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Jana | 2 years ago
Rottweiler, Female, 11 Years Old. Vertically Split Nail; Under Vet Care But I Think We Need To …

Rottweiler, female, 11 years old.

Vertically split nail; under vet care but I think we need to get more decisive.

The vet trimmed the nail half way with local (dog has bad reaction to sedation protocol, narcotics, etc). Still hurt and vet said it would cause undue pain. However, the nail continues on splitting.

How common of a procedure is cutting the nail off all the way to nail bed? How does that improve outcome? How much faster is the recovery?

By what percentage is anesthesia risk lower with such a short procedure? (Has to be anesthesia as explained above). Last time, after anesthetic procedure, she had heart rhythm problems and other problems; became critical and almost died. But was also full of drugs and had pancreatitis as complication of splenectomy. I’d assume the shorter the time under, the lower risk of complications?

I’m concerned about putting her under but I’m also concerned about dragging this out for weeks, taking valuable time from her, and having to do it that way anyway eventually.

I really don’t know what is the best thing to do for her. Hubby leaning toward waiting if it heals but I’m not seeing it healing any time soon if at all. (Photo of the present state of the nail attached.

I’m sad, depressed, concerned, and don’t know what I should decide for her.

4 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    First I will admit that I have had cases like this and they are frustrating. So I remind my clients this.
    Next we take it in small steps. I do start with trimming the nail as much as able and start toe/foot soaks to keep the area clean and place an ecollar to stop the patient from licking and further traumatizing the nail and seeding infection from the mouth . I ask them to give it a week or two to heal.

    If it doesn’t or other nails start cracking we talk about oncodystrophy. And start talking about what to do if that is the case. The treatment options are not great so the decision to treat needs to be made with a great deal of thought or referral to dermatologist is recommended.

    In one case I had a dog who was placed under general anesthesia and the nail was ground to the base to allow a new nail to grow back.

    Risk of anesthesia is something discussed on a case by case basis and usually has little definitive concrete information to allow predictive measures or reasoning. That would be a conversation for an anesthesiologist.

    Also I have had some cases with underlying nail bed infections so antibiotic’s, foot wrap and medication or culture and sensitivity testing might be helpful.

    1. Jana Post author

      It’s already been three weeks now. It appears the nail was vertically cracked from the beginning with the first part in the middle (which is now the end)

      How well did the grinding to the nail bed work and what was the recovery?

      The other nails appear to be fine.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Grinding the nail was a last resort for a difficult chronic case. It worked but it was a last resort treatment.

    1. Jana Post author

      Actually, it looked quite bad and hurt every time she brushed it on something. We had the nail entirely removed last Friday. Anesthesia was a risk, but I didn’t want her to spend whatever time she has left trying to get that damn nail healed–she already lost months with the first one.

      The upside–48 hours of bandage, some pain meds, and all done. It looks good now and doesn’t bother her at all. She can now get on with her life and have fun.

      I hated taking the risk but I”m glad I did.

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Tiffany | 2 years ago
I Am Trying To Reach Out To Dr. Magnifico. I Have A 10 Month Old Cat That …

I am trying to reach out to Dr. Magnifico. I have a 10 Month old cat that started to puke and it was unusual for him so I paid closer attention and realized he was going to the litter ofter and straining at first I thought maybe he had a blockage with the puking then after taking him to the vet on 3/31 and after x-rays they determined that he was constipated but at that time didi not have mega colon they had me try Laxatone and probiotics he was still having bowel movements daily so I was was still concerned as he was in the litter often straining though and Then on 4/3 I took him to a different animal hospital because they were walk in and i could be there before i could get ahold of his original vet and I Didn’t think I could afford an ER visit but that appointment cost me over $800 for blood work and X-rays and they gave him Anastasia and manually cleaned him out. at that point I was calling his original vet he he regularly see and originally saw for this problem because the vet that did the procedure just gave me prescription dry food and sent me on my way so I wanted to make sure it was the right action plan to get him back to normal. My original vet never called me back until I called to ask for his records thats when they decided to get him back in. So on 4/8 He started vomiting again and his original vet saw him and said he needed fluids but his stool seemed soft and like it should pass. they gave me pain meds for him fpr 3 days and metocopramide for 4 days. along with a different prescription wet food and Hydracare. Then I noticed on mu bill i was charges for Lactulose which they didn’t tell me wasn’t in stock and i would have to wait to get but it was weekend and they closed so per a megacolon group i am in i gave him 1/8tsp of mirilax a day he still has had at least 1 goof bowel movement a day but the problem I am having is that he is in the litter box straining constantly to the point of falling over and his back side is so swollen and raw! I called the vet numerous times to just ask for guidance and am not getting anywhere I have spent over $1600 which I definitely do not have and I would think by now I would have some answers. All I want is for him to not be in pain. I don’t know if there is anything I can do for his swollen raw bottom. It feels like its never going to end there is constantly poop on his bottom on-top of it I am trying to keep it clean for him but It is so painful for him for me to clean. I guess I just want to know if this will stop or will he be constantly trying to stain and go? They said that his colon can go back down in size since it just happened and he is so you but I just feel so defeated right now!

3 Responses

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  1. Tiffany Post author

    Here are some photos and comparative x rays of how quick it got to Megacolon

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry that you are having such a terrible time trying to find help.
    I think that most cats with constipation have it as a result or something else going on. So I am worried that a 10 month old cat would have such an issue. It’s really important to find a vet that you trust. Go on social media and ask everyone you know if they can recommend someone to help.
    Without knowing your cat it is impossible for me to guess about what’s going on. But I am worried that a few things might be contributing to his problems.
    One is he eating a good high quality wet food. I really prefer canned to dry with cats and colon issues. Next is getting enough exercise. The colon is a muscle and under muscled animals have problems. For constipation I do recommend miralax or lactulose. I also like learning how to give sq fluids at home. You also need to learn how to palpate his colon to know when it is getting distended.
    For other things that might be causing the problem look at old pelvic issues. I’ve only seen young cats get this because they had previous pelvic trauma. Also FeLV or fiv positive?
    His rectal area is raw bc of the colon issue. So that has to be fixed to get his butt to heal.

    Good luck. I hope this helps.

    1. Tiffany Post author

      Thank you so much for responding! He defiantly needs more exercise I was giving him Iams dry food as he really doesn’t like wet food and I have a 14 year old cat that has never had an issue. But I have been trying to get him to eat wet food. where I adopted him from tested him for FeLV and Fiv and he was negative and I just got it ran again 2 weeks ago and he was still negative. I am so overwhelmed because the vet I am using comes so highly recommended on all of the social media groups around here. I defiantly want to look into fluids for home I called his vet again today asking if i could bring him in just for fluids and they wanted me to do a whole appointment again and i honestly can not afford much more.

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Anna | 2 years ago
This Isn’t Anything Urgent But It’s Been Happening Over Time.. My Dog Frequently Secretes …

This isn’t anything urgent but it’s been happening over time.. my dog frequently secretes fluid from her anus; she has had her anal glands expressed multiple times and uses the bathroom normally. She licks her anus afterwards and when I try to get close and/or disinfect the area she gets aggressive. So I just want to know the reasoning as to why she secretes fluid frequently if nothing is wrong with her?

1 Response

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  1. Autumn

    Good morning.
    Sometimes dogs may need their anal lands expressed on a normal basis. Some come in every 2 weeks, others 4-6 weeks. There may not necessarily be an “issue” per se, but some may need this as a routine for them.
    If it becomes a concern, you may want to talk to your vet about removal if they start to become impacted/infected…

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Lorraine | 2 years ago
Live In The Pittsburgh Pa Area. I Have A Cat With The Nasal Polyp Issue. … I …

live in the Pittsburgh pa area. I have a cat with the nasal polyp issue. …

I live in the Pittsburgh pa area. I have a cat with the nasal polyp issue. He’s 5 yr old. I don’t have $2400 for the surgery at the specialist I was referred to. If you could point me in a direction. He keeps getting cold symptoms every few months. Can they suffocate? I know they don’t breathe out of their mouth. I’m so worried.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    Have you tried to find a vet near you who will sedate your cat and look for a polyp in the ears or behind the soft palate? Local rescues and shelters might also be able to help.

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Chaz | 2 years ago
What If The Breathing Issues Is Not A Polyp? And It’s Not Asthma Or A …

What if the breathing issues is not a polyp? And it’s not asthma or a respiratory infection. What else could it be in your experience?

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    We do a very poor job in diagnostics to provide a firm diagnosis for pets.
    To help decide what is going on with your pet we should be doing things like X-ray, ct or mri, BAL (bronchiole lavage), culture airways, full blood work and a fecal. Anything within any of those is a possibility.
    I would not rule out asthma or infection without having done all of those. Which no one can ever afford to do.

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Emma | 2 years ago
I Have A 1.5 Year Old Male Himalayan Who Has Been Having Issues With His Chin …

I have a 1.5 year old male Himalayan who has been having issues with his chin for about 7 months now. It started off with a little black build up on his chin that looked like acne so I didnt Pay much attention to it. It then started to get a lot worse to the point it looked like he had wet food cemented onto his chin. I took Him to the vet and they told me to change his bowls from stainless steal so I did And I’ve tried plastic, ceramic, glass, any kind of bowl you can get and that has not changed anything.
We went back to the vet and they were stumped on what it could be so he went on steroids to see if that would help and it did for a couple days and it came back worse. We then tried an antibacterial shot and that slightly helped but then came back worse again. Tried steroids once again and made no difference this time. We ran some tests and swabbed the chin and they concluded it was staff infection. So he was treated for that and it didn’t help at all. We then tried another antibacterial shot I believe It was and it cleared up completely. But it is now back again and just keeps getting worse. The chin is raw, red, bloody, black scabby looking things, and so so itchy for him. They have now said I should Try a different food but he is on the urinary s/o Royal canin because my other cat recently had a urinary blockage and I cannot afford to put them both of different vet foods. I do Not think it is a food allergy because I have Tried numerous different foods with him but I could Be wrong. I clean it daily with a medicated soap they gave me and it doesn’t do much except keep it clean obviously, it hasn’t helped it improve. Has anybody dealt with something similar or have any possibly ideas of what this could be?
I will try to Add images to the comments , it won’t let me add them to the post

3 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    There is no way for me to help without a diagnosis. To get this you may need more diagnostics. Which I know is going to cost you more money. But if it gets you the answer to the cause you can direct the treatment plan. You are at a place where you either need a dermatologist or a biopsy.
    I wish I could offer more help. It sounds like you have done quite a lot already.
    Best of luck.

    1. Emma Post author

      Hello,
      I will contact my vet and see if I can get either of those options done. It is very confusing not having an answer for him and seeing him in pain. If I end up getting an answer I will update my post for others who may be facing similar issues.
      Thank you for your advice.

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Lorraine | 2 years ago
I Live In The Pittsburgh Pa Area. I Have A Cat With The Nasal Polyp Issue. …

I live in the Pittsburgh pa area. I have a cat with the nasal polyp issue. He’s 5 yr old. I don’t have $2400 for the surgery at the specialist I was referred to. If you could point me in a direction. He keeps getting cold symptoms every few months. Can they suffocate? I know they don’t breathe out of their mouth. I’m so worried.

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Michael | 2 years ago
Writing To Krista Magnifico Again–we Are Trying To Find Vets Who Can Perform The Polyp Removal …

Writing to Krista Magnifico again–we are trying to find vets who can perform the polyp removal on our 7 month-old maine coon, but the clinics either have no availability until the summer or are not responding. At this point we are worrying about our Maine Coon who is making noise when he is breathing. We are trying to find any clinic that can work with us to schedule a surgery soon.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,

    I’m sorry you are having so much trouble. I will do my best to find some help. I know you called the clinic and I will follow up with you as soon as I can.

    De magnifico.

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Michael | 2 years ago
We Are Reaching Out To Krista Magnifico, As New Fathers To A Seven Month-old Maine Coon …

We are reaching out to Krista Magnifico, as new fathers to a seven month-old Maine Coon named Goliath. We recently found out that Goliath has severe gingivitis and needs several teeth pulled. While doing x-rays, our vet found that Goliath also has “a large mass within the nasopharyngeal region which is most likely a nasopharyngeal polyp.” Every clinic/animal hospital that we have contacted is either well outside our budget, or will not give us an estimate of the cost of this surgery without first paying for an initial consultation, even though we have labs, notes and x-rays from our vet visits–all of which we can readily share. We found your video on youtube describing this surgery and the cost. We would be happy to arrange travel to you, but because we live in Jersey City, we hope that we could organize to do everything in one trip. Would this be feasible? And if so would you be able to share what scheduling availability you have?

1 Response

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  1. Autumn

    Hello-
    Dr. Magnifico and I just recently just did a polyp search on a 9 month old Maine Coon kitty… It ended up being chronic rhinitis which took multiple rounds of anti inflammatory, antivirals and antibiotics.
    She trust Dr.Berger at Long Island Spay/Neuter… you will have to pay a consult fee no matter where you go, as this gets your foot in the door! Keep us posted-

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Laurie | 2 years ago
I Am Agonizing Over The Hardest Decision We Have As Pet Parents…euthanasia. Our 12 1/2 Year Standard …

I am agonizing over the hardest decision we have as pet parents…euthanasia. Our 12 1/2 year standard schnauzer has been having various behaviors and symptoms the past 6 -8 weeks. Excessive panting, fatigue, decreased appetite. We brought him in and he was diagnosed with pneumonia. He finished all his meds and we brought him back in for follow up X-ray and labs. He really wasn’t much better. X-ray confirmed pneumonia had cleared but lab work, which had been normal 2 weeks prior, now showed probable pancreatitis. He has declined rapidly the past 3 days. We are trying to get him to take meds, Pepcid, Cerenia, Carafate but we literally have to force them down his throat. He will not eat and I have tried everything , rice, scrambled eggs, bread, even doughnuts He is isolating, going upstairs instead of being with us. He still has labored breathing, his legs give out, he is restless. He has a strange odor. I have had dogs my whole life and all this points to end of life. I know this in my heart. When do you know when is the right time? I really was hoping he would pass naturally. Thank you for listening

2 Responses

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  1. Laura

    First off: I’m so very sorry. I know how much this hurts. I know how much it sucks. My biggest regret was not letting my cat go earlier. I couldn’t be with him when he crashed, and it absolutely destroyed me.

    It’s always, ALWAYS better to let them go too early than to make them suffer for our need to keep them with us. We owe them that for all the love they’ve given us.

    Self isolation is a big sign. So is the refusal to eat, the general restlessness. It sounds like he’s miserable. I would give him the best day you can, and let him go gently.

  2. Kaya

    I’m so sorry to hear this , I myself was and still am angry about putting down my kitty who was very young due to a UTI going south and after much attempts to solve the issue , I am angry for this being the 2nd time , and I’m angry that no one seems to prevent this food from being sold that slowly kills male cats and that no matter what efforts I took to upgrade the food, give him supplements, take him to the vet or whatever , nothing helped ! It only managed to give him another 8-9 months to live .::: but … for me that’s not good enough…. Why can’t we stop this from happening before it happens to male cats !? I don’t get this fail system government and greedy people that only look to get paid rather then save a life. So, with that being said, I am so sorry you lost your pal woof woof ???? I know how u feel , and that it’s better to let them go in peace then suffer this dreadful painful bs life .