I guess I will just get right into it. My husband and I have 2 dogs. My husband has had our rescue pit bull mix for about 8 years (we’ve been together for 4 years) When he adopted him, he was estimated to be 6-7 years old. He is estimated to be 14 years old now and in the last few months he has been deteriorating quite a bit. He has his moments of energy but we especially see it at night. You can hear his extremely labored breathing from 2 rooms away. He almost seems to have sleep apnea and there’s been a few nights we’ve stayed up worrying about him passing. He has frequent coughing/hacking fits (not while eating, just at random times) that last several minutes. These occur at least twice a day, some days more. He spends most of the day and night sleeping. He has developed visible cataracts. He has been nipping at peoples hands thinking they have food, runs into doors, seems to almost be “lost” and unaware when he is up and moving around. Some nights he needs help getting around. We’ve owned him and loved him more than long enough to see the blatant changes in behavior and family had as well. We made the hard decision to make an appointment to euthanize him. Since we moved to a new area, we called a nearby vet to set up the appointment. They asked if we wanted to do a quality of life exam or if we were decided. I said that we were decided as we didn’t want his last day to be his worst day. Scheduled the appointment and spent the past week coming to terms with our decision, crying and mentally preparing.

He spent the day sleeping prior to the appointment and we took him to Dunkin’ to get hashbrowns. We get to the appointment and being that we’re in a new place with lots of smells he is spry and sniffing around. He was doing the best that he’s done in a while. We mention that to the tech and she said yeah, it’s normal, it’s probably adrenaline. The tech was super sweet and takes us into the room. She tells us that since he hasn’t been seen there before they will do an exam. The vet comes in and immediately becomes what we felt was passive aggressive. We relay all of this information of what’s been going on. She spent the 5 minutes she was in there side eyeing us. She listened to his heart and lungs and said it all sounds “perfect” and says “Im not trying to judge you guys but I don’t see a reason to put him down” and then said she wanted to do xrays and blood work and we can talk about options to extend his life. We were caught off guard because extend it by what? A few months? From all that we’ve researched, the lifespan is 10-15 years. This wasn’t a decision we took lightly. She also waved her hand in front of his head and of course his head moved because he could sense it being there. She said in a tone “looks like he can see perfectly fine to me.” and “I mean I can put him down if you guys really want me to but I don’t see any reason to.”

We requested a moment alone to discuss and they left the room.
We had already felt horrible because obviously no one wants to put their dog down. We felt like they were playing on our emotions to try and sell us services. We decide that we didn’t feel comfortable with this clinic. They charged us $88 for the 5 minutes the vet “looked” at him.

Also when checking in, they asked us if we wanted his paw print stamped on paper which we thought was sweet and said yes, figuring it was maybe like $10. Obviously we didn’t get that far, as we ended up not going through with it. Later we looked at reviews to see someone say that they charged $150 for the stamp without disclosing the price prior to putting his dog down.

Are we crazy or is this normal? The vet made us feel like we couldn’t possibly know our dog. We feel kind of gaslit and confused.

To sum it up, I have a 9-week-old chihuahua. The breeder took him to the vet and somehow only got him half a vaccine shot. She does this with all her dogs, but I’m confused because it’s not legal here, and I don’t think it’s legal where she lives either. We took him to the vet the day after we got him, and they said he looks great. I was discussing his next vaccines, ( to note I did have the paper from her vet she used, it shows half, I was debating to call which as I’m writing this I probably should), and they mentioned that giving half a shot isn’t legal and that all dogs have the same size immune system, not based on weight. I agree with that, but I’m still confused. I messaged the breeder, who is a sweet lady and very careful with her dogs. She explained that they give dogs from 1 to 80+ lbs the same size vaccine, which is why she gives her pups half a shot. This really confuses me. I’m curious, since he got that half shot on the 5th, does it not count? I really want him vaccinated. I’m worried about a reaction, but I don’t think that’s common, plus he already had that half shot. Is it too soon to give him the next full shot on Monday? And will that be his “first” vaccination out of the three? Since the half shot doesn’t count? That’s what the vet said I just need some reassurance, it’s an odd situation

Hi everyone. I have a 9 yo orange tabby cat female. She has had an automatic cleaning litter box and has used it no problem for the last 6 months. However the last 2 days i’m noticing urine on the litter mat. She isn’t going to the litter box more frequently, there’s no other urine anywhere in the house, and I haven’t seen any blood in the urine that i’ve seen on the mat. I’m using the same litter and she is going #2 in the litter box. She seems to be eating and drinking as usual. Any ideas on why this could be happening?? Thanks in advance!

Male
Mini poodle
16yo
6kg (weight in June at his last check up after dental surgery, all was okay)

Dog is staying with my Mum this week, she (mum) got up tonight to go to bed and take him (dog) out for a short walk first, and he wasn’t using his back leg properly.

She FaceTimed me panicked, I watched him, he wasn’t in any pain, he was still attempting to walk, but just stumbling because of that back leg which looked asleep. It got better after a few mins, he was walking to go get a treat he wanted.

She took him out and up to bed, text ‘seams better’. I’ve left her his online Joii vet details incase she needs them, but of course I now can’t sleep and am worried dogs don’t actually get sleeping legs.

Probably lasted at max 5 mins. He is fine in himself, eating and drinking.
Has vision and hearing loss due to old age (already been checked) and legs have been getting weaker over past year (he walks fine, struggles to jump and do stairs sometimes, runs around and plays other times). Mum said he has walked into coffee table any times this week, and quite a few times today (she moved furniture around before this visit so he doesn’t know where it is)

Is a one off probably an asleep leg/‘normal’ thing?

Species: Cat
Age: 2.5 years
Sex/Spay status: Female, spayed
Weight: 11.3 lb
Medication: Buspirone 2.5 mg every 12 hours, started about a week ago for anxiety
Medical history: Full (healthy) blood panel in March
Location: New Jersey

Luna started buspirone recently, and it already seems to be helping in small but noticeable ways. I'm working with her regular vet, but I'd love input from other vets and techs on the best way to give it long term.

For the first week, I've hidden the pill in her wet food. I'm worried it's causing a meal aversion. She's very picky, so I don't want her associating mealtime with bitterness.

Pilling directly isn't a great option. She's highly skittish. I've brushed her teeth nightly since she was a kitten, and she still runs from me after two years of routine. It's not dental disease or pain. Her anxiety is the reason she's on the medication.

What I've tried or am planning:
- Pill Pockets and pill wraps don't work. She chews through them and rejects the pill. She licks around Churu.

- A compounded micro-treat from Mixlab is pending vet approval Monday.

- Empty #5 capsules arrive tomorrow, though she tends to chew everything.

- I have transdermal at home, but my vet said it's not very effective for buspirone, so it's a last resort.

My questions:

1. Have you seen transdermal buspirone work clinically for any cats, despite the absorption concerns?
2. In your experience, are compounded buspirone treats as effective as the tablet?
3. Is putting the tablet in an empty capsule a reasonable option, or are there any downsides?
4. Is a compounded liquid worth trying for a cat like her, or is bitterness still a problem?

Thank you for any insight!

In Search of Anyone Who Has Been Through Something Similar

My dog is a 13-year-old spayed female Italian Greyhound/Rat Terrier mix, approximately 10 pounds, and I'm hoping to connect with anyone who has experienced something similar, particularly following a carotid body tumor diagnosis, aspiration pneumonia, or chronic regurgitation that has persisted despite treatment.

Timeline
May 2026

She tripped in a hole, fell, and hit her head. Immediately following the fall, she developed acute and evolving symptoms, including:

Inability or unwillingness to get up
Loss of appetite
Excessive drooling
Tongue dysfunction and facial nerve paralysis
Regurgitation
Coughing

Initially, it was suspected that she had sustained a neck injury from the fall. She was treated with prednisone and also received acupuncture and laser therapy, but continued to deteriorate rather than improve.

She was subsequently treated with antibiotics and anti-nausea medication without significant improvement. Interestingly, the tongue dysfunction and facial nerve paralysis appeared after antibiotic treatment was initiated. Her veterinarians did not believe these signs were due to an allergic reaction.

As her condition worsened, a sedated oral exam was performed, which revealed a mass near her epiglottis. A CT scan subsequently identified a right carotid body tumor. The CT also noted inner ear disease.

She later developed aspiration pneumonia and was hospitalized briefly before undergoing emergency surgery to remove the tumor. Pre-surgical testing did not identify any additional masses, and her prognosis was considered favorable.

July 14, 2026

She underwent surgery to remove the carotid body tumor. Discharged with antibiotics.

Post-Surgical Course
July 19, 2026

Just days after surgery, she required emergency hospitalization due to ongoing aspiration pneumonia and concerns regarding her ability to swallow safely.

She stabilized and was ultimately discharged but developed significant hyper-drooling, tongue dysfunction, regurgitation, and anorexia. She remained on:

Metronidazole
Clavamox
Baytril

until mid-September, with ongoing weekly follow-ups with her veterinarian.

Neurologic and Ear Findings
July 30, 2026

She was referred to a dermatologist to evaluate the inner ear disease identified on the CT scan. Surgery was recommended as a treatment option and it was suggested that the inner ear issues could explain some of her symptoms.

On the same day, she had an emergency consultation with a neurologist. After evaluation, the neurologist did not believe her symptoms were neurologic in origin and did not recommend surgery for the inner ear disease as he disagreed with inner ear disease being the cause of her presentation.

August 6, 2026

She was hospitalized again on an emergency basis for aspiration pneumonia. Due to the ongoing swallowing dysfunction and poor overall outlook at that time, euthanasia was recommended.  A follow-up appointment with the surgeon was advised before making the decision to euthanize.

Several days after this hospitalization, she experienced a spontaneous and dramatic improvement in all symptoms that lasted several weeks.

August 11, 2026 - Surgical Recheck

At her post-surgical recheck, it was noted that the facial paralysis and tongue dysfunction had largely resolved. However, concerns remained regarding a lingering swallowing issue.

She was prescribed:

Cisapride
Sucralfate
Cerenia

September 21, 2026

She required another emergency hospital visit due to:

Elevated temperature
Lethargy
Refusal to eat

Chest radiographs and bloodwork were reportedly normal, and the veterinary team was unable to identify a clear cause for her presentation.

She was prescribed a 7-day course of:

Clavamox
Baytril

Following this hospitalization, she experienced another period of minimal clinical symptoms that lasted until approximately October 9.

October 5, 2026 - Endoscopy

An endoscopy showed:

Mild esophageal stricture
Esophagitis

She was prescribed:

Cisapride every 8 hours
Omeprazole every 12 hours
Sucralfate every 8 hours

Three days later, she deteriorated again and has now been regurgitating daily, typically 3-4 times per day; at the time of this posting her symptoms have been clinical for 9 consecutive days.

Current Symptoms
Regurgitation of white foam, sometimes mixed with food
Wet-sounding throat noises
Difficulty breathing through her nose
Recurrent swallowing issues
Intermittent coughing
Gagging
Drooling
Persistent hoarse or altered bark

Feeding Management

Prior to all of this, she ate a raw diet from 8 months of age.

Since symptoms began, we've tried:

Home-cooked meals (following a cancer-diet recommendation)
Freeze-dried raw food
Small, frequent meals
Pureed food
Feeding from an upright position similar to management for megaesophagus

She appears to like eating in an upright position, but it has not significantly reduced the regurgitation.

One encouraging aspect is that, despite the ongoing regurgitation and other symptoms, she has maintained a good appetite for the past several weeks and remains very interested in food, particularly while on acid-reducing medications.

Questions

I've explored the possibility of megaesophagus and have also wondered about myasthenia gravis, although neither has been strongly pursued by her veterinary team to date.

What continues to puzzle me is that her original cranial nerve-related symptoms largely resolved by mid-August, yet the regurgitation, intermittent respiratory signs, aspiration concerns, and persistent hoarse bark continue to wax and wane.

Has anyone experienced anything similar, particularly:

Persistent regurgitation after carotid body tumor removal?
Swallowing dysfunction that fluctuates dramatically?
Aspiration pneumonia with periods of near-normal function?
Myasthenia gravis presenting primarily with regurgitation and aspiration?
Another diagnosis that might fit this pattern?

Any similar experiences, diagnoses, insights, or suggestions for additional testing would be greatly appreciated. Thank you ❤️

TL;DR / For Those Who Didn't Read
13-year-old Italian Greyhound/Rat Terrier mix.
Symptoms began immediately after a fall in May 2026 and included facial paralysis, tongue dysfunction, drooling, regurgitation, coughing, and refusal to eat.
A CT identified a right carotid body tumor, which was surgically removed on July 14, 2026.
She subsequently developed recurrent aspiration pneumonia and required multiple hospitalizations.
By mid-August, the facial paralysis and tongue dysfunction had largely resolved.
Endoscopy showed only mild esophageal stricture and esophagitis.
Despite improvement in the neurologic signs, she continues to experience:
Daily regurgitation
Swallowing difficulties
Wet throat/breathing sounds
Intermittent coughing
Persistent hoarse bark
She has had two periods of near-complete spontaneous recovery, followed by abrupt relapse.
She currently has a good appetite and remains eager to eat.
Specifically looking for experiences with:
Persistent swallowing issues after carotid body tumor surgery
Aspiration pneumonia with no clear cause
Myasthenia gravis
Megaesophagus
Pharyngeal/laryngeal dysfunction
Vagus or cranial nerve injury
Cases that wax and wane like this

My leapord gecko has recently (2 & a half weeks) undergone a pretty severe enclosure redesign from his tank that had basically no clutter to instead one full of clutter, and since I've noticed he's been really shy and hasn't been coming out to eat like he normally does. He occasionally accepts a roach or mealworm I leave in his dish overnight, but it's very different from when he would always come out the second the bowl shook. He's staying in his humid hide (which used to be on his hot side, now in middle) instead of staying on the hot side where that hide used to be. He has 3 hides as per recommended- hot, humid, cool hide, He is fully grown- 8 inches tail to head, 52g in weight, full age unknown since I got him from a pet store. His temps are: 94 F on hot side, 76 F on cool side. Humidity always stays around 20-30%. I've noticed these changes since his enclosure change. I know I shouldn't be super concerned, but this is new for him. I haven't seen him basking or ever coming out anymore

My dog is:
3 years old
female
spayed
pit bull rott mix
55 lbs (not overweight, according to our vet)

She has been acting a little funny starting yesterday, at first being restless and not wanting to settle. We figured it was because the weather has been cold and rainy so she hasn’t really been able to burn off energy running around outside.

Then my mother in law came over yesterday and she was holding her butt towards her in a funny way. She’s a very submissive dog to people she knows so sometimes she will shove her butt towards you when greeting you but it was almost like her butt was itchy and she was trying to get someone to scratch it. She was also holding her tail down and to the side a little bit.

She then did the same thing later when we came home from shopping, holding her butt towards me this time.

She’s been keeping her tail somewhat tucked/tense even when running outside or when she has a toy.

She has continued to have trouble settling, like she can’t get comfortable. Shes been laying on her side on the hard wood or the rug, which is unusual for her since she’s normally a couch girl.

She was being funny about peeing and pooping yesterday but that’s not abnormal when it’s cold and wet, she’s a big baby. She did eventually do both and I didn’t notice any straining or discomfort when pooping or peeing. Today she hasn’t had any issues going potty, it’s been chilly but no rain. Again today, no straining or discomfort.

She has a history of vulva issues so I wanted to make sure she wasn’t having issues there, and while I was back there I did notice some light brown/beige colored something coming from her anus this morning, almost looked like some poo on her anus. I wiped it with a wipe, it came off easily and it was the texture of loose stool. It did not smell. Like, at all. And I know what anal gland smell is, it definitely didn’t smell like that.

She did not have any swelling, redness, or odor at all.

I called the vet and got her scheduled for an appointment. They wanted her seen by a doc so she could get her annual done at the same time (vs a tech appt where they’d try to empty her anal glands) which means they couldn’t get her in until next Friday.

Anyway, earlier I went to look at her butt again and gently pulled her tail upwards (because she is keeping it tucked down unless he is outside, then it looks more limp) and she whimpered. I obviously let go and gave her some love and then let it go for now.

I tried looking up her symptoms (which, really, are just restlessness and difficulty getting comfortable, holding her tail funny, and maybe some pain to the touch?) and it seemed more like limber tail than the symptoms of anal glad issues.

I’m worried about her anal glands bursting because we have to wait to get her into the vet, and I worry that they’ll try to get her anal glands to empty and that won’t be the issue. She gets VERY stressed at the vet so I really don’t want to put her through more than necessary.

The thing is, I can’t think of anything she might have been up to to cause limber tail. She’s been running around less than normal with all the cold and rain, not more. She hasn’t swam at all.

Basically, I’m wondering, is it possible that no odor, no scooting, no licking could still be anal gland issues? If it’s not likely anal gland issues, how emergent is limber tail? At what point do we get to an emergency?

I just want to see my puppy wag her tail again :(

Hi all. My dog ate a large cooked all beef hotdog that was dropped. I called the meat department where it was purchased because I didn’t have the package. They said that it contained all the normal salt and nitrates and apparently paprika as well. No onion or garlic. He’s 45lbs, 9 years old, Britney spaniel/ Pyrenees mix. Do I need to worry about this being toxic for him? I know he might get sick, but is it going to be harmful to his kidneys or anything?

We just got him a week ago and hes begun settling in, no noticable behavior changes but for the last 2-3 days hes been very sneezy, with occasional, watery, clear discharge from his nose when he sneezes, and now I can see the little corners of what I think are his tear ducts? They look kinda whitish. He's still eating plenty but is avoiding his water more than usual. We just switched to wet food and are using the sheba kitten perfect portions in the flavor salmon and the flavor chicken/tuna. He's still breathing normally and usually gets more sneezy on top of the cabinets or behind the couch where theres more dust and around his new kitty tree. Am I okay to help him recover at home or does this warrant a vet visit?

My dog was digging in the trash and she was trying to eat my food that I threw out because I don’t have a garbage can here in the basement so I just hang a bag on the door knob I guess she got her head stuck in one of the food bags I threw out and my dad said she was passed out and he ran to the car with her but she started breathing. I came back home and I see my dog just acting normal walking around I hugged her but I don’t have any money to take her to the vet right now and I don’t think my dad is going to take her. If I had money right now I’d take her but I’m broke for now I’m just trying to watch my dog she seems normal right now but I read if her oxygen is deprived things can happen later so I’m just watching her.

Hey all, I have a 7 year old Blue Heeler/Australian Shepherd mix and 2 days ago she threw up a few wood chips. She must have eaten them at dog daycare the day before, because we don't have wood chips anywhere at home.

Since then, however, she has been completely normal. She has not thrown up any more, she has been eating and drinking normally, has had normal bowel movements with normal color and consistency, has not shown any signs of discomfort, and is not lethargic at all.

Should I just continue to monitor her at this point, or should I schedule an appointment with the vet to get her checked out?

My 6 year old small-ish dog was badly attacked by 3 large off leash dogs 6 months ago. She had deep tissue wounds that went necrotic and required three surgeries over 20 days to close.

The wounds were mostly located on her stomach around and on her right hind leg. She has been stiff in that leg ever since, and with the colder weather I have noticed she is bothered more by it. When she first gets up she avoids putting weight on that leg and is overall more reluctant to jump or climb stairs.

I am wondering if there is anything that can be done for longterm pain management and for her stiffness, especially something over the counter.

I would like to follow up with a vet but we are in remote northern Canada, and while we do have a vet, they work on a triage system since avalabity is so limited and they are not able to take her.

cat/6/neutered male/domestic mediumhair/9lbs/MN

Hello! I'm hoping to get some advice about an ongoing issue my cat Shortbread has been dealing with. He has been to so many different vets at this point and no one really knows how to treat his problem, so at this point it's just maintenance.

Theres a LOT of history here so I apologize in advance for the wall of text, I tried to summarize but theres just so much info its really difficult.

For background info I'm a shelter worker and I adopted my cat back in October 2023 when he was already a young adult, estimated to be between 1-3 years via teeth. I know that he came from a hoarding situation so there was definitely a ton of inbreeding going on. I also know that he was not given a proper diet while he was living there (I've been told he lived off of hotdogs but I'm not sure if that was exclusively what he ate), and when I brought him home he was super tiny at 4.5 pounds.

Not only did he weigh very little, he was just a really small guy in general, about the size of a 4 month old kitten. I was under the impression that he was this way because of malnutrition as a kitten, and that since he was already an adult, he would most likely stay the size he's at or only get slightly bigger. Over the last couple of years however he has grown to the size of a normal, albeit somewhat petite, male cat. He weighed 9 pounds at his last appointment in August. So it is very possible he was just aged wrong and was, in fact, a 4 month old kitten with horrendous teeth.

A couple of days after bringing him home I noticed a swelling on the bridge of his nose, right on the center. I brought it up to the vet at his first exam, and was told to just keep an eye on it and to bring him back in if it gets any worse. Over the next week or two it did increase in size, so I brought him to urgent care to see what more we could do.

The first thing that they suggested was a possible fungal or bacterial infection, and suggested a cytology of the site. Got that done, started a course of amoxi-clav and was awaiting test results for a few days when I noticed the swelling had gotten significantly worse and was turning purple and shiny. He was starting to lose hair in the area as well. Back to the vet we went! On the drive to the vet he actually burst it open rubbing his face on the kennel door, draining purulent discharge and blood.

Got the spot drained and cleaned, sent out another sample for bacterial culture, and was prescribed an additional med, onsior, while we awaited results. He was sent home with a cone as well. Things looked to be improving, the swelling decreased and he was given the all clear at his recheck appointment.

Over the next couple of months I noticed it would intermittently swell slightly but now that there was an exit hole, it would drain and the swelling would go back down. This happened a few times before I brought him back to the vet. This time they recommended a mass removal surgery with the caveat that they would likely not be able to get complete margins and the mass may regrow.

Went ahead with the surgery and was informed that there was a hole extending into the deeper tissues of the head, and they were able to flush out a large amount of thick tissue that was most consistent with a cyst. Sent out a biopsy to rule out cancer (negative thank goodness!!). They weren't able to remove everything as they didn't want to risk damaging sinuses or facial nerves. Sent home with a cone and more antibiotics + pain meds.

Results came back, e. coli and enterobacter. Switched up antibiotics. Got sutures removed, things were looking good again for a while.

3 months later swelling came back and the site burst again. Back to vet. Consulted with advanced surgery team, who informed me a CT would be necessary before anything could really be tried surgically again as the area is so intricate. Agreed to get it done but had to wait a few months to scrounge up enough money.

CT day finally arrives, learned that there was no invasion of the surrounding bone which was good. I will copy and paste the radiologist interpretation here:

"A small, approximately midline soft tissue attenuating structure is identified extending to the subcutis at the level of the nasal bone. The structure extends caudoventrally through the maxillary bone towards the nasal septum. A well-defined osseous defect, with smoothly defined margins is identified. The contents of this "bone tunnel" are hypoattenuating. It extends caudally to a blind ending defect in the nasal septum. The tubular soft tissue attenuating structure measures approximately 5 mm in diameter. It is approximately 15 mm in length. It extends to the nasal septum at the level of the rostral extent of the zygomatic arch. There is no evidence of a palatal cleft. The nasal cavity is unremarkable. There is no evidence of turbinate destruction or soft tissue attenuating material within. The frontal sinuses are small but otherwise unremarkable. The remainder of the study is unremarkable.

Assessment: Findings are consistent with a cleavage of the nasal septum and rostral midline of the maxilla. This has created a 5 mm diameter sinus which extends to a blind ending cavity on the midline of the nasal septum. The continual discharge suggests that there is an epithelial lining to the lesion. Almost certainly, this finding is a congenital/developmental defect. There is no evidence of further congenital skull defects. The nasopharynx is unremarkable and the hard palate appears intact."

The problem now is that no one that I have consulted has ever heard of this issue or knows what to do for it. Another surgery was suggested, to be aggressive and go in and remove the epithelial lining, but this would be incredibly invasive, has a high risk for complications, and wouldn't even be guaranteed to work because the surgeon has never done it before (this was a board certified who had been practicing for years and years at this point). Got a second opinion from a different vet at the same facility and she was of the same opinion, that the risks wouldn't be worth it unless his quality of life is significantly impacted from the growth. That vet also prescribed an antibiotic ointment to use as needed if his nose was acting up, and we can revisit if anything changes.

It's been a little over a year now since that visit, and things have stayed mostly the same. His nose doesn't really swell up anymore, but he does have a chronic scab that falls off every couple of days. It oozes discharge when this happens, although pretty minimally. Typically it's just a small amount of blood, and I just clean it up with KET wipes and it scabs over again.

Since day one this issue has not seemed to bother Shortbread at all. He is very happy, playful, and affectionate, exactly the same as when I first adopted him. It doesn't seem to impact his quality of life at all, and he is fine with me cleaning it/interacting with the area so I can only hope it's not super painful. He leaves it alone for the most part, save for sometimes accidentally scratching it open while cleaning.

So I suppose my question is this: has anyone ever heard of this or anything like this? Are there any additional treatments I should consider? I just want to know that I'm doing everything I possibly can for my little buddy, he really is my whole world.

I have copies of all of his records if anyone wants to see the CTs or his test results but there are lots and I didn't want to bulk up this post even more than it is. >!!<

Thank you to anyone who's taken the time to read through this whole post, even if you don't have any suggestions, I appreciate it a lot 🩷

9 year old female mixed bully has an enlarged nipple that she struggles to not scratch at. She has skin allergies and struggles with scratching altogether, but the nipple has continued to get bigger. What could be causing this? Thanks!

Hi everyone! My kitten is about 4 months old, and today I noticed him making this weird sound. It almost sounds like he’s trying to sneeze or cough something up, like there’s phlegm stuck in his throat. I’m not really sure how to describe it. PS. I dont know how to attach a video on here..

For some background, we adopted him in August, and he had a slight fever at the time. He was prescribed medication for about 10–14 days, and he seemed to get better afterward. There were also times when he would sneeze out small amounts of blood mixed with mucus/boogers, but that hasn’t happened in several weeks.

Today is the first time I’ve noticed him making this particular coughing or sneezing sound, and I’m not sure what to make of it.

Has anyone experienced something similar with their kitten, especially after a previous respiratory illness? I’m wondering if this could be related or if it’s something different.
I’ll be contacting his vet, but I’d appreciate hearing about similar experiences. Thank you!

Hi there, I recently adopted a cat with my partner from a family friend on 03/10/26 (UK). She is 8 years old, dsh, 3.6kg, spayed, has nothing underlying medically that we are aware of and she has been checked at the vets. Initially she had diarrhea so we took her for a check over and was given a week's course of FortiFlora. She seemed to be settling in really well, eating great, drinking plenty, playing, coming for pets and using her litter trays like a pro. This morning, her first day without FortiFlora, she was completely uninterested in her food and hasn't eaten at all since 8pm last night. She has been out of sorts all day, hiding, and won't let us touch her. She starting asking for attention again at about 5pm but at around 9pm, she started vomiting small amounts of bile. (Two times as of writing this) I'm really worried about her and she seems to be in discomfort. I've rubbed her cheeks and gums and shes happy with touch there so I don't think it's dental issues. How worried should I be about her? (Derbyshire)

I am moving internationally in February with my two cats, involving about 32hrs of travel including a 12hr layover. Flights themselves are 2hrs and 9-10hrs. During the layover, I would be allowed (required, even) to pick up the cats, and spend the night with them, which actually makes me a bit less nervous. Because I am traveling alone, I am not sure I'd be able to take both cats with me in the cabin, but I could try.

I have moved internationally (to where we currently are) before, and they travelled in the hold. Reasons at the time were:

- I wasn't able to properly prepare them for the journey, and they're pretty panicked during transportation. One once vomited and soiled himself when going to the vet. I was afraid they'd meow too much and not be allowed to fly.
- I thought it might be slightly less stressful because they'd be somewhere dark with I assume "consistent" noises, as opposed to various different noises and scents in the cabin.
- I was also worried they wouldn't be comfortabel in the cabin because bags that are ok for cabins are of course much smaller, though I guess my cats won't necessarily be super concerned about space, and easier to rip up and escape (I can and will trim nails beforehand, but, yeah).
- Although my cats like me, I don't think my presence would do much to comfort them in such an inherently stressful situation. Especially since in theory I cannot even pet them, as you're not supposed to unzip the bag even a little. One of my cats does seem to seek contact with me when stressed, though.

It all worked out, but it did suck, as I was very worried and nervous because of stories of things going badly, animals being lost, overheaing, or suffocating, y'know, those horror stories. Still, five years later we're doing the return trip.

The cats are both mongrels, male and female, and about 7.5 years old. The male has FLUTD (I think? he's on a urinary s/o diet), and takes scopalgine or oxybutynin, according to what is available at the vet when I refil his perscription. His urinary/renal issues originated some 8 months after the first international move, vet theorized it could be stress related (I understand it is common and often idiopathic, but yeah).

I want to try to better prepare them this time as I have more time. Like properly dedicate time daily to getting them used to being in a carrier and I was thinking to maybe take them in the cabin with me this time. That said, I do wonder if travelling in the hold, assuming nothing goes wrong, really is less stressful for the cats, and if travelling in the cabin really is just about reducing my anxiety.

So I wanted to ask; what are your opinions, vets? Cabin or hold? I soon need to book the reservations for the cats, so I need to define what I'll go for.

I'll also try to discuss this with my cat's vet directly, but don't know when I'll get the chance and this is already weighing heavily on my mind 🥲

My dog has had 3 instances of this eye infection reoccurrence this half year, ive taken him to a regular vet who did a florescein stain twice which found nothing and prescribed ofloxcin eye drops.

We have recently moved and go to a gravel dog park and that’s the only thing I can think of.

Any insights what this could be? I am going to reach out to a dog ophthalmologist for a consult.

• Species: dog
• Age: 3
• Sex/Neuter status: male, neutered
• Breed: Samoyed
• Body weight: 55lbs
• History: 2 other instances of eye discharge and swelling.
• Clinical signs: yellow ish thick eye discharge, reddening white of eyes, squinting
• Duration: just started again. Other instances took 2-3 days from discharge to swelling, treated with ofloxcin for 7 or so days
• Your general location: mid Atlantic USA
• Links to any test results, X-rays, vet reports etc. that you have: florscein stains found nothing

Hi all,

Our lovely cat Suki became very lethargic last Tuesday and Wednesday, even though she had been perfectly fine just a couple of days earlier.

When we first took her to the vet on Wednesday, they didn’t find anything obviously wrong. But we were not convinced so we took her back that evening and asked for a blood test. Her creatinine level was around 954 µmol/L.

We then took her to a better-equipped clinic, where she was diagnosed with both chronic kidney disease and acute kidney injury due to kidney stones. She underwent SUB surgery on both kidneys yesterday at around 1 p.m.

We were really hoping her kidney values would start to come down, but when the clinic called us this morning at around 10 a.m., they told us that the values hadn’t dropped as much as they had hoped. It was around 844...

For those of you whose cats have been through something similar, how long did it take for creatinine and other kidney values to start decreasing after SUB surgery? Is it too early to draw any conclusions at this point?

We’re currently at the clinic with her. It's obvious that she get comfortable when she sees us.. She seems tired, but the vets say she has been eating and drinking and is clinically stable. They can’t give us a clear prognosis yet, which is understandably very worrying.

We’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences, especially if your cat had both chronic kidney disease and an acute kidney injury. How did things progress in the first few days after surgery?

Thank you so much.

I took my cat to the vet 4 months ago because i was worried with her drinking so much water. The blood test came back normal except the t4 was 35. The vet said there was no symptoms and she was well hydrated so she probably didnt have hyperthyroidism but i have been doing research and it appears 35 nmol/l (not the free t4)'is high! I also gave her plaque off the last couple months before i learned that cats with hyperthyroidism shouldn't have plaqueoff. Her kidneys might have gotten ruined in these last few months and she drinks more water than ever. A few weeks ago i was petting her and I thought her ears felt too hot.

My cat had PU surgery Thursday night, now Saturday morning. Went to the emergency vet around 3am, had a really firm bowel movement and he was straining for a good while before and afterwards which is the reason for the visit. Within an hour of being home he was peeing uncontrollably and his regular vet was open so I called. They recommended adding another medication so I did. He slept for around 5 hours, woke up and ate some food back to the litterbox with nothing, squatted on a blanket and nothing, is straining like he was last night/morning so I don't know if I give him time or panic. He has been squatting and straining off and on and is definitely uncomfortable but I don't want to drag him out and stress him because of another bowel movement.

He did pee multiple times right after writing this but he is straining and primarily laying down to urinate. Has anyone had this happen? He is still very swollen but spraying a steady narrow stream.

IMGUR LINK

FYI: I already have a dermatology apt scheduled with a specialist, I'm just bewildered and curious to see if others have seen anything like this

My 5 y/o F/S lab x great pyreneese mix has had skin allergies and issues with ear infections her whole life. Her allergies are seasonal and are treated as needed with apoquel/cytopoint injections/zyrtec.

About 3 years ago I discovered a patch of small skin tag like warts on her right flank. They were very small and non irritated but numerous. At the time they were biopsied and came back from antech diagnosed as follicular hamartomas, benign, sx removal is curative. We didn't have thousands available for surgery that at the time for what would have been "cosmetic" and not medically necessary, so we decided to monitor over time and reasses if they start to make her uncomfortable.

Since then the hamartomas have grown larger, and she has been licking them. Some have grown more than others. Some are red (i think from her licking them) some are still her skin color, some are a brownish grey (I think thats just from some of her skin areas being more melanated). The largest one seems to also have purplish bruising underneath it (my guess is trauma from licking). I've also noted that there are hair follicles on the warts and between them (often in small clumps, maybe 3-5 follicles in a group between and amongst the growths).

The increase in size has been slow and gradual. They did not start bothering her until recently, which is when we called a specialist to schedule her for this week. For now we are keeping her from licking them and irritating them more.

I have been a vet assistant for quite a while and have seen nothing like this, and neither have the GP vets at my practice. Has anyone else had experience with these? I'm glad that as of yet they are considered benign, but they are... unsettling to look at 😭

Link to photos and dog tax:

Follicular Hamartomas

https://imgur.com/a/E02WKat