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Gigi is 17 y/o indoor kitty. Her stomach is larger than it used to be and very firm. This is a change in the last few months. She eats and urinates and poops normally. She occasionally gets constipated, and we use pumpkin and palpitation successfully.
In addition, her breathing is sometimes heavy, and she has noises in her nasal area especially after she eating. Sometimes her breathing is totally quiet. She is not overweight, 10 pounds as she has always been as an adult kitty. It is nearly impossible for me to take her to the vet for examination, she was a bottle fed rescue and does not tolerate other people well. I wonder what can cause the breathing issue and also this firm belly. Thank you for your kindness and all that you do for our beautiful animals.
My one year old collie has torn both of his front paw pads (the larger one on both paws). One paw has some of the pad still attached. We washed the areas with very mild soap, dried the paws, and placed socks over both paws.
What would be the best course of action for this type of injury?
Hello,
I am not sure what happened or how severe this is. I also cannot provide treatment options without knowing more about your dog and the extent of the injuries. In all cases of injury it is ideal to have a vet look at them. They will be able to provide an idea of what your best treatment options are and whether medications are indicated. In most cases I recommend rest and an ecollar to allow them to heal but a vet needs to do the rest in person.
I took my 9 year old Maine Coon to the groomer about a week ago. He has been here several times before. After I brought him home, he has not been the same. He doesn’t appear ‘sick’, however, his demeanor changed significantly, he seems very ‘down’, he is moving around very slow, I have been carrying him mostly everywhere, he has been laying in one spot sleeping a lot. As of yesterday, he was still using the bathroom, but I can’t tell the last time he ate or drank. I now have a camera monitoring his food/water. He is not interested in his treats any more (once extremely motivated by treats). He ate half of a squeezable treat last night, also unusual, he LOVES them. At about 7pm last night, I laid with him on the couch, and it is now 11am the next day and he hasn’t left that spot. Since he doesn’t appear ‘sick’, I don’t know what to do.
Hello,
Gigi needs to see the vet. There is no way for anyone outside of an in person, hands on examination, to tell you what’s going on with her. The abdominal distension can be from fluid, a mass (maybe a tumor or enlarged organ) or muscle wasting from a disease (even a treatable disease like hyperthyroidism, low protein, or FIP). , or heart disease. It could also be something as simple as a parasite. I know a trip to the vet can be stressful but it is overdue and the only key to figuring out what is going on. I also warn about providing treatments without knowing about her current medical status. Therefore please don’t assume constipation without understanding why it’s happening. My guess is that she has something causing all of this. I would start with an explanation and bloodwork. Look for hyperthyroidism or kidney disease too.
She needs an exam, and maybe bloodwork and an Xray or ultrasound.
I hope this helps and I hope Gigi gets some answers for her current condition.
Thank you so much, Doctor Magnifico. I took Gigi to a new vet today and he did a thorough physical exam. Gigi is in great health; her heart and lungs sound perfect. Her abdomen is normal. Her eyes show slight signs of cataracts, but otherwise she is normal. He said he’d think she is 12 if he hadn’t seen her eyes. 🙂
The raspy breathing is not in her lungs, could be allergies. I will keep an eye out for sneezing, discharge or increased breathing rate. I just want to thank you again so much for being there for pet parents. You are wonderful and so appreciated!
Susan