Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” collection, the place each Monday we convey professional recommendation straight from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to assist our readers higher perceive their canine’s well being and well-being.
Whether or not you’re a brand new pet mother or father or a seasoned canine lover, Dr. Paola is right here to offer solutions to your most urgent questions. From vitamin suggestions and preventive care to troubleshooting widespread behavioral points, Dr. Paola is able to provide insights that may preserve your furry pal completely happy and wholesome. Keep tuned for professional steering on a variety of matters that matter most to you and your canine, so you may make knowledgeable selections and supply the absolute best care on your canine companion. Have a question? Send it in here!
Hello readers. It is rather essential to grasp that this column shouldn’t be an emergency service. It could take weeks earlier than Dr. Paola sees your questions, and she or he doesn’t reply each one.
This week, we have now answered a really distressing query for the needs of schooling. Please notice this as a set off warning, and take the data beneath as a preventative and security measure.
Conditions involving potential ingestion of batteries or electrical parts usually require rapid veterinary consideration. When doubtful, an online veterinary service like our own PangoVet generally is a useful first step to evaluate the urgency and information your subsequent transfer.
Assist! My Canine Ate String Lights
“Pricey Dr. Paola,
My chihuahua, Darby, is 11 kilos and ate a string of mini battery-operated Christmas lights. They had been on when he ate them, and he rubbed his face on the bottom and had white foam flying out of his mouth and was nervous and confused and stored shaking his head violently and trotting round and rubbing his sides of face and regarded scared and frightened and unhappy, I’m going to offer him a Vaseline sandwich or cotton.” – Kelly
Hello Kelly,
Thanks for reaching out along with your concern about Darby. What you described is deeply regarding and will symbolize a really severe state of affairs.
If Darby chewed or swallowed battery-operated Christmas lights whereas they had been on, this might expose him to electrical burns, injury from sharp plastic or wire, and even chemical harm if the batteries leaked. The indicators you observed, resembling a foamy mouth, confusion, head shaking, and rubbing his face, recommend he could possibly be in ache or already experiencing harm to his mouth or throat.
Given the character of what he ingested, there’s additionally a really actual concern for early involvement of the central nervous system. Confusion and disoriented conduct can generally mirror systemic results from ache, chemical publicity, or electrical harm, all of that are doable if a battery or stay wiring was chewed. These indicators shouldn’t be taken flippantly, as they might sign extra than simply native irritation; they could possibly be the primary indicators of a progressing, probably life-threatening situation. Giving him a Vaseline sandwich or cotton shouldn’t be secure on this context and will trigger extra hurt or delay the pressing care he might have.
Conditions involving potential ingestion of batteries or electrical parts usually require rapid veterinary consideration. When doubtful, an online veterinary service like our own PangoVet generally is a useful first step to evaluate the urgency and information your subsequent transfer.
Nevertheless, in Darby’s case, based mostly on the data you offered, it’s best to take him to an emergency veterinary clinic immediately to make sure he receives the care he wants as quickly as doable.
I hope he’s effectively,
Dr. Paola
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Assist! My Canine Has an Ear Polyp!
“My son’s canine Lexi has a polyp in his ear, and he doesn’t have the cash to get it eliminated. Do you’ve got recommendations on what we are able to do? Thanks,“ – Debra
Hello Debra,
Thanks for reaching out about Lexi. Ear polyps in canines could be uncomfortable, particularly in the event that they trigger irritation, discharge, or recurrent infections. Whereas they’re normally benign, they usually proceed to develop if left untreated, which might result in extra discomfort or issues over time. The perfect resolution is surgical removal, each to alleviate Lexi’s discomfort and to verify the expansion shouldn’t be one thing extra severe. Nevertheless, I perceive that cost can be a real barrier.
One choice to contemplate is reaching out to native veterinary faculties or nonprofit veterinary clinics, as they usually present care at a decreased price. You may additionally verify with native animal welfare organizations, a few of which offer financial assistance or can direct you to low-cost companies. Within the meantime, conserving Lexi comfy is essential. If there’s any seen discharge or irritation, gently cleansing the outer ear with a pet-safe saline resolution and a delicate material might help cut back particles buildup. Keep away from inserting something into the ear canal or utilizing merchandise not prescribed particularly for him, as that would trigger extra hurt. The aim proper now could be to reduce irritation and discomfort when you look into assist choices. Generally, simply explaining the state of affairs to a couple native clinics can result in payment plans or reduced rates, particularly in the event that they see that Lexi is in any other case effectively cared for. I hope this helps!
Dr. Paola
Assist! My Canine Has a Torn CCL!
“Hello Dr. Paola,
My lively, 70 lb, 8.5-year-old Lab combine Allie had profitable FHO when he was 1.5 years previous. Now she limps on that leg. Vet says it’s torn CCL and recommends TPLO. I’m involved that the femur shouldn’t be secure sufficient since it’s now not within the hip socket and can slide. Additionally, how might she get torn CCL if there isn’t a stress of femur on tibia on account of femur’s flexibility?” – Tad
Hello Tad,
Thanks for offering such a considerate query. It’s fully comprehensible to be involved about Allie’s limb stability given her surgical historical past. A femoral head ostectomy (FHO) does change the best way the load is transferred by the hind limb, but it surely doesn’t eradicate all forces on the stifle (knee) joint. After an FHO, the femur now not articulates immediately with the acetabulum, however over time, a fibrous pseudo-joint kinds that permits a comparatively practical vary of movement. Whereas this alters the mechanics within the hip, the stifle joint nonetheless bears important drive throughout weight-bearing, significantly throughout lively motion like working, turning, or leaping. These actions can nonetheless place stress on the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL), particularly in an athletic or older canine.
A torn CCL in a canine like Allie is sadly not unusual, even in a limb that has undergone FHO. The FHO doesn’t take away the femur’s function in transmitting load to the tibia. As an alternative, the altered mechanics and long-term compensation patterns may very well improve pressure on the knee over time. Concerning your concern about Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO), it’s a legitimate query. Surgeons take earlier orthopedic procedures under consideration when evaluating candidacy. TPLO adjustments the angle of the tibial plateau to neutralize the shear forces that result in instability when the CCL is torn. It may possibly nonetheless be efficient in canines with a previous FHO, relying on the person case. A second opinion from a veterinary orthopedic surgeon could present extra readability on whether or not TPLO is the most suitable choice, or if alternate options like Tibial Tuberosity Development (TTA) or conservative administration are extra appropriate based mostly on Allie’s muscle situation, gait, and luxury stage.
It’s good to learn that you’re clearly targeted on her long-term well-being and need to be well-informed. Together with her being so lively and already compensating for a modified hip, making certain the soundness of her stifle is crucial to guard her total mobility and stop extra pressure on the remainder of her physique. I hope she will get the perfect therapy!
– Dr. Paola
This text is part of our weekly Ask Dr. Paola collection
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