Veterinary advice and information

[RShea]

Many thanks to hutash for providing advice here for many years.

While no pet in my life right now, I too have in the past asked and had Hutash respond about issues when there was one in my life. It is not like you can ask the pet what is wrong and wait for them to respond to you either with where it hurts or the pain is coming from.

[RootSkier]

Our cowdog mutt has acquired a taste for plums (neighbors have three HUGE plum trees that hang over our fence) and is now shitting purple diarrhea all over the goddamn place, including on three different rugs in the last two days. HALP.

It is literally impossible to pick up all the plums...

[Bobcat Sig]

I came across this article on a website relating neutering vs. joint problems, etc. in dogs.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles...020.00388/full

Some of these breeds esp large dogs seem to be very susceptible to issues from neutering/spaying at too early an age. Hutash, is this something new? or has this idea been around for a while?

I have the same question. We just picked up a GSD-mix puppy. Shelter is demanded a 6 month nueter. Based on the reading of some of GSD communities, it's commonly accepted to wait. Yes? If so, a range of when?

Our cowdog mutt has acquired a taste for plums (neighbors have three HUGE plum trees that hang over our fence) and is now shitting purple diarrhea all over the goddamn place, including on three different rugs in the last two days. HALP.

It is literally impossible to pick up all the plums...

I lulzed. Sorry.

Cut back the trees a bit? Dog diaper?

[KQ]

I came across this article on a website relating neutering vs. joint problems, etc. in dogs.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles...020.00388/full

Some of these breeds esp large dogs seem to be very susceptible to issues from neutering/spaying at too early an age. Hutash, is this something new? or has this idea been around for a while?

I've read about cats having issues too which is why I try to wait as long as I can. Makes sense doesn't it? When women go through menopause and their hormones start to wane they develop bone issues.

[liv2ski]

Greetings Hutash, my Malamute has recurring infected ears (mostly the right one) where every 6 or so months it looks like coffee grounds / mites are in her ear. This week the vet checked and said it was not mites, didn't appear to be a bacterial or fungal infection, so she thought maybe it was her food/something she eats allergy.
I feed them "Perfect Pet" lamb & beef patties mixed in with their dry limited ingredient lamb kibble. Oddly, Maya who never pukes just did and it was mostly what looked like undigested potatoes from the Prefect Pet patty.
If not digested from last nights dinner, is that a possible culprit? A Potato allergy?

[uglymoney]

Not asking for advice from Hutash, just an update on Bridger the 11 yo mini aussie. Dude had a great bonus should already be dead summer. Did 50 miles on a backpack and a hundred other little day hikes and he loved the shit out of every one of them. One thing that worried us was he took off the wrong way down the trail one time. He always had the best trail sense. He turned around and all was good but it was a worrisome clue.

Fast forward into the fall, he really starts to slow down. Pacing. Losing strength.. Waking up at night a lot. Not as affectionate and not greeting us at the door. Can still jump on beds and into cars.

This week wife let the dogs out in the morning as always and Bridger was gone. He has long been trained to stay inside our lot. Full on search my dad's huge herding sheltie dog finds him an hour later in huge lot behind us. He isn't signaling to go outside anymore, just pacing more rapidly when he has to go. Took shit by Xmas tree. Good eye is a little swollen and not working that great.

Full on doggy alzheimers on top of whatever caused the severe atrophy. I figure. He more or less nails down every symptom on the doggy interweb self help sites.

He has shots due (dist/parvo/lepto) in a couple weeks. If he makes it that long I think we skip the shots. Will consult our vet and see if he still wants to see him and maybe offer something to make him more comfortable.

Super grateful for our bonus time with him.. Now the hard part will be deciding when we will say good bye. Waited too long with my last dog and don't want to repeat that mistake.

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[Mustonen]

Paging Hutash….

This guy:


Has gone lame in his front left leg. He has had a bit of a limp off and on for a while…. Christmas Eve it was suddenly worse. Figured he’d pulled something…. He runs hard and doesn’t know how to slow down. Yesterday it was way worse and today it’s no better.

At first he guarded it, though he can be a little funny with being messed with sometimes. Usually he’ll let me do whatever but won’t afford others the same privilege. If he rumbles, though, I leave him alone. Now, though, he doesn’t really guard it. I can move it around a little bit and he doesn’t complain. I don’t pull on it or anything because I’m not an asshole, but it doesn’t seem to be causing him pain. I get the impression that he’d rather I not left his leg up away from his body when he’s laying on his side, but that’s not an unpredictable rumble even when he feels good.

Even yesterday there wasn’t any obvious point tenderness. I can massage, rub, squeeze every part of his paw, leg, and shoulder. No obvious deformity. Similar look and structure between both front legs. I was thinking maybe a torn tendon? He walks around like this with his paw up. It’s like he just can’t use it suddenly.

Now…. He has had Lyme disease in the past, and had another positive test this summer. We treated, and it seemed to go away…. Might that be it? Other ideas? Going to try to get him to the vet tomorrow….

[hutash]

Obviously these things are hard to figure out on the innertubes, he'll they are hard to figure out in person. Sounds like an acute on chronic injury. Most common is an old injury or joint issue causing some arthritis that then gets banged good and really hurts. Then can take a long time to heal, and may never be normal (just like my old joints are these days.) Strict rest for a couple days then a vet visit if not improving. If the is real focal pain, i.e. you squeeze a spot or move a joint and get a real defined pain, then a trip to the vet sooner rather the later is warranted. I doubt the lump is related unless painful, but any lumps in older dogs should be checked out. Most are no big deal, but the ones that aren't can be very serious.

[hutash]

As for neutering and joint issues, it has been thrown around for years a d I have not seem a good connection tonight yet. The benefits of spay and neutering still far, far outweigh the known or speculated downsides. I am not a proponent of early S/N, I don't have too big an issue with waiting for at most 9ne year of age, but even at a year a lot of the issues we are trying to prevent become more significant. My best window is still 6-8 months of age. For females spaying before first heat almost guarantees no mammary cancer, which is very common in un-spayed or later spayed dogs. Un-spayed cats are almost guaranteed to get pregnant since they are induced ovulators, and un-neuter males cats will get all kinds of nasty problems, so neuter/spay at six months.

That is just the tip of the neuter/don't neuter iceberg, but for me the only reason not to is if you are breeding them, and the neuter when done. Probably should apply to people as well��

[Wrecked]

My best window is still 6-8For females spaying before first heat almost guarantees no mammary cancer, which is very common in un-spayed or later spayed dogs. Un-spayed cats are almost guaranteed to get pregnant since they are induced ovulators, and un-neuter males cats will get all kinds of nasty problems, so neuter/spay at six months.

�

Funny you bring this up as I’ve been wanting to ask you.

We have a border collie mix that is maybe? 10 years old…. She could be 12… we do t know since we rescued her.

She’s been showing signs of slowing down but still gets after it from time to time. She almost got a squirrel a few weeks ago. But when she chased a deer too far the other day she had a limp for a day… but it went away.

Anyways… she has a small lump on her undercarriage. We had a biopsy done and they said it’s probably benign. Not sure why we didn’t get a definitive answer. They want to cut it out. It’s not attached to anything. You can pull her skin away and put your fingers around it.

We have worries about putting a dog under anesthesia at her age… whatever that is. I know it’s hard to say over the internet but… should we be worried? Cut it out? Let it go and hope it doesn’t get worse? Our main concern really is her not waking up from anesthesia. But we don’t want her to get super sick either.

[hutash]

You might get another vet to stick a needle in it (a fine needle aspirate). Super easy to do, pretty cheap, and a good, though not definitive, way to decide whether to do something further. I need to be convinced it is worth the small, though potentially significant, risk and costs of surgery/anesthesia. At ten plus, I need a better reason then they just want to cut out a 'probably benign" lump.

[hutash]

Greetings Hutash, my Malamute has recurring infected ears (mostly the right one) where every 6 or so months it looks like coffee grounds / mites are in her ear. This week the vet checked and said it was not mites, didn't appear to be a bacterial or fungal infection, so she thought maybe it was her food/something she eats allergy.
I feed them "Perfect Pet" lamb & beef patties mixed in with their dry limited ingredient lamb kibble. Oddly, Maya who never pukes just did and it was mostly what looked like undigested potatoes from the Prefect Pet patty.
If not digested from last nights dinner, is that a possible culprit? A Potato allergy?

Very likely it's allergies and most likely secondary yeast. If I never see a ear problem again in my life it will be too soon. That and flea allergies��

Sorry, but no simple solutions, and I have been to countless hours of lectures by the most brilliant dermatologists looking for answers. Keep ears clean and dry (that's the only thing that worked for me when I played water polo) with my own allergies. It can be food, but more likely atopy.

[hutash]

Sorry I haven't seen this thread in awhile. I am here more now that the snow is flying, but was not around a lot this summer.

If somebody posts here and needs a quicker reply , feel free to shot me a PM to check the thread.

[Wrecked]

You might get another vet to stick a needle in it (a fine needle aspirate). Super easy to do, pretty cheap, and a good, though not definitive, way to decide whether to do something further. I need to be convinced it is worth the small, though potentially significant, risk and costs of surgery/anesthesia. At ten plus, I need a better reason then they just want to cut out a 'probably benign" lump.

This Ian pretty much right in line with what we are thinking.

Thank you.

[Mustonen]

Obviously these things are hard to figure out on the innertubes, he'll they are hard to figure out in person. Sounds like an acute on chronic injury. Most common is an old injury or joint issue causing some arthritis that then gets banged good and really hurts. Then can take a long time to heal, and may never be normal (just like my old joints are these days.) Strict rest for a couple days then a vet visit if not improving. If the is real focal pain, i.e. you squeeze a spot or move a joint and get a real defined pain, then a trip to the vet sooner rather the later is warranted. I doubt the lump is related unless painful, but any lumps in older dogs should be checked out. Most are no big deal, but the ones that aren't can be very serious.

No lumps…. If there was a lump it would make more sense. Just…. Won’t use his leg.

You wouldn’t pinpoint Lyme disease?

[hutash]

You can't rule out Lyme's for anything because it is so nebulous, but typically it causes more of a shifting leg lameness, or over all sore joints, not a distinct limp. At least according to the text books. It is almost unheard of in my area.

[Thaleia]

Checking in. Young Timmy, our 1.5 yo short hair domestic male kitty hasn't been himself lately.

Last Wednesday morning I noticed he didn't come looking for breakfast like he usually would. Found him in one of his favourite spots on a blanket on the couch. Tried to pet him and engage with him but he didn't want to move or be touched. Left for work thinking that was odd but not too concerning. Got home that night and was told he was in the same spot all day. He didn't eat or drink, and it didn't look like he used the litter box. Also noticed two small puddles of barf, just yellow bile.

This behavior continues to today, except for there's been no further nausea.

Thursday morning same deal, still there. Any attempt to move him would result in groaning or hissing.

Managed to get him into the Vet Thursday afternoon. Vet confirmed he has a fever and prescribed Tylosin, Cerenia and Sulcrate Suspension. Not sure why the first two drugs were prescribed as there was no current evidence of nausea or diarrhea. (I wasn't available to take him to the Vet so am getting second hand information)

EDIT - Rereading the invoice it seems the Dr suspected the issue was Gastritis, and the medications listed are to support a broad spectrum stomach and broad spectrum fever therapy.

By late Thursday his eyes are slightly sunken in.

He's shown signs of being better, however they are brief. Friday evening his eyes looked almost normal and he got up to sit outside for awhile. He walks slowly, but doesn't seem to be off balance, no staggering, just a bit slower than usual.

He's eaten little bits here and there but in general has little interest in food. Biggest success so far was some tuna with extra water added. He's had maybe a couple tablespoons worth over the last couple days.

Today, back to the same, just sitting, not moving, eyes half open, doesn't want any attention.

Our Vet is highly regarded, and the son of a near legendary Vet in our area who has an incredibly positive reputation. That said I was a little surprised there was no testing beyond the physical exam. I'm obviously no expert but it didn't seem like the zero food or drink was addressed at all. Also there were no instruction on any follow up, or what to expect over the next few days. I hate to say it but I wonder if he was rushed due to the emergency vet visit, hours before the start of a long weekend.

I'll be trying to get him back in on Monday, but wondering if there's anything else I can be doing in the meantime or if there's anything else I could be looking into.

Pic for reference, Timmy's in the backgound, pretty representative photo of his eyes, with a very concerned Toki in the foreground checking in on him.




Long story short - kitty has been not wanting to move and lethargic since Wednesday, eating next to nothing, doesn't want any attention or to be touched. No drooling, no nausea except for the first day of symptoms. No real bowl movements to speak of. Doesn't seem confused but movements are slow. Also maybe worth noting in the past month he had put on a little bit of noticeable weight.

Is there anything else I can be doing for him? Does it sound like I should get a second opinion?

Any insight or ideas are greatly appreciated.

[BC13]

Check to make sure the little guy isn't jaundice. If you notice any yellowing, get him to the vet again. We lost a 6 year old cat to liver disease. Hopefully, your cat just has gastritis, but our little guy had the same symptoms.

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[Grange]

You mentioned outside so if tje cat is free to roam and you have ticks in your area could be a tick born disease. The symptoms sound similar to how my dogs have acted when they had either Lyme disease or anaplasmosis.

[Thaleia]

Check to make sure the little guy isn't jaundice. If you notice any yellowing, get him to the vet again. We lost a 6 year old cat to liver disease. Hopefully, your cat just has gastritis, but our little guy had the same symptoms.

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Very sorry to hear that. No signs of jaundice in this case thankfully.

You mentioned outside so if tje cat is free to roam and you have ticks in your area could be a tick born disease. The symptoms sound similar to how my dogs have acted when they had either Lyme disease or anaplasmosis.

Not really free to roam but they do come out onto to patio occasionally. He is up to date of flea and tick treatments but that is always a concern. I understand Lyme disease and anaplasmosis are pretty rare in cats but he does match some of those symptoms.

[CantDog]

Hey Hutash--appreciate this thread and just finding it now.

We have a 11.5 year old retriever/border collie mix who developed a large mass on her L hind leg at the hip joint. Mass attached to the tissue below based on moving it around. She started limping and was acting strange with pretty significant bruising on her abd and swelling of her leg. Took her to the emergency vet who did an US and an x ray---ultrasound showed a cavitated mass, X-ray didn't turn up anything. Labwork normal, slight pump in leukocytes, but everything else was normal, including PT/INR.

Vet there was reluctant to put a needle in it given it was cavitated and thinking it was either a mast cell tumor and worried about an immune response, or a hemangiosarcoma and it would simply come back bloody and not too helpful.

We went to a referral vet hospital who reviewed the ultrasound, did an exam and read the film again and felt that it was either a subcutaneous hemangiosarcoma or a mast cell tumor and recommended CT, then discussion with surgeon about possibly biopsy/removal--but felt that it would likely be a amputation.

For reference, I am a hospice and palliative care physician--so in asking about what these treatments would likely offer in terms of prognosis, the answer was 1-3 mo without any treatment and 3-6 with treatment/surgery.

We elected to go home, I called our hospice vet, and have her on some turkey tail mushroom capsules, Yunnan baiyao, and bid rimadyl, plus gabapentin. The swelling got crazy bad, but seemed like whatever happened tamponaded off or clotted, swelling improved and bruising on her belly went away completely. It was pretty bad for a while, nearly up to her front legs.

Since then, the mass shrunk, she's acting normal, and pain improved--I dropped the gabapentin and kept her on the rest--plus thinking if its a hemangiosarcoma cox2 inhibitors actually have some theoretical antineoplastic properties in those diseases(at least in humans).

Now, the big question is--should I rethink workup? The improvement has me thinking maybe its something else entirely that could be treatable and fixable. She's otherwise healthy. I don't want to put her through a ton of treatment for just a few months gained, but if it was fixable, I'd certainly weigh that differently. Is there anything else on the differential I should be thinking about?

Thank you!

[ötzi]

Cant (and Thaleia) - Hutash hasn't posted much recently, if he doesn't see your post(s) maybe PM him so he does see when he comes back around.

Cant, what's the timeline on your post from when you discovered the mass to when she started limping, to the vet visits to now? Hemangiosarcoma is bad juju I hope it's not that, we went through it with one of our dogs a couple years ago. In our experience it went super quickly so the fact that she seems to have somewhat recovered since the vet visits seems positive to me but what do I know.

[CantDog]

Cant (and Thaleia) - Hutash hasn't posted much recently, if he doesn't see your post(s) maybe PM him so he does see when he comes back around.

Cant, what's the timeline on your post from when you discovered the mass to when she started limping, to the vet visits to now? Hemangiosarcoma is bad juju I hope it's not that, we went through it with one of our dogs a couple years ago. In our experience it went super quickly so the fact that she seems to have somewhat recovered since the vet visits seems positive to me but what do I know.

In hindsight we probably noticed the lump a few weeks prior but didn’t think anything of it—and from limping to vet visit was the plan on 12 hours. We have a one year old and my partner first thought she had tripped on our dog(whose favorite activity is sitting below the high chair) and somehow that hurt her leg such that she was limping and leg was swollen. At the emergency vet it was clear it wasn’t that, and the bruising was crazy. When we finally got home I was sure she was going to die that night—sadly we’ve had one other dog with hemangiosarcoma who presented with intraabdominal bleeding and had to be put down immediately. But I’ve also heard that things can be fine until things start bleeding again. It’s now been 4 weeks since this all started.