Just Got Back from the Vet

[Zoom-boing]

So about a month ago, Penny went a-chasin' those damn stray cats that are roaming around. I let her out at least three times on Friday or Saturday chasing the damn things. A few days after this her nose got swollen, on the top center (behind the black nostril part) and on her right side, up just a bit from her nostrils (next to the bump on the top of her nose). It got swollen pretty good but we didnt' take her to the vet because she's done this before and it always resolved itself. Two weeks later she was still sounding 'stuffy' so we took her. He gave her antihistamine to dry things up, ointment for the outside part (there were two scabs, the bump on the side of her nose turned out to be scabbed over but we thought it was dark fur) and a shot of cortizone. The shot lasted 4-5 days and during that time her nose sounded fine.

Well here we are three weeks later and she is still sounding 'stuffy'. Took her (along with the sick boy) to the vet. After an extremely lengthy wait the doc finally saw her. He examined her (although not nearly as thoroughly as the first vet, imo). He looked up her nose with a flashlight and you can see on her right nostril the part that is a bump-out of nose (on the inside of her nose) is bigger than the same one on the right. He said it could be 1) a localized infection; 2) a fungus infection 3) a bacterial infection or 4) a tumor. His inclination is tumor (wtf?) and he was suggesting the $2,000 'anesthesia, scope, biopsy' procedure done by a specialist 45 minutes away that he would refer us to.

I said 'you think it's a tumor, rather than the fact that she banged her nose'? Yup. 'You don't think she just really traumatized it and that's more likely why it's swollen or it's a localized infection'. No, he thinks perhaps a tumor in her nose and it 'popped' through to the outside of her nose.



I came home an googled. This dog is portraying zero signs of a tumor and blood work is what I am reading as the first step in determining what further procedures are necessary, not the scope procedure he is for.

I asked him about several courses of treatment, including an antibiotic for a localized infection (which is what we are doing). After it was obvious that I wasn't signing on for any expensive treatment (I wouldn't do that without talking it over with the family but didn't tell him that), he was fairly quick in getting me out of there.

We're going to give the antibiotics a shot and see what happens. I'm no vet but I can tell you that my gut says he is wrong about her nose, I believe she badly banged it (the air flow in her right nostril is restricted) and it's inflamed from that. He says no, it was too long ago it would have resolved. He thinks her banging it is just a coincidence but that there is 'something' there.

Suggestions/advice?

 

[Nosmo King]

Sounds like one of those stray cats swatted Penny across the snoot! Were there any other marks on her nose? If it was a stray cat, I think it's a localized infection.

 

[Zoom-boing]

Sounds like one of those stray cats swatted Penny across the snoot! Were there any other marks on her nose? If it was a stray cat, I think it's a localized infection.

Nosmo, that was my first thought when we first took her. Her fur is white but underneath is black so what was some kind of scratch (the vet on the first visit removed the scab) we thought was just black fur.

Here's a pic taken awhile back . ..

. . . and two I just took. You can see the pink colored part . . . that is where something happened.

There wasn't any blood to speak of when this happened, the swelling is what we noticed.

I'm really perplexed to think that this vet's (he's not the one who saw her initially) first response leans towards some kind of tumor in her nose. I mean, if he had said something in there like a splinter or like you said, a cat swatted her I'd agree with but . . . he's going to the extreme diagnosis and test first.

 

[xotoxi]

My guess: abscess infected with Bartonella from the cat scratch.

 

[xotoxi]

You've got a cute motherfucking dog, BTW.

 

[Big Black Dog]

So about a month ago, Penny went a-chasin' those damn stray cats that are roaming around. I let her out at least three times on Friday or Saturday chasing the damn things. A few days after this her nose got swollen, on the top center (behind the black nostril part) and on her right side, up just a bit from her nostrils (next to the bump on the top of her nose). It got swollen pretty good but we didnt' take her to the vet because she's done this before and it always resolved itself. Two weeks later she was still sounding 'stuffy' so we took her. He gave her antihistamine to dry things up, ointment for the outside part (there were two scabs, the bump on the side of her nose turned out to be scabbed over but we thought it was dark fur) and a shot of cortizone. The shot lasted 4-5 days and during that time her nose sounded fine.

Well here we are three weeks later and she is still sounding 'stuffy'. Took her (along with the sick boy) to the vet. After an extremely lengthy wait the doc finally saw her. He examined her (although not nearly as thoroughly as the first vet, imo). He looked up her nose with a flashlight and you can see on her right nostril the part that is a bump-out of nose (on the inside of her nose) is bigger than the same one on the right. He said it could be 1) a localized infection; 2) a fungus infection 3) a bacterial infection or 4) a tumor. His inclination is tumor (wtf?) and he was suggesting the $2,000 'anesthesia, scope, biopsy' procedure done by a specialist 45 minutes away that he would refer us to.

I said 'you think it's a tumor, rather than the fact that she banged her nose'? Yup. 'You don't think she just really traumatized it and that's more likely why it's swollen or it's a localized infection'. No, he thinks perhaps a tumor in her nose and it 'popped' through to the outside of her nose.



I came home an googled. This dog is portraying zero signs of a tumor and blood work is what I am reading as the first step in determining what further procedures are necessary, not the scope procedure he is for.

I asked him about several courses of treatment, including an antibiotic for a localized infection (which is what we are doing). After it was obvious that I wasn't signing on for any expensive treatment (I wouldn't do that without talking it over with the family but didn't tell him that), he was fairly quick in getting me out of there.

We're going to give the antibiotics a shot and see what happens. I'm no vet but I can tell you that my gut says he is wrong about her nose, I believe she badly banged it (the air flow in her right nostril is restricted) and it's inflamed from that. He says no, it was too long ago it would have resolved. He thinks her banging it is just a coincidence but that there is 'something' there.

Suggestions/advice?

I'd get a second opinion from a different vet clinic. Too bad you live so far away from my vet. Both he and his wife are vets and they are both excellent. Over the last 18 years they have managed my entire kennel which at one time consisted of 45 beagles. I'm down to only 3 house pets now but they still manage these three dogs and do it perfectly. I think a second opinion is the way to go.

 

[Zoom-boing]

You've got a cute motherfucking dog, BTW.

Correction, I've got the cutest motherfucking dog.

(and they weren't even good pics of her)

This here one is excellent

and this here one is silly

 

[Zoom-boing]

I'd get a second opinion from a different vet clinic. Too bad you live so far away from my vet. Both he and his wife are vets and they are both excellent. Over the last 18 years they have managed my entire kennel which at one time consisted of 45 beagles. I'm down to only 3 house pets now but they still manage these three dogs and do it perfectly. I think a second opinion is the way to go.

I'm looking for another vet right now. I've friends in the neighbor hood whose dog just had mouth surgery and am finding out where they took him. I'd like some references for vets. The vet we go to is close but they are pricey and my gut reaction to this particular vet's diagnosis is 'does he get $$$ for referrals to this specialist?'

The first vet said that if it didn't clear up from the original meds he gave her, then to try the antibiotics. The second vet didn't seem to think that was the course to take, that the specialist course was the way to go. I'm hoping the antibiotics clear it up. If her breathing quiets down in the next several days I'll know we're on the right track. Fingers crossed!

 

[Nosmo King]

My vet goes the expensive route first too! I took Daisy in because she was scratching as if she was infested with fleas. the dog does not have one flea on her.

The vet drew blood and sent it off to a lab (there's $250 right there!) The analysis showed Daisy has a whole raft of allergies. She's allergic to cotton and tobacco, so I can't sell her off as a slave. She's allergic to pollen of all sorts too.

Then the vet had a custom allergy shot regimen prescribed for her. But because she showed so many allergies, the shot was actually two shots! One from vial A and one from vial B.

And that ain't the end of that, either! She had three courses (a set of vials with green caps, one with blue caps and one with red caps). Each course started out with a very small dose. Then, 3 to four days later, a slightly larger dose. And so on and so on until the green capped vials were done. Then move on to the blue capped vials, and finally the red capped set.

Daisy had a bad reaction at the completion of the first (green capped vials) course. So the vet diluted the red capped vials and put the concoction into a gold capped set of vials! Then, we started all over with the gold, then the blue and finally the red.

Long story short, it wasn't until the first killing freeze when Daisy's scratching eased up some. A killing freeze and a total of $750 in vet, pharmacy and lab work.

I'm a Type I Diabetic. Insulin dependent since age 13. Between my needles and the dog's, you'd think junkies lived in the house!

 

[xotoxi]

You've got a cute motherfucking dog, BTW.

Correction, I've got the cutest motherfucking dog.

(and they weren't even good pics of her)

This here one is excellent

and this here one is silly

This is Luna

 

[Zoom-boing]

My vet goes the expensive route first too! I took Daisy in because she was scratching as if she was infested with fleas. the dog does not have one flea on her.

The vet drew blood and sent it off to a lab (there's $250 right there!) The analysis showed Daisy has a whole raft of allergies. She's allergic to cotton and tobacco, so I can't sell her off as a slave. She's allergic to pollen of all sorts too.

Then the vet had a custom allergy shot regimen prescribed for her. But because she showed so many allergies, the shot was actually two shots! One from vial A and one from vial B.

And that ain't the end of that, either! She had three courses (a set of vials with green caps, one with blue caps and one with red caps). Each course started out with a very small dose. Then, 3 to four days later, a slightly larger dose. And so on and so on until the green capped vials were done. Then move on to the blue capped vials, and finally the red capped set.

Daisy had a bad reaction at the completion of the first (green capped vials) course. So the vet diluted the red capped vials and put the concoction into a gold capped set of vials! Then, we started all over with the gold, then the blue and finally the red.

Long story short, it wasn't until the first killing freeze when Daisy's scratching eased up some. A killing freeze and a total of $750 in vet, pharmacy and lab work.

I'm a Type I Diabetic. Insulin dependent since age 13. Between my needles and the dog's, you'd think junkies lived in the house!

Why do they always go the most expensive route? Yeah, yeah the almighty dollar. But still . . . .

I just can't justify $2,000 (that we don't have to spare) on a procedure when the dog isn't even exhibiting any signs of a tumor!

Do you have pet insurance? I'm wondering if that's worth getting, seeing as she's 7.

 

[Zoom-boing]

You've got a cute motherfucking dog, BTW.

Correction, I've got the cutest motherfucking dog.

(and they weren't even good pics of her)

This here one is excellent

and this here one is silly

This is Luna

She is tooo cute! What kind is she? Fox Terrier maybe?

 

[Midnight Marauder]

So about a month ago, Penny went a-chasin' those damn stray cats that are roaming around. I let her out at least three times on Friday or Saturday chasing the damn things

It always breaks my heart to see a dog get hurt/killed because its owner let it run loose. They deserve better.

 

[xotoxi]

Correction, I've got the cutest motherfucking dog.

(and they weren't even good pics of her)

This here one is excellent

and this here one is silly

This is Luna

She is tooo cute! What kind is she? Fox Terrier maybe?

She's just a crazy bitch.

Nice inside...way instain outside.

Mix of beagle and something else.

 

[Nosmo King]

My vet goes the expensive route first too! I took Daisy in because she was scratching as if she was infested with fleas. the dog does not have one flea on her.

The vet drew blood and sent it off to a lab (there's $250 right there!) The analysis showed Daisy has a whole raft of allergies. She's allergic to cotton and tobacco, so I can't sell her off as a slave. She's allergic to pollen of all sorts too.

Then the vet had a custom allergy shot regimen prescribed for her. But because she showed so many allergies, the shot was actually two shots! One from vial A and one from vial B.

And that ain't the end of that, either! She had three courses (a set of vials with green caps, one with blue caps and one with red caps). Each course started out with a very small dose. Then, 3 to four days later, a slightly larger dose. And so on and so on until the green capped vials were done. Then move on to the blue capped vials, and finally the red capped set.

Daisy had a bad reaction at the completion of the first (green capped vials) course. So the vet diluted the red capped vials and put the concoction into a gold capped set of vials! Then, we started all over with the gold, then the blue and finally the red.

Long story short, it wasn't until the first killing freeze when Daisy's scratching eased up some. A killing freeze and a total of $750 in vet, pharmacy and lab work.

I'm a Type I Diabetic. Insulin dependent since age 13. Between my needles and the dog's, you'd think junkies lived in the house!

Why do they always go the most expensive route? Yeah, yeah the almighty dollar. But still . . . .

I just can't justify $2,000 (that we don't have to spare) on a procedure when the dog isn't even exhibiting any signs of a tumor!

Do you have pet insurance? I'm wondering if that's worth getting, seeing as she's 7.

Pet insurance would not be a bad investment for me as Daisy will turn two in January. I wonder what the premiums are like?

 

[Sallow]

She's a beauty.

Plop down the moula..let the vets do their work.

She's worth every "penny".

 

[Zoom-boing]

So about a month ago, Penny went a-chasin' those damn stray cats that are roaming around. I let her out at least three times on Friday or Saturday chasing the damn things

It always breaks my heart to see a dog get hurt/killed because its owner let it run loose. They deserve better.

Um, my dog wasn't running loose, she was in our fenced-in yard. The stray cats are running loose all over the everyone's yard and were in mine. The reason there are even any stray cats at all is because of the crazy cat lady a few doors down. She keeps feeding and they keep breeding. I let the dog out to chase them out of our yard. I'm tired of smelling tom-cat all over the place.

 

[Zoom-boing]

My guess: abscess infected with Bartonella from the cat scratch.

Could the inside of her nose be infected without showing any signs outwardly?

He gave her a two week course of Cephalexin. Will that do anything if she has Bartonella?

 

[Midnight Marauder]

So about a month ago, Penny went a-chasin' those damn stray cats that are roaming around. I let her out at least three times on Friday or Saturday chasing the damn things

It always breaks my heart to see a dog get hurt/killed because its owner let it run loose. They deserve better.

Um, my dog wasn't running loose, she was in our fenced-in yard. The stray cats are running loose all over the everyone's yard and were in mine. The reason there are even any stray cats at all is because of the crazy cat lady a few doors down. She keeps feeding and they keep breeding. I let the dog out to chase them out of our yard. I'm tired of smelling tom-cat all over the place.

Trap 'em. Buy a critter trap, they're not expensive, and trap the cats, giving them over to the animal control every morning.

I am glad you have a fenced in yard. You might be able to see where I drew my inaccurate conclusion based on the information given.

 

[RadiomanATL]

Ginger:

Ginger being attacked by the Big White Beast (aka Dakota):