Ask A Pet Pro

How common is it for a healthy cat of 10 years to have a reaction to the normal yearly shots that she has gotten every year and die?

Please explain this to me.

My 5-yr old Vizsla was diagnosed w/ pemphigus foliaceus in July. I suspect it was drug-induced from multiple antibiotic dosages for a foxtail. I am desperate to avoid the dreaded steroid treatment. Can you recommend an alternative treatment for him? I’ve switched him to a raw food diet (Stella & Chewy) and have been giving him vitamins (Animal Essentials), fish oil pills, flax seed oil and sterols (Moducare). Also gave him probiotics (Pet Dophilus) for the first month. I just ordered some Sterol 117.

He’s not getting worse, but isn’t getting better either. Can you help me??

Thank you so much.

On August 1 I took my 12 lb miniature poodle mix to my vet to get his shots and to get a new prescription of heartworm preventative. They took 2 fecals and they said it came back with something wrong . The vet prescribed CHPC 250 mg tablets 3 times a day for 21 days. I looked up the pills online and found was shocked by what I saw they were used to treat: hypertrophic osteodystrophy. I talked to my dog’s foster mother and she also said that they were used to treat for worms, one problem they didn’t say one thing about worms and no they didn’t deworm him…because why?…oh yeah he didn’t have any worms. I was told by the vet tech that answered the phone the Monday after I took him a long name instead of worms and that it was very contagious to humans, but I haven’t seen worms in his poo and I haven’t seen worms on my furniture and I sure don’t have any unexplained sores on me. The vet tech also told me that they did not put the “diagnosis” on the receipt. When I told my dogs foster mother she said that because it was not a real diagnosis. Please explain to me why they would prescribe CHPC 250 mg pills to a dog that is not even close to the size to have HOD which is only found in large breed dogs (yes I know that it is a bone disease in only large breed dogs) and why they said that they found something wrong with his fecal. BTW I was in the room the whole time with them and my dog and didn’t leave for any reason.

Thanks

I have a Persian female, Tasha, 13 years of age. We have battled a “lazy sphincter” muscle in the bladder for the past 10 years. The drip is well contained with an herbal product called “Leaks No More” but we have still had quite a few serious bladder infections. These seem to come on quickly and really get her down. Also there is an esophageal spincter problem that has been treated somewhat successfully with Prednisone (intermittent vomiting) and she does have Arthritis badly in one shoulder. These have also responded well to herbal remedies (Digestive Upsets and Joint Relief, all 3 made by Homeopets). Otherwise she has been healthy. She has always been on premium food, either Innova or Natural Balance and has regular well checks. This past few months has included a divorce and move and has been stressful on her. She has mostly been lethargic, appetite good, and urine fecal output seemed normal. I have attributed it mostly to stress… She has had an increase in vomiting and lethargy the past few days so I took her in for a check up with blood panel. The panel shows the following out of range items:

• BUN …. 35 mg/dL (16. – 36)
  slightly elevated but not yet out of normal range
• Creatinine …. 2.9 mg/dL (.08 – 2.4)
  just slightly elevated out of normal range
• PHOS …. 2.9 mg/dL (3.1 – 7.5)
  slightly low
• MCHC …. 39.2 g/dL (29.0 – 37.5)
  elevated
• WBC …. 2.82 K/uL (5.5 – 19.50)
  very low
• NEU …. 1.44 K/uL (2.50 – 12.50)
  low

the following are almost out of range:

• LYM …. 0.45 K/uL (0.40 – 6.80)
• MCV …. 42.0 fL (41.0 – 58.0)

Her Dr. seems concerned over the WBC but offered no explanation. Her diagnosis is “kidney problems”, not CRF. She sent us home with Lasix 12.5 mg x 2 day (to increase her urine output) but the first day Tasha staggered as if coming out of anesthesia. I called the following morning and told the Dr. that I believe she may be having a reaction of sorts to the dosage of the Lasix, and possibly might have another bladder infection due to the quick fade/lethargy and loss of appetite. She has lowered the Lasix dose by 1/2 per day and given her Orbax just in case…

I have been through hyperthyroid/renal failure with one of my boys in 2002 and know that approximately 75% of the kidney function is gone by the time anything shows up in blood work-ups. I am hopeful because Tasha’s seems to be in earlier stages but am confused about the other out of range values. I was told to keep her on the Lasix and bring her back in 2 weeks for another check. My gut feeling is that there is more going on than is first apparent. My boy’s kidneys were going fast and my (other) vet would not address that because of the Thyroid issue. By the time I got him to listen the counts were through the roof and fluid collecting on his lungs. He lived 11 days past finding the kidney trouble. I should have been more adamant that the kidneys be addressed but sadly wasn’t.

What tests, etc., can you suggest I have done? Is there anything I should be watching for? I feel the WBC and other values are a real issue but don’t know where to go next. I am not comfortable with a “wait and see” approach. From past experience I know how quickly these things can deteriorate and if there are other issues I wish to address them as soon as possible.

Today, Tasha is eating well but seems really depressed and lethargic. I can tell she doesn’t feel well and don’t know what to do for her. Any help/advice will be most appreciated.

Thank you so much!

I rescued a hound mix on April 1. She is very intelligent and very cute. We have bonded but she is afraid of most people and loud noises. She avoids my friends and only lets people touch her if I am right there also petting her. How can I get her used to people? I am afraid she will bite them out of fear. During storms she shakes even if I hold her. She hides under my bed. Should I give her a pill to relax her?

I had a trainer comer and work with the dog and with the person who was going to pet sit for a weekend. The dog was eating cheese out of his had and letting him per her but she did not respond to him when he came to feed her and to let her out when I was not there. She hid behind the flowers and would not leave the kitchen until he left and then came back later to shut the door. On the second day she showed her teeth and he felt she was going to go after him. I came home immediately.

Thanks so much!

Aren’t vets required to give pet x-rays to pet owners, as doctors are for humans?

My cat got x-rays a few months back and even though the vets explained the results, they never even showed me the x-rays, nor did they give them to me.

Thanks

My cat who was being treated for hyperthyroidism with methimazole suddenly became quite ill last week. His white cell count was down to 1000 and according to one blood test his platelets were (seems radically low so I suspect it might have been an error) 13,000. BUN, Creatnine, and Bilirubin were all elevated but his ALT was normal. Upon release from the hospital (after IV treatment) there was much improvement but his ALT which was normal was now elevated.

My concern is this. How to proceed. I love this cat very much and do not want to cause him undo suffering. I am concerned about possible side effects of alternative meds and we have ruled out radio active iodine treatments. My goal for him is optimum health, comfort, and humane treatment over simple longevity. One vet recommended against surgery because he was high risk, and another said that if his next blood tests were normal that surgery was an option. I am happy to proceed with surgery if there is some likelihood of a positive outcome. Unfortunately with a different cat of ours he ended up having to be put down 2 months after surgery making the end of his life a misery. I do not want that to be this cat’s fate. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thank You

My 11 year old Black Lab has had two bouts of bloody diarrhea in the last six months. The first bout was not as bad as the most recent, and cleared up in a couple days with antibiotics and a bland diet.

This last bout was more serious, requiring two days of IV fluids, antibiotic shots, and shots to relieve her vomiting, as she could not even hold down water.

The vet did a blood panel, which came back normal. No other tests were done. She is home now, still a little lethargic, but is eating well, holding it down, and so far, no diarrhea.

But…we still don’t have any answers. I am concerned about why this is happening to her, and feel the need to know the cause. I feel more tests are necessary, and am planning to get a second opinion.

I would appreciate any advice as to what to look for, or what tests to ask for.

Thanks so much!

I have a 5 y/o English Bulldog. I have taken him off steroids (about a year now) I cook for him…..ground beef, ground turkey, chicken, livers….veggies – green beans, peas and carrots, squash, broccoli…barley and brown rice. He keeps getting these pink spots on his back that itch him like crazy and they are kinda scabby. I also give him powdered vitamins for skin and coat. I put on his spots real aloe, pet salve, all natural itch spray but they take a really really long time to heal and then he gets them again. Do you have any suggestions?

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer.

My 15 year old cat, Toby, went from seeming to be fine one day to looking terrible the next. I hadn’t seen him look quite so dehydrated, hollow-eyed, lethargic, and sickly since he nearly died about 10 years ago from bladder stones. He’s been on prescription cat food since that time with no stone recurrence. We’d just had him to the vet 2 weeks earlier for a well checkup, and all was good. So, yesterday, we took him to the vet and they determined that he was constipated and had a full bladder that needed to be emptied. They took an x-ray and didn’t see any suspicious masses, did blood work which revealed everything at normal levels, did a urinalysis, which was fine. He had a slight temp and possibly a slight infection, which we’re treating with antibiotics. He was interested in drinking water and eating his dry food when we got home, and he’s urinated in his box, though no defecation yet. He appears much improved and his hydration is better, however, he’s developed a LIMP! Since last night! When I called the vet today to get his lab results, I asked whether he might have been difficult to x-ray or if there were any other situation whereby he was injured while at the vet, but the doctor said he was very cooperative. I don’t know what to make of this limping and whether or not it could be related to these other issues or if it’s a fluke injury. We’re continuing to observe him and we will definitely take him back to the vet, but I wanted to get an idea about whether limping might be associated with these other symptoms and what kind of problem might manifest itself so quickly with so many symptoms and no blood or urinary levels to support a problem.

Thank You