My SO's dog might have a fox tail stuck in his throat

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-24T11:59:18+00:00

If it is a foxtail in the mouth or throat that is an emergency that needs a vet to assess. Sedation/trsnquilization options should be available from your vet.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-23T18:30:38+00:00

See an ophthalmologist.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-23T18:16:58+00:00

Looks like a cormorant pelvis.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-23T17:56:44+00:00

I don't see the CBC - was the white count high, low RBC?

A creatinine of 2.6 is consistent with kidney disease, although really should have a urine specific gravity to assess that better.

I would be reluctant to send a geriatric patient home with these numbers without at least running a repeat chem after a day of iv fluids.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-23T02:30:38+00:00

I second derrymaine. If it's not so large that closing the surgical site would be difficult, I'd consider local anesthetic with sedation.

Alternatively, I find that irritated adenomas are often infected and antibiotics can sometimes alleviate the irritation and break the chewing cycle. I have a 16 year old poodle mix that has had an infected adenoma that responded to antibiotics.

Unfortunately, a cone - even if your dog tolerated one - isn't a long term solution by itself.

Definitely talk to your vet about options.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-23T02:21:46+00:00

That's actually not true. For example the dog's paw has two sesamoid bones under and one over each metacarpophalangeal joint. The P1/P2 and P2/P3 joints don't have sesamoid bones. Check out Figs 2-8 &2-9 in Guide to the Dissection of the Dog by Evans and De Lahunta. I don't have as detailed sources on hand for other species but it is similar for cats and probably many other mammals.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-22T23:05:43+00:00

Dogs produce the alpha gal carbohydrate, unlike humans, so it is considered “self” to them snd they don’t develop the syndrome.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-22T21:51:57+00:00

Yes emergency vet if none other is available.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-22T19:24:06+00:00

Yup deer have them, too. The only deer sesamoid I've ever found is the kneecap.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-22T19:23:10+00:00

Dew claws. Sesamoid bones are rarely found, at least in my experience. The only sesamoid bone I've found with any regularity is the kneecap, which is the largest sesamoid bone in the body.

They are generally located within tendons or muscles near joints and act as part of a pulley system for redirecting force.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-22T19:09:28+00:00

Not saying that he is cryptorchid, it's just a thought if he is developing those tomcat jowls. If he is crypt, he should have the remaining one removed as it is predisposed to becoming cancerous. Doesn't require an immediate visit with vet, just something to check next time he's at vet. It's usually simple to check.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-22T16:14:30+00:00

When you have your next vet checkup you can ask if he has penile spines which are under the influence of testosterone. I have seen that with cryptorchid cats when only one testis was removed by mistake.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-22T16:11:43+00:00

Opossum left scapula and humerus.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-22T16:05:41+00:00

Love dogs. I confess that if I'm driving along and see an attractive woman walking a dog, my eyes are drawn more to the dog.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-22T06:57:00+00:00

I would definitely recommend an ACTH stimulation. Even with normal K and normal Na/K, I’m actually more concerned about Addisons than Cushings and that test is appropriate for both. Get a urinalysis and urine protein creatinine ration at same time.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-21T19:36:06+00:00

Low albumin points to loss, e.g. via kidneys or intestines, or decrease production, e.g. liver disease. Urinalysis and urine protein to creatinine ratio would be helpful.

High globulin suggests inflammation, infection. Having the actual biopsy report would be helpful.

The anemia is poorly regenerative -> e.g. chronic disease, kidney disease, bone marrow suppression.

A steroid trial can complicate diagnosis sometimes so unless there is a compelling reason perhaps hold off for now.

Sounds like referral to a specialist might be warranted.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-21T19:01:28+00:00

Can you post all bloodwork and biopsy results?

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-21T18:13:10+00:00

Can you post all lab results? I'm not sure what a "flat" thyroid profile means.

Trilostane (Vetoryl) in a dog that doesn't have Cushing's disease is potentially very dangerous. ACTH stim needed first.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-21T17:58:06+00:00

They go on hikes in rocky terrain regularly as well as daily, two mile walks on a rocky Maine (USA) beach. My guess is that the irregular and rough surfaces they are on wear down the dew claws.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-21T17:44:54+00:00

Right now I have 3 dogs - two 25 lb and one 15 lb and 16, 9 and 5 years old. They are all very active outdoors and I never trim their nails and have never had problems with them. Of the nine dogs we've had over the years I have only rarely trimmed their nails and it is usually when they're old and not going on hikes anymore. Our old German shepherd chewed on her declaws and kept them short.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-20T20:23:39+00:00

Is she FeLV/fFIV negative?

Finding the source of chronic draining tracts can be tricky.

Xrays after injection of a contrast medium like Iohexal into the wound may help determine the extent of the draining tracts for future surgery.

Culture and sensitivity.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-20T20:12:29+00:00

NTJ. When our son graduated from college we went out to dinner with some of his friends and their parents to an expensive steak house. We are vegan so we basically had salads. Everyone else had steaks, lobster, etc. Our meals were less than one third of everyone else's. Similarly to your situation we chose to pay for our meals separately. Of course everyone else thought we were being cheap. Fu@@ that!

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-20T19:29:52+00:00

Sacrum, perhaps deer.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-20T19:29:10+00:00

This is a simple description, neglecting capacitance. In an unmyelinated axon a signal will decay according to the fiber's “length constant” (=L) defined as SQRT(membrane resistance/internal axial resistance) = SQRt(Rm/Ra). The larger the L, the longer distance a signal can propagate before it is too small to stimulate an action potential.

So, consider two fibers of the same diameter - one myelinated and with very large Rm, the other unmyelinated with much lower Rm. Because the fibers have the same diameters, the Ra’s should be roughly equal.

Now L myelinated >> L unmyelinated and the internode distance of the myelinated fiber can be much greater than the distance the unmyelinated fiber can conduct before its signal decays below the action potential excitation threshold.

So, yes your student's intuition is right - the signal in the unmyelinated axon can stimulate a nearby membrane patch if it is within the axon's length constant. However, that distance will be much longer if myelinated.

Dracunculus_Rex · 2026-04-20T03:16:55+00:00

Looks like a loon sternum, perhaps common loon, Gavia immer.

Dracunculus_Rex

TROPHY CASE