ask-a-vetblr

[ask-a-vetblr]

Hi! This might be an odd question but do you know where a layperson could read/learn about paraplegia and other neurological disorders in cats and dogs? I don't have any pets with that issue, but I was recently diagnosed with BLE spasticity, and as someone who draws and writes about animals frequently, it made me wonder if the same thing can happen to them. Of course I've seen photos and videos of paraplegic cats and dogs, but I have no idea if they're actually experiencing something similar to me (spastic or flaccid? sensory loss or paresthesia or just motor loss? does it affect their GI motility or other spinal cord functions as well? etc). I hope that makes sense, thank you for any pointers!

Hi, Sueanoi here.

My favorite resource is Merck Manual. They have pet owner version and professional version that you can read.

Unfortunately "Paraplegia" is not a disease name. It is a symptom that can be caused by many nuanced etiology. The page I recommend you start is this one.

[ask-a-vetblr]

Any reccs for grain free dental treats for cats? Everyone talks about greenies but the second ingredient is wheat and my cat is allergic (confirmed by a vet). The vet said her teeth have no tartar currently so I'm trying to take steps to maintain that for as long as possible.

Hi, mod Trench here. I would recommend perusing these products approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council to see if any might be an appropriate option for your cat. I don't think any of the treats are grain free, but Purina uses corn instead of wheat.

A powder or water additive may be less likely to trigger allergies, but not all cats are willing to eat/drink them, so I would buy a small amount to trial it if you go that route.

If your cat would be compliant, tooth brushing or dental wipes are other options for maintaining good oral hygiene.

Obligatory disclaimer to check the ingredients list of anything before putting it in your cat's mouth.

[ask-a-vetblr]

Hi, moderator here. Circling back to your original question, @vassraptor , it is important for your DVM to know the sex of your cat. Certain conditions are more prevalent in males or in females (ex. urinary blockage, mammary cancers) and knowing the sex of an animal changes the list of differential diagnoses your vet will be working with.

is there any medical reason it'd matter if a vet gets a cat's gender wrong? assuming the cats are already desexed, i mean. this keeps happening (with different vets) and unless there are common medical conditions the vets might overlook if they think the cat's a different gender, i'd rather not keep correcting them. it's not like my cats care, after all.

Hi, Sueanoi here

uuhhh. Warning? I will be talking about cat genitals and show many images of them too. I'll put those images under read more.

While we fully expect that veterinarians should not be making this mistake, it is understandable that sometimes it may happen. I'll show you why.

Some neutered toms' leftover scrotum kinda look like vulva if not closely inspected. and their tom cat jowl disappear after neutering. (image after read more)

Other than the genital, other way a cat's sex is "quickly guessed" is their face. Tom cat jowls is one sexual dimorphism trait that a trained eye can catch. It is unfortunate that some toms don't sport any jowl, especially those who are neutered young, and some queens have ... fat face, fat enough that it looks similar to tom cat jowl.

Another aspect of sex guessing. calico color means the cat has two X chromosomes. because the color black and orange genes are located at the X chromosome, and each can only hold one version. Only exceptions are XXY individuals. They will have male genitalia, but aren't usually fertile. This is a form of intersex cat. (And yes this form of intersex can happen in human)

Speaking of, I have had a case of intersex cat. His external genitalia looked exactly like a neutered tom, but the owner had never seen the testicles descend. Confirming that barbs on his penis were still present (neutered cat will lose his barbs) We open a surgery fully expecting to find cryptorchid (undescended) testes, but we found uterus instead. Uterus with... some strange looking gonads that kinda look like testes? but were firmly at the position of normal ovary. We removed the gonads and the uterus like a normal spay. (We didn't try to find out where the uterus go... He didn't have any vagina. I don't know where it ended, still wondering until today.) At the lab they reported they were ovotestis. Meaning they were both mosaic combination of both ovary-like tissue, and testis-like tissue. That one was special. I wasn't sure if I should record that surgery as "spay" or "neuter" (We chose neuter, because it's more neutral, and the cat was recorded as male before we found his uterus) , also for those wondering, that intersex cat had tom cat jowl.

speaking of, let's see pictures of jowls.

Look at this impressive tom cat jowl. without having to look down, you can be fairly confident that this is a Tom. Not all toms have jowls this big, however.

A male cat with lesser prominent jowl. Still noticeable but not as impressive and the one above.

This is a calico, which means im 99% confident is a queen . but she's so fat...her cheeks are becoming jowls.

a female cat without jowl cheeks. for reference, this is what queens usually look like.

Another instance where a mistake might be made is in neonatal kittens. their genitals look similar enough that it might be difficult. (but it is possible.) Pictures under the cut.

a bit hard. but if you focus on the urethral opening, the distance from the anus is different (male is further). You can't always look at the scrotum area and assume , because the vulva can be ... ample. Rule of thumb is find the urethral opening.

image of neutered male cat, and a queen. At a glance may be similar, but at close inspection you can see the urethral opening is further in the male. This can be easily mistaken if the neutered male have completely lose his jowls. He would essentially has "feminine" face.

This image isn't necessary but just for reference, intact toms have quite impressive scrotum.

Here, for your enjoyment I guess.

I hope this answer is useful to you!

[ask-a-vetblr]

What is the general recommendation for medicating dogs for seizures? I've been doing research and it seems there are multiple opinions out there. Once a month, once every two months, etc.

Hi, Sueanoi here,

I dont mean to be dismissive, but this is a question that each patient will have a different answer.

Please. Ask your neurologist vet.

[ask-a-vetblr]

is there any medical reason it'd matter if a vet gets a cat's gender wrong? assuming the cats are already desexed, i mean. this keeps happening (with different vets) and unless there are common medical conditions the vets might overlook if they think the cat's a different gender, i'd rather not keep correcting them. it's not like my cats care, after all.

Hi, Sueanoi here

uuhhh. Warning? I will be talking about cat genitals and show many images of them too. I'll put those images under read more.

While we fully expect that veterinarians should not be making this mistake, it is understandable that sometimes it may happen. I'll show you why.

Some neutered toms' leftover scrotum kinda look like vulva if not closely inspected. and their tom cat jowl disappear after neutering. (image after read more)

Other than the genital, other way a cat's sex is "quickly guessed" is their face. Tom cat jowls is one sexual dimorphism trait that a trained eye can catch. It is unfortunate that some toms don't sport any jowl, especially those who are neutered young, and some queens have ... fat face, fat enough that it looks similar to tom cat jowl.

Another aspect of sex guessing. calico color means the cat has two X chromosomes. because the color black and orange genes are located at the X chromosome, and each can only hold one version. Only exceptions are XXY individuals. They will have male genitalia, but aren't usually fertile. This is a form of intersex cat. (And yes this form of intersex can happen in human)

Speaking of, I have had a case of intersex cat. His external genitalia looked exactly like a neutered tom, but the owner had never seen the testicles descend. Confirming that barbs on his penis were still present (neutered cat will lose his barbs) We open a surgery fully expecting to find cryptorchid (undescended) testes, but we found uterus instead. Uterus with... some strange looking gonads that kinda look like testes? but were firmly at the position of normal ovary. We removed the gonads and the uterus like a normal spay. (We didn't try to find out where the uterus go... He didn't have any vagina. I don't know where it ended, still wondering until today.) At the lab they reported they were ovotestis. Meaning they were both mosaic combination of both ovary-like tissue, and testis-like tissue. That one was special. I wasn't sure if I should record that surgery as "spay" or "neuter" (We chose neuter, because it's more neutral, and the cat was recorded as male before we found his uterus) , also for those wondering, that intersex cat had tom cat jowl.

speaking of, let's see pictures of jowls.

Look at this impressive tom cat jowl. without having to look down, you can be fairly confident that this is a Tom. Not all toms have jowls this big, however.

A male cat with lesser prominent jowl. Still noticeable but not as impressive and the one above.

This is a calico, which means im 99% confident is a queen . but she's so fat...her cheeks are becoming jowls.

a female cat without jowl cheeks. for reference, this is what queens usually look like.

Another instance where a mistake might be made is in neonatal kittens. their genitals look similar enough that it might be difficult. (but it is possible.) Pictures under the cut.

a bit hard. but if you focus on the urethral opening, the distance from the anus is different (male is further). You can't always look at the scrotum area and assume , because the vulva can be ... ample. Rule of thumb is find the urethral opening.

image of neutered male cat, and a queen. At a glance may be similar, but at close inspection you can see the urethral opening is further in the male. This can be easily mistaken if the neutered male have completely lose his jowls. He would essentially has "feminine" face.

This image isn't necessary but just for reference, intact toms have quite impressive scrotum.

Here, for your enjoyment I guess.

I hope this answer is useful to you!

[ask-a-vetblr]

I have a male dog that has recently begun to have incontinence problems due to some other health issues. On our vet's suggestion, we've been trying to use male wraps/belly bands on him but we're having a hard time getting & keeping the important bits in the wrap. Even manually positioned & tucked in, things still seem to come back out. Do you have any pro tips on how to best use & position them?

(Side note, he is also somewhat underweight also due to the health problems, could the concavity of his stomach/abdominal tuck area be why the bands move so much?)

Thanks!!

Hello, Sueanoi here

If commercial bands are not fitting, you can try using absorption pads and cut it to size, and use bandage tapes to help it be in place. don't use ones that are too sticky.

[ask-a-vetblr]

I experienced something not so nice a little while ago and I was wondering if I handled it wrong?

During new years I saw a cat get scared of the fireworks and get run over from my window. The driver either didn't even notice and decided to keep driving. So I went downstairs to see if I could help. The cat was sadly already dead but it looked to be a young well cared for animal. But no collar or anything. I called the animal ambulance but they didn't have anyone available at the time and told me to keep the cat somewhere cool until morning so I left in in a box on my balcony. The next morning they still didn't have people to pick up a dead cat. So I asked my neighbours if they knew the cat but they didn't. I decided to call the local vet clinic to see if the cat had a chip. They wanted me to pay for the appointment, which was 30 euro, which I did.

The cat did have a chip and the vet told me they would keep the body and call the owners. But she seemed almost angry with me, so now I'm wondering if I handled it wrong? What is the protocol when finding a deceased pet that might have a chip?

Sueanoi here, I'm sorry that happened to you.

I do not think the vet was angry at you directly. but I can guess that the situation saddens them. I would be sad too, if I have to see a dead animal and have to call someone to tell a bad news to them.

The emotional build up might start a bit too fast, and you had to see it.

Of course, this is a guess. I'm putting myself in their shoes. I do not enjoy being the barer of bad news.

I think you handled it perfectly.

[ask-a-vetblr]

So, this is sorta a heavy question. TW for euthanasia (past and seemingly likely future), “normal” diseases turning scary, animal suffering and death.

+++++

My childhood dog developed arthritis in her old age. She was a big girl, a rescue, about 12 years old at the age of death, and before the arthritis she enjoyed exuberant play. Heck, even at first developing symptoms around 10, she still enjoyed many of her old favorite activities, even if they were difficult and painful. But pain management worked for a time…until she had broken-down bits of joints floating randomly and basically no intact joints. Then all the painkillers did was make her sleepy, and she was in too much pain to sleep, so she mostly just laid down and cried. I could hear those pitiful whimpers and pained yelps in the background when Mom2 told me that Carmel would be going on that last car ride, directly to the vet.

Now one of my childhood cats has come from Mom2’s place to live with Mom and I. She is 15, a tiny thing, and…she’s got arthritis. Has arthritis management for animals made any progress in the last 10 years, or will Aiah one day be reduced to laying around and crying? So far, Aiah is stable for the most part…but Carmel was stable for a while, too.

Hello, Sueanoi here,

I'm sorry for your loss. But I am happy that animals in your care get their end-stage care as best as an animal could have. Your pets are luckier than many others. I can feel your love for them emitted through the screen as I read your question.

I am not an ortho vet, but I get some updated for general ones. We have many new medicine available in the pass few years. New affective anti-inflammatory that do not cause kidney/liver over workload. Better pain killers. So our patients are enjoying low pain lives for longer than before in this few years.

But no, we do not have a way to reverse arthritis. Not yet. Only at some joints that we can replace like hips, but most joints we can't really do that. Age related arthritis usually happen whole body so i don't really do that.

I hope your cat the best rest of her life. May it be pain free as long and possible, and she could get to cherish the good days long.

[ask-a-vetblr]

Hi there. I happened upon this public service announcement on YouTube and it’s making me feel a lot of things. On the one hand, I am a firm believer in being honest with (your) children about serious topics, as well as not cheaping out when it comes to vet care just because you don’t feel like paying for proper care. On the other hand, as you may or may not know, I recently lost a cat to flea anemia. Blue was the light of my life, and the vet told us that a blood transfusion could have helped her but that it would be $2,000, and I felt terrible that I couldn’t do it. But what do you think? Are they even talking about situations like mine?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hKD1E4uNqw

hello, Sueanoi here,

firstly, I am sorry for your loss.

Regarding the video, Who do you think that video was supposed to aim at? Who is their target audience?

Clients? Are they saying they shouldn't be stingy and pay up? ...or veterinarians? Are they trying to tell us to charge less? Is it to guilt trip us? Or who? Who are they trying to guilt trip?

While the country where I live, blood transfusion for cat is not that expensive, but it is still the most expensive procedure that we have in the price list. It is not by our decision. The cost of blood transfusion for cats come from :

1. donor cat , if not brought in by client, in-house donor cats / blood bank donor cats need their cost of care

2. blood typing for both donor and recipient cat , if not match, repeat until a matching donor cat is found.

3. blood cross match test. if they are not compatible, repeat 2-3. until one is found.

3. complete blood count for both cats, plus blood chemistry as needed (usually as complete as possible)

4. the donor cat will be anesthetized to collect blood. So that has a cost almost as a small surgery

5. blood bag, blood thinning solution, blood transfusion iv set, iv catheter, infusion pump, etc

6. anti allergic drug to prevent anaphylaxis (that happens sometimes)

7. post transfusion complete blood count.

8. blood medicine for the donor.

... And this is why it is so costly. I don't want to make it a pay-walled procedure that discourage clients either, but it truly IS a costly procedure. I haven't counted my salary yet and that's already through the roof.

I have worked at both settings where we have in-house donor cats, and where we don't, and we just buy from a feline blood bank. With in-house available, the cost goes down a bit. but we actually under-charge the cost of in-house cats care just to make it more affordable to our clients over there, and yet it is still considered very expensive.

I don't know what to do. I already undercharge and it's still too much to some.

I get called names. You know, unsavory names.

...but blood is not free. not even when it's "donated".

My work and time and stress to keep patients alive long enough and to make sure they do not get mismatched blood shouldn't be free either. nor does my assistants' work and time.

Many anemia causes can be prevented like infection/infestation, many can be treated with medication if caught early. Some others, they just couldn't be prevented. Some are just ... the decline of a body as it age (CKD induced anemia, treated with EPO, but EPO is kinda expensive too) , and some are just a sudden accident. Traumatic blood loss. Blood transfusion is still the most effective rescue procedure while we try to find and get rid of the root cause, if possible. It is unfortunate that we can't give our own blood to our animals, right? I have heard many clients expressed this feeling. They'd gladly pay with their blood if it will save their pets. ... but we can't. I'm sure you feel similar to this. I share the same feeling.

Again, I am so sorry for your loss. but you are not alone. This happens a lot. Not that I think it is a good thing the way it is. I wish it's cheaper so I can save more lives too.

To other readers (and to you, if you have more pets in your housing), parasite prevention is a very important regular care that I highly encourage. It is affordable and highly safe when it's done properly (as in, don't overdose it). Unless a vet say don't do it (ex: animal too sick for them), please, please use parasite prevention. And vaccinate them too. Flea drop and annual vaccine is so much cheaper than ... the consequences of foregoing. I do not enjoy charging blood money.

When talking finance at work, I do understand that a decision to not pay doesn't mean any less love. I feel the heartbreak on their faces. But my clients cannot go into bankrupting debt for this, for a procedure that in the end might not even save the animal, if the root cause isn't found. So that price wasn't the end of it. It's just to buy time. I do not find them bad people. Please do not feel like you are at fault for deciding that way.

So yes, to answer your question, I think they are talking about situation like yours, but the target of guilt wasn't you. It's me. The vets.

and it's ... sadly more a common mindset than you think.

[ask-a-vetblr]

Hey so years ago we had to get my childhood dog euthanized because he was in pain that he wasn’t gonna recover from, he also had breathing problems and such (i remember something about a collapsed trachea but i don’t know if i’m remembering correctly)

But i still feel bad for not being able to make him feel better, even all these years later and with two more dogs

Any ideas on how to not feel guilty about it?

Sueanoi here,

End-of-life care are a controversial topic that each country has its own preferred ways of dealing with. Within the norm of a country, each persons will have varying degree of opinion. Some prefer the animals not have to experience the in-coming suffering at all. Some prefer the animals be under pain control until nothing works anymore, THEN be allowed to sleep. Some ... well they never put their animals to sleep because of various reasons (ex: religion, belief that we shouldn't decide when life ends, etc). Each of the choices have their pros and cons. Each choices have their own consequences. None of them are more wrong than the other. After all, none of us wants to see our beloved animal go. Ideally, we want them to stay forever, don't we?

but Alas, that choice is unavailable to us. What is the next best thing to do when the end is near?

I'm of the choice of "depends".

I am a Buddhist, living in a Buddhist-majority country. "Killing" is a precept that we largely feel it's a taboo to do. It is frowned upon for vets to perform this. Which is why I personally have never performed euthanasia "before" suffering begins. However, despite the taboo, I have performed one when it's early, and one when it's late. and I have also watched an animal rot before me while it's still alive because the owner won't allow me to perform it until the very end.

I'd say that last one isn't ideal. It's not one that I'd recommend anyone allow their animals to experience.

For an animal whose remaining life will consist of worsening, uncontrollable pain, choosing to end it early - before it becomes unbearable, is a valid choice that I would offer my clients. whether they accept it or not is up to them.

and frankly, I breathe a sigh of relief, when the owner choose to allow me to perform it - preferably somewhere before the late stage of suffering. I wouldn't suggest it any earlier than when it's appropriate. I like to think that your vet is of the same mind. Whether or not that appropriate time is the same criteria as mine, it had to have been an appropriate time for them to suggest it.

I hope that's helpful to ease your mind somewhat. I am sorry for your loss. Grief is a cost of loving, one that I'd keep paying because it's worth it. You grief because you loved. It only makes you human. Your dog was fortunate to have your love while it's here in this world, and that's all that matters to this little life that was so temporary.

[ask-a-vetblr]

What are good resources for cleaning a home after feline panleuk/feline distemper. I used to have 3 indoor cats and yesterday one of them (3 years old) suddenly started to crash in health. Took him in to the vet, found out the worst case scenario, and came home without him.

Now I feel like I can't even really grieve because I have to worry about the other two (14 and 3) to monitor. The vet who saw my late cat told me to bring in the other 2 on Monday to give them a booster.

I can't do anything and but clean and wait.

This is Sueanoi.

The only disinfectant that is confirmed to work on parvovirus is bleach.

Remove your cats (and yourself, and your family members) away from the area before dousing bleach.

Please refer to this website for more information. The website will talk about CANINE parvovirus, but the FELINE parvovirus that causes feline distemper has practically the same structure that makes them able to endure most disinfectant, other than bleach.

[ask-a-vetblr]

hey it's me black mold. thanks for running your window air conditioner all summer. whatever you do, do not regularly clean the removable filter. that's not necessary

you should also never ever unplug the air conditioner and stick a flashlight in the vent that blows air to see if we're in there. it's very bad, that place should not be checked

and whatever you do, if you've already made the mistake of unplugging it, don't remove it from the window for cleaning if possible. and whether it's possible to remove the unit or not, don't carefully disassemble the front panel, document where the screws go and plastic bits go, and open up the vent more to be able to get into it easily

as black mold, i'm an expert on this. you should heed my warnings: now, if you've somehow made the mistake of doing all of the above, you should not use warm water and dish soap to CLEAN the inside of the vent thoroughly. DON'T ever use a bottle brush to get into the hard to reach places. and certainly don't rinse and dry the cleaned area before carefully putting it back together

there's nothing wrong with us, black mold. we don't cause or exacerbate breathing conditions like asthma or other illnesses. it's cool, we're cool

furthermore, if you're capable of removing the window unit, DONT take a hose with the same soapy water and wash the portion of the window unit that sits outside the window and is therefore weatherproofed.

whatever you do, don't allow the air conditioner to dry before plugging it back in and turning it on again

and if you have a central air conditioner, you will definitely never ever consult a manual or sources online to perform a similar cleaning procedure on the cooling unit outside.

lastly, if you're physically unable to do the things we (the black mold) warned you not to do above, you should never ever ask someone to help you or hire a service to do it.

[ask-a-vetblr]

re: kitten owners thought was choking -

I work in a vet ER and had an 8-10 week old puppy come in because it was having 'seizures'. we looked at it, seemed totally fine so ok hang out in the lobby for an hour or two and let's see if it happens again. it happens again, my coworker runs out to grab the puppy... it was twitching in its sleep 😂

(also for that anon - most days the ones that come in with a not-problem are my favorite because i get to tell them everything is fine, please get out do not pass go do not give my CSR's any money bye!)

Sueanoi here

for future reference, it is not recommended to reply to a question with another question. You should either reblog or reply to the original post. that said, this one is too good to delete. so it's posted now.

[ask-a-vetblr]

I'm a high-strung first time cat owner. How often do you get calls/emails/visits where the diagnosis is "pet is fine, owner was worried about normal behavior/appearance for species/age?" If lots of other people do this, what are they usually wound up about?

Sueanoi here

it's actually very low percentage. Most owners are familiar with their animal's normal behavior, when the animal acts out of normal, even when it's not overtly "sick", they usually call and most of the time there's something going on that justify a visit.

There's one time tho. A kitten hiccuping. Owner thought she's choking. They're fine, i didn't even charge them for the visit because it's cute and made my day.

[ask-a-vetblr]

Question related to the Greenies question earlier. I'd heard that Greenies weren't safe because they can cause intestinal blockages. Is that true? Or are they actually safe? (I ask bc I have a Yorkie with some truly gnarly breath, and I'd like to do anything I can to combat that lmao)

GV here.

Greenies are digestible and will not cause a blockage unless you use a wildly incorrect size (i.e. using the large dog size for your Yorkie knowing that she loves to take huge bites out of things). Greenies alone will not fix gnarly breath - this must be done with a dental cleaning, and then using the Greenies to help prevent additional buildup of tarter. Unfortunately most Yorkies require at least once yearly cleanings, sometimes twice yearly, to maintain their dental health. They are great dogs, with terrible teeth.

[ask-a-vetblr]

Thank you so much for the detailed dentistry response. I am hoping to clarify my understanding as to why there is "no point" to annual dental cleanings if you don't brush daily. Does this mean that dental cleanings alone cannot prevent periodontal disease without daily brushing? There is only 1 toothpaste on the VOHC product list. Is there a benefit to brushing even without toothpaste, or is toothpaste necessary for the benefit? Feeling even more guilty that I only brushed intermittently, but we still have time to turn it around for my other 3yo dog.

GV here.

That is correct. Periodontal disease accumulates between cleanings. A professional cleaning, +/- extractions, eliminates the tarter that causes periodontal disease and removes teeth that have severe enough disease that they are causing bone problems. But tarter begins to accumulate 24 hours after that cleaning.

It would be like you going to the dentist for a cleaning and to have crowns put on but then not brushing your teeth again for years at a time.

There are two types of dental cleaning action - mechanical, and chemical. The mechanical aspect is brought by dental treats, food, or brushing. The chemical aspect is brought by water additives, toothpastes, etc. The best prevention of periodontal disease comes from daily use of both types on all surfaces of the teeth.

Nobody is saying that this is easy to achieve. There are plenty of people out there, some of us included, that struggle to brush our own teeth daily. But that is the gold standard for periodontal disease prevention in both humans and animals.

[ask-a-vetblr]

Re: dental cleanings. Do greenies (or similar products) actually help in dental care for dogs? Or are they just a gimmick?

GV here.

Most dental products on the market are gimmicks. Greenies, as it happens, are not. If a product has the seal of the Veterinary Oral Health Council, it means they have the studies to back up their product claims.