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PET PROS HELP OUR PET OWNERS

This week's answers from our Pros

Pet Pros from across the US offer help for pet owners:

• Mystified on why vet prescribed this medicine. Help!: On August 1 I took my 12 lb miniature poodle mix to my vet to get his shots and to get a new prescription of heartworm preventative. They took 2 fecals and they said it came back with something wrong . The vet prescribed CHPC 250 mg tablets 3 times a day for 21 days. I looked up the pills online and found was shocked by what I saw they were used to treat: hypertrophic osteodystrophy. I talked to my dog's foster mother and she also said that they were used to treat for worms, one problem they didn't say one thing about worms and no they didn't deworm him...because why?...oh yeah he didn't have any worms. I was told by the vet tech that answered the phone the Monday after I took him a long name instead of worms and that it was very contagious to humans, but I haven't seen worms in his poo and I haven't seen worms on my furniture and I sure don't have any unexplained sores on me. The vet tech also told me that they did not put the "diagnosis" on the receipt. When I told my dogs foster mother she said that because it was not a real diagnosis. Please explain to me why they would prescribe CHPC 250 mg pills to a dog that is not even close to the size to have HOD which is only found in large breed dogs (yes I know that it is a bone disease in only large breed dogs) and why they said that they found something wrong with his fecal. BTW I was in the room the whole time with them and my dog and didn't leave for any reason.

  Thanks

  4 Pros responded to this pet owner's question

• Need swelling relief for cat w/feline leukemia and heartworm positive: I have a 3-4 year old neutered male cat who has been diagnosed both feline leukemia and heartworm positive. He is currently on enalapril, prednisone, and lasix daily, and also takes Interferon 4 days on, 3 days off each week, as well as taking transdermal aspirin at a 5mg 2 times per week dosing (1/16th of an 81mg aspirin b.I.d.). The lasix and enalapril and prednisone was started about a month ago when the cat was showing signs of edema in his extremities. He has a good appetite and is in relatively good spirits, but the swelling shifts daily, sometimes his elbows his hind legs, his chin, he has a 'pouch' under his belly at times, his back feet are probably the most consistently swollen, looking so big they seem about to pop. It was determined that based on his weight loss that he has glomural (sp?) nephritis, in addition to everything else, which is what apparently is causing the swelling.

  just yesterday I noticed an open sore on his front leg, which then happened to be the only limb NOT swollen, and everywhere he lay he left a wet spot behind. My vet confirmed it was due to his skin literally just having 'split', and added orbax to his daily regimen for a week to ward off infection (which, being leukemia positive puts him more at risk for infection)

  is there ANYTHING else possible to do to relieve the swelling? especially since he is NOT building up fluids in his lungs affecting his breathing, just the edema...I can't help but wonder if a needle prick here and there would have an effect like popping a water balloon. I realize that it is a symptom of a 'condition', but would massage help? I'm open to anything at this point!

  while he DOES have periodic bouts of lethargy, when his appetite is nil, but a round of antibiotics usually corrects this and then he is back to his usual self, with a pretty hefty appetite. Currently he is eating Hills Prescription g/d both dry and canned and seem to like it pretty well.

  Please advise!

  Thank You

  Thank you

  1 Pro responded to this pet owner's question

• 13 y/o cat with sphincter problems: I have a Persian female, Tasha, 13 years of age. We have battled a "lazy sphincter" muscle in the bladder for the past 10 years. We have had quite a few serious bladder infections. These seem to come on quickly and really get her down. Also there is an esophageal spincter problem that has been treated somewhat successfully with Prednisone (intermittent vomiting) and she does have Arthritis badly in one shoulder. These have also responded well to herbal remedies, otherwise she has been healthy. She has always been on premium food, either Innova or Natural Balance and has regular well checks. This past few months has included a move and has been stressful on her. She has mostly been lethargic, appetite good, and urine fecal output seemed normal. I have attributed it mostly to stress... She has had an increase in vomiting and lethargy the past few days so I took her in for a check up with blood panel. The panel shows out of range items.

  Her Dr. seems concerned over the results but offered no explanation. Her diagnosis is "kidney problems", not CRF.

  What tests, etc., can you suggest I have done? Is there anything I should be watching for? I don't know where to go next. I am not comfortable with a "wait and see" approach. From past experience I know how quickly these things can deteriorate and if there are other issues I wish to address them as soon as possible.

  Today, Tasha is eating well but seems really depressed and lethargic. I can tell she doesn't feel well and don't know what to do for her. Any help/advice will be most appreciated.

  Thank you so much!

  3 Pros responded to this pet owner's question

• Fearful hound needs help: I rescued a hound mix on April 1. She is very intelligent and very cute. We have bonded but she is afraid of most people and loud noises. She avoids my friends and only lets people touch her if I am right there also petting her. How can I get her used to people? I am afraid she will bite them out of fear. During storms she shakes even if I hold her. She hides under my bed. Should I give her a pill to relax her?

  I had a trainer comer and work with the dog and with the person who was going to pet sit for a weekend. The dog was eating cheese out of his had and letting him per her but she did not respond to him when he came to feed her and to let her out when I was not there. She hid behind the flowers and would not leave the kitchen until he left and then came back later to shut the door. On the second day she showed her teeth and he felt she was going to go after him. I came home immediately.

  Thanks so much!

  2 Pros responded to this pet owner's question

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