

Rachael and Bossco

Weekend Warrior

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:12:25 -0400

In her salad days, our Neurotic Dog was quite the fetcher. She's now around 10 or 12 (we don't know), and is not so interested in the ball. Every now and then though, (like yesterday evening) the old instincts will kick in, she gets into the fetching zone, and will play for a good 20 minutes. This morning ND didn't get out of her bed until I did, and was clearly stiff. By the time we walked to the park (she led the whole way), she had loosened up and approached her favorite treat people at a fast trot.
When I overdo do it and end up with stiff muscles, I take a Motrin. I know that's not good for dogs, and Neurotic Dog is clearly not interested in a hot shower. Can I give her aspirin for her doggy aches? She's not on any other meds, and is in pretty good shape otherwise.

Oscar urinates in our closet!

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:10:36 -0400

My 3 year old cat urinates in my husband's closet. I have done many things to try to stop this behavior and would appreciate some advice. He has been examined by our vet and had a urinalysis and is healthy. I have cleaned the closet carpet with a product specially formulated to remove all traces of odor, using a black light to make sure that I got all of it. I then lined the closet with plastic runners placed upside down so that the prickly side was up. He then started urinating right in the closet doorway (there is no door on the closet) so I lined that area with aluminum foil. The foil doesn't faze him a bit. We now keep the bedroom door closed unless we are in there and try to block the area when we are in the room. I also have a Feliway diffuser in the room (very close to the closet). My vet doesn't think the Feliway is effective and I'm not sure it is either.

I have two cats and clean the two litter boxes at least once a day and scrub them out and replace the litter at least every other week. I do see that both of them use both litter boxes.

Does anyone have any additional ideas of what I could do? Any advice would be appreciated.

Dogs on phenobarbitol

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 10:26:43 -0400

My 13 yo golden mix recently started having seizures. After having 3 episodes in the past 2 months and finding no distinct cause for them the decision was made to put her on phenobarb. She has been on 32 mg twice daily (weighs about 37-40 lbs) for the past week. She has been very spacey, clumsy, loses her footing often and falling. She can't negotiate steps and sometimes seems dazed or paces alot.

The vet said she will need some time to adjust to this drug, but after 1 week, should the side effects decrease? Will I ever have my old dog back? Do you think the dose is too high?

How have others handled this situation? It's breaking my heart to see my dog so dazed and confused. She is so stoned all the time. I don't want her having seizures but I also want her acting normal.

Any advice?

Frenchie under the weather

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 09:02:41 -0400

My 19 week old french Bulldog seems to be ill. I say seems to be becuase the systoms are not always present. She seems to be spitting up and coughing some. I first noticed the spitting up after she drank some water but thought maybe she drank too much too fast. She seems to be spitting up liquid but no solids. Her stools are loose nut not runny. She also appears to have the sniffles. It is hard to tell since they always make funny noises but she does excrete a flud from her nose then she gets excited and my other frenchie (her littermate does not). She seems to be playing normal and not sleeping much. All in all to me it looks like she is a bit under the weather.

I know this is a silly question, but is a vet visit in order or would be OK to let it run its course.

Feline E-coli / Convenia Injection

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:29:09 -0400

My cat, almost 1 yr now, has been "sick" most of his little life. Chronic nasal congestion and runny nose. I took him to my primary vet several times, prescribed several antibotics, L-Lysene, and antihistamines. 2nd vet I saw, also antibotics,and lukemia test...neg thank god,anyway, nothing worked, so 3rd vet,and several hundred dollars later, did a nasal culture,and it was positive for E-coli....so he was given an injection of Covenia, a 14 day dose of antibotic....it has been 2 days so far,and I still dont see any improvement. Im going to wait the 2 weeks,take him back for 1 more injection, per vets order. Im just wondering if anyone else has any insight, opinions, or has anyone else ever dealt with this? I feel so sorry for my lil buddy,and will do anything to help him...Thanks for listening... Dawn and my kitty "Charlie Boy"

husky puppy swallowed lamb bone!

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:21:14 -0400

Last night around 7pm, I was walking my husky puppy 3.5 months when we passed by a BBQ, someone had left their lamb chop bone on the grass and my dog grabbed it. it was about 2 inches long and 1.5 inches thick. he tried to chew the marrow out and as I tried to grab it out his mouth he swallowed it! i freaked out. he carried on like nothing happened! no choking, nothing. an hour later he i took him for his hour walk and he ran, played, peed, came back and drank. I'm just worried about what could happen to his stomach! This morning he ate and drank and pooped normally, a little darker than usual but that could be from the Metranidazole hes been one since last friday to harden stools because he had bad diarhhea for almost 2 weeks. His poops are now solid. are there any physcial warning signs i should be looking out for tomorrow or in 48 hrs from now? please serious answers only...thanks!, still eating and drinking, no vomitting

Doggie Pink Eye?

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:27:18 -0400

It's a sad day here at the Habitual household....I think Lottie has pink eye. She was "pawing" at her eye all day like a cat (not an unusual activity for her as she has allergies) but this time she was very aggressive about it and rubbing along the floor. There is also a pale whitish discharge in her eye. The eye was so red and swollen this morning, she couldn't open it. Worst of all, her third eyelid has popped out.

She has a vet appointment tomorrow (Tues) at 11 am, and the first available Opthamologist appointment a week from today (the 14th), but I need to talk to someone in the meantime because I'm on the verge of hysteria. It's so sad......We put her e-collar on her this morning once we saw that she'd clearly been scratching all night. And I have Vertropolycin I can put on it until tomorrow- but can you tell me if this is really pink eye? I'm freaking out that she is going to need surgery or something major is wrong with the eye.
How do you treat conjunctivitis in dogs?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Cat with some kind of infection?

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:42:33 -0400

My 11 year old cat Friskie has recently developed 2 bumps on his skin, one about the size of a penny and the other very small. The larger one, located on his back, seems like it's filled with pus and is now covered in a light scab. The smaller one has a scab as well, except it has dried blood on it. I'm assuming they are itchy because of the scabbing, but they don't seem to excessively bother him. Am I right in assuming it's some sort of infection that can be treated with antibiotics? He has a flea allergy, but this looks quite different, and he's not suffering any fur loss. Also, could this be a result of stress? Last month he moved with me from Illinois to Florida, and is just now getting comfortable being around my fiance and our pesky little Dachshund. I know it's a big change for a senior kitty.

Wound care advice

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:55:52 -0400

We've got a 2 year old Great Dane who mysteriously got a small puncture/tear on his side, near his elbow, last week. He was literally outside for 10 minutes and came in bleeding with a small triangular tear, about a half inch on a side. Looks like he caught himself on a nail but there are no nails sticking out anywhere... but I digress.

I ran him over to my vet, who put in 3 stitches and it looked beautiful. But it's an area where the skin stretches a lot and the sutures didn't hold. So now he's got an open hole about a half inch across and we've got to treat it as an open wound. He's been on antibiotics and it's not infected and I know it will heal up OK - but my Question is (finally!):

What recommendations do any of you have for products to really help small wounds heal up fast, and get the hair to grow back?

Thanks!

Kitty with renal failure

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:27:14 -0400

My 13-year-old kitty Dharma has chronic renal failure. This is her second bout. The first came when she was 6. She made a remarkable recovery then and her kidneys returned to normal function.

We are only a few days into this. She is not eating or drinking. Today we began her on sub-q fluids. I must be out of practice because she managed to disengage the needle twice. As a final desperate measure to force her to eat, I syringe fed her pureed mashed potato liquified with a lot of butter and the water from a can of tuna. She took it well, in part because she is so weak. She seems to be keeping it down.

Send healthy kitty vibes my way...I can't bear seeing her so sick again. I have had her since she was 10 weeks old...

Puppy

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:30:14 -0400

We have a new puppy that is Toy yorkie terrier she is about 9 inches long and weighs 8 to 10 ounces. She is very sluggish wont drink water and falls to her left side when we place her in her house. She hasnt been handle rough or been around any chemicals. Please help we love her very much and dont want to lose her!!!

2 Yr Old Cat - Loss of Appetite, No Energy, Stools OK! Help

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:30:24 -0400

In the last 26 hours our 2 Year old cat came in from outside as normal

but then 4 hours later she looks and acts like she barely can stand up

to use the litterbox. Stools were solid. Will not drink or eat anything!

It's not like her and we are getting concerned. Any ideas? HELP!

Thank You,

teddy-amputation

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:45:10 -0400

My dog recently broke his "Knee" they wired it back together and then cast it...told me to keep him in cage and only out when he had to pee or poop...ok well then the dog peed in the cage and layed in it so cast got wet....dried it as much as possible and then put another bandage around it...gave meds to him and then it started to smell....took him to dr today and they said a bad infection had eaten his leg and they say amputation is the only way...do you think he will be ok and bounce back after this..we could not put him down..he is ten years old and weighs about 85 lbs....

Senior cat has stopped grooming

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:20:38 -0400

I have a cat who is 18 years old, female, spayed. She has a good appetite, drinks enough but not too much water (and absolutely ADORES ice cubes in her water). She has stopped grooming herself almost completely now and even though she has short hair it mats. She really hates to be groomed and I'm worried that if I push it I'll stress her to the point of stroke or something. Her fur also feels dirty - sort of oily, definitely NOT a pleasant sensation to pet her. And she is the hairball queen even though the grooming is so minimal. Any suggestions?

Dog's Anxiety over Fireworks?

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:37:27 -0400

I asked my vet for something other than (or in addition to) Acepromazine to give my dog Zeke this year for his reaction to the fireworks. (Zeke is a 6 year-old male Malamute-Germ Shepard mix that we adopted about 2 years ago.) Last year Ace worked for our other dog but Zeke was still freaked out and climbing the walls. He's in a panic and can't get close enough to his people. He wines and tries to climb on top of us; scratching the heck out of us. Today the vet prescribed Xanax. But when I read the info about it on Drugs.com I wonder if I should really give this to my dog. http://www.drugs.com/xanax.html Side effects like difficulty breathing, hyperactivity, agitation, seizure, tremor – are these very likely? I realize the Drugs.com site is for human use but really I’m trying to counteract the hyperactivity and agitation not add to it.

Any advice you can offer?

George and the bad hip

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:30:04 -0400

I need some advice. George is a mixed breed with some sort of spitz heavy in the mix. He's twenty pounds and more than a bit obstinate. He's only a year old and for the first half of his life he frequently ran away from his home. In January he was hit by a car and his right hip was dislocated. In May he showed up on my doorstep and didn't want to leave. It took three weeks but we did eventually find his owner but she didn't want him back. She said he's too much trouble and costs too much money (because of the accident). So we kept him.

Two weeks ago he was neutered and required some extensive manipulation to find one undecended testicle. Friday, a few days after the removal of stitches, while laying on the patio doing nothing, he dislocated his right hip again. He immediately started screaming and bit me multiple times while I was trying to help him. It took three shots of pain relief and a pain patch to make him stop screaming. The vet was able to pop his hip back in under anesthesia but says he needs to have surgical intervention to prevent this happening again.

Is there any way to predict the chances of this happening again or do we just go on a blind assumption that surgery is better than the possibility that it will happen again?

If surgery is inevitable I would really appreciate some objective advice. Taking into account the following:

1. While he is a very sweet dog normally, he is already hard to train and when he is in pain he is very aggressive and bite anything near him. We have many small children in the neighborhood and can't risk having a dog that may bite.

2. We can't afford a total hip replacement.

3. From what I understand and FHO could leave him with chronic pain issues and will require daily physical therapy that will require me to cause more pain. I really don't like being bit and I'm hesitant to do this.

4. The third option, amputation, sounds terrible but sounds like the best option for insuring that he will not have long term pain. It's also better than the fourth option which is euthanasia.

I know this probably sounds cold hearted but I have to make a decision based on logic. I love this dog and I'm sad that he's had such a tough life. Personally I believe that amputation is probably the best answer. My husband believes that doing nothing is the best answer. Anyone else care to weigh in?

Thank you for your help.

Bloody fights between pack members

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:59:44 -0400

I have 6 dogs, yes 6. We love them all. I'll give a list and then explain the problem.

Scully, f, border collie x, 70lbs, 9 years old
Mulder, m, husky x, 100lbs, 9 years old
Maui, f, akita mix, 6 years old
Clunie, m, border collie, 5 years old (lives at grandmas house)
Chelsea, f, border collie, 2 years old
Mako, m, bernese mt. dog, 6 months old

All and all it's a great pack. The older ones are getting older and the younger ones are full of energy. It's like having 2 packs in the household.

PROBLEM: #3 (Maui) and #5 (Chelsea) try to kill each other. They will get into it and won't quit. Chelsea will be latched onto Maui's face or ears just biting like crazy. Maui turns and latches onto Chelsea.
The last fight we didn't see, Mulder had had surgery and we think it happened when we brought him home. We found blood all over Chelsea with about 7 good puncture wounds on her chest, face, ears, it was horrible. Maui got out of that one with just a couple of punctures on her head and a really good hole in her ear.

What do we do? They avoid each other in the house. Chelsea makes a big effort to walk "around" Maui, If Maui is in bed getting attention, Chelsea avoids the area. Maui has always been "growly" and most of the others avoid her, but when they go at it, it's incredibly hard to stop. To keep us from getting bite (which has happened) we started pulling their tails. Only works if both of us are home when it happens though.

Anyone have ideas? Getting rid of one of them isn't an option. They all have a place in the pack.

Pulling All Teeth on a Young Animal?

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:36:00 -0400

Just curious what opinion would be on this-

I have a 2 year old cat with a complex medical history. To give a very brief summary- he's blind, slightly neurological, is paralyzed on the right side of his face, and has malformed bones/skull. He also has a immune system disorder (basically, he doesn't have one). He has had seven surgeries at this point, and during the first he went into full cardiac arrest.

At this point, he's doing very well, and is the most active, silly, smart, and loving cat I've ever had. The latest problem is that he has multiple neck lesions on his teeth. He also has trouble cleaning the right side of his mouth because it is paralyzed, and let's the food rot against his teeth. Despite 2x daily teeth brushings, his mouth is a mess. His lower jaw is crooked, and the upper canine on the right side digs into his lower gum. I know he needs to go under to have everything cleared up and have the teeth with lesions pulled.

So here's the question- I hate putting him under. He's done excellent the last six times, with no complications, but that first time is the one I remember. I feel like everytime I put him under I'm just tempting fate, because I know how rare it is to get them back when they arrest. I'd really like this to be the last time I put him under for a good number of years. As such, I'm thinking of pulling as many teeth as possible and is safe, just to reduce the number of times we have to do this. That would include teeth that perhaps do not have lesions yet or would need to pulled later but could perhaps last a few more years. Would this be fair/ethical? I really think the neck lesions are related to his crappy immune system, and suspect this will be an ongoing issue. The surgery will be done at the University of Penn.

Any thoughts would be great.

strangly sick 3 week old kittens

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 20:08:55 -0400

i just need some answers. I have 2, 3 week old kittens from which there were 3 and 1 has already passed. Now i have another from the same litter of 3 that is ailing from the same as the other. For no reason that i can see they are just dying. Well until today, i was holding this dying kitten, frustrated and checked its eyes for movement when i saw a tiny white worm like thing slithering through it's eyes. So i checked again and saw more. Mostly in the left eye. Also the kitten has fluid like sound on its chest. Its week and one of the mothers that is taking care of it has already moved it away from her other kittens so i know its just a matter of time. But i still would love some answers to what is going on. I have never seen this before in all my life. Oh and yes they are outside. I can't get her to let me take them in. And one more thing they were stolen from one of my other females. I have no clue why Ginger would still them because she had 2 of her own. But anyway please help!!

Millie is 20 years young!!!

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:40:20 -0400

i really need to hear opinions in regard to euthenasia...is it ethical...is it moral...would i really be able to live with that????

Thier are medical issues...it''s just that Millie isn't ready to go, even though the vets say it is "the right thing to do", i don't feel in my heart she's ready to go!

She is still bright eyed, alert, and her kidney issues are somewhat under control...she purrs when we "love on her"...

i don't think i am being selfesh! Her needs are far more important than mine. i think i really know her after 20 years of being together!

i am thankful for that and her unconditional love...

Thank's!

miss maggie

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:31:28 -0400

i'm petsitting my vet's dog (no pressure!) who is >3 weeks out of ACL repair. there is a flight of stairs up to my apartment and we hoped that she'd use my balcony to do her business (tarp + sod). thus far, she won't. she just stands there looking at me curiously for awhile and when we go inside she leads me to the door which is "duh, sarah--the way outside". any advice on how to convince her to go on the sod?? she's too heavy for me to carry. should i use a towel under her hind end to help support the weight? dr c said she'll "probably" be fine using the stairs if she insists (i keep the leash very short and make her go slowly as per her instructions but it still makes me very nervous) but i'd prefer to be sure that she isn't going to be hurt under my watch! thanks!

Chevy the mysterious Boston Terrier

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:49:00 -0400

First, let me say that I subscribe to your blog in my feed reader and I LOVE it. I'm a pet lover who, as a child, dreamed of being a vet until I realized I don't do well with actually treating injured/sick animals with shots, surgeries, etc. (still thankful to this day to our family vet for letting me "apprentice" in his practice as a teen).

Three dogs share my home, a 1-year-old brindle Boxer named Penny, an approx. 4-year-old black/white Boston Terrier named Ollie, and an approx. 5-year-old brindle/white Boston Terrier named Chevy.

Chevy is our mystery child - and I'm really hoping you may be able to suggest something or do something to help him. At this point I've quite literally spent thousands of dollars on tests and medications for him, but still no vet has been able to determine what's going on. Here's the story:

We adopted Chevy from North Texas Boston Terrier rescue in January 2005. When we adopted him, his foster family told us that he'd had an issue with bleeding from his penis, but that whatever had caused it appeared to have cleared up as he hadn't bled in several weeks. Chevy was instantly a great fit in our home with Ollie. We brought him home on Friday and on Monday morning after my husband went to work, Chevy began to drip blood from his penis - but it was considerably more than the foster family had made it sound like. The dog was literally creating puddles of blood on the carpet. Naturally, I panicked and called our vet immediately to let them know I was coming in. Chevy's foster family had given me a tube of an ointment they used when he bled, that they said stopped the bleeding so I dug that out and applied it. It worked! The bleeding stopped very quickly. However, it did not stop it for long - it really just ended what I now call an "episode". The ointment, incidentally, was Panalog.

Over the last couple of years, the problem has resurfaced repeatedly. Several theories have been presented and we've managed to knock every theory out with enough time. The first theory was that he had just been neutered when he was about 3 and that the bleeding was the result of his body working the rest of the testosterone out of his system. We were told to give it about 6 months and it should stop. It didn't. Then we moved on to kidney stones, bladder infections, kidney infections, urinary tract infections, prostate infections, etc. Naturally, the dog has spent weeks at a time on antibiotics, to no avail. Then the theory was that, based on some tests, some tissue on his penis was infected with E. Coli. At that point, Chevy had surgery to remove the tissue from the tip of his penis. That did stop the bleeding for a little while. However, it returned a couple of weeks ago.

First let me clarify that he does not have blood in his urine - he only has blood in his urine if he urinates after he is already bleeding. The bleeding most typically starts when he has been laying down for a while or generally holding still and then starts moving; however, it is also not unusual for him to be just standing up, being petted, and then for the blood drops to start. Sometimes the blood is just drops, sometimes it spurts out as though it is coming out with the pulse of his heart. The blood is always bright, red, fresh blood. Occasionally there are what appear to be "clots" in the blood he passes. I can't say for certain that's what they are, but that's my best guess. Other than the bleeding, he is perfectly healthy and normal. In fact, even during the bleeding episodes the only difference is that he sometimes acts scared, understandably, but he has no blood in his stool, he does not vomit, and he continues to eat, drink, and play.

Over the years, Chevy has been on a number of antibiotics including Cephalexin 250mg one pill, twice a day. Throughout the time he has been with us, Panalog has been the only thing that seems to stop the bleeding fairly quickly.

With the most recent episode, which began on 5/9 (he had not had an episode since July 2007), our vet (Dr. Joel Miskimmins at Forest Lane Animal Clinic) recommended that we take Chevy to an internist. He had wanted to have a scope of Chevy's urethra, but the clinic (Animal Diagnostic Clinic - Dallas) does not have a scope small enough for that. I took him to ADC anyway where he saw Dr. Kelly Nitsche. Dr. Nitsche ordered a new battery of tests, some of which we had done before. He also looked at an abdominal x-ray (side-view and from Chevy's belly - he was lying on his back). The tests were (I'm pulling this from my receipt, but I can definitely get more detail you should you want it):

Biochem Profile (AD2)(Idexx)
Coag Profile (Complete)
Tick Panel (TVMDL)
Abdominal Sonogram
Urinalysis
Urine Culture
Initially the thought was that there was bacteria in the sterile urine sample they drew directly from Chevy's bladder; however, that was not the case. In fact, every single test Dr. Nitsche ran came back perfectly normal. The only thing that was even slightly off was that he was VERY slightly anemic - which was logical given that he had already been bleeding again for seven days by the time Dr. Nitsche was able to see him. I should point out that Chevy did bleed in the exam room that morning (5/15) but then did not bleed again during the rest of his time there, including during a physical examination in which he was anesthetized so the penis could be fully examined.

So, on 5/12 Dr. Miskimmins put Chevy on Primor 240mg (one pill twice daily). On 5/15, Dr. Nitsche put Chevy on Deramaxx 25mg (half a pill once a day). We continued using the Panalog Ointment during the bleeding episodes. As of today, he has not bled since the morning of 5/17; however, I really want to know what is causing my poor dog to go through this at least every few months. Dr. Nitsche is going to keep him on the Deramaxx for a few more weeks, but he has no idea what would cause a dog to randomly bleed from his penis when all test results are coming back perfect.

Any advice, suggestions, or help you can offer will be most appreciated. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have about his condition.

Thank you!

Aural Hematoma

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 11:37:15 -0400

My four year old boxer woke up today with one of her floppy ears not-so-floppy. She has a squisy pocket on her ear. I googled it and it looks like an aural hematoma. I'm sure she either scratched hersel f(she has allergies that for some reason effect the outside of her ears, I've had her checked several times, it's not an inner ear problem) or our new pup nipped her. It doesn't seem to be bothering her at all. Can I let this resolve on her own?

allergies

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:12:58 -0400

Luke is our 3 year old Boarder Collie/Lab mix, he is neutered and weighs 55 pounds. We believe he has allergies and maybe even asthma. He pant heavily after a short time of playing catch & he licks his paws constantly. I had heard we could try an Antihistamine to help relieve his syptoms and wondered what dosage to give him?

Hip Dislocation - Red Bone Coon Hound

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:05:37 -0400

I am caring for a 21 month red bone coon hound that got hit by a car. He suffered a dislocated hip. Went straight to the vet. Had his leg in a sling for one week and was removed this past Monday (two days ago). The day that it was removed, he put some weight on the leg when walking. Yesterday, Tuesday he would not put weight on his leg when walking. He would just rest if on the ground when standing and he did balance on all fours when having a bowel movement. Has great energy, good appetite, is good spirits and strong otherwise. The vet is making him still be crated except when out on lead only a few times a day. Any thoughts by someone that has gone though this would be great.

Wolfie the Old Yorkie, blood on both ends

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:02:35 -0400

I've been caring for my mom's elderly teacup Yorkie, because she had come to feel she could not handle his care any longer.

I really came close to putting him down about 6 weeks ago because he had stopped eating and drinking, but then he bounced back . . . well, for him. Eating lots again and poop was normal.

He is ancient, mostly blind and mostly deaf (just sees light things and hears only really loud noises). He has a curved spine now, and for about the last 1 1/2 years has been exhibiting neurological problems. No seizures, just head movements back and forth and he circles sometimes. The vet originally thought brain tumor, but it hasn't gotten any worse, so now we are wondering if he might not have had a stroke.

But he has a really good appetite, his bowls are normal (till now) and he still likes barking at the cats. And sleeping of course. He also has had recurrent UTIs (verified with culture); last year he had a bout of what the vet thought was pancreatitis and/or a bleeding ulcer. His BUN has also been elevated and I've been giving him 50ml of fluids every day (he's only 5 pounds)

So, yesterday I took him out to do his business and he puked, and there was bright red blood in it. Then he pooped, and although the poop was normal, it was covered in bloody red mucus.

Rushed him to ER vet. The only really oustanding thing about the bloodwork is high BUN (89!). Creatinine was 1.6 and the other kidney numbers are within normal range. Still, the checkout instructions say he could have kidney failure and/or a bleeding ulcer.

???

Any thoughts? Could this be colitis? How can he have kidney failure if the creatinine is not above normal and the phosphorus, potassium and calcium look good?

Also, he's been on baytril for > 6 weeks for his UTI. Could that cause stomach and intestinal irritation?

Since the ER visit, he's on sucralfate, pepcid, something called ondansetron, and metronidizole. Also upped his fluids to 50ml 2x.

Thougths appreciated.

My dog is eating Grubs!

Fri, 30 May 2008 21:38:09 -0400

I know this sounds weird and actually, white grubs are quite new to us up here in northern Canada but I just discovered this evening that my dog has began to dig up my lawn and eat Grubs!

Is there any harm in doing this? I do not treat my lawn in any way.

Diabetic dogs

Fri, 30 May 2008 10:19:04 -0400

I have a 7 year old Lhasa who is diabetic. I found out about 6 months ago. He is on insulin and I take him to the Vet once a month for a blood check. I asked the vet if there were any precatuions I should take with Kasey, like a special diet, and she said, no just no people food and make sure he eats before I give his shot. About a month ago I noticed that Kasey was bumping into things and I took a closer look at his eyes. He has cataracts (from the diabetes) and now is almost totally blind. I am upset with my vet for not giving me more guidance on his care, plus I read several articles, and I don't recall the blindness being addressed. Anyone have this problem and are there any solutions (besides surgery, which is way too expensive)? Is there a dog food that is better for Kasey than others? Would appreciate any help or ideas!

my 18 year old cat is barely urinating

Wed, 28 May 2008 19:45:17 -0400

Hi - I'm waiting for the vet to call with blood results. My 18 year old Hissy (cat) is barely urinating. She goes once or twice a day. Out of the box a few times (unusual for her) The urine test showed no sign of diabetes, and lots of white blood cells. I came home with antibiotics.

What I really need is someone who can tell me what might really be happening. I am not for a lot of testing for her. She's 18 and has had a great life. She's now 5 lb-10 oz. down from her healthy weight of 14 lbs. She's really slowed down over the last year. Doesn't seem to be in pain. Eats a small amount twice a day (still knows when meal time should be). Sounds like her kidneys aren't functioning... What does this mean in terms of time left? I'm so sad, but want to do the absolute best for her.

Insulin Overdose

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:54:27 -0400

My cat Tiger died Monday night from an overdose of insulin. He had his glucose checked last Friday, and it was 330. My vet told me to give him an insulin shot twice a day, instead of just once. The amount she told me to give him was the same amount he got in the morning, which I thought was excessive, but I did not feel right questioning her. I also did not know that I could have prevented his hypoglycemic episode, had I known what to look for beforehand. It happened in the middle of the night, my husband was still awake. We took him to the emergency vet...his seizures never stopped. We had him put to sleep, he was suffering.... I just want to let people know...get as much information as you can from your vet. Ask questions....I also had no idea I could have monitered his glucose levels at home. I have now lost my trust in my vet, which I will never go back to. And I feel a tremendous amount of guilt...Tiger would still be here with me if I had known exactly what I needed to do.

Fluid accumulating in knee

Thu, 22 May 2008 07:22:54 -0400

My parents have an 8 month old chocolate Labrador, diagnosed with tricuspid valve displaysia at 3 months. He recently began limping on his back leg, and eventually was refusing to put weight on it at all. This was believed to be a cruciate ligament problem, and he was X-rayed on Monday to confirm it, with the plan of operating immediately afterwards to minimise the anaesthetic risk.

The X-ray ruled out cruciate ligament but found a large build up of fluid around the knee joint. Apparently the hip on that leg is also not good. We are waiting for the results of lab analysis on the fluid.

Is it likely that the fluid build up in the knee caused the limping, or could it be that he was limping because of his hip which then caused the fluid build up because he wasn't using the joint properly?

Would you recommend exercise to build up the muscle to support the joint or minimal exercise to prevent any further damage?

He was on complete crate rest when it was thought to be a cruciate problem, but he was so miserable. Also, we don't want to risk him gaining too much weight, because of his heart problem.

Slipped Disc in Neck & Pancreatitis

Tue, 20 May 2008 09:04:56 -0400

I had a healthy dog before he went under for dental surgery and tooth extractions. Two days after the surgery he developed pancreatitis. We were able to get that under control, but when we slowly took him off his meds, we noticed he was not moving his neck. X-rays were taken and the vet believes he has a slipped disc. He was on different meds, but the pancreatitis came back in full force. He is now in the hospital getting injectable meds and fluids. This is all in a span of two weeks. What I would like to know is if the manuvering of the head during dental surgery could have caused the slipped disc.

Strange spaying procedure

Tue, 20 May 2008 01:05:57 -0400

Let me preface by saying I'm an American living in South Korea. My vet speaks English poorly, so we're having some trouble communicating. Anyway, my six-month old kitten, Mathilda, was spayed two weeks ago. At that time, the vet inserted a plastic tube in her abdomen because he said she had a fat pocket and the fat was "melting" and needed to drip out of the tube. I took her home and kept her isolated in my bedroom because I have another cat in the house. Every day several drops of fat and blood dripped out of the tube. I took her in daily for antibiotic shots and gave her meds three times a day. After a week and a half, he removed the tube because it was causing irritation, even though he felt it should have stayed in longer. Then he packed the tube hole with gauze because (I think) it's too irritated to close. So the upshot is that at two weeks after surgery, my cat is still stitched up and the vet says she won't be healed up for another two weeks. When I asked him why the tube was necessary at all, the vest said that it was a common procedure if the cat was overweight. I've never heard of such of thing. Can you help me clear up the point of all this suffering Mathilda's going through?

Cash the Painful Puppy

Fri, 16 May 2008 19:37:45 -0400

Cash is my new puppy, a pity case from work. The owners couldn't afford to treat him, so he was signed over to me. He's a 2.6 pound, 10 week old Jack Russell Terrier puppy. He has a swollen right wrist and he's acutely painful all over. He was extremely hypoglycemic and flat out when he came in. We still don't know what's really going on with him. Thankfully he seems to be improving, though I thought I was going to lose him last night. He is off iv fluids now (the catheter blew) and on three antibiotics (Clavamox, Clindamycin, and Doxycycline), pain meds (Buprenex), and now we have also started him on Prednisone. He's definitely better. He's eating on his own, he's up and walking around, he even scampered today, but he's still painful if you touch him wrong. He screams and screams and it just breaks my heart.

Please, if you have good thoughts, think them for my little unintentional puppymill posterchild. He needs them.

Bebe (2 yr old French Bulldog)

Wed, 14 May 2008 03:05:26 -0400

Bebe was turned into the vet to be put to sleep. The vet (without testing) diagnosed her with IBD. I have her on Hill's Science Diet ZD and Metronidayile. She still has frequent stools some of them with blood and loose. I think she has EPI and would like to know how to treat that.

Please, WHY???

Tue, 13 May 2008 23:19:22 -0400

Why are vets still selling and "recommending" unhealthy "prescription diets" when the ingredients have been PROVEN to be culprits for so many illnesses and diseases?

www.catinfo.org
www.yourdiabeticcat.com
www.dogfoodanalysis.com (above mentioned is in the bottom "1 star" tier, complete with explanations/ingredients.)

What if our doctors told us to eat McDonald's "diets" which they sold in their lobbies because they got kickbacks?

Please read ingredients if you want to spare your pets? And find a vet who is in business to be a DOCTOR, period!

PLEASE HELP!! My Cat's Hematoma Burst!

Tue, 13 May 2008 18:45:32 -0400

Help, my cat has a hematoma due to shaking his head because of an ear infection. I've taken Tom in to the vet twice and had a drained. then the vet recommended surgery that cost $700 which I don't have. I just came home and the hematoma seemed to burst, it's smaller now and he has dried blood all around his ear. What should I do? I've been given him medicine to treat the ear infection as well an anti-inflammatory med's the vet gave me. How do I clean him up? Do I use peroxide or just water? I'm a single mom and completely strapped for cash at the moment, I've already spent over $500 in vet bills for both Tom and my dog Shamoon this month - when it rains, it pours.....

teary eyes with puss at the edges

Fri, 09 May 2008 12:53:52 -0400

I noticed yesterday that Annie my Eskie had teary eyes i wiped they up and saw a little puss in the corners of her eyes at the nose ridge. Last week she had gotten a-hold of some dead mice in a glue trap at a friends place and those had been around for about 5 months and was wondering if this is the cause. Or could it just be allergies?

Stray Cat ~ Reproductive Issues

Fri, 09 May 2008 02:45:11 -0400

A neighborhood stray gave birth under our house in the crawl space on March 28th. We brought her and her 4 surviving kittens up and have been taking care of them. Keeping our animals away, plenty of good food, clean water, a litter box, socialization, etc. The kittens will be 6 weeks old tomorrow, and mom is already in heat again!

My husband and I are both out of work (I'm a SAHM while I study to become a doula, he stopped working so he could do the Labor Union Apprenticeship that started on the 5th) so we can NOT afford vet care at this time. I'll be calling around tomorrow to see if there are any programs that will get her taken care of for free or with the help of donations. We should be set financially once the kittens are old enough since labor guys up here, even apprentices, make pretty good money. While they're in classes (3 weeks) they are unpaid so the only money coming in this month is my child support. Woo.

Can she be spayed while in heat and so soon after giving birth? Is there anything we can do to make life more bearable for all? Part of me says the best place for them would be the shelter, but another part says that they'd put them down in a heartbeat because they're usually overrun with cats as it is. HELP

Moving Across Country with Cats

Fri, 02 May 2008 10:28:37 -0400

Maybe you all can help! We are planning to move from Colorado to Oregon in the next month or two. (It's uncertain yet as we wait for news about my significant other's job.)

We have five cats. 4 of the 5 don't worry me with moving - I think we can figure them out. The fifth is Miss Girl, and she really worries me! A trip to the vet with her is like the end of the world.

She foams at the mouth, moans, poos in her carrier, and generally freaks out. (She was abused in her previous life before we rescued her.) A short trip across town just about does her in. What will a long road trip do to her?

I've read all over the place about sedating, possibly shipping her via airplane, etc... I'm trying to figure out the best way, the least traumatic for her, us and the other kitties. (while also trying to figure out all the details of a cross country move... yikes!)

I would love any input!

Flock of kittens

Thu, 01 May 2008 15:50:47 -0400

So. I adopted a kitty a bit back. The previous owner had semi abandoned her (that is to say, he let her out and moved away. to be fair, I think he's always lived in rural areas with outside cats... and it didn't occur to him that it might not be the best thing for her.) but a friend of mine took her in, then passed her on to us. We took her to the vet after about a month or so of having her with us, to get her vaccinations and set up a spay and such.

We expressed concern at this time because our little girl (weighing about 6.5 lbs) looked like a little beachball. She was about 9 months old at the time. We thought she could be pregnant, but were assured, after some abdominal palpitation, that she was not. we were penciled in for a spay roughly a month later.

About 1 month later, we had 7 kittens under our bed.

Question 1) At that state of development, with so many fetuses, should the vet have been able to feel the kittens and tell us that she was pregnant?

He said that he would have been able to. Didn't offer to do an ultra sound or anything. We even discussed, before he felt her belly, what we would do if she WAS pregnant, and the whole room agreed: If she was preggers, we would spay her anyway, because there are too many kittens in the world anyway.

... Did he do us wrong?

only 4 of the kittens survived birth, but that's still a lot of deworming and vaccinations, for a family who thought long and hard before taking in one cat in need, due to the financial implications.

So, we have 5 cats...

The kittens are about 8 weeks old now.

2) When is the real, ideal age to give them away? Is there a point that is 'too long'?

3) I've read a webpage decrying the practice of trimming cat claws... because it messes up their perceptions of how far they need to hold in their claws, etc. Now, this kinda makes sense to me. They're kittens. they're learning about the world around them and how their physical bodies work. In the last week and a half they've gone from "Hey! cool! I can climb up on the bed!" to running laps around the room that include a quick hup-heave-ho onto of the bed and it's sleeping inhabitents. Would trimming their claws do damage to their developing physical skills? I'm also worried about their claws splintering or something if I trim them and they try to leap up onto the bed. However, at the same time, my legs are starting to look like a scratching post from where they're trying to play with ME every time I walk through the room without protective gear.

4) In that same regard, They have their own litter box that I empty just as much as I do momma kitty's (about once a week, more often if things become offensive)... I have thought about cleaning more frequently, but I would THINK that if they learn to deal with dirty litter boxes while kittens, they'd be less likely to develop litter box issues later in life if they come into the hands of an owner who doesn't scoop every day. Truth? or am I unknowingly abusing my furbabies?

5) Likewise, so far, I have fed them several different types of food so far in their short dry-food eating life. Will this help them gain more tolerance towards not turning nose up to whatever they are fed? they don't seem to have any sort of digestional distress. Except momma who is a gassy cat at the best of times. :P

6) When do they start to learn bite/scratch inhibition? how much of this do *I* have to teach them? I don't want to bark at them for trying to play with me, they don't understand that i don't have a protective layer of fur to deflect blows.

Sorry if this isn't quite the best forum for these questions, But I don't feel quite comfortable taking a long list of questions to my vet's office just yet. They tend to be very busy people and I've been considering trying to find another vet. but my current is the best that I've found in the area. if nothing else, his was the only practice who discouraged declawing. (I made it a point to ask each vet's office their stance on the operation when I was shopping around. I couldn't hang up quickly enough with the lady who recommended I do all four paws at once because they 'learn to use them back claws if you don't.")

Thanks for your time :)

Bilateral Cruciate Tear

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:19:07 -0400

My 4 1/2 yr old Chihuahua tore her cruciate in late October on the left side. My vet prescribed conservative management/crate rest and some medication for pain along with weight loss. I also decided to add a glucosamine/chondrotin supplement, a fish oil supplement, and accupuncture. She responded well to treatment, and then tore her right cruciate in February. We followed the same protocol. Both tears were diagnosed from drawer movement in the joint. She's improving, but occasionally limps on her right side when over-exerted or upon waking. My vet feels that this will improve in time as her left leg did, but advises me to opt for surgery if I feel she needs it. I plan to begin swimming her when I have the opportunity. Is there anything additional that I can do for her? Have you had conservative management sucess in the past, particularly in toy dogs?

Help-painful cruciate sprain!

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 20:36:15 -0400

My 8yr old boxer was diagnosed with pulmonary oedema a few days ago,possibly due to lungworm. He is being treated and his breathing was starting to normalise. This morning he seemed unable to lay down and his leg was extremely painful on flexion. Emergency vet suspects its his cruciate and has given me metacam for the weekend as Im seeing my regular vet on monday for the lungworm thing. My problem is that he is in so much pain and cant lay down because its so painful to bend it so he has been standing all day which is adding to the stress on his breathing. My boyfriend helped me put him on his side so he can get some rest tonite at least. Any advice?? its breaking my heart to see him so stressed

Itchy and scratchy puppy

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:03:54 -0400

I've been searching and scouring the online world for help with my puppy and I stumbled across your blog. I have been entranced all afternoon reading the archives and decided to give the virtual hospital a shot.

I have a 17 week old Papillon. Since the day we brought him home, he has scratched A LOT. It seems to be a generalized, all over itchiness as he scratches everywhere; he scratches the areas that he can reach with his back feet, chews on his front legs and rubs his nose. He hasn't yet scratched himself raw or caused any sores but I would like for it to not reach that point.

There are no apparent skin irritations that are causing this itchiness - no bumps or rashes or dry patches. I have thoroughly checked his skin time and again and found no sign of any fleas, ticks or lice. Although extremely minor, I have noticed some skin flakiness in certain areas.

Our vet has treated it by putting him on 3 weeks of antibiotics, followed by a few days of prednisolone, an aggressive course of Revolution every 2 weeks and an omega-3 supplement for his food. The itching has improved slightly but I still feel like it is more than typical and I would like for it to go away while the vet feels that since it isn't causing any problems, we may need to just let it be.

He eats Innova dry food and nothing else (besides water, of course). We live in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida (right in your back yard!). The only other pet in our home is a 5 year old cat but he has been exposed to many other dogs and cats in his travels through our neighborhood. I'm not sure what other environmental factors would be relevant.

Do you have any idea what may be going on here?? Should I drop it and let the itching continue or get a second vet opinion? Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks so much!!

Skin Disease

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:41:31 -0400

I have a Japanese Chin that just had 4 puppies about 3 weeks ago. About a week ago the two females hair stated coming together into patches. the hair is attached to the follicles and red a the end. It is coming out in these patch that is connect to the patch of hair. The skin under is find . It look just like it suppose to do. I took them to the vet and was given some drops to give to all four The boys are find it just affected the girls Can you give me some some information about this. Why didn't it affect the boys also. The mother is find

Kitten in heat?

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:13:17 -0400

Is it possible for a 21-week old female kitten to be in heat? She is small but licking her vulva a lot and the last week there have been howling male cats lined up outside the pet door. My vet said to wait til the pair (I have a brother to her as well) are 6 months old to spay and neuter but I am beginning to wonder if that will be too late.

Not eating, drinking

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:42:38 -0400

My dog started her morning, vomiting 15 times in the span of 4-5 hours. She refused to eat breakfast or drink any water. I took her to the emergency hospital and they took x-rays and found nothing. They sent us home with anti-nausea medication and a warning that she will get dehydrated if she does not get an IV. After $400 and a 3 hour wait to hear that news, it still does not explain why she wont eat or drink. We decided to go home and nurse her there. I was able to convince her to eat a few pieces of water enriched broccoli and some rice. Last night, she seemed to make an improvement- she was interested in her dog food. She ate about 1/2 a cup and took a few licks at her water bowl. It has been raining, and she has not had an interest in going for a walk (this coming from a LAB!). She is urinating, small amounts. She refuses to stay outside long enough to eliminate stool.

We still dont know what caused this- should we request blood work to see if she ingested something they couldnt find in the X-Rays? Like pesticides (Landscapers came, but did not leave any markers in the lawn for plant treatments).

She also ate a crayon (found in her stool, the night before)- but she has already passed it- I would have thought it would irritate her during digestion and until it was passed. Not after it has already passed.

My husband is on travel, and I'm alone with my 9month old son. He will be returning from his trip on Thursday morning. Should I wait until then, while I am watching her? Or should I take her sooner? She is a difficult dog, who has not lost her spunk during this time, and I dont know how much I could handle with my 87lb Lab and my 9 month old son. I am in a tight spot and I just want to help my girl.

chloe seems sick

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:19:59 -0400

my chihuahua has been acting sick for about 4 days. she has been bloated looking, tired, not as excited to see me, still a decent appetite, her back legs have been giving out on her somewhat, she is 9 yrs old, she is pooping and peeing ok, alittle darker yellow, her stool has been harder, and she sounds like she has a little cold, she seems uncomfortable when i pick her up, i think because her stomach seems so full, i gave her a tablespoon of children's fletchers castoria 2 days ago and she went a little more but not a lot. i called the vet and she said try it again and see how she does, she seems to think its some change in her diet. can this be right because she really seems to feel bad?

Urinary Blockage Concern For Male Siamese Cat

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:10:03 -0400

We took our 7 year old Siamese Kitty to urgent care sunday night as he could not pee... the blockage was removed and we took him home the following night... he is now on medication and antibiotics... however.... here is the where concern now lies...

he is eating and drinking water but is peeing on the bed and on his chair as well as the litter box... doesnt pee anywhere else... we are not sure if the peeing on the bed and chair is of medical concern or he is just upset with us since its only in those 2 places and is peeing in his litter box... we are trying to find an inexpensive vet to take him to in Miami, Fl but cant seem to find one.. we spend ALOT of money the other night and honestly cant afford to get another big bill again... can anyone help?

anxiety

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:45:17 -0400

I have a 41/2 yr old boxer named zeke. He is a very loving, playful pooch who seems to enjoy everything, until recently. For about the past two weeks he has grown afraid of the outside world, especially at night. If we try to take him outside on the leash to go potty, he pulls like I've never seen a dog pull. He runs around jerkily always looking for a way to get back into the house. Any suggestions?

OFA X-rays

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:33:51 -0400

My dog Ryder is scheduled to have his hips x-rayed, so that I can submit the films to OFA to be graded. He's a miniature poodle, and finished his AKC championship in record time last spring. Because we're considering breeding him, we've been working steadily at getting the suite of health testing completed. His hips are the last test needed (Genetic test for PRA, OFA thyroid, cardiac and CERF already completed).

Here is my quandary. I live in a small town, and all of the vets in the area have insisted that chemical restraint is required in order for OFA to accept the films. I understand that in order to get a really good shot, it's best to have the dog completely immobilized, which is why I've decided that sedation would be alright. My problem is that all of the vets are insisting on general anesthesia. Even when I've offered to pay the extra cost for reversible sedation, they still insist it's not acceptable to OFA. I know that's not true, as I have checked the OFA site. Also, his co-breeder has been using OFA for many years, and has never had to sedate any of her dogs for good films. Remember, these are show poodles, used to being handled and constantly groomed, and you could probably balance them on their noses with enough kindness and patience. Lying on their backs is nothing.

So, my question for you is - can you help me figure out why the local vets are so unwilling to even try? If it's a matter of staff safety, I have no objection to a muzzle, although I know that it won't be needed. While it is important to me to have his hips x-rayed, his health is tantamount. I am having trouble justifying putting him under general anesthesia for a hip x-ray. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Lymphoma-scaroma

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:29:48 -0400

My almost 9yr old calico cat had what we thought was an infection they found a mass in her intestines. Luckily they were able to get the 6inch intestinal mass out but it came back as lymphoma. They also tested a spot on her one kidney that has it as well but it is still functioning normally. We decided to do chemo. However the vet is consulting with a board of oncologists to find the right protocol because she is a very aggressive cat. Any advice????

Cleo's plight

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:09:30 -0400

Our hound, Cleo is about 12 years old. She has always been a bit heavy up until now. She recently lost quite a bit of weight. Lost interest in food and vomits up all but the most basic foods. Her bark is little more than a squeek. She is lethargic. Strains with bowel movement. She has previously has bouts of weakness and difficullty walking, but bounced back and seemed OK for her age. Any idea what her malady might be?

Zoe's lumps and bumps

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:59:46 -0400

Cancer

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:49:50 -0400

Is there any hope to treat cancer which has spread to the lungs in a 12 year old husky? I am not being given much hope. Is the decision already made?

very sick doggie

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:55:39 -0400

my dog is a 9 year old jack russell "Buddy" that has been threwing up for a couple of days. He has been walking around very "stiff" and no diarrhea seen. He doesn't have a fever that we know of. but does have a history of crusted eyes. and of course dry warm nose. He goes back and fourth from not eating to eating. We have another dog in the house that is not sick at all. any information that you can give me would be grateful.

Cicero's Story / allergy help

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:21:00 -0400

Hi Dr. Patty. I have only been reading your blog for a few months, but it is addicting!

This is my sweetie Cicero. I adopted him in mid-January and things have been a bit of a struggle. Two weeks after I took him home, we had to go in for surgery to remove a massive nasopharyngeal polyp. The vet who had been fostering him told me that he had chronic sinusitis that made him "a little snorty" and that it was nothing to worry about. I still feel badly that it took me two weeks to decide that this vet was wrong and he was truly in distress.

Prior to adopting him, the rescue organization took him to a clinic for his neuter surgery, and because he was unable to breathe through his nose and was not intubated, he died for about 30 seconds.

I mention this as background for why I am a bit mistrustful. This is also my first cat!

Shortly after regaining his ability to breathe, I noticed a small sore on his lip, and he began licking excessively, removing all his fur from between his front and hind legs, eventually making himself bleed. My new vet told me the sore was probably a cut (I'm not sure I agree with that) and recommended a prednisone trial to see if the licking was due to allergy or the stress of a new home/surgery/etc (We first tried Feliway and adding fatty acid supplements to his diet). The licking stopped entirely and his fur began to return. The lip ulcer healed immediately. We then tapered him off the prednisone. The licking returned, along with scratching to the point of scabbing.

Now for my question: Is prednisone feasible for long-term use in cats? My vet did not suggest it, which makes me think perhaps not, but I am still curious. The vet did suggest cortisone shots, but reconsidered when I reminded her of his FIV+ status. (Oh, yeah, he is also FIV).

Beyond that, I don't know what to do for the poor guy. He is flea-free and I have done my best to keep dust down around my apartment. I changed his type of litter and attacked a colony of mold that was living where he likes to sit by the window.

I am sorry this is so long, but I would love it if any readers with allergy experience could chime in. As I mentioned, this is my first cat and I am a bit overwhelmed. Would a food trial be worthwhile even though the allergy responded to prednisone? I'm a bit hesitant on that front because we had to try a number of foods before his stomach agreed with one (EVO) and I hate to change it on him since he is happy!

Thanks in advance for any comments or advice you or any readers can offer!

CONSTIPATED KITTY?

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 14:23:35 -0400

PORSHA IS AN 11 YEAR OLD FEMALE KITTY WHO HASN'T BEEN GOING TO THE BATHROOM FOR OVER A DAY. I SEPERATED HER FROM THE OTHER CATS AND SHE HAS NOT LEFT ANYTHING IN HER LITTER BOX, 18 HOURS NOW. HER BELLY IS SOMEWHAT HARD AND DESTENDED. SHE HAS EATEN SOME FOOD, BUT VERY LITTLE WATER.

13 y/o pregnant dog--What to do?

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:47:27 -0400

Our 13-year-old (yes, years) german shepherd/pit bull mix dog is pregnant for the first time, father unknown. My husband refuses to take her to the vet. She is not vaccinated and has not received medical or dental care.

I wanted to take her in to be spayed, despite her condition. My husband says the cost is prohibitive. He suggested relinquishing her, but I seriously doubt anyone would take her (age, breed, no medical history, pregnant). The only other option is euthanasia.

I don't know what to do. Please advise!

Travelling with Cats?

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:14:52 -0400

In August, I'll be moving from Toronto to Halifax and I'll be taking my two cats with me. I've already mentioned my plans to my vet and he wasn't as concerned about a sedative as he was about an anti-nausea medication for the twisty mountainous roads of New Brunswick. I'll be driving them and myself out and it will probably take us two days with about 12 hours a day spent in the car.

What is your advice for travelling with cats? What kind of carrier should I use? To medicate or not to medicate (neither are horrible travellers when in cars during previous trips to the vets)? Bathroom breaks?

Any advice anyone has would be welcome.

Thanks

12 week old puppy sick

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:20:02 -0400

Our 12 week old pupp (Baby Bumble Bee or BB for short) is vomiting and has dropped quite a bit of weight in 24 hours (she was the runt so she is very small anyway. I tried giving her rice water and chicken rice soup but she will not eat or drink anything but regular water and she vomited that up with a little grass. We live in Phoenix so there are many ugly critters that could of bitten her. I am going to force fluids via a syringe by mouth but am looking for any other suggestions someone may have.

Blood in Kitty Urine

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:52:04 -0400

My mom's 13 year old cat threw up several times yesterday (just bile) and refused food or water for the evening. In the morning she seemed no better(now she was also weak) so it was off to the vet's. They noticed she was down to 6.4 lbs (from her usual 7) and was dehydrated so she was placed on an IV. Blood tests were taken and he white blood cell count was only slightly elevated. While she was at the Vet's he observed he urine was thick and contained some blood. He was thinking maybe bladder of kidney infection. Tonight she is headed home, to see how things play out. Any idea's Dr. Patty? We always follow our vet's advice but while he is thinking on it I would love to hear what you think.
Thanks!

Twisted knee and gut - poor Bessie!

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:07:02 -0400

Bessie (13.5 year old Lab) was hiking in the hills with me, sniffed out a deer carcass and promptly ate a chunk of deer hide - hair included (no bones). She's eaten worse over the years without problems.

The next day, Bessie twisted her knee in the snow. A trip to the vet resulted in sedation, xrays and an exam. No major damage, although the xray revealed serious arthritis and we decided to begin Deramaxx to help my old girl.

Back home, after sleeping off the anesthesia, Bessie woke up and promptly vomitted a large, dark brown pile. Blood? Off to the emergency vet we went. Xrays and full CBC revealed all systems normal. Bessie nicely vomited in the vet's office, and he agreed that we were probably seeing blood. Vet diagnosed a probable ulcer, gave her an injection and sent me home with Carafate and Pepcid.

Back home, Bessie continues looking/acting pitiful. Gut sasms, drool, shaking hind quarters. Back to our regular vet who has, by now, received the report from the emergency vet. Bessie gets two injections - one to stop the vomiting, and one to stop her gut spasms. We also get anti-vomit meds to use for 4 days.

Bessie is much better now. Here's my question - do I dare start the Deramaxx following the possible ulcer episode? My regular vet thinks the ulcer was the result of the deer hide. Bessie had been leaving the ocassional faint blood drop on our tire flooring after eating, but I figured that was from a minor tooth or gum irritation. Following the ulcer meds, I haven't seen this. Which makes me wonder if those faint blood droplets were from an existing ulcer.

Hence my hesitation to use an NSAID.

Am I insane? Over-protective? Haven't started the Deramaxx yet...

Upset Stomach

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 20:24:11 -0400

My ten months old Boxer ate one of his toy balls and now is vomiting and feels very bad. Don't want to eat his food. Can Igive something to relieve the situation?

Broken growth plate

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:44:28 -0400

Two years ago a four month old pitbull puppy was left at my vet's office with a malformed foreleg. Her owners were not willing to pay for surgery to correct a problem they likely caused. When she was younger she broke one of the bones in her lower leg along the growth plate and it healed without treatment, causing the unaffected bone to continue growing while leaving the poorly healed one stunted. I took the puppy, Static, in as I was about to come into some money from resigning with the National Guard and would be able to afford the orthopedic surgery necessary. Unfortunately, financial troubles found me immediately after my money did and I had to put off her surgery. She was doing really well up until a month ago- you could barely tell there was anything wrong with her leg at all. She didn't get nearly as big as the vets anticipated she would and that seemed to work to her advantage. Suddenly, it looks like she had a growth spurt or something and the bowing of her foreleg looks much more drastic. I would like to get her surgery but am still not in the financial position to do so. I was wondering two things: first, what could have caused this increased bowing considering she is two years old? (Her last appt confirmed there was no break or real pain in the area). and two: does anyone know a website where I can try to do some online fundraising for the surgery? It costs in the neighborhood of $2500 to $3000. Any help would be much appreciated.

Cleo's near-death experience

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:46:06 -0400

This is Cleo, a sixteen year-old Siamese girl. She was left with us after her owner abandoned her (for a full week with no food or water) under seriously scary medical circumstances this owner was powerless to control. Her owner finally reached a friend who brought Cleo in for us to revive.

Starving, emaciated, dehydrated and very nearly dead, Cleo received fluids, electrolyte supplements, antibiotics and a series of small feedings over three days. She's doing soooo much better but, sadly, her owner won't be coming back.

What would you do in a serious medical crisis? Do your family members and friends know what to do if something were to happen to you? Have you made provisions for your pets, financial or otherwise, in the event of an emergency?

Think about it. Cleo's lucky. She doesn't have to. But she still needs a home.

Dusty the Platelet-less Ehrlichia Girl

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:10:37 -0400

This is Dusty. She's a sad little girl who came in with more ticks on her than hair follicles, it seemed. Her daddy doesn't have any money but he loves her and visits her every day.

She got Ehrlichia from the ticks, a nasty infection that caused her body to undergo serious changes to her immune system. She has almost no platelets in her blood and she was down to a 10% red blood cell concentration ( normal is from 35-45%) before her blood transfusion.

Now she's doing better (more than two weeks later), but things still aren't quite right. Still few platelets in circulation, an old injury to her wrist which makes her right leg all but useless, and a daddy who can't promise not to let her get sick again.

Pets of the homeless suffer severe illnesses more often than most. Much as we vets try to lend a hand, some cases seem destined to end in disaster. Let's hope Dusty beats the odds.

biailee-girl suddenly sick

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:00:58 -0400

suddenly sick doggie 84 yrs old vomiting & diahreha

sudden intolerance of specific food

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:22:49 -0400

I have an 8 y/o neutered male, who normally eats raw. I occasionally (maybe 1-2 times / month) feed kibble. I've been using the same brand for at least 3 years. In the past 3-4 months, the kibble seems to be triggering diarrhea. To the best of my knowledge the food hasn't changed, nor have I heard any other reports about this particular brand. I have 4 others eating the same with no problems.

He looks and acts fine, other than needing to go out more frequently and often with some urgency.

I've just in the past few days made the connection between the diarrhea and the food, and tested my theory (unfortunately I seem to be correct...) so he will no longer be getting it.

Is it possible that he has developed a food sensitivity at his age (the protein is something that I rarely feed). Should I be concerned that its an early warning sign of some bigger issue?

Daisy Mae - Wormy Butt

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:08:41 -0400

My terrier Daisy just got diagnosed with hookworms with the results of her fecal test during last weekend's annual exam. She showed no symptoms prior to the call from the vet's office, but now I must de-worm her and my other terrier Alfie. Apparently this is a result of what my vet calls a "breakthrough" in her monthly Revolution dose. So I'm switching to Heartgard and Frontline, but in the meantime, I need to keep her feet clean, pick up her backyard poo immediately and keep her from doing her usual poo-sniffing on walks. And pray that I don't catch a case of them myself from walking barefoot in my own house. Anything else I should be doing to get this mess cleaned up?

Margherita's Outdoor Kitty Enclosure

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:32:00 -0400

Here are my pictures - I'm very pleased that you all want to see them
so badly. The top, in case you can't tell, is clear plastic
corrugated material. I noticed at the end of the summer last year
that the kitties were a little peeved at the fact they could see
lizards running across the top of the clear roof, but they couldn't
get to them. I just wish I could give them as big a space as the dogs
have - maybe a little at a time and I can do it. I probably spent as
much to get this built as I did for the entire bedroom addition that
it was built off of!

Good Collar Alternative?

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 14:53:09 -0400

Does anyone know a good alternative to a collar? The only distinguishing feature on my jet-black dawg is a white patch under her chin/collar. I'd like something else to hold her tag, (I have a chip, but I don't trust them....and harnesses remind me too much of those child-pets you see in the mall). Thanks! Larry

p.s. pic is my dawg with her 2 favorite things...a tennis ball and beer. (ok, I don't feed her beer, but she likes the smell because it smells like me)

Dixie's Ear Infection

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 13:51:00 -0400

My dawg (cocker/lab mix - Dixie) has had ear problems since I adopted her. In fact her left ear was already partially re-sected. (amazingly the groomer found that, the vets didn't notice!)

Any how, she has been on all manner of anitbiotics, both oral and, uh, earal, but *nothing* has worked as well as Gentian Violet. (which I saw on here...or at least linked from here)

Now if I can getting scooting problems under control she'll be perfect.
;-)

Pearl, Sealyham Terrier---pre & post Spinal Surgery

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:21:00 -0400

Pearl, 3 yrs old in her "beauty queen days"

8 1/2 yrs old -post surgery 13 staples!!
L4/5 acute Type 1 disc herniation----hemilaminectomy
L1/2 chronic Type 11 disc protrusion---fenestration

After a long 6 week post-surgical confinement---Pearl was released back to freedom, free of pain and barely a mis-step!

We are thankful for Pearl's successful treatment at Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital, Woburn, MA. and Dr. Mark Troxel, Pearl's neurosurgeon.

Three-Legged Jerry Outlives OS Prognosis!

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:30:08 -0400

When I had my front left leg amputated after being diagnosed with osteosarcoma, the wonderful vets at UC Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital told my people that I had three or four months to live, if i was lucky.

Here we are over 14 months later traveling the country proving to everyone we see that it is better to hop on three legs than to limp on four! You can follow all my adventures in my three-legged dog blog at tripawds.com!

We have just added the new Tripawd Discussion Forums where readers can post their questions or share stories from experiences with their own canine amputees. You will also find canine cancer health and diet tips, three-legged dog videos, and much more!

Thanks to wonderful vets like Dr. Khuly, dogs like me can enjoy a long healthy life, and our people can be well educated about how they can help.

Apollo Supervises Rattie Bath Time

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:26:00 -0400

Old Man Harvey

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:57:39 -0400

This is my old guy, crashed out on the dog bed, sleeping off the effects of his new seizure medication (phenobarb). Here's hoping the drunken monkey effect wears off soon!

Ella The Jumping Jack

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 08:34:20 -0400

A Pain in the Rear.. literally and figuratively!

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:46:00 -0400

How do you keep a dane from licking her newly stitched backside? Extra radiographs, of course!

Luca after her vulva fold resection last fall.. doesn't she look humiliated?

Jasmine and Krista helping with laundry

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 02:21:47 -0400

Winnie the guinea pig

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:49:34 -0400

Okay, so she isn't really sick. This is Winnie grudgingly participating in my bandaging lab last week. There are some great perks to being a vet student's pet, but some serious downsides, too!

Just a test

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:54:00 -0400

I bring you Kiko. Supermodel. Calico. FABULOUS!

Vincent's double-whammy: Soft palate clip and neuter!

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:12:00 -0400

Here's Vincent (one of my two Frenchies) after his soft palate was shortened and his testicles removed:

Doesn't he look wiped out?