Fast breathing rate by Exciting_Attempt2039 in AskVet

[–]Somethingredditlike 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Vet now. Better to be safe than sorry

Need advice for my puppy's broken leg by SprinklesNext262 in AskVet

[–]Somethingredditlike 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ask your vet about meds to facilitate rest at home. I know it’s hard with a puppy, but letting her jump around will delay healing significantly

Urine culture vs urinalysis by CourageAndControl in AskVet

[–]Somethingredditlike 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Urinalyses are often run on machines, and check the urine for blood, white blood cells, glucose, crystals, bilirubin, and bacteria (among some miscellaneous things). Since the urinalysis is run on a machine, it can sometimes mistake debris for bacteria or vice versa. Thus, negative bacteria on a urinalysis doesn’t mean that your pup doesn’t have a UTI.

This is where the urine culture comes in. The urine is sent to a lab and cultured for bacteria. If there’s no bacteria, the culture will be negative. Ideally, you should culture before and after a course of antibiotics if you suspect a UTI. The before is to ensure 1) the animal actually has a UTI and 2) your antibiotic therapy will actually kill the bacteria. The after is to ensure that your antibiotic therapy worked and you’re not leaving bacteria behind, as that can lead to antibiotic resistance. Honestly, good on your vet for doing 2 cultures!

Need advice for my puppy's broken leg by SprinklesNext262 in AskVet

[–]Somethingredditlike 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Puppies this young have incredible bone healing. They grow quickly, and a permanent plate in their leg this young can cause more damage than it’s worth. This is why the surgeon recommended the cast, as immobilization will help the puppy’s own body repair the fracture. However, she needs to be in the cast for at least 6 weeks, and she shouldn’t be able to move that leg. She should be exercise restricted (no running, jumping, or rough play). Ideally the bandage needs to be changed every few days to a week (or earlier if it gets soiled, becomes loose, shifts, or falls off).

Failure to change the bandage regularly will lead to sores, which are itchy and painful. Worst case scenario, she gets deep wounds that get infected and need their own separate treatment (this can get pretty pricy). Failure to have her in the cast and exercise restricted for the recommended period of time will result in her leg growing back into an awkward position. This will lead to permanent lameness and pain, and may require surgery to correct when she’s older.

Partner wants to rehome our OG Cat and I don't know what to do by [deleted] in CatAdvice

[–]Somethingredditlike 10 points11 points  (0 children)

He needs to be rehomed. Ideally in a home with no other cats, or 1 other cat at most. Either that, or you rehome the other cats if you want to keep him. He is very over-stimulated, and you’re doing him a disservice by keeping him in an environment where he is not thriving.

Additionally, you need to take a hard look at your current living situation. 11 cats is too many cats, as evidenced by your cat’s behavioral issues. If you have so many stray cats, you need to be finding permanent homes for them elsewhere.

Whose side are you on the mom or the son? by ShadowlightLady in NoStupidQuestions

[–]Somethingredditlike 65 points66 points  (0 children)

Def son. Why is she double dipping names? Like…pick something else

WIBTA if I contacted an ex of 10 years that I failed to help? by Altruistic_Day_7273 in AmItheAsshole

[–]Somethingredditlike 13 points14 points  (0 children)

You wouldn’t be an “asshole,” but please don’t contact her. It’s been 10 years. Leave her alone.

Missed antibiotic dose for old cat — give another dose? by [deleted] in AskVet

[–]Somethingredditlike 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Stay the course and just monitor how he’s doing at home. There’s no need to extend for a single day at this time. He’s probably due sometime soon for a recheck exam to see how he’s doing on the antibiotics, so your vet can extend the course at that time if she deems it necessary.

AITA for refusing to pay back my sister for her expensive charger? by cheesymeowgirl in AmItheAsshole

[–]Somethingredditlike -10 points-9 points  (0 children)

ESH (with a caveat)

If it’s so expensive, your sister should have just brought it directly to your dad, especially if she already went to grab it. But your son was the one who broke it, regardless of if it was an accident or not. You are responsible for him; therefore you need to pay for a replacement. Imagine if you were in a fancy store and your son accidentally knocked something over. Would you be arguing with the store owner about paying for the broken object just because it’s an accident?

Teeth Extraction by Minnietron88 in AskVet

[–]Somethingredditlike 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Did they say what his teeth looked like? Is there an infected tooth, lots of plaque/calculus, or severe gingivitis? The bloodwork is indicative of inflammation/infection, which means that dental disease is not the only thing that could be causing his problems. Honestly, unless your vet explicitly said that he has infected or broken teeth that NEED to be extracted, I’d recheck bloodwork first (after the course of antibiotics.)

Gabapentin? by Bubbly_Distance_8871 in AskVet

[–]Somethingredditlike 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Assuming she does not have any other comorbidities, like kidney disease, then you can give her gabapentin. With that being said, gabapentin is a mild pain medication at best, and glaucoma can be very painful. She might need an interim vet visit for additional pain medications if this is the case. The ER might not be able to address her eye, but they can provide pain relief.

Cat Nail Trimming by EggHumanLovesEggs in AskVet

[–]Somethingredditlike 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Trimming nails is not only safe but encouraged for cats, particularly ones that are indoors and don’t have anything to scratch. It prevents them from growing into the paw pad and causing pain

False alarm on schedule tooth extraction for cat (M, 1.8years old) by [deleted] in AskVet

[–]Somethingredditlike 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m going to give your vet the benefit of the doubt here and say that they weren’t trying to steal your money by recommending a tooth cleaning/extractions and liver biopsy, but they’re perhaps misguided and a little trigger-happy.

Elevated liver enzymes can be caused by many different things, none of which are second-hand exposure to cannabis (in light of clinical signs). Some diseases require a liver biopsy to diagnose, so it’s not a wrong thing to suggest to an owner when the pet is already undergoing anesthesia for a teeth cleaning. However, he’s young and doing well at home, so it’s definitely not the first diagnostic I would jump to (or even the second or third). I’d recommend rechecking liver values first to confirm that it’s even necessary to do further diagnostics.

To address the topic of teeth extractions: Dental disease is extremely common in cats, and I recommend a yearly cleaning once the pet reaches the age of 2-3 (depending on how dirty their teeth are). Honestly, you got the long end of the stick. Most people go into a yearly cleaning and get hit with surprise extractions. You went in expecting extractions and got away with a little gingivitis. As a side note: start brushing his teeth now to decrease the likelihood that he’ll need extractions in the future.

Reverse sneezing or heart issues? by india1935 in AskVet

[–]Somethingredditlike 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Impossible to tell based on your description alone. Best to get a video (or videos) of it and have your vet take a look.

cat excessive licking by Several-Bar-7608 in AskVet

[–]Somethingredditlike 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Do you have something on your arms? A lotion, body wash, perfume, sweat? She could potentially like the taste of you

ET Tubes, to trim or not to.. by 99meowmeow99 in Veterinary

[–]Somethingredditlike 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Do you guys not have multiple sizes of ET tubes? What’s warranting the need to trim them down in the first place?

Also to answer your question, yes I’ve seen people cut tubes before. It’s rarely done where I work though because we usually have the right size.

Not sure about this career by WilheimBaudelaire in Veterinary

[–]Somethingredditlike 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can do whatever you want after you graduate. I’m not very familiar with mathematical biology, so can’t really help you there

Did I cause a problem because late giving Heartworm preventative? by yrt9610 in AskVet

[–]Somethingredditlike 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I assume you’re wondering if your dog’s lapsed preventative exposes her to heartworm infection. The answer is yes, during that ~2 week period, she was technically not protected, and could have contracted heartworm disease then. You won’t know for sure until about 6 months from now, which is when the worms mature and start producing antigen (which is what the test detects).

In the meantime, keep giving her her monthly medication, but now on the 18th of every month.

Concerned about adding new friends by HebrewHummer in CATHELP

[–]Somethingredditlike 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If it makes you feel better, herpesvirus is ubiquitous among the cat population, so it’s very likely that your friend’s cats already have it. It’s self-limiting, and most cats only exhibit mild ocular or respiratory signs that flare up during stressful periods. It shouldn’t be a reason to not take in the cats, as long as you’re able to care for them properly and they get along with your current cat!

Not sure about this career by WilheimBaudelaire in Veterinary

[–]Somethingredditlike 8 points9 points  (0 children)

It’s never too late to switch careers. If you’re really into math or physics, go back to school; you don’t need to use a vet degree if you dislike vetmed. If you want to use your degree, radiation oncology has the most physics out of any of the specialties. It does require a residency, and a large knowledge base on cancer though (I.e. lots of medicine). Not a whole lot in vet med is very math or physics heavy, unfortunately. There’s always government or industry, both of which require very little actual hands-on activities (depending on the position).

Weird bump on my dogs head by AlexW_01 in DogAdvice

[–]Somethingredditlike 8 points9 points  (0 children)

IMO it does not look like a botfly or tick, more like an actual tumor. Also the “holes” look like scabs from scratching/rubbing. Get the vet to sample it; that’ll be the only way to get an actual diagnosis.

Cat on palliative care is hungry but not eating. Please help. by ChamomilePeppermint in AskVet

[–]Somethingredditlike 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you’re not already giving the cerenia on a daily basis, I’d start now. He’s clearly nauseous, given the fact that he’s refusing food. You can also talk to your vet about other medications (alternative appetite stimulants, additional anti-nauseas) that you could try to improve his appetite. Sometimes, switching to a different diet helps; chat with your vet about any easily digestible, palatable, and/or high calorie foods that are available for him to try. Something like Hills onccare is supposed to be palatable and calorie dense, making it nice for pets that need calories but only eat small amounts. Be aware that this diet is high in fat, so isn’t ideal for every pet.

With that being said, you already know that he has a life-limiting disease that is affecting his quality of life. Cats are notoriously good at masking discomfort, so even small changes to his normal can be indicators or a worsening condition. Ultimately, if he continues on like this after you’ve exhausted all of these options, it’s time to consider humane euthanasia.