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RurouNNy
Dec 10, 2004

Oh man I appreciate that, you know I do!

Crooked Booty posted:

I would talk to the vet directly about pain management. If the vet can't make time to answer your questions about an expensive, painful procedure, perhaps you should look for a vet who can.

It's my understanding that the shots hurt a lot. However, I've never heard of or worked at a clinic that didn't give dogs lots of pain meds during treatment (but maybe such places exist?). I believe that both protocols you're finding online are acceptable - the 3 separate shots, and the 1 followed by 2. I am more familiar with the second one. Where I have worked, dogs getting immiticide were dropped off early in the morning, given pain meds first thing, and then given immiticide after the pain meds had kicked in. The dogs stayed all day and overnight, not only to monitor for any adverse reactions, but also so that more pain meds and sedation could be administered anytime the dog seemed uncomfortable. Generally the dogs were pretty drunk and seemed comfortable throughout the process. Some dogs were painful, but never to the point that I thought "this isn't worth it" or anything like that. Anyway, that's my experience.

My rescue dog also ended up testing positive for heartworms, and what Crooked Booty outlines here is the protocol my vet ended up doing as well (dropped off in the morning, had first shot that afternoon, spent the night and had the second shot the next day). He was definitely in some pain when we took him home, whiny (not like him) and couldn't really settle. He was much better after the first day home and after two days he didn't seemed bothered at all (except that we had to restrict his exercise for the next month). Hoping everything goes well for you guys, I can't even say how relieved I was when his next snap test came back negative.

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Dr. Chaco
Mar 30, 2005

Blenheim posted:

I have a 4-year-old Greater Swiss Mountain Dog who got a few moles over the summer (one ~1 cm round & flat, one about half the size of a nipple, and two other tiny ones; all light-colored and symmetrical). I asked the vet to take a look at them during her Lyme booster shot, and the vet wanted to take them off and have them checked for mast cell tumors given the breed. I made an appointment to do so but asked if they couldn't be aspirated to check; she said that aspiration tends to make the tumor go haywire (if it is a tumor).

Anyone have any experience with aspiration vs. excision/heard anything from their vets similar to what my vet told me? What about experience with scarring following excision (was told at vet that the coat just covers it over when it grows back post-surgery, which seems duh-obvious, but just wanna check)?

Finally, this is a long shot given the breed's relative rarity, but has anyone had any experience with Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs and mast cell tumors? Owner surveys don't list them as a big problem for the breed, but they do have dark coats, which I understand increases susceptibility somewhat.

Thanks for any help.

The issue your vet is probably concerned about is that mast cell tumors, if poked and irritated via aspiration, may release a bunch of histamine. Basically, mast cells are full of histamine granules and these can "degranulate" and send that histamine systemically. This release of histamine can mimic an allergic reaction. I've seen suspected mast cell tumors aspirated with pre-medication consisting of two types of anti-histamines (diphenhydramine, or Benadryl, and H-2 blockers, like for heart burn). I don't know if that's a common practice or if some people tend to jump to excision. It is true that mast cell tumors look pretty classic if they are aspirated, but I could also understand being worried about systemic side effects of histamine release.

As for scarring, if they are as small as you say the scarring should be minimal and the haircoat should cover it. However, if mast cell tumors are suspected, pretty wide margins are recommended, so the excision site may end up being rather larger than you expect based on the size of the mass.

Blenheim
Sep 22, 2010

Chaco posted:

However, if mast cell tumors are suspected, pretty wide margins are recommended, so the excision site may end up being rather larger than you expect based on the size of the mass.

Hm. One of the tiny ones is on her cheek. Might excision cause any deformity? Anyone had a mast cell or mole excision on a dog's cheek?

Blenheim fucked around with this message at 03:15 on Jul 15, 2011

HelloSailorSign
Jan 27, 2011

Blenheim posted:

Hm. One of the tiny ones is on her cheek. Might excision cause any deformity? Anyone had a mast cell or mole excision on a dog's cheek?

Recommended excision for mast cell tumors is 3 cm all around (unless it's low grade, then 2cm can work)... imagine a sphere with the mass at the center. If you're talking about a more benign lump, a far closer incision (<1cm) could be curative.

It's also worse to cut something out small first, find out it's bad, and go back in to 'finish the job.' The tissue planes have been disturbed, there is fluid draining around (and potentially yanking cancer cells elsewhere), there's an incision that will need to be taken out completely (because it's now contaminated with bad cells)... it's just icky. Sampling is usually the way to go, find out what's up, and yank it out based on what it is. However, even mast cell tumors with unclean margins might not come back, but it's an odds game.

wtftastic: Most of the worry from aspirations seeding cancer cells deals with a cancer of the bladder (Transitional Cell Carcinoma). I've heard a horror story of one of those aspirated and *time passes* there's this line of 'beads' for lack of better description, coming from the bladder to the body wall in a strangely straight line. For that reason people recommend taking samples through bladder/urethra. I've heard vague rumors of other cancers potentially doing the same thing, but for the most part, I hear it with TCCs of the bladder.

On heartworms:
Crooked Booty's got it (though I know of a 2 shot regimen over 2 days, or a 1 shot, then 1 month later get the 2 shot regimen over 2 days, depending on the clinical signs). The shots hurt a lot because immiticide needs to be given intramuscularly, and it causes pretty significant tissue damage. Also, not getting a dog treated for adult heartworms long term would be worse than the discomfort from the shots. Heart failure isn't fun. Neither is allowing a dog to produce heartworm babies for mosquitoes to eat and spit back out in another dog.

Affi
Dec 18, 2005

Break bread wit the enemy

X GON GIVE IT TO YA

wraithgar posted:

UTI means Urinary Tract Infection and it sounds like you got it to a vet who said this very thing. Good luck with your sick dog.

But.. it was like stones/chrystals in his bladder/tract so how is that a urinary tract infection? (there was irritation, but no infection)

Basically its one of two kinds of stones; Kalcium somethings, which don't go away naturally and will have to be operated. And S-something stones that can disappear with the right treatment (which according to this vet is changing his diet to something a lot worse then what he's eating today; Some canned brand food with corn and meatmeal and meat-byproducts and lots of fat oh oh oh and less salt then other brands!! Today he eats like meat and vegetables and vitamins and no salt..) He also suggested my dog might get too much meat in his diet. Which sounds crazy to me. Also I got some painkillers/anti-inflammatory pills even though he's only got an irritated bladder and no real pain.

So i'm thinking; Should I do what this guy says? Second opinion?

Doggy bled again today (very little) but the doc said that I should get used to him doing it until the stones are gone, or atleast until they're not as "jagged" as they are now and only take him in for another visit if he stops peeing (stone stuck in his dick) or if he gets sick/in lots of pain.

(ps: Doctor stuck finger into dogs butt, dog looked at me with a really funny "What the gently caress is he doing" look)


(more info from my gf who listens better then me; Bladder walls are infected! (or at least very irritated/getting infected) And jagged stones irritate it, making him pee blood) (this makes sense?)

Affi fucked around with this message at 07:10 on Jul 15, 2011

RheaConfused
Jan 22, 2004

I feel the need.
The need... for
:sparkles: :sparkles:

Affi posted:

Also I got some painkillers/anti-inflammatory pills even though he's only got an irritated bladder and no real pain.


If there's blood it's pretty much guaranteed there's pain. The anti-inflammatory meds should help with that.

Topoisomerase
Apr 12, 2007

CULTURE OF VICIOUSNESS

Affi posted:

But.. it was like stones/chrystals in his bladder/tract so how is that a urinary tract infection? (there was irritation, but no infection)

Basically its one of two kinds of stones; Kalcium somethings, which don't go away naturally and will have to be operated. And S-something stones that can disappear with the right treatment (which according to this vet is changing his diet to something a lot worse then what he's eating today; Some canned brand food with corn and meatmeal and meat-byproducts and lots of fat oh oh oh and less salt then other brands!! Today he eats like meat and vegetables and vitamins and no salt..) He also suggested my dog might get too much meat in his diet. Which sounds crazy to me.

Calcium oxalate and struvite? Calcium oxalate uroliths (the stones) are more likely to form in urine that is acidic. Higher protein diet (so a lot of meat) makes the urine more acidic. That's a part of the reasoning behind the too much meat thing. As far as the struvite goes, it's the opposite - the stones form in alkaline urine. Obviously there are many other factors that can lead to or prevent stone formation. I'd recommend sticking with what the vet tells you for this problem.

Side note: the dog can have crystals without stones being present and vice versa. They're not necessarily interchangeable.

Also bladder irritation and urinating blood is very likely to mean that there is pain present. I am not sure why you would assume that not to be the case, to be honest...

Zaekkor
May 12, 2010

Oh, let's break it down!

My cat scratches at her neck and ear area quite a bit. So much so that she gives herself scabs on her neck. She doesn't scratch anywhere else, and I'm fairly positive she doesn't have fleas as it's only her neck, and flea baths do nothing to alleviate the scratching.

I've tried cleaning her ears out, but I never seem to get them clean enough for her to stop scratching at them.

I considered her nail length/sharpness to be a culprit for the neck scabs, but lately even after trimming them down she still has some scabs.

What could this be and how can I fix this? I'm trying to avoid taking her to a vet because of the costs involved. Worst case scenario I'll take her, but money is a little tight as I just moved and am working on buying stuff for the apartment.

Plus_Infinity
Apr 12, 2011

Obscurity posted:

My cat scratches at her neck and ear area quite a bit. So much so that she gives herself scabs on her neck. She doesn't scratch anywhere else, and I'm fairly positive she doesn't have fleas as it's only her neck, and flea baths do nothing to alleviate the scratching.

I've tried cleaning her ears out, but I never seem to get them clean enough for her to stop scratching at them.

I considered her nail length/sharpness to be a culprit for the neck scabs, but lately even after trimming them down she still has some scabs.

What could this be and how can I fix this? I'm trying to avoid taking her to a vet because of the costs involved. Worst case scenario I'll take her, but money is a little tight as I just moved and am working on buying stuff for the apartment.

fleas often are exactly in the areas where it's hard for cats to lick them off (i.e. the neck/ ears area). you need to put your cat on actual flea medication not just a flea bath- fleas can hop right back onto your cat after the bath. if she's getting scabs, TAKE HER TO THE VET. if you'd rather buy yourself stuff than take care of a living animal in pain/ discomfort, you shouldn't have a cat, sorry.

(edit for typo)

Plus_Infinity fucked around with this message at 18:05 on Jul 15, 2011

Zaekkor
May 12, 2010

Oh, let's break it down!

You're absolutely right. I was being somewhat selfish. I just found out I can get pet insurance, though! I was considering going with http://www.gopetplan.com/. How exactly does this work? Can I just sign up for the insurance, then immediately take her to the vet? I was considering the plan that lets me get 100% reimbursement and 50$ deductible. Does this mean I pay for the visit/meds and send in my bills for reimbursement or does it just work like human health insurance where I give them the card and the costs are taken care of?

New to the whole idea of pet insurance so any help in the matter would be appreciated.

Braki
Aug 9, 2006

Happy birthday!

Obscurity posted:

You're absolutely right. I was being somewhat selfish. I just found out I can get pet insurance, though! I was considering going with http://www.gopetplan.com/. How exactly does this work? Can I just sign up for the insurance, then immediately take her to the vet? I was considering the plan that lets me get 100% reimbursement and 50$ deductible. Does this mean I pay for the visit/meds and send in my bills for reimbursement or does it just work like human health insurance where I give them the card and the costs are taken care of?

New to the whole idea of pet insurance so any help in the matter would be appreciated.

Pet insurance works through reimbursement, but I'm not sure it'll help you much in your situation. They obviously aren't going to cover pre-existing conditions.

InEscape
Nov 10, 2006

stuck.

Obscurity posted:

My cat scratches at her neck and ear area quite a bit. So much so that she gives herself scabs on her neck. She doesn't scratch anywhere else, and I'm fairly positive she doesn't have fleas as it's only her neck, and flea baths do nothing to alleviate the scratching.

I've tried cleaning her ears out, but I never seem to get them clean enough for her to stop scratching at them.

I considered her nail length/sharpness to be a culprit for the neck scabs, but lately even after trimming them down she still has some scabs.

What could this be and how can I fix this? I'm trying to avoid taking her to a vet because of the costs involved. Worst case scenario I'll take her, but money is a little tight as I just moved and am working on buying stuff for the apartment.

If her ears smell bad or there's brownish gunk in them, this could be ear mites. When Sarabi came in from the streets she had scabs on her head, which were either from mating or (probably) the endless scratching to try and get at the ear mites. Now, no more scabs.

Ear mites aren't very dangerous but they can be a bitch to get rid of and can cause ear infections. Take her into the vet, get her checked for mites. Put her on Revolution, she'll need two doses minimum to get rid of the mites or your vet may give you something topical for her ears (Sabrab needed both). Either way, Revolution deals with fleas, ticks and mites so it's a good choice.

HelloSailorSign
Jan 27, 2011

InEscape posted:

If her ears smell bad or there's brownish gunk in them, this could be ear mites. When Sarabi came in from the streets she had scabs on her head, which were either from mating or (probably) the endless scratching to try and get at the ear mites. Now, no more scabs.

Ear mites aren't very dangerous but they can be a bitch to get rid of and can cause ear infections. Take her into the vet, get her checked for mites. Put her on Revolution, she'll need two doses minimum to get rid of the mites or your vet may give you something topical for her ears (Sabrab needed both). Either way, Revolution deals with fleas, ticks and mites so it's a good choice.

It could also be Atopic Dermatitis (environmental allergies) or food allergies.

wtftastic
Jul 24, 2006

"In private, we will be mercifully free from the opinions of imbeciles and fools."

HelloSailorSign posted:



wtftastic: Most of the worry from aspirations seeding cancer cells deals with a cancer of the bladder (Transitional Cell Carcinoma). I've heard a horror story of one of those aspirated and *time passes* there's this line of 'beads' for lack of better description, coming from the bladder to the body wall in a strangely straight line. For that reason people recommend taking samples through bladder/urethra. I've heard vague rumors of other cancers potentially doing the same thing, but for the most part, I hear it with TCCs of the bladder.

Yeah, now that you mention it, that's exactly the context I saw aspirations and seeding together. I read a whole bunch of papers of aspiration vs. excision for cysts and cancers and it all sort of blended together.

MoCookies
Apr 22, 2005

Obscurity posted:

You're absolutely right. I was being somewhat selfish. I just found out I can get pet insurance, though! I was considering going with http://www.gopetplan.com/. How exactly does this work? Can I just sign up for the insurance, then immediately take her to the vet? I was considering the plan that lets me get 100% reimbursement and 50$ deductible. Does this mean I pay for the visit/meds and send in my bills for reimbursement or does it just work like human health insurance where I give them the card and the costs are taken care of?

New to the whole idea of pet insurance so any help in the matter would be appreciated.

Before you sign up for anything, you need to read the fine print really, REALLY carefully. There's a two week waiting period for illness coverage on that plan you linked (and your cat needs to see a vet sooner than that), and it's likely to be excluded as a pre-existing condition. Many pet insurance companies will not reimburse you for what you and I would consider "normal" vet expenses. You'll still be paying out of pocket for flea meds, routine yearly checkups, vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery, and anything they can possibly categorize as a pre-existing condition. For dogs, there's often a breed-by-breed list of things that are explicitly not covered.

I recommend (and it's also been said by many others in PI whenever this topic comes up) that you get a special vet-emergencies credit card or apply for a CareCredit account for when the big bills come up. I also recommend that you sock away whatever money you'd be spending on pet insurance premiums and stick it into a special vet care savings account. For a young, relatively healthy pet, you'll come out ahead by paying your own vet bills at least 95% of the time. You'll also be saving up money while your pet is young and healthy, and you'll have a nice little nest egg for when your pet gets older and requires more expensive vet care.

Dr. Chaco
Mar 30, 2005

Obscurity posted:

My cat scratches at her neck and ear area quite a bit. So much so that she gives herself scabs on her neck. She doesn't scratch anywhere else, and I'm fairly positive she doesn't have fleas as it's only her neck, and flea baths do nothing to alleviate the scratching.

I've tried cleaning her ears out, but I never seem to get them clean enough for her to stop scratching at them.

I considered her nail length/sharpness to be a culprit for the neck scabs, but lately even after trimming them down she still has some scabs.

What could this be and how can I fix this? I'm trying to avoid taking her to a vet because of the costs involved. Worst case scenario I'll take her, but money is a little tight as I just moved and am working on buying stuff for the apartment.


Scratching the face and head to the point of self-trauma is classic for allergies in cats. Allergies come in 3 varieties, and cats (and dogs) can have one, two, or all three. The Big 3 are fleas, food, and atopic (environmental, think pollen and mold).

Unless you have the cat on consistent flea control, you can't rule out flea allergies. To really rule it out entirely you'd have to be on something like Capstar (daily) or Comfortis (monthly), which are pills that can't be washed off and that kill fleas faster than topicals like Advantage or Frontline.

To rule out food allergy you would need to use a novel protein diet, usually available from a vet only, though there are a few commercial diets that fit the criteria of one protein source that the cat or dog has never been exposed to. With all the crazy foods out there these days (venison, duck, rabbit) that sometimes means using a Kangaroo diet or something equally exotic. To do a food trial, the new food is started (weaning onto it like any other food change), and then that diet, and only that diet, is fed for 2-3 months. No treats, no table scraps, no flavored medications or toothpaste, etc.

Atopic dermatitis is skin itchiness related to environmental allergens. There are blood tests and skin tests to pinpoint which ones, but neither test is 100%. Atopic allergies are managed with allergy shots, or medications, usually a combination of steroids and antihistamines at the lowest doses possible that control the itching.

To figure out which allergies might be at work, one approach is to treat for all of them at once--institute flea control, do a diet trial, and start steroids and antihistamines to control the itching--then take away one thing at a time to see what makes the itching come back. All of this requires a vet visit.

Wild card: Supposedly GI parasites can cause intense facial itching, so deworming might not be a bad idea either, especially if other stuff didn't pan out. Deworming is cheap and easy though, so your vet might do that with the first round of treatments, or they might not even think of it as I believe it only happens rarely.

If your cat has scratched his face raw there could very well be secondary bacterial infections, which might require a course of antibiotics to treat.

Good luck--itchy pets can be very frustrating to diagnose and treat, and if they are allergic, their management will likely be a life-long project. If they are to the point of scratching off their face, though, they are miserable, so please do get this addressed.

Official Bizness
Dec 4, 2007

wark wark wark



Is Frontline Plus safe to use on a cat undergoing treatment for a UTI? She received a one-shot of antibiotics last week, has a check-up on the twenty-fifth, but all of our friends' houses currently have fleas and I'm worried they'll spread from us to her.

Kerfuffle
Aug 16, 2007

The sky calls to us~

Official Bizness posted:

Is Frontline Plus safe to use on a cat undergoing treatment for a UTI? She received a one-shot of antibiotics last week, has a check-up on the twenty-fifth, but all of our friends' houses currently have fleas and I'm worried they'll spread from us to her.

I would assume yes, but consult the flea med box, and if that doesn't say anything, just give your vet a call.

Tojai
Aug 31, 2008

No, You're Wrong
Since adding another to dog to our household, I've noticed our carpet smells a lot more ... doggy. And one of them had an accident while sick, and peed in front of my back door, and the carpet still doesn't smell right. I used nature's miracle but I'm just so paranoid about the smell, I don't even know if it actually smells or if I'm just afraid it does so I'm smelling something that's not there.

Anyway I wanted to get a little steam cleaner so I could maintain our carpets between professional cleanings. Anyone have any recommendations? There's so many out there I don't really know where to start. I've heard good things about Bissel cleaners though.

RazorBunny
May 23, 2007

Sometimes I feel like this.

We have a large Hoover upright steam cleaner (can't recall the model, but I can find out), and it works beautifully. It's big, though - about the size of a standard upright vacuum - so you'd need a sizable storage space to keep it in.

Tojai
Aug 31, 2008

No, You're Wrong
Space shouldn't be too much of an issue. Do you mind telling me how much you paid? I was hoping to spend around $100 or less and some of the upright ones I looked at were $200+ so I was concerned about the big ones being out of my budget.

beckyogg
Jul 12, 2006

My lungs don't work. Now it's time to sing!
So my cat is showing signs of having urine crystals (again, ugh) and I need to get a urine sample so the vet can run an analysis before he prescribes the crystal-busting food. Last time I just brought the cat in and they squeezed it out of him, but that's more expensive and pretty stressful for my cat. Is there an easy way to collect urine that doesn't require me to follow my cat around with a plastic cup? Or maybe a way to motivate him to pee so I can just get the drat sample already?

RazorBunny
May 23, 2007

Sometimes I feel like this.

Tojai posted:

Space shouldn't be too much of an issue. Do you mind telling me how much you paid? I was hoping to spend around $100 or less and some of the upright ones I looked at were $200+ so I was concerned about the big ones being out of my budget.

My husband says ours was $200, sorry :(. We also have one of the little Bissell spot-cleaner ones that was $75 or so, and it works really well, but takes forever to do a large mess. You might be able to afford a large model that's been refurbished, I've seen those here and there.

Tojai
Aug 31, 2008

No, You're Wrong

RazorBunny posted:

My husband says ours was $200, sorry :(. We also have one of the little Bissell spot-cleaner ones that was $75 or so, and it works really well, but takes forever to do a large mess. You might be able to afford a large model that's been refurbished, I've seen those here and there.

Ah well thanks for looking into it! I'm going to talk to my husband, I mean we can afford $200 I just didn't want to spend the quite that much. The little Bissell sounds good and I like the price tag, but he might feel differently if he's going to have to spend more time cleaning.

TVs Ian
Jun 1, 2000

Such graceful, delicate creatures.

beckyogg posted:

So my cat is showing signs of having urine crystals (again, ugh) and I need to get a urine sample so the vet can run an analysis before he prescribes the crystal-busting food. Last time I just brought the cat in and they squeezed it out of him, but that's more expensive and pretty stressful for my cat. Is there an easy way to collect urine that doesn't require me to follow my cat around with a plastic cup? Or maybe a way to motivate him to pee so I can just get the drat sample already?

We kept our cat in the bathroom overnight with a bowl of water and a litter box filled with clean gravel. The next day, he had used the box and we just funneled the pee out from the rocks. May not be an option for you but maybe you can tweak that to something similar that will work. Good luck!

beckyogg
Jul 12, 2006

My lungs don't work. Now it's time to sing!

TVs Ian posted:

We kept our cat in the bathroom overnight with a bowl of water and a litter box filled with clean gravel. The next day, he had used the box and we just funneled the pee out from the rocks. May not be an option for you but maybe you can tweak that to something similar that will work. Good luck!

I was thinking I could lock him in the bathroom overnight and put a soft rag down for him, then squeeze out the rag, but I was worried it might make the analysis show weird results.

Crooked Booty
Apr 2, 2009
arrr

beckyogg posted:

I was thinking I could lock him in the bathroom overnight and put a soft rag down for him, then squeeze out the rag, but I was worried it might make the analysis show weird results.
I would go with a rag in the box over gravel. Do you have packing peanuts? The styrofoam peanuts (the kind that DON'T dissolve in water) work well. Plastic beads of some kind work well too. Ideally you want something really inert and really clean, but really nothing you collect at home is going to give results as accurately as letting your vet collect a sample.

RheaConfused
Jan 22, 2004

I feel the need.
The need... for
:sparkles: :sparkles:

Crooked Booty posted:

I would go with a rag in the box over gravel. Do you have packing peanuts? The styrofoam peanuts (the kind that DON'T dissolve in water) work well. Plastic beads of some kind work well too. Ideally you want something really inert and really clean, but really nothing you collect at home is going to give results as accurately as letting your vet collect a sample.

It's a lot easier to let the vet do it, and just FYI, he isn't squeezing the urine out, he's probably doing a cysto. Using a needle and syringe to collect a sterile sample. Anyhow, your vet can also give you sterile litter to use. Please be careful, if he isn't peeing at all that can mean a blockage which is an emergency. With my cat with crystals we were told something like you guys are describing wouldn't be good enough because of how unsterile it is.

TVs Ian
Jun 1, 2000

Such graceful, delicate creatures.

RheaConfused posted:

It's a lot easier to let the vet do it, and just FYI, he isn't squeezing the urine out, he's probably doing a cysto. Using a needle and syringe to collect a sterile sample. Anyhow, your vet can also give you sterile litter to use. Please be careful, if he isn't peeing at all that can mean a blockage which is an emergency. With my cat with crystals we were told something like you guys are describing wouldn't be good enough because of how unsterile it is.

The vet was the one who told us the gravel method but Kyo wasn't blocked, just had crystals forming. He was getting to the point where he was starting to strain but still passing normal amounts of urine. They would have taken the sample themselves but his bladder was empty when they did the first exam.

beckyogg
Jul 12, 2006

My lungs don't work. Now it's time to sing!
Trying to get a sample in a clean, disposable cup was actually what the vet tech recommended on the phone, so I dunno. My cat is definitely still peeing, it's just that he's sneaking off and doing it while I sleep or when I'm distracted so I don't have a chance to try to collect it.

I didn't really think the vet was squeezing the urine out of the cat, I'm aware that cats don't work that way. It was intended as a joke.

RheaConfused
Jan 22, 2004

I feel the need.
The need... for
:sparkles: :sparkles:

beckyogg posted:

Trying to get a sample in a clean, disposable cup was actually what the vet tech recommended on the phone, so I dunno. My cat is definitely still peeing, it's just that he's sneaking off and doing it while I sleep or when I'm distracted so I don't have a chance to try to collect it.

I didn't really think the vet was squeezing the urine out of the cat, I'm aware that cats don't work that way. It was intended as a joke.

You never know around here.

Lackadaisical
Nov 8, 2005

Adj: To Not Give A Shit
Ok, so I have a question about a behavioral problem with my cat.

She has gotten REALLY clingy lately. I was dating someone new for a couple weeks and kept coming home late then last weekend I went out of town and just left some food/water out. Whenever I'm home less, she starts becoming a bit clingy but ever since I got back, she's been annoyingly so. It usually passes after a day or two but it's been a week now.

As I'm typing this, she's writhing around on her back with her body sprawled across my lap. She wakes me up OVER AND OVER AGAIN throughout the night trying to cuddle with me. It'd be cute if I wasn't so tired as a result. Last night she actually bit me because I had my back to her and didn't roll over to pay attention to her. She won't stop licking my hand and arms and she gets aggressive about it. I don't know how to fix this or if it's a sign something is wrong and she needs to see a vet.

I never thought I'd say this but should I be worried how affectionate my cat has become and is there any way to get her to calm down a bit?

RheaConfused
Jan 22, 2004

I feel the need.
The need... for
:sparkles: :sparkles:

Lackadaisical posted:

Ok, so I have a question about a behavioral problem with my cat.

She has gotten REALLY clingy lately. I was dating someone new for a couple weeks and kept coming home late then last weekend I went out of town and just left some food/water out. Whenever I'm home less, she starts becoming a bit clingy but ever since I got back, she's been annoyingly so. It usually passes after a day or two but it's been a week now.

As I'm typing this, she's writhing around on her back with her body sprawled across my lap. She wakes me up OVER AND OVER AGAIN throughout the night trying to cuddle with me. It'd be cute if I wasn't so tired as a result. Last night she actually bit me because I had my back to her and didn't roll over to pay attention to her. She won't stop licking my hand and arms and she gets aggressive about it. I don't know how to fix this or if it's a sign something is wrong and she needs to see a vet.

I never thought I'd say this but should I be worried how affectionate my cat has become and is there any way to get her to calm down a bit?

Any major change in behavior is a good reason for a vet visit. "Neediness" is often a sign of pain or sickness. Any change in eating or litter habits? Is she eating less?

Lackadaisical
Nov 8, 2005

Adj: To Not Give A Shit
She might even be eating a little more but not a noticeable amount. She did pee outside her litter box a few times (always on a pile of my laundry) but that seems to have stopped once I cleaned out her litter box and cleaned anything that could possibly have cat urine on it. Plus, her litter box was next to her food and water dishes and it turns out ants had discovered that there was often left over food in the bowl and were swarming the area. She's scared of bugs and wouldn't even approach that part of my room. Once I put some ant traps out, cleaned everything and moved her food bowl, ants ceased being there. It's been a week or two since there have been any accidents.

I've tried doing things that piss her off, like clipping her nails. It works for a few minutes but SHE WON'T GO AWAY. Even when she isn't physically harassing me, she sits there, staring and meowing.

e: Is there anything else I can look for that would indicate a vet visit really is necessary or that would help me figure out what's going on? I don't want my kitty to be hurt or sick but right now I have almost no money since I just graduated college and haven't found a real job yet. Even if I can swing the visit bill, I wouldn't be able to afford any tests or medications. :( At that point, is it really worth taking her in?

Lackadaisical fucked around with this message at 06:41 on Jul 17, 2011

RheaConfused
Jan 22, 2004

I feel the need.
The need... for
:sparkles: :sparkles:

Lackadaisical posted:

She might even be eating a little more but not a noticeable amount. She did pee outside her litter box a few times (always on a pile of my laundry) but that seems to have stopped once I cleaned out her litter box and cleaned anything that could possibly have cat urine on it. Plus, her litter box was next to her food and water dishes and it turns out ants had discovered that there was often left over food in the bowl and were swarming the area. She's scared of bugs and wouldn't even approach that part of my room. Once I put some ant traps out, cleaned everything and moved her food bowl, ants ceased being there. It's been a week or two since there have been any accidents.

I've tried doing things that piss her off, like clipping her nails. It works for a few minutes but SHE WON'T GO AWAY. Even when she isn't physically harassing me, she sits there, staring and meowing.

e: Is there anything else I can look for that would indicate a vet visit really is necessary or that would help me figure out what's going on? I don't want my kitty to be hurt or sick but right now I have almost no money since I just graduated college and haven't found a real job yet. Even if I can swing the visit bill, I wouldn't be able to afford any tests or medications. :( At that point, is it really worth taking her in?

The way she is acting would really worry me, honestly. :ohdear: Especially with the inappropriate urination. Others may have different advice. Maybe pick up some feliway...

Topoisomerase
Apr 12, 2007

CULTURE OF VICIOUSNESS

beckyogg posted:

I didn't really think the vet was squeezing the urine out of the cat, I'm aware that cats don't work that way. It was intended as a joke.

Actually a vet/vet tech can definitely express a cat's bladder by squeezing it - me doing so in the exam room about 12 hours after my cat was blocked the last time saved him another catheter up the peehole and me some $$$$. :cool:

Affi
Dec 18, 2005

Break bread wit the enemy

X GON GIVE IT TO YA

Topoisomerase posted:

Calcium oxalate and struvite? Calcium oxalate uroliths (the stones) are more likely to form in urine that is acidic. Higher protein diet (so a lot of meat) makes the urine more acidic. That's a part of the reasoning behind the too much meat thing. As far as the struvite goes, it's the opposite - the stones form in alkaline urine. Obviously there are many other factors that can lead to or prevent stone formation. I'd recommend sticking with what the vet tells you for this problem.

So if it's struvite we should help raise the acidity? And if its calcium oxalate we should lower it? But we won't know what it is until we've tried one of them?

Dr. Chaco
Mar 30, 2005
In dogs struvites are usually formed secondarily to a bacterial infection, and calcium oxalate are not. There are other types of stones, though, and stones can be more than one type of mineral at once. So, yes, your options for figuring out what type of stone it is are limited.

Struvites can be dissolved by a special diet, so if they were suspected the vet could prescribe a struvite-dissolving food, which is sounds like they discussed with you--the ingredients look bad, but those diets are really the best way to dissolve struvite stones. Anything else, though, would need to be removed surgically and sent in to the lab for analysis, so that you can know what it is to prevent future stones (usually a stone-prevention diet, which would also be lower-protein and is likely to have corn and such in it). And, if the stone was only partially struvite, it would also likely need to be removed surgically.

El Gar
Apr 12, 2007

Hey Trophy...

Lackadaisical posted:

Ok, so I have a question about a behavioral problem with my cat.

She has gotten REALLY clingy lately. I was dating someone new for a couple weeks and kept coming home late then last weekend I went out of town and just left some food/water out. Whenever I'm home less, she starts becoming a bit clingy but ever since I got back, she's been annoyingly so. It usually passes after a day or two but it's been a week now.

As I'm typing this, she's writhing around on her back with her body sprawled across my lap. She wakes me up OVER AND OVER AGAIN throughout the night trying to cuddle with me. It'd be cute if I wasn't so tired as a result. Last night she actually bit me because I had my back to her and didn't roll over to pay attention to her. She won't stop licking my hand and arms and she gets aggressive about it. I don't know how to fix this or if it's a sign something is wrong and she needs to see a vet.

I never thought I'd say this but should I be worried how affectionate my cat has become and is there any way to get her to calm down a bit?

I was out of town for two weeks, getting home at the beginning of this month. My cat is still getting over it, what, 3 weeks later? She is literally under my feet at all times, from the moment I wake up (which is thanks to her pawing my face) till I leave for work, and then the moment I'm home from work till bed time.

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Serella
Apr 24, 2008

Is that what you're posting?

wraithgar posted:

I was out of town for two weeks, getting home at the beginning of this month. My cat is still getting over it, what, 3 weeks later? She is literally under my feet at all times, from the moment I wake up (which is thanks to her pawing my face) till I leave for work, and then the moment I'm home from work till bed time.

Cat pawing your face? No problem, box her up and send her to me.

We will do the hoop trick all day and build box forts. :3:

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