It can be difficult to tell if your cat is in pain for many reasons. Cat owners may often miss the subtle signs of pain in their cats or do not notice until their cats are showing more obvious signs, such as loss of appetite and lethargy. In some cases, cats only show more obvious symptoms after being ill for an extended period of time or if they are very ill. By the time you actually notice something is wrong with your cat, it might have been going on for longer than you think.
Although no one likes to think about their pets living with pain, it is important to be able to notice telltale signs of pain in cats, so that you can take the necessary steps to provide comfort and prevent medical issues from worsening.
It Can Be Difficult to Tell If a Cat Is in Pain
Cats are experts at hiding illness. This is in part because cats are both prey and predator animals, and in the wild, not showing pain can protect them from predators or other cats that might be a threat. Showing signs of pain makes them more vulnerable to attacks.
It can also be difficult for your veterinarian to notice signs of pain because of cats hiding their pain due to fear and stress, which is common during veterinary visits. Your cat may also go into fight or flight mode, which can cause a decrease in pain perception.
Signs of Pain
When cats are dealing with pain, similar to humans, it can affect their behavior. In fact, cats often show behavioral changes prior to physical symptoms.
It is important for you to know your cat’s normal temperament and behavior. This includes your cat’s normal attitude, energy level, gait, appetite, sleep patterns, thirst, and other physical and behavior patterns. Just the slightest change could be a sign that your cat is sick or in pain. Since your cat cannot tell you it’s in pain, your veterinarian relies on you to determine if there are any abnormal behavior patterns that may be pain-related. If your cat is just not acting like itself, this can be a sign that they are experiencing pain.
Note: Changes in your cats’ daily habits should not always be contributed to aging. Age is not a disease, but as your cat ages, they are more likely to be suffering from pain.
Grooming Changes
You may notice that your cat is not grooming itself or if it does groom itself, it only focuses on its face and the front of its body. Cats are meticulous cleaners, so be aware of your cat’s grooming habits have changed or you notice that its coat is unkempt.
Behavioral Changes
Your cat may be more withdrawn and even start hiding. Our cats are bonded to us and like to be engaged and present where we are. When your cat is suddenly not greeting you at the door, not sleeping with you, and other engaging behaviors that are normal, this may be a sign that something’s wrong.
Less Activity and Low Energy
You may notice that your cat has less energy or decreased stamina to engage in previously enjoyable activities, such as playing with toys or chasing that red dot. Your cat may be reluctant to jump, walk up and down stairs, have difficulty getting up from laying down, exhibit restlessness, and have difficulty finding a comfortable place to rest. You may also notice changes in sleeping patterns—the cat may sleep more or less and may sleep in unusual positions and places.
Litter Box Changes
Cats commonly will miss the litter boxes due to the pain associated with going in and out of the litter box, as well as difficulty squatting. Holding the squatting position can be very difficult for a cat with sore hips or knees. Other medical issues can cause cats to not use the litter box due to pain and urgency associated with them.
Increased Irritability
Cats in pain can also uncharacteristically have episodes of aggression. A cat may begin to growl or hiss when people or other pets in the household approach it, may not be comfortable with being held and may resent being brushed or combed. They may bite or scratch, too, especially when a person touches or moves the painful area or if the cat anticipates you doing it.
Changes in Appetite and Water Intake
Cats who are experiencing pain may lose interest in eating and drinking. If you notice any changes in your cat’s eating and drinking habits, be sure to alert your veterinarian. This can be a sign of pain and various other serious medical issues.
Posture
A cat in a lot of pain will appear as if it’s trying to curl up into a ball or will sit hunched over in a guarded, crouched position with its back curved higher than normal, its head lowered, and front paws often folded under it. You may notice that once it lays down, the cat keeps its legs tucked up underneath itself instead of stretching out on its side. It may avoid or have difficulty engaging in scratching behaviors.
What to Do If You Suspect Your Cat Is in Pain
Do not give pain medications designed for humans or dogs to cats. Cats process drugs very differently from other species. Common pain medications used in humans can cause death in cats. Always seek veterinary care and consult your veterinarian for an appropriate pain therapy plan. Consult your veterinarian and address potential pain rather than letting your cat suffer in silence. Our cat companions rely on us to speak for them, so monitor your cats closely and alert the veterinarian to any concerns.
Welsh Corgi lying on floor with bowl full of dog food
Article originally published on SitStay. Refer to the original article here. Article written by Dr Erica Irish.
Two of my four dogs suffer from severe allergies from both food and environment, so I am familiar with how frustrating it is to deal with this issue.
The good news is that there are many more foods and treats to choose from than what was available 15 years ago when Sophie was first diagnosed.
What are Food Allergies for Dogs?
According to VCA, food allergies are the most common form of allergies for dogs. When a dog suffers from allergies, the immune system reacts to foreign substances in the body that does not usually cause a reaction in other dogs.
When your dog’s body identifies a foreign substance, it reacts by creating antibodies to take care of the issue. The result of your dog consuming food they are allergic to can manifest in various uncomfortable ways such as skin irritation, GI upset, ear infections, and more.
Symptoms of a Food Allergy
There are numerous symptoms that you may notice in your dog. Food allergies often manifest in skin issues, though GI issues can occur too but usually only 20% of the time.
Not all dogs react the same way, but many have one or more of the following symptoms:
Anaphylactic Shock
Rubbing their face
Itchy rear-end
Discoloration of hair on legs from licking
Swelling of the lips, face, or ears
Itchy Irritated Skin
Inflamed skin
Rashes
Itchy Ears
Itchy Runny Eyes
Hair Loss
Excessive Drooling
Flatulence
Excessive Licking
GI Upset such as Vomiting and Diarrhea
Stomach Pains
Sneezing
In addition to the primary symptoms, food allergies that go untreated may result in other health issues, such as:
Hot Spots
Yeast Infections
Chronic Ear Infections
Chronic Anal Gland Issues
Skin Infections
Skin sores
Irritable Bowel Disease
Common Foods that Dogs are Allergic to
Though dogs can be allergic to any food, some foods are more likely to cause an allergic reaction than others:
Beef
Chicken
Lamb
Pork
Dairy
Soy
Eggs
Gluten
Corn
Wheat
Rice
Oats
Many dogs that suffer from food allergies are often allergic to more than one thing.
Does Your Dog Have a Food Allergy
If your dog is experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, you should consult your veterinarian. Your veterinarian can help diagnose if your dog has allergies, but you may be referred to a dermatologist for more specific care in more severe cases.
Often when dog owners bring their dogs into the vet due to suspected allergies, they will notice signs of their dog being excessively itchy, causing them to scratch their ears or chew on their front legs.
If your vet believes that it is a food allergy, they will request you put your dog on a strict elimination diet to rid your dog’s body of the allergens currently causing inflammation. Most vets will recommend your dog stay on a restricted diet for 8-12 weeks.
If your dog’s symptoms resolve, you will know that food is the cause of your dog’s discomfort.
Like many health conditions, food allergies can be hereditary, and some breeds tend to be more prone to have food allergies than others. However, food allergies can affect any dog, regardless of breed.
Based on the Merck Veterinary Manual, breeds most likely to have issues with food allergies are:
Golden Retriever
Labrador Retrievers
Chinese Shar-Pei
Boston Terriers
Lhasa Apsos
Wirehaired Fox Terriers
Dalmatians
Boxers
Scottish Terriers
Shih Tzus
Westies
Food Allergy vs. Food Sensitivity
Though in this article, we use the term “food allergy,” many of the dogs with this diagnosis often have a food sensitivity or intolerance rather than an actual allergy. The two issues have similar symptoms and are treated the same.
True food allergies cause an immune system response, whereas food sensitivity does not. Also, unlike allergies, food sensitivities occur over time and come on gradually. The most significant difference between an allergy and intolerance is that allergic reactions are usually more severe and can be life-threatening.
Treating Dog Food Allergies
After determining your dog has food allergies, you will want to change their diet to a hypoallergenic food; this means more than just swapping brands. Your vet will often recommend different options, including protein and carbohydrate choices, as well as brands that specialize in this.
You must read the full ingredient list; if a label states turkey and rice, it does not mean that it will not contain other ingredients such as beef, chicken, wheat, etc.
Additionally, your vet may also suggest putting them on a prescription diet. Prescription diets are formulated to reduce the allergen levels in the food to the point that your dog will not react yet still receive the proper nutrition.
The benefit of a prescription diet is it has grains and proteins that your dog needs to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, prescription diets can be costly.
In more severe food allergy issues, they may recommend prescription medications such as
Cyclosporine, Apoquel, or Cytopoint.
Living with a Dog who has Food Allergies
Being a dog parent of two dogs with allergies, I understand the frustrations of this issue. Sophie and Calvin are allergic to all grains, chicken, beef, and soy. Thankfully, there are numerous unique protein options available:
Venison
Alligator
Kangaroo
Elk
Rabbit
However, after the food elimination trial, you can attempt to add some foods back into your dog’s diet to see which allergens impact your pup. When testing different foods, be sure only to try one at a time, and allow for 8-12 weeks between tests.
It is vital that you keep your pup on a strict diet to avoid adverse reactions, which means that even the treats you feed your dog must also be hypoallergenic. Even the smallest amount of foods your dog is allergic to can have significant consequences and cause your food trial to reset.
Though food allergies are a pain to deal with, they are manageable. Plus, once you determine the foods that impact your dog, it is quite a bit easier to navigate the pet food aisles. And, when you know what your dog is allergic to, you will be surprised at how many choices are truly out there and how much their health improves.
Oolong is usually a pretty active and playful dog. But when we went home last Thursday, he was extremely lethargic; he welcomed us with a lick at the door and went back to his room to sleep. Oolong was sick. I could see in how he dragged his paws across the floor, how heavy his step was from one side of the room to the other. I went in and spoke to him, and he barely raised his head. He usually licks my hand when I stroke him but this time he wasn’t up for it. At this point, alarm bells were going off in my head.
Vomitted at 1am The moment our worry for his illness went to the next level is when he vomitted his food out at 1am.
As worried pawrents, we took him to a vet hospital immediately. We booked a cab and went straight to a 24-hour animal hospital
First Diagnosis At the hospital they did some checks, checking whether there was any indication of a serious food poisoning. They squeezed his stomach area too to check for any discomfort to check for gastric blockage, and Oolong had a slight fever going. But the vet couldn’t pinpoint what was exactly the issue, so he recommended us to do an x-ray and blood test. FYI, doing a consultation, blood test & X-ray in a pet hospital at midnight is much more expensive than a normal vet. At a day neighbourhood vet, a blood test costs around $280 for a comprehensive one, x-ray around $120 and consultation around $50 ($450 total). The 24-hour pet hospital quoted $300 each for the blood test and x-ray and $160 for the consultation ($760). Be prepared to pay 2x more for a midnight vet trip vs a normal one.
As it was already 3am after the consultation, we figured to wait until the next day to bring Oolong to our neighbourhood vet to save some $$. The vet gave oolong an IV jab under his skin to keep him hydrated, along with 2 medicine jabs to prevent nausea and lower the fever. First bill was $280++
Surpise Lizard time + Teething The next morning, we found a dead lizard head next to his body. This stupid boy must’ve eaten the lizard sometime yesterday which is now causing a stomach upset. We also realised that his gums were bleeding from his teething issues, so these 2 double whammy must’ve affected his appetite and condition quite abit.
2nd Vet visit As Oolong still was not feeling well, we went over to our neighbourhood vet to do a 2nd round of checks again, just to be on the safe side. Same procedure; the vet pressed the stomach to feel for any discomfort or blockage, and checked the temperature. His temperature was down at least which was a good sign, and he is a little more active. The vet suggested that the lizard might be the cause of his illness; dogs get food poisoning too! But it affects every dog differently, some dogs vomits, some dogs get dirrehea, and some get both. She gave us some probiotics and antibiotics to help, and told us to monitor his for the next few days. Some good signs to look out for is pooping (meaning he has no gastric blockage) and higher activity level. 2nd bill was $110+.
Aftermath Based on some online information and vet recommendation, we decided to feed a diet of soft food for him to aid his digestion. This consisted of boiled chicken and milk. Luckily for us Oolong condition did improve, he became more active and has been eating better, hopefully this episode will teach him not to eat lizards again!
Conclusions After the whole debacle and stress, we came out of the whole experience feeling much better as Oolong was recovering. But there were a few key takeaways that we have to abide by:
1) Unless its an emergency, do your checkups at day day vets instead of 24-hour hospitals This needs some judgement as if your dog is really sick or is poisoned, time is of the essence. But unless absolutely necessary, it’s best to wait until daytime to see the vet as the costs is usually much cheaper.
2) Buy pet insurance (#notsponsored) This is really important as if there happens to be a gastric blockage and there is a need for an operation, the cost of it would easily run upwards of $7k. If Oolong did need an operation then, it would be emotional and financial stress at the same time. At least with insurance, I can be rid of much of the financial stress.
3) Have one logical person in the discussion Having a pet being sick is a huge emotional stress, but it’s very important to have a logical person in the situation to steer clear of emotional decisions and overthinking. In the whole situation i was the emotional one, while my partner was helping me to look at the logical signs of recovery and next steps, which really helped calm my mental nerves quite abit
I hope this article helps anyone who faces a similar situation to me! Do ping me if you need any advice!
No, not that kind of sugar baby! The term sugar baby is commonly used within the diabetic dog pawrent community as a term of endearment to describe our poor puppers who have been diagnosed with diabetes. Exactly a year ago, on 29 November, my Pomeranian Summer (aka Gou Gou) was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, a condition characterized by high blood sugar levels in the body due to insulin deficiency.
My sweet little sugar baby!
The Diagnosis
I still remember the exact moment I received the awful news like it was yesterday. I had just arrived in China, and was in the car with my dad when he read out a text message from my mom saying that Summer had been hospitalized.
My mom visiting poor Summer at the hospital
Summer had suffered bouts of vomiting and experienced excessive thirst the day before. After a night of intense vomiting, my mom rushed her to The Joyous Vet where she received a preliminary diagnosis of diabetes and was hospitalized. My initial thought was to catch the next flight back to Singapore, but my dad dissuaded me and assured me that she would be fine. Thus, began the dreadful wait of receiving more information on Summer’s condition and prognosis.
Summer had to be hooked up to a strange machine to ensure she had enough fluids in her body
By the time Summer was hospitalized, she had already developed diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). In simple terms, DKA is a life-threatening condition where the body has extremely high blood sugar levels due to a lack of insulin to break down glucose into a form that the cells can use for energy. The body then starts to break down fat and protein as a means of obtaining energy. This results in the body becoming more acidic and not being able to maintain the right fluid balance.
Graphic from https://beyondtype1.org/high-blood-sugars-dka-spells-danger/
If left untreated, DKA would result in death. Summer had one paw in the grave and time was of the essence.
The Hospitalization
I was finally reunited with Summer at the clinic three days after her diagnosis.
I bawled the second I laid my eyes on Summer. She looked spiritless, disheveled, and had lost a lot of weight. The vet techs told me that Summer’s appetite was extremely poor. She refused to eat and had to be force fed blended kibble via a syringe. My heart sank when my usually greedy dog declined the snacks that I had brought her.
The attending vet informed me that while Summer’s condition had improved, her illness was still in a critical stage as her blood glucose levels were still sky-high. The vet acknowledged that the clinic could only check on her during operating hours and I was given the option to transfer Summer to a 24-hour clinic so that she could have her vital signs monitored more frequently. Nevertheless, we decided that Summer would remain at The Joyous Vet for the rest of her treatment to reduce the stress of moving her from one place to another.
My brave warrior kept a smile on her face despite the pain she was being put through
While it pained me greatly to see a listless Summer cooped up in a metal box, I knew it was necessary for her recovery, and assured her repeatedly that I would bring her home soon. We could only wait and hope for the best. Her condition improved slowly but surely over the next few days and she started enjoying food again.
The vet techs at The Joyous Vet teaching me how to draw blood from Summer’s vein so that I can test her blood glucose level at home. I have since learned to draw blood from Summer’s ear as it is a much safer and painless procedure
The vet techs at The Joyous Vet demonstrating how to administer insulin jabs
All in all, Summer was hospitalized at The Joyous Vet for eight days. It was a difficult period for both of us, but we had family and friends visit and root for her recovery. While her discharge marked the end of her hospitalization, it also marked the beginning of our onerous journey with the chronic disease.
On the car ride home after Summer got discharged!
Adapting to Life with Diabetes
Summer’s diagnosis meant a change in lifestyle not just for her, but for me, and her other caretakers too.
I used to feed Summer just once a day, but diabetic dogs are required to have equal portioned meals twice a day at the same time every day, 12 hours apart, right before their insulin jabs. As a result, my daily routine now revolves around her mealtimes. I have to wake up at the same time every morning (even on weekends!) and rush home after work so she will get her meals and jabs on time.
Every morning, I awake to Summer barking by my bed to remind me that it’s her mealtime
Neither my mom nor I had experience with giving injections. In fact, we were initially squeamish when handling the syringe. However, for the sake of Summer, we had to overcome our aversion to needles and learn to jab her.
As Summer had developed a fear of syringes at the clinic, we had great difficulty giving her injections at home. Whenever she saw the syringe, she would leap to her paws and run away from us. Even when we got hold of her, she would struggle and writhe vigorously in agony while making multiple attempts to nip us.
Summer snapping at me when I tried to administer her insulin jab. The struggle of injections was real and the stress got to not just Summer, but to me too
Desperate times call for desperate measures. I had to place Summer on a stool so she wouldn’t be able to run away while I attempt to jab her
My heart shattered into a million pieces as Summer had never behaved so aggressively toward me. Her aggression escalated with the days, and the injections were harder and harder to administer. There had been times when I broke down in desperation after a failed attempt, and had even forgone injections as it just seemed impossible to jab her without hurting either of us. In one instance, I even invited a delivery personnel into my home to assist me with the injection.
A failed attempt at administering insulin as a result of Summer’s struggles
Battle scars from when I had to wrestle Summer to inject her
Thankfully, I managed to get my hands on the Autoject, an auto-injector device that hides the syringe and pushes the needle into the body at the press of a button!
After conditioning Summer to the noise and feel of the Autoject, injections are now pain-free (for both of us) and take less than a minute, as compared to as long as 30 minutes before. These days, she gets so excited to see the Autoject that she would run to her feeding mat to receive her injection!
Summer now waits eagerly at her mat whenever it’s time for her jab!
Besides switching to diabetic kibble, I also disposed of all the off-the-shelf snacks that I had bought for Summer as they were no longer suitable for her diet. I began trawling the internet for treats that were suitable for diabetic dogs, and visited a few dog bakeries to purchase healthy, human grade treats. One of the bakeries that stood out was Feed My Paws. Summer and I were greeted by Crystle, who very patiently listened to my concerns, and provided recommendations based on her personal experience of having a diabetic dog too! Feed My Paws treats are now a staple part of Summer’s diet.
Summer and I are in no way affiliated to Feed My Paws. We are just two very grateful customers who were impressed by the shop’s excellent products and customer service, as well as the empathy displayed by its lady boss when I was at my most desperate
Living with a diabetic dog and managing the condition is a steep learning curve. But whenever I saw the smile on Summer’s face, I knew that the struggles were worth it.
Happy Days Ahead
A diabetes diagnosis is not a death sentence for your precious pet. Admittedly, I was fraught with fear and anxiety that I would lose my fur baby when she was first diagnosed. However, with research and support from other pawrents in similar circumstances, I soon learned that diabetes is a fully manageable condition. A little love, care, and patience will go a long way towards helping your sugar baby live its best life with fulfilling, blissful years to come. Here’s to Summer, the sweetest dog I’ve ever known!
We threw our Christmas Eve baby a barkday party for her 7th birthday slightly after she was discharged
Jalan jalan at Jurong Lake Gardens on her birthday
Summer passed her Therapy Dogs Singapore assessment with flying colors and served as a therapy dog for the first time earlier this year!
Going out for walks but still adhering to social distancing during the circuit breaker
Summer working from home alongside me
I hope you enjoyed reading about my experience managing my dog’s diabetes. Should you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us!
I am a worrier. So when my furbaby falls sick, I will feel as if I am ill too. I believe pet owners are generally very sensitive when your furbaby is acting out of the ordinary, or feeling unwell.
As for Simba, his first sign was peeing on the couch. Simba is 100% litter trained, and when he does things like peeing outside of his litter box, it’s usually his way of telling me that he is not feeling well, and that I better do something about it.
Subsequently, I noticed that Simba started going to the litter box very frequently – like almost once every 10 minutes, and each time he only pees a very small amount. What was more worrying was, Simba’s urine appears orange / red, which looked like there was blood in his pee. I collected the sample of his urine and immediately took him to the vet. His urine test showed that he has a urinary tract infection.
This was the urine test results. Let me share a little on what the vet explained to me.
The first red flag is the colour of his urine – which is red. This is abnormal as the normally the colour should be either yellow or orange. Red means there is blood present.
Secondly, the PRO level (which is the amount of protein present in his urine) is 3+, max being 4. By right, there actually shouldn’t be any protein in cat’s urine, so this is not a good sign either.
Thirdly, the BLD level (which is the amount of blood detected) is 4+, which is the max it can go. So since the colour if the urine is already RED, naturally the amount of blood present would be quite high.
Last red flag would the amount of LUKOCYTES, which is the amount of white blood cell present. When there is an infection going on, there is going to be white blood cells present to try to fight off the infection. So 3 out of 4 is again a very high indicator. Well, the good news is that his pH level is still fairly normal. I think if it goes up to 7 or 8 (more alkaline) then it would be a cause of concern as well.
Simba’s course of treatment would be anti-inflammatory and antibiotics injections + some oral medication. He took about 5 days to fully recover after treatment, and I will be bringing him to a review visit to the vet in two weeks to make sure that everything is back to normal.
In terms of medical bills, it cost about $250 in total, including consultation, injection and oral medication. This is the price range for Mount Pleasant vet.
So, all that being said, let’s look deeper into some facts about Feline UTI
Who are more at risk?
Feline UTI are generally more common in a multi-cat household, and it affects older cats more than kittens, and more in females than males.
The reason it affects females more is due to the anatomy of their urinary tract. Male cats have narrower urethra than female cats. When UTI occurs, the bacteria can cause a change in your cat’s urine pH, which will then lead to the formation of crystals in their urine. If those crystals become lodged in the narrow urethra of a male cat, it can cause a urinary blockage, which can result in serious consequences.
Signs and symptoms
So what are the things we need to look out for?
Visiting the litter box very frequently (i.e. more than usual)
Prolonged squatting in litter box
Inability to urinate or only passing a small amount of urine
Blood in the urine
Attempting to urinate in other parts of the house
Drinking more water than usual
Not eating as much as usual
The signs are usually quite clear and easy to identify, Simba checked quite a few of the boxes above.
What to do if you suspect your furbaby has Feline UTI?
If you notice any of the symptoms above, call your vet to book an appointment as soon as possible. In the meantime, try to collect a urine sample at home in a sterile container and bring it to the vet with you. It would be advised for the urine sample to be collected within 2 hours of the vet visit.
If the problem remains untreated, it can lead to serious problems such as kidney failure and/or bladder rupture. So it shouldn’t be ignored!!
What now?
Simba is fully recovered, and back to his normal routine (no more peeing on the bed or couch yay!)
Hope this article give you a better idea of what feline UTI is, and what are the things you should be looking out for if you suspect your furbaby may be unwell :/
Being a first-time dog owner, I was relatively lucky that Coffee had no major health issues for the first few years of her life. I always knew she had a weak stomach and had her fair share of vet visits, but nothing prepared me (and my wallet) for the multiple bouts of gastroenteritis that happened last year in 2019. I’m sharing my personal experience in hopes that you can avoid some of the mistakes that I made.
How it began
The first time it happened was on 27 Feb 2019, and it started with some diarrhoea earlier in the day. I did not think much about it at first because she occasionally had loose stools that resolved on their own. However, I knew something was wrong when she started vomiting and there was even blood in the diarrhoea. By the time I realised it was an emergency, her usual vet clinic was already closed. In my panic, I searched for vets nearby and found one that was open until 11pm. We rushed her there and disappointingly, the vet barely examined her (red flag!!), explained some possibilities and sent us off with metronidazole. Our bill easily came up to over $250 that night, which leads me to my point number 1:
1. Please research and have a list of vets for different situations! Your usual vet may not always be open when you need them, so be prepared with a list of good vet clinics you can go to for emergencies late at night/on public holidays etc. If I had a choice, I would not have gone to that vet that day.
We were then told to give her a bland diet and would likely still see blood in her diarrhoea for the next few days. She was still lively and had her good appetite then.
Coffee happily waiting for her steamed fish and pumpkin.
With the antibiotics she was taking, we thought she would get better but it took a turn for the worse. She continued to vomit and diarrhoea day and night and by 1 Mar, she had stopped wanting to eat or drink anything. I was working full time then, and the lack of sleep and stress was really building up. Luckily, I managed to squeeze in an appointment with her usual vet and I’m glad we went back to her usual vet for a second opinion.
2. Trust your gut instincts and if you feel like something is not right, you should see the vet immediately.
They examined her thoroughly (the vet even stuck her finger up Coffee’s butt to feel for any abnormalities), gave her injections and more medicine. Surprisingly, the total bill was only about $159 despite having more medicine. She eventually recovered and we thought that was the last of it.
The second and worst
In hindsight, we should have learnt from that experience and tried to be more prepared. We only learnt our lesson when disaster struck on a public holiday – 19 April 2019. Most vet clinics we knew of were closed, so we had to go to one of the few that were open and it was really far away. As usual, they gave her some injections as well as metronidazole and other anti-diarrhoea medicine. The vet had also suggested that we can hospitalise her so that they can keep an eye on her condition. Thinking that it was similar to the previous episode, I assumed she would recover and so I declined and brought her home. It was another bad decision because when she got home, the frequency of vomiting increased and there was even more blood.
It looked like a murder scene. Her diarrhoea was so bad she could not control herself and did it in the house multiple times.
I was so heartbroken seeing her in so much pain that I knew I had to bring her back despite the cost. She was later hospitalized that night, put on the IV drip to ensure she was hydrated. By the time I got home, it was almost 1am and I hardly slept that night because I was so worried. It was a relief to find out the next day that she was recovering and was ready to be discharged.
Coffee was feeling much better but very drowsy.
Her blood test results showed nothing out of the ordinary and they ruled out pancreatitis as well so they suspected it was food sensitivity or gastroenteritis. The total bill burned a big hole in my wallet as it eventually came up to around $1500 and this leads me to point 3:
3. Always have an emergency fund for your pets. You’ll never know when you will need it and emergency vet bills can really add up. You may also consider pet insurance.
The third and fourth time
To cut the story short, it happened again 2 more times in Oct and Nov 2019. It always started with the same symptoms and progressed to something serious and we had to rush to yet another clinic recommended by her usual vet for emergencies. We did a lot of blood tests, x-ray and even tested her stool samples, which is important for pets having diarrhoea.
4. Whenever possible, save a fresh stool sample (best to be within 1 hour) so the clinic can test for certain bacteria/parasites.
A learning experience
Unfortunately, all the tests came back negative and we never really knew the cause of all this. It is frustrating because it feels like we are up against an invisible enemy. However, at least I can take comfort in the fact that I am a little more prepared the next time it strikes. This whole episode was traumatic for my family and Coffee but we have emerged much stronger through this. Do comment and share your experiences too so that it may one day help anyone going through the same thing (although I pray you never have to!).
Katsu has always been the lively kid in the neighborhood. He enjoys zoomies every night and after showers. Not forgetting the daily routine of jumping on hoomans at home and playing fetch every other hour to burn off his excess energy. However, reality struck us one month after his first birthday.
A month before his first birthday, we brought him to our usual vet to check on his food allergy issues, and our usual vet, Dr Jan, suspected that he has Grade 2 Patellar Luxation on both his hind legs. She mentioned to introduce him supplements to strengthen his joints and bring him to swimming regularly, which we began incorporating into his diet routine. We introduced him to swimming at Wag n Wild and also fed him Rose Hip Vital daily. Fast forward to a month after his birthday, he was bitten by a dog on his testicles so we went to the vet again. (Poor boy) This time, Dr Jan diagnosed him with Grade 2-3 on his left hind leg and mentioned his right hind leg has improved to a Grade 1.
However, despite efforts in bringing him to swimming regularly and discouraging him from jumping at home, our efforts were to no avail. He starting kicking his leg as if his ears were itchy, but his legs were not reaching his ears. Instead it was kicking in a circular motion as if he was trying to manually ‘shift’ back his dislocated joint and he constantly does that when he is walking or hopping on one leg.
We were so terrified and decided to visit Rehab Vet for a consultation. Reason why we chose Rehab vet is because of Hana’s (@hanathecloud) recommendation. She, too, suffers from patellar luxation and hip dysplasia hence is able to relate to our concerns.
How the visit went
We were greeted by really friendly staffs and vets! Judging from how gentle they were with Katsu and how he reacted towards them, I’m really grateful that we gave this place a visit as he is usually wary to strangers. We were assisted by Dr Janny and I dare say she is one of the most gentle vet I have ever encountered with.
First Assessment – We were told to leash him and they will record some videos and assess on how his hind legs look when he is walking slowly and running. For Katsu’s case, the Dr Janny mentioned that his legs were spread open with an abnormal distance between and he was tip-toeing instead of putting his whole feet on the ground.
Second Assessment – He was then placed on a stance analyzer to measure how much weight is being beared on each of his paws and legs. As a general guide, a dog with healthy limbs and joints should have 30% weight beared on their front legs and 20% weight on their hind legs.
Here are Katsu’s results as shown:
Incase you are thinking – I thought his left leg has Grade 3 and right leg has Grade 1? Why is the right leg not bearing weight despite it being stronger?
Answer: As his left leg has no strength, he is overcompensating by using his right leg more. This resulted in his right leg not being to withstand this extra amount of weight, which led to muscle loss eventually. If this continues, his right leg will be the first to lose all mobility and it will happen next to the left.
Third Assessment – He was told to lie down on the side and Dr Janny tried to measure the length and girth of his hind legs, as well as the flexibility. It was mentioned that Katsu’s legs were not able to bend as much as a normal puppy’s. The minimum degree is at least 160, and he is only able to bend it to 150. When she tried to straighten his hind legs, she could feel his muscle getting really tense and he is able to stretch his leg straight fully which should not be the case. After consolidating the results for all the assessments, Dr Janny laid out 2 options for us – Which is either going for a surgery for his hind legs, or either rehabilitation. We were against the idea of Katsu going under the knife as he is very young, and Dr Janny mentioned that a surgery only has 30-40% success rate. At that moment, our decision was final.
Final Results – Dr Jan was right. Dr Janny diagnosed Katsu with a Grade 3 Patellar Luxation on his left hind leg and Grade 1 on the right. We were told to touch his thigh and the muscle beside the patellar, and we could feel that the patellar’s muscle was exceptionally thin. What the patellar’s muscle does is that it helps to lock the joints together. If it is not well developed, the joints will shift as the muscle is not thick enough to ‘lock’ the joints in place as it should be. We were advised to engage in rehabilitation with activities such as Hydrotherapy, as well as land exercises to make sure he doesn’t lose his stamina. (Do take note that the activities or therapy will vary based on the age of your dog or severity of the issue!)
The five different stages of rehabilitation Source: RehabVet
We will have to continue rehab before he turns 1.5 years old, as it is the time where their bones and muscles will fully develop. With that being said, we have since engaged in their services and will start the first session soon! We will do a follow up on this blog post again after his first 10 sessions.
Causes
Genetics – Dr Janny mentioned that his Patellar Luxation is passed down from his parents. We still remember asking the pet shop about the health of his parents before purchasing him, and they told us verbally they were healthy without showing any proof. This just shows how unethical they are.
Running/Jumping – When he was 3 to 8 months old, we would constantly play fetch at home with him. He would also get uncontrollably excited whenever someone comes home, which resulted in him jumping alot. As our floor is slippery, it might have worsen his patellar issues.
Symptoms
Weird sitting postures – Katsu sat like any other normal dogs when we first bought him. He only started sitting in a weird position whereby his hind legs were facing the side when he was 7 months old.
5 months old
8 months old
Kicking of hind legs – As mentioned previously, he is constantly kicking his hind legs towards the front as if he was trying to kick his joint back into place. Which looks somewhat like this but his legs were not reaching for his ears:
Running – He bunny hops when he runs. If he sprints, both of his legs will barely touch the ground and dangle in midair, meaning that he uses both his front legs to support most of the weight when he is trying to pick up speed.
And… tada! We hope this article has provided you with some insights such as symptoms, causes and what to expect when you visit a rehabilitation centre! With that being said, please don’t shy away from any possible symptoms that your dog is showing, especially if they start limping. Visit a bone specialist and get their limbs checked, at least you will have a peace of mind. It is no doubt that rehabilitation and vet fees will cost a bomb. With me and my sister both being students, it is getting extremely tough on our finances. Nevertheless, we only want the best for Katsu, and we know you feel the same about your puppers too! 😀 Please feel free to DM us on Instagram if you guys have any doubts! Patellar Luxation is very common in dogs and it is NOT a problem to be treated lightly with.
In early July 2020, our family was met with some unexpected news. Our dog Hana was not only diagnosed with patellar luxation in her hind legs, but also hip dysplasia, at the tender age of 9 months. It was a double whammy for us. Between January to June, we had already made multiple trips to the vet to treat a variety of ongoing issues. But what made the situation even worse was the fact that Hana had already been displaying early symptoms of both conditions—right under our noses.
X-rays displaying Hip dysplasia(left) and Patellar luxation(right) respectively.
She had been quietly enduring the pain in her hips and joints, while we unknowingly brushed it off as a simple sprain that will naturally disappear and heal in no time. During the car ride home from the vet that day, many thoughts and unanswered questions went racing through my head. How did things come to this? Are we at fault for causing her to suffer so greatly? Will invasive surgery be a better or worse option?
Photo of Hana taken the day before her diagnosis. We went for a walk at Bukit Batok Nature Park.
The next few days went by in a blur. Each time I woke up in the morning, the only thought nagging inside my mind was Hana’s diagnosis. I read up many articles regarding HD and PL, sought for advice from people on Instagram, and also joined a specialized chat group hoping to gain more knowledge from other experienced owners. Fast-forward to present day, I’ve decided to compile my first-hand experience+what I’ve learnt, into this blog post, in the hopes of sharing what preventive measures you can start taking, as well as how to care for your dog—the natural way, if he or she has any hip or joint issues.
Now that I’ve shared with you some background information, I’ll be splitting the rest of this article into 2 main sections: Pre-diagnosis and Post-diagnosis.
The Pre-diagnosis aims to share what are some red flags to keep an eye out for to prevent yourself from getting a dog who is likely to suffer hip or joint conditions AND if you suspect that your dog is suffering from these conditions. This section is especially important for potential first-time owners who are planning to welcome a new puppy into their household/already own a puppy.
The Post-diagnosis aims to share our experience at RehabVet, some lifestyle changes we have made for Hana to address her needs, as well as several natural remedies that can prevent/ maintain hip and joint conditions in dogs.
Pre-diagnosis
Where you get your puppy from matters. I cannot stress this further enough. Did you know that majority of the adorable puppies sold in local pet shops are sourced from unethical puppy mills and unregistered breeders—whose sole purpose is to produce puppies for profit? Temperament, health and breed standards are rarely taken into consideration. One of the main woes of owners today is the fact that many puppies are very sickly and can suffer from several health issues, even before the age of 1.
If you are reading this post as a potential new owner, I highly recommend and suggest getting your puppy from a trusted and registered breeder overseas. These breeders show love and care to their dogs as they sincerely want to ensure that the dogs are being bred to be best in temperament, health and standard. Sure, the price you pay+amount of paperwork done for an imported breed will definitely be much higher than a local one, but then again, Affordable and Cheap ≠ Healthy dog. More than oftentimes, you’ll end up paying the price of unethical breeding through mountains of medical bills—just like we did.
This article: tinyurl.com/ImportJS written by @i.am.fuji_haku (IG) gives a very detailed and in-depth insight on importing a puppy into Singapore. A must read for anyone who plans to get a puppy, be it imported or local.
Red flag #1: We purchased Hana from a disreputable pet shop. Lets call it TC. When we asked them to show us images of her parents, the staff declined our request. They were also unable to produce health certificates to justify that her parents were hip-scored and tested to be free from hip dysplasia. This goes to show the poor level of transparency most pet shops have here.
Red flag #2: Hana’s health certificate as provided by TC after a vet check-up, did not display her knee grade for both knees e.g. Grade 1,2,3 etc. Strangely, it was left blank but we proceeded with making the purchase thinking that was just a harmless mistake.
Red Flag #3: When we met Hana for the first time, the staff did not allow her to walk on the floor. We were only allowed to carry her on our laps. Why not walk on the floor? They said that the puppies will then be easily susceptible to bacteria and germs. Looking back now, I believe that they did so in order to prevent unsuspecting owners from noticing any hobbling/limping in any puppies’ legs.
Never turn a blind eye on possible symptoms. We learnt it the hard way when Hana started limping and “bunny-hopping” in her left hind leg at the start of May. When that ceased to subside over a few days, we decided to call up the vet and book an appointment. However, since this was during the circuit breaker period and priority for vet visits was given to severe cases, the vet told us to send in videos first, and assess whether the limping was severe enough to require a physical diagnosis. Based on the videos sent, the vet told us not to worry as it was just a minor sprain that will eventually heal on its own. Our initial worries faded away…but even that was just temporary.
Red flag #4: Hana started limping occasionally in her left hind leg during her daily walks and at home. She also developed the habit of shifting both hind legs to the left side when sitting down.
Limping is visibly seen in her left hind leg when walking. This was taken after her first session of rehabilitation + consultation.
This particular sitting style may seem endearing to some, but in fact signals that there is pain in one hind leg(in this case, the left side). This caused Hana to shift all her weight onto her other right hind leg instead.
Red flag #5: At the end of June, we brought Hana for her first full grooming session at a groomers’ place near our home. The entire duration of the session? 5 hours. The groomer told us that Hana constantly kicked her legs up, and refused to stand for long periods of time. Instead, she chose to lie down on the groomer’s table and so the grooming process took way longer than it should. We suspect that she had low pain tolerance in her joints and thus was unable to stand up for long periods of time during the grooming session.
Red flag #6: Since young, Hana has a bad habit of tugging at the leash in an attempt to walk/run ahead of us during walks. This often results in her pulling against the leash and leaning sideways when we make her walk beside us, thus straining her hind legs immensely.
After seeking advice, we were told that harnesses encourage dogs to pull more frequently, and so we switched to using both collars and harnesses. If you are concerned over collar tension, you can use a martingale collar instead. They are known to be effective training collars that can reduce pulling and tugging, whilst remaining loosely fitted unless pulled.
Example of a martingale collar, sold by local brand The Sleek Hound.
Post-diagnosis
Over the next few days, I sought for help and advice from fellow owners via Instagram. These owners also had dogs diagnosed with either hip dysplasia or patellar luxation. I had a relatively long and informative conversation with one of them. Coincidentally, her dog also came from the same pet shop as Hana did, and was suffering from severe hip dysplasia. Eventually, she sent her dog for a surgical procedure as its hips were already dislocated. Another owner whose dog suffered from grade 3 patellar luxation in both hind legs also sought for surgery. On the contrary, we currently send Hana for weekly rehabilitation at RehabVet to maintain both hip and joint conditions from further deterioration.
With many owners opting for surgical procedures, you may be wondering—why didn’t we choose surgery as well? At first glance, surgery seems like a viable solution. For patellar luxation, surgical correction is often recommended for dogs with grades 2, 3 and 4. It aims to keep the patellar in place at all times. In severe cases of canine hip dysplasia, surgery is also recommended as the best possible treatment. Surgery costs for both joint and hip procedures differs according to the type of surgical procedure you think is best for your dog.
Shortly after speaking to our Mt Pleasant vet regarding surgery options, we sought for a second opinion at RehabVet (https://rehabvet.com/), which specialises in rehabilitation, physiotherapy and hydrotherapy. Our consultation session lasted one full hour and cost us SGD$180. During the session, a series of tests were conducted to deduce the severity of Hana’s hip and joint conditions. The rehabilitation therapist Janny Chen concluded that Hana had overworked her tricep muscles, shifted majority of her weight onto 3 limbs and had more muscular front legs as compared to other growing puppies. It was also evident that Hana was in a lot of pain, as she screamed and whined loudly throughout the session.
Towards the end, our therapist laid out 2 different options: we could either send Hana in for surgery to treat both hips and joints (that makes 2 surgical procedures), or seek rehabilitation treatment to naturally manage and maintain the pain. The reasons why we decided on rehabilitation treatment are listed below:
My family and I felt uncomfortable over the thought of Hana undergoing an invasive surgery, let alone two different procedures.
Post-surgery complications may arise and can lead to even more detrimental effects on Hana.
Even after a successful surgery, rehabilitation is still required for her to regain strength and balance in her affected hips and joints.
The people at RehabVet were very understanding towards our concerns and told us that many of their patients (especially puppies) opted for rehabilitation instead, and are thriving well with a change in lifestyle.
We were told that puppies diagnosed with hip/joint conditions are better able to “bounce back” to their regular selves by simply undergoing rehabilitation.
We wanted Hana to live a more comfortable life, in the most natural, non-invasive way possible. Prior to this, she was constantly on medications and antibiotics to treat a multitude of issues that cropped up over the first few months of her life.
After confirming our decision for Hana to start rehabilitation, we then signed up for a package of 10 sessions (rehabilitation+physiotherapy), costing SGD$1300 (for small breed). Package prices differs depending on the breed’s size. If keen, you may wish to visit https://rehabvet.com/ for more information on their various services.
It is also important to note that every dog’s rehabilitation/physiotherapy journey differs on a case-by-case basis. While some dogs are able to start hydrotherapy (swimming) almost immediately, the team at RehabVet advised us to start slow and work on strengthening her weak joints before starting hydrotherapy. Thus, our first few sessions were mainly focused on building up muscle strength in her joints+alleviating pain in the hips and back.
Pyramid chart from RehabVet’s website explains how they carry out their services for each individual pet.
Our rehab sessions took place once per week on Wednesday afternoons. From Week 1-5, Hana underwent laser therapy and stretching exercises (rehabilitation) to soothe her sore muscles and ease the pain felt in her joints, hips and back.
Happy Hana in the midst of her weekly laser therapy.
From Week 6-9, Hana underwent both laser therapy and physiotherapy in the form of hydrotherapy (swimming). The hydrotherapy sessions were conducted in a mildly heated pool, under the supervision of a hydrotherapist. Owners are welcome to step into the pool as well.
Hana’s first hydrotherapy session on Week 6! She was trembling slightly at first but managed to swim across from one end of the pool to the other under the watchful eye of her hydrotherapist.
Since starting on her rehab journey 10 weeks ago, it is evident that improvements have been made in Hana’s hip and joints! The limping/bunny-hopping has slowly but gradually ceased in her left hind leg, and her back+tricep muscles are less sore than before.
As I’m writing this article, Hana has yet to attend her 10th and final session of the package, but will be visiting again next week. From what I know, the last session will still see her undergoing rehab and hydrotherapy. Additionally, the same series of tests conducted during the first consultation will be done again, to record and compare any significant areas of improvement being made after time spent on rehabilitation. After that, it is up to the owners to decide on whether to continue on a next package of 10 sessions or take a break from rehab etc. (For us, we will likely continue with another set of 10 sessions.)
After sharing my experience with RehabVet, I’ll now be moving on to several changes we’ve implemented into Hana’s daily lifestyle:
#1Stretch, stretch, stretch!: Shortly after starting rehab, we were advised to carry out stretching exercises for Hana’s joints, twice a day on a daily basis. This was done so right after she woke up in the morning and before she goes to sleep at night. Heat packs also had to be placed on the joints area.
#2:No climbing of stairs: As per professionals’ advice, we have stopped letting Hana climb up or down staircases, and carry her instead. Other forms of movement deemed strenuous on the hind legs such as jumping has also been kept to a minimum.
#3 Transition to raw: Somewhat of a controversial topic amongst owners and experts alike, raw diets for pets are nonetheless gaining much traction and popularity within the pet community. The moment I stumbled upon this “new” feeding method last year, it made complete sense to me that raw feeding was the most natural, nutritional and wholesome feeding method for both dogs and cats. My family on the other hand, were initially skeptical over this diet. After much persuasion, Hana is now on a DIY raw+home-cooked food diet. Because I’m feeding her on a DIY raw diet, nutritional imbalances are more likely to occur. Thus, I recently sought for help and advice from an expert @twomanylegs (IG) to create a balanced meal recipe that will be especially beneficial for Hana’s hip and joints. She took both issues into consideration and so made a recipe that has higher levels of manganese, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. If you are unable to consult an expert or prefer to craft your own recipe, you can head over to https://rawfedandnerdy.com/, or join raw feeding communities on social media platforms to gain advice and knowledge on raw feeding.
#4 We bought a pram: Nope, not the one for babies—but the one made just for pets. We bought our pram (used condition but relatively new) off Carousell for a reasonable price of SGD$50, and often bring it out during “excursions” to outdoor locations such as cafes, parks and neighbourhoods. Before getting a dog, whenever my family and I saw a dog in a stroller, we’d ogle at it and wonder why its owners didn’t allow it to walk on the floor instead. How the tables have turned! Nowadays we often see children and adults pointing at Hana in her pram, openly asking why there was a dog in the pram. Sometimes, I even felt like just pasting a piece of cardboard in front of the pram explaining the reason (lols!) All in all, the pram was a great transportation mode for Hana. Gone are the days when we had to carry her halfway through walks till our arms went slightly sore. You can try your luck by finding a pet pram on Carousell like we did, or get one off Shopee which also sells affordable prams.
#5 Supplements: Before the diagnosis, Hana was taking Augustine Approved powder on a daily basis. Now, we’ve also added in Canine Rose-hip Vital powder as well as Connectin Hip & Joint powder in a bid to improve her overall conditions. Rose-hip powder is one of the most popular and well known kinds of supplements that owners feed their dogs for better joint health. You can read more about the benefits of rosehip powder via https://rosehipvitalcanine.com.sg/. Besides powdered supplements, we also provide her with tablets—mainly M&C Kalsium and Antinol. If your pet is fussy with powdered/tablet supplements, or you prefer liquid ones, feel free to visit https://perromart.com.sgcollections/nhv for a variety of liquid-based supplements that supports joint health. For other powdered supplements, I’ve also heard great reviews about Happy Again joint supplement. You can find it here: https://shop.vanillapup.com/products/happy-again-collagen-joint-supplement.
#6 Yummy bone broth: Bone broth is a delicious, prized stock liquid made using any type of bones and simmered over a period of 24 hours. It is also common to throw in additional vegetables/herbs/fungi for a boost of flavour and nourishment. The many benefits of bone broth includes protecting the joints and improving gut health. Strangely, Hana seems to dislike bone broth (she is a very picky eater). I made several batches using chicken feet, pork bones, celery, carrots, turmeric and ACV, on different occassions using a pressure cooker, but Hana never finished her meals when I added the broth in. Over here https://thepetlifestyleguru.com/benefits-of-bone-broth/ includes some useful recipes for you to get started on making bone broth for your pet. If you value convenience, there are also ready-made options available on the market. One local brand I highly recommend is The Awoo’s Kitchen (@the_awookitchen on IG), as their rich, jelly-like golden broths are popular choices among the owners and pets alike! If their slots aren’t fully booked for the month yet, you can make a purchase on their website https://theawookitchen.com/.
#7 Correcting the “Ah Pek” sitting style: As mentioned earlier, one red flag that Hana displayed pre-diagnosis was shifting all her body weight onto one side of her hind legs. This is not a recommended sitting position as it can add further strain onto the “good” hind leg that the dog is leaning on. She still does it sometimes, but less frequently than before. When we see her sitting “Ah Pek” style, we’ll encourage her to get up on all fours and sit down normally instead. We’ll also coax her to stand back up before carrying her to the bed, which provides a softer cushioning on her joints.
And…That’s all folks!
You’ve finally come to the end of my long article (laughs). I’ve had lots of fun writing this as it gave me the chance to reflect back on Hana’s rehabilitation journey from start till now, albeit the fact that we still have a long way to go. So far, we’ve met so many helpful and experienced owners who’ve stepped forward to share their own personal experiences on having a dog with hip/joint conditions, or simply to share useful nuggets of advice with me. Some things that I’ve written here would not have been possible without the help of these people! So thank you very much:)
The reason why I decided to compile my experience here on Pawjourr is because many other owners have approached me on social media seeking for words of advice, or simply to share Hana’s journey so far. Thus, I jumped upon the chance to pour out all that I had wanted to say to other fellow owners on social media, but couldn’t due to limited word count+limited time to process my thoughts properly.
I hope that you found this article useful! You can follow us @hanathecloud on Instagram to see more regular updates of Hana, or to ask any further questions:D
Congestive Heart Failure can occur if your cat’s heart isn’t pumping enough blood to other parts of their body, causing fluid to back up in the lungs. In later stages, your cat will show obvious difficulty with breathing due to this excess fluid.
Some cats with heart disease can develop a painful, paralyzing condition called saddle thrombus if a blood clot develops in the heart and moves out of the aorta. The clot blocks blood flow to a cat’s hind legs, making them cold to the touch or even bluish under the fur.
Most cats with congestive heart failure have a life expectancy of a few weeks to 18 months, tops.
THE HEARTBREAKING NEWS
On the afternoon of 28th September 2018, I felt a crazy pang of weirdness looking at the awkward way Zeus was breathing. His shortness of breath was so apparent and you could almost see that he was using his stomach to breathe hard because it was inflating and deflating so rapidly.
Others thought he was just hot or tired, but I knew something was up. There was a look of desperation in his eyes.
It was lunch time and many vets were closed. I remember vividly how I was panic-calling every vet around the area. And I had to wait for another 45mins before lunch was over. While waiting, I posted a video of Zeus and I was eternally grateful for the many prayers received. Many cited that he could be just be having an asthma attack.
Mind you, I wish. I wish it was only asthma. I wish that was all it was.
Zeus was immediately transferred from the vet to the hospital. In the midst of the transfer, right out of the oxygen chamber, Zeus started vomiting watery blood.
They suspected Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) right then. Zeus’ heart was not pumping hard enough, which led to fluids rising up in his lungs and blocking it from functioning regularly.
The vet called us many times to update on Zeus’ situation and deemed it extremely critical. And just like that, they gave Zeus 2 weeks to live.
First image: X-Ray of a healthier ZeusSecond image: X-Ray of Zeus’ lungs being clogged with fluids
The first X-ray shows a healthier Zeus after being hospitalised for 2 days, his lungs are darkened and black in the photo meaning it was all good.
The second X-ray is of his lungs filled with fluids. The supposedly darkened/black lungs are filled with white, cotton wools in the photo – indicating fluids in the lungs which caused his breathing difficulties.
There are many causes for congestive heart failure in cats. Most commonly it results from a condition that causes the walls of the heart to thicken – which is exactly what Zeusy had after the results of the heart scan was out (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), but it can also be brought on by thyroid disease, high blood pressure, or birth defects, among other possibilities. The doctor believed that Zeus’ case might’ve been a birth defect, yes, because being only 2 years old, Zeus was just too young.
A cat with congestive heart failure may have trouble breathing, may be weak or tired, might refuse to eat, get paralysed on their hind legs and could die suddenly. Depending on the underlying problem, treatment may help reverse congestive heart failure, and there are medications to reduce symptoms. However, a cure is inevitable.
The doctor shared that Zeus being in an oxygen chamber would help him with his breathing and, accompanied with Diuretics (a drug to assist him with peeing off the built-up fluid), it could lower the need of rushing Zeus to the hospital every time there was an emergency.
I remember by that time; funds were getting majorly depleted.
My husband and I agreed to get a Credit Card just for the sole purpose of Zeus’ medical bills. We had to, we must.
We went on renting an oxygen tank from a nearby Nursing Home facility and creating a makeshift oxygen chamber for Zeus at home, in an aircon room coupled with snuggly blankets and his favourite toy.
AN ALTERNATIVE
Despite it all, his next attack frightened me. I could not bring myself to believe in the makeshift oxygen chamber.
Through my husband’s extensive researches via Google, we realised that we desperately needed an alternative, a 2nd opinion for Zeus’ illness. With that, we took a leap of faith & called Animal Ark (Tampines). Doctor Oh does animal acupuncture and while we were extremely sceptical of it, we went ahead.
I remembered bursting into uncontrollable tears when I saw Zeus going through his first acupuncture session. I was assured that it was not painful for him but I could not bare to watch my son having to go through all those needles.
Acupuncture is done to improve on Zeus’ blood flow, thus expanding his lungs & the intake of his oxygen. Over time – it lessens his discomfort in breathing.
Acupuncture did not miraculously cure Zeus but right at that instant, his shortness of breath stopped and you could vividly see his whole body stopped thumping and he was not grasping for air anymore.
Zeus was then given powdered medication & it’s equivalent to 8 tablets (we actually ordered organic empty capsules so that we could pop it in his throat easily during medicine time!), and that was only for the Chinese medications, excluding his supplements and Western meds!
Through it all, the expenses were crazy hefty.
Almost 2 years on, we’re just going to settle the last few bills. It has taken a toll on our monthly expenses but we wouldn’t have done it any other way.
Owning a cat, or a pet in general, is cute. The idea is cute. Their antics are cute.
However, after this whole ordeal, I plead for everyone to understand that a sick pet’s bills are not cute.
MEDICAL COST
A year ago, I’d be so embarrassed and hurt to share how much all these costed because it makes me sound like I am complaining. But no, I realised that by sharing our ordeal and the costs involved, I am actually creating awareness for everyone out there who might be in my predicament.
On an average: $1,000 per night spent in the hospital (equipped with being in an oxygen chamber) $3,000 plus for tests/follow-up tests $500-$700 for medications and supplements $198 deposit for an oxygen tank, $99 monthly fees $600 for the first visit to the acupuncture doctor $120 for subsequent visits And finally, $460 for resuscitation
We defeated the initial 2 weeks’ timeline, but lost Zeus 3 months on. In a matter of 3 months of war, we choked up to $13,000 of medical bills just to combat against this heart failure.
FOREVER OUR PRIDE & JOY
We did everything we could together to ensure his greatest quality of life, from the best medicinal alternatives to ensuring the yummiest and easiest medications for him, we charged on – side by side. If it was a war, we would be a family walking hand in hand from an explosion in the background, just like in the movies that we’d have watched together.
We did so much for Zeus. I have said it before and I will say it again – I can hold on to so boldly knowing that we did everything within our powers for Zeus. We have no regrets. There was no “what ifs” left within our sadness. We loved hard. And we fought even harder.
We lost our dear boy on 20th December 2018, picked up our new girl, Rhea, 4 months on and I birthed to a healthy baby boy a year later on Christmas 2019. Many believed that it is Zeus reincarnated, but I shall leave that to each’s opinions and wander 🙂
As a pet owner, in our pet’s moment of darkness, be their light. Have a heart, and please, never ever abandon them.
Of everything that we went through, the hardest was looking directly into Zeus’ eyes and trying my best to assure him that everything was going to be okay.
How could anyone, abandon their pet at such dire moments, I’d never understand.
My 2 cents, some form of financial assurance to care for your pets at a time which they need it the most because it could happen to just about anyone.
Remember, these pets are family. And families stick together.
Image by @selinartdraw
To my boy – You’ve seen the tears I’ve cried and embraced me to be selfless. You’ve touched your dad’s heart and taught him love, patience and acceptance. You’ve been the best companion to your Nenek [grandma] in sickness and in health.
You’re a hero baby. You fought ever so bravely. I thank you Zeusy. I thank you, my angel. You came into our lives, teaching your dad and I to be the best parents to you, and now to Rhea and baby Aryyan. You taught me to love so fiercely. I love you with no questions, no boundaries, no expectations.
You’re forever my pride & joy. You’re forever my son.
x Ernie Zeus’ meowmy @zeusthesiberiancat @rheathesiberiancat
Allergy is defined as an over-reactivity or hypersensitivity of the immune system to a particular substance called an allergen. Allergens are protein that can come from plants, foods or animals.
Allergies are one of the most common issues here in Singapore. Allergies can start to appear when your pet is around six months of age and the majority of dogs affected with allergies are over the age of one or two.
Types of allergy
Flea Bite Allergy
Food Allergy
Environmental Allergy (Atopy)
The most common type of allergies seen in pets is either environmental allergy or food allergy. Common food allergens are chicken, dairy, eggs or beef. Common environmental allergens are pollens from trees/grasses and dust mites.
Signs and symptoms of allergies
Itching of the skin
Constantly biting and licking of the skin
Scabs on the body
Flaking on the skin
Redness on the skin
Treatment options for food allergy would be elimination diet for 8 weeks with no other food, treats, flavoured chews or medications. A home cooked novel protein and carbohydrate diet or hydrolysed protein diet. Novel protein such as rabbit, kangaroo or frog meat can be sourced easily available from any meat supplier. Novel carbohydrate such as sweet potato, white potato and chickpea can be sourced easily from the supermarket. Hydrolysed protein diet can be found in veterinary clinics selling prescription diet.
Treatment options for environmental allergy would be giving medications or allergen specific immunotherapy. Medications such as apoquel, cyclosporine, corticosteroids and cytopoint injections can help to manage allergies. Allergen specific immunotherapy such as serum allergy testing or intradermal skin testing can help you identify what allergens your pet is allergic to. Most veterinary clinics can provide this service where they are able to draw your pet’s blood and send out the serum for lab testing.
*Do note that allergies CANNOT be cured but can only be managed
My Personal Experience
Hiro started showing signs of scabbing and crusting around his groin area when he was about six months of age. His main diet was kibbles and chicken is the main ingredient. We rarely give him treats and do not give him milk either.
Scabs started showing day by day and even though he wasn’t scratching or biting it, it definitely bothered me a lot and it was concerning. I immediately stopped his diet and avoided chicken at all cost and changed to another food brand with the main protein as lamb. To my relief, the scabs started going away and his groin area does not look nasty anymore!
Everything was going smooth sailing till he nearly turns 2 and that was the time when I found out that he has been licking and biting on his paws once in a while. It did not bother me at all as I thought he was only doing it due to boredom and a way to get our attention. Soon, the licking and chewing became so frequent that his paws were filled with saliva staining, fur loss and it was inflamed!
His angry red paws were definitely a red flag and worth the investigation! The vet did a simple skin cytology test and there is a yeast infection going on in all four paws! To manage the yeast infection in his paws, we got some antifungal and anti-itch medication to help him manage his allergies. The medication definitely helped to calm his angry red paws and he stopped biting and licking his paws! When there is no medication, I try to manage his allergies by washing his paws regularly with a medicated shampoo (Vetazole/Malaseb) and putting him on a cone to prevent him from traumatising his paws and applying antibiotic cream.
Conclusion
It is definitely worth a trip to the vet if your pet has been experiencing any of the above signs! Don’t let their skin issues deteriorate over time! If medications are not your preferred choice, regular washing of the paws with a medicated shampoo and putting on the e-collar at least so they do not traumatise their own paws just like silly Hiro!
I hope my personal experience dealing with Hiro’s allergies help to enlighten pet owners! Remember, each dog is different and our experiences may vary. Thankfully Hiro’s allergies are only his paws where yeast overproduces.
Follow us on Instagram:@hiroxcharoadventures to see the goofballs and their crazy daily antics!
