I have 13 year old 38 lb. poodle x german shepherd mix. He has some arthritis and/or hip dysplasia and muscle loss in his left hind leg. He’s on carprofen. He occasionally loses traction and often drags his left toes mid stride. He still wants to be active, does not need help getting up or walking. I’m considering a hip brace for him and wonder if you have heard or had good experiences with them.

Finnegan is a 3.5 yr old male cat with serious nasal polyp symptoms – sneezing, noisy/labored breathing (snoring, stridor), persistent nasal discharge and one runny eye. He did two rounds of clavamox and one round of Doxycycline and nothing worked. I took him to two in person vets (including an emergency vet) in the NYC area and his blood work and urinalysis came back unremarkable. From the research I’ve done I’m sure it’s a polyp or something of the sort. The internal medicine places in my area are quoting me 5-10k just for a biopsy and they don’t have openings until mid January. Please help! I am able to travel with him in a car up to 6-8hours and will go where I can get him help. He is constantly snoring and I have to flush him out throughout the day. He is still eating but has lost a bit of weight due to this going on so long and progressively worsening. Last year he had FIP and he made a full recovery from the 87+ days of shots. Thankfully that has not returned according to his lab work but makes sense that he is more susceptible to other illnesses due to a weak immune system.

Luna is an 18 year old female American shorthair. She has had nasal polyp(s) for many years. Historically this resulted in frequent sneezing with mucoid discharge and ear tenderness. Over the past month she has developed vestibular symptoms which have acutely worsened in the last week. She now has head tilt, and frank ataxia, falling over at light touch. She does not show Horner’s Syndrome. The sneezing has actually stopped since the balance issues began. A few years ago a vet offered traction/avulsion, but at the time her quality of life was good and we did not want to put her through a procedure.

Is traction/avulsion still possible in an otherwise healthy 18 year old cat who now has vestibular symptoms?

Many Thanks,
Luna’s Mom

Good morning, Dr. Magnífico,

We adopted Luka approximately two months ago. He is a happy boy and has been a great addition to our family.

He is constantly biting his tail and has this fishy odor as well. We had his anal glands expressed by our local vet and he was given a course of antibiotics. At first we saw improvement but unfortunately the tail biting and foul odor returned.

I was wondering if your clinic could perform an anal gland flush if you determine based on your evaluation that the glands are:
Impacted

Infected (sacculitis)

Filled with thick, dry material

Not responding to normal expression

I have read it helps remove debris, pus, or hardened material and often includes:

Internal expression

Sterile saline or antiseptic flush

Possible antibiotic infusion

Follow-up meds if infection is present.

We live in NOVA but my office is in MD. I’m able to travel to Jarrettsville for a consult.

I appreciate everything you do for the community!

Thank you,

Frank

I have a 15 year old cat that has a very hard knot on her chest area. It started bleeding. I cleaned it with warm water and put a bandage around it. She doesn’t have a fever. She is acting normal. What can I do at home. I have zero money to take her to a vet.

Hello my name is Angelica I am from NJ I have 8 years old maltippo the cutestes ever he has ivdd this is 4th time he is having flare up this time he is paralyzed on the left side back and front side I am doing steroids pain killers trazadone gabapentin and muscle relaxer unfortunately its not getting better in terms of pain he screams out of pain amd when I try to take to the bathroom he is in the cage he is on his 10 day today and he is so painful that every time I come near the cage he growls at me he eats and drinks water not as much as usuall but he does. Please give me advise should I keep going ? Would the pain go away? How many days it does for the pain to go away and regain pain free mobility you are my last resort my husband cant take it any longer. Thank you even if you consultation I would pay my email is angelica456@aol.com and cell phone 908 309 9788. Thank you sooo much Angelica Bornhoeft

My 6 month old kitten has been having breathing issues.
I took her to the vet and they diagnosed her with an ear infection but then she got worse.

I did some research and watched a lot of videos and it seems like she had a Nasal Polyp.

I am sure my kitten is not sick with anything that can be spread because my other cat is perfectly fine.
She typically sounds like she is snoring all of the time.
I am not completely sure what she has, I am looking for an affordable vet to do surgery if needed.

My 6 month old kitten has been having breathing issues.
I took her to they diagnosed her with an ear infection but then she got worse.

I did some research and watched a lot of videos and it seems like she had a Nasal Polyp.

I am sure my kitten is not sick with anything that can be spread because my other cat is perfectly fine.
She typically sounds like she is snoring all of the time.

DR MAG 11/17/25

TY again for seeing my cat Rihanna last month.

You diagnosed her with CHRONIC SINUSITIS.

I realize that is there is NO CURE for this condition
but I was wondering if ? an antibiotic or steroid shot
“could help” with her symptoms and how long ? these
shots would last ?….. and most importantly….. are such
SHOTS even worth doing ? If so ? Please let me know.

TY kindly Doctor
benedetto JAMES patrizio

Need Help With Fragile 5-Week-Old Kitten (Hypoglycemia, Breathing Issues, Fleas)

We rescued a tiny kitten on Nov 13th. She was wet, cold, lethargic, and had dried blood around her nose. The ER gave fluids and gabapentin and told us not to feed her, but she declined and we rushed her back.

At the second ER visit they suggested euthanasia, but I asked them to check her blood sugar. she was severely hypoglycemic. After dextrose and warming, they sent her home. She has now been with us for about 15 hours since the crash.

We are doing:
Small formula feeds every 1–2 hrs
Karo syrup on gums when needed
Blood sugar checks (so far stable)
Keeping her warm
Steam bathroom sessions for breathing fits

Current concerns:
Breathing fits when waking (fast, open-mouth, “bubble” sounds)
Very hazy/glassy eyes
Slow responses and occasional small twitches
Dried blood still in nostrils
Fleas, and she’s too tiny/fragile for strong treatments

She’s about 1 lb 15 oz and estimated 5 weeks old. She settles between episodes and hasn’t crashed again, but she’s still very fragile.

I need advice on:
1. Safest flea treatment for a medically fragile 5-week-old
2. Best way to clear her tiny nose of dried blood
3. What breathing signs mean danger
4. Whether neuro symptoms are normal after severe hypoglycemia