The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Posted by Heebie (Toronto, On, Canada) on 01/04/2013
Hello. My calico cat is 12 years old. About a year ago I found she had a black crusty substance at the bottom of one of her nail close to the skin. I took her to the vet who said it was an infection and prescribed antibiotics. She was on Clavamox for a few weeks. The antibiotics seems to help, but even after two rounds it never went away completely.
Recently I noticed that it had returned and had now spread to three nails, and two of them are also infected. Behind the black sludge is a thick greenish white pus. I have been washing out the nails with diluted hydrogene peroxide, and using some antibotic cream that is safe for pets. One nail did clear up, but the other two are still infected.
She does not seemed to be bothered by this or in any pain, she is more bothered when I clean it. Any suggestions? I can take her back for more antibiotics, but they didn't seem to work all that well and was hoping for another solution.
I do have another cat as well as a dog, and I have checked all of their nails and nothing has spread to them, so I am assuming this is not a fungal infection.
I'd also like to know more about nail/claw and paw pad infections. My 10 yo Persian is not a scratcher so his claws get long. I either have a groomer or vet clip them. I don't trust myself clipping them because I have to do it alone which means holding him down at the same time I try to clip. He fights having this done. He's basically a well behaved cat and lets me bathe him, but no claw clipping.
Anyway, I noticed he had a claw that was starting to curl. It wasn't yet time for the groomer or vet so I let it go...I know this was wrong and I feel awful. About a week later, I noticed his paw was sticking out at the spot of the long claw, but I couldn't see any swelling or liquid coming from it. It didn't seem to bother him even though this claw would make noise on the floor. He sounded more like a dog walking around. About two days later, his paw looked wet on the front and black on the back and is hard as a rock. He is no longer walking on it. :( It's a holiday wkend, places are closed and I currently have no car. I started soaking his paw in peroxide and water and he didn't flinch. If it's infected, wouldn't he feel the peroxide? He only allows me to soak it for about a min and then he fights to get away. I also ran out of peroxide. I did use salt water once too. Soaking didn't soften it at all. No pus that I saw. His paw smells awful, like poop. So I'm wondering if maybe he didn't step on his poop and got it stuck in his claws. He did this one other time when he was younger. Got poop stuck between two claws and I didn't know what it was because it was so hard. He walked around with this thing hanging onto the end of his paw for a few days until it finally fell off. Then I realized that, yes, it was a piece of petrified poop. Sounds funny, but it was true. So now I'm wondering if the hard, black stuff on the back of his paw is once again poop or infection. Regardless, I'm finding a way to get him to the vet on Tues. He seems fine otherwise, is eating/drinking like normal, no fever either. He is though staying away from me more than usual, I guess because he doesn't want me looking at or doing anything to his paw. I have to pick him up now to brush him where as he used to almost beg for brushing as soon as I got up in the morning...he loves it! He'd rather be brushed and petted than eat. He's always been a picky eater and never a big eater either. It took me awhile to get him to even look at wet food and now, he just licks out the gravy and lets the rest lay. I throw out a LOT of wet food. He loves the Royal Canin for Persians dry food, but even seems to get bored with that sometimes. He doesn't even like chicken. I can put a tiny piece of delicious, cooked white meat under his nose and he turns his head away. Never met a cat who didn't love chicken!! He's the weirdest cat who ever owned me!
I just wish I could do something for his hard paw before we get to the vet in a day or two. :(
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
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How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
Wishing you good luck at the vet. And one thought for claw clipping: if your cat lets you give him a bath, try clipping the claws while he is in the tub! The change of environment and being at your mercy in the tub might change his attitude and allow you to easily clip his claws.
Posted by Lady Erilyn (Calgary, Ab, Canada) on 12/04/2012
My girlfriend has a new kitten that's 3 1/2 months old. She is looking for any ideas for teething remedies - besides him chewing on her fingers and toes. I have 3 cats of my own, but teething was never an issue. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Hi. I found www.dogfoodadvisor.com which is very informative for searching for the best dog foods (and the worst. ) It lists many different brands and rates the ingredients for nutritional value from 1 to 5 stars. I am now transitioning my dog from Pedigree (1 star) to BJ's Holistic brand (4 stars - only $5.00 more in price.)
Does anyone know of a similar website for cat food? Thanks.
Posted by Debbie (St.louis, Missouri, Usa) on 09/19/2012
My 9 week old kitten has had a swollen, draining eye for over a week. Can't afford vet bill until next week. Found this site. Just dabbed equal parts of Apple Cider Vinegar and water on the back of her neck as instructed here. She got a good whiff of it a sneezed about 4 times in a row. Then she tried to run away from the smell, but I had already gotten her. So hoping this will work!! I'll let you know. I need little Lady Isabella to be cured! Thank you everyone for sharing your testimonies on this site.
Posted by Silvia (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) on 06/15/2012
I have a 3 years old male cat that deesn't seem to recover from FCV. He was in the hospital for 1 week and seemed back then that he was doing good, that was 3.5 months ago. We got homeopathics remedies to treat him and the other cat that got it as well but was only sick for 1 week with mild symptoms. The most affected are his hind paws and lately is trying to walk on the 2 front paws only. The simptoms are changing all the time, a few days he is grinding his teeth and the mouth is swollen, some other days is one paw or the other, now acctually both hind paws. This makes me think he is reinfected all the time. Homeopathics don't seem to work, I gave him MMS activated, no more than 1 drop a day, now I introduce the DMSO, we had the nosode as well back 2 months ago, lysine, Lugols 1 drop. What is to be done? Sometimes he won't eat or let us touch him, it has been more than taxing on us.
I think to give DE internally, at such high dosages, to any small animal such as a cat, especially to a sick kitten, may be unsafe for them.
At one site there is a small chart that has amounts suggested by weight and maturity of the cat. It suggests only a 1/2 teaspoon for a kitten up to 6-1/2 pounds (who are already eating solid food).
Even then, I would err on the side of safety and at least start with a much smaller amount. Then watch the kitty for any adverse reactions.
I have successfully used food grade DE (diatomaceous earth) mixed equally with Borax, to get rid of fleas in the environment. (both inside the house and outside the perimeter of the house, NOT for a pet to eat).
I applied it (50/50 mix of Borax and DE), on the carpets/rugs, upholstered furniture, mattresses and bedding, etc, but only one room at a time (kept the pets out of the room being treated), Then after a day, vacuumed it up. Be aware that it may clog your vacuum cleaner and I suggest using a shop vac if you can.
At the same time, I sprinkled it outside around the edge where the ground meets the house, the window sills (inside and out), the ground from the edge of the house to the bushes, etc. You may need to use a dust mask and safety goggles to mix and apply it since it's a dusty combination.
Since then, no more fleas at all! (3 years so far).
Our cats didn't have any fleas, etc when we left our home to move, but got them at the motel we stayed at (that allowed pets), then the Vet at our new location suggested that the local feral cats (who strut by our yard and tease our kitties on their screened-in lanai) probably hang out under the bushes next to the screen and leave fleas too.
You may have to reapply it outside at some point due to rain.
Hi, I have a cat that had an eye infection that went to both eyes I took her to the vet and got medication. Her eyes cleared up, but I noticed she started to lose weight- do you know what can help her gain weight back? I do know she does have allergies and I haven't changed her cat food, but I have been giving her treats.
I Just would like to know what type of chlorophyll you can give your cat. The pet store by my house only has chlorophyll for dental care. Could I go to my health food store to buy some chlorophyll for my cat? If yes, how much should I give them? Thanks for your help.
Unfortunately no. Stomatitis is very painful and the teeth should be removed as soon as possible. The cat will then have to be on steroids and antibiotics afterwards, and from time to time in the future.
Posted by Helen Jeter (Great Neck, Ny) on 12/20/2011
Leaving in 20 days from Long Island, NY to Fort Lauderdale, FL with FIVE cats in a car. I network and plus a family member that went cross country in her car with 2 cats, said Pet travel solution is great to have for the cats. What can you suggest?
Posted by Ruthie (Spalding, Lincolnshire) on 12/08/2011
I would like to know if I could use apple cider vineger for my cat, she has lost a lot of weight very quickly, has been eating loads. I took her to the vet last week and she had blood test done, the results are that she has an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism). I would like to give her a natural product instead of drugs from the vet.
My cat had a very rare reaction to the medication used to treat this condition, so she is unable to take it and has remained untreated for almost 3 years now. I have to tell you that not treating the cat with the medicine is very risky and her health will decline. I can't give her the medicine because it will kill her (very rare reaction so rare that they had to do research and get back to me) so this has caused lots of issues with her including liver problems, kidney problems, heart problems and high blood pressure.
My best suggestion is to try the new food they have out called Y/D it's a prescription diet and apparently it works to help the condition. Speak to your vet if you don't want to put her on meds put her on the prescription diet, but this must be her sole diet and no other foods. My chichi won't eat this food so again she is left untreated and I tell you it's just one medical issue after another so please consider the medicine or prescription diet. Good luck with your kitty.
Hi, I'm new. But really need some answers. Our almost 15 yr old cat has just been diagnosed with thyroid issues and liver problem. Her urine was orange-ish, she'd been throwing up, which the vet gave her a shot for. He wants to start her on either a diet or pills for her thyroid.
Does anyone have any suggestions what to do to get her healthy?
We are very careful about her diet since we lost her sister a few yrs back from thyroid issue that led to leukemia, we don't want the same for Mojavi.
We make sure her food does not have bi-products or corn, etc... Should we go back to making raw again, would this help? Please help ASAP!
I have a 4 year old male persian. A month ago he was diagnosed with pre-hep jaundice. He went thru a 5 day anti-biot injection course. Relapsed. Was put on oral anti-biot for 7 days. Relapsed again. And is now on a 3 week course of the same oral anti-biot. Test results at the time of relapse #2 showed that jaundice was due to a parasite, which we are treating.
He's been doing better - a little fussy about food, but has developed a skin rash on the frontside of his neck and two spots on the backside of his neck. Before the jaundice I had noticed a abrasion/lesion which I cleaned with antiseptic and chalked off to a scuffle with a neighbourhood cat. Now that same lesion is purple with small specks of scab and has spread.
I dont want to pump my poor Manoscheher with more anti-biots. I haven't taken a single anti-biot in 25 years and resort to natural remedies myself. I hate having to give him these anti-biots, but I dont understand his ailments and how I can help him with natural remedies that will bring relief to him asap.
Would really appreciate some advice regarding tackling to his internal parasitic infection and the skin rashes. Bless!
Posted by Kay (Columbia City, Indiana) on 10/11/2011
My cat has pleural effusion and pulmonary edema also dyspnea, also cancer. My vet says nothing can be done. They gave him a Lasix injection, and today he gets a tap thorax. The cancer is too advanced for any treatment to help. Is there anything that might help my cat? I don't want to give up hope, but it does not look good.
Posted by Kay (Columbia City, Indiana) on 10/11/2011
I just got back from the vet. He took out about 140 ml of fluid from the cats lungs. It was sorta red, probably high in protein, so not good news. Cougar is breathing pretty good now. I will try the essiac tea tomorrow. If anyone has other things to try please let me know. I don't know how long he will be okay.
Has anyone ever claimed success in treating/curing a cat suspected of suffering from FIP? Please post a reply if you have any idea how to help in the fight against this supposedly 100% fatal feline disease.
Posted by Psychokat_xb (Houston, Tx) on 11/11/2011
Thought I should post to this. I had a kitten with this and later needed to put her down. She was very ill and in great pain. I did have 2 other adult cats at the time whom fell ill similar to sassy (the kitten). I changed their diet to home cooked chicken, beef, pork with rice and bottled water. I also added a vitamin supplement. In addition to the bottled water, I added soymilk and chicken broth so they will get plenty of hydration. They recovered.
Posted by Aida Tan (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) on 09/03/2012
Hi Stealthpaws, please help me on my kitten persian Bella, she diagnosed with wet form of FIP. But when I talk to the Vet, informed that she is dry form of FIP. I am so confused and I am now so emotional and also my daughter cried a lot. We love her so much as we took her from the petshop. She is so cute. We don't want to lose her totally. Can you help me on this?
Posted by Crickett (29palms, California) on 07/08/2011
Just a quick lesson in the difference in a poison and over indulgence. The roach dies when it eats, EATS Boric acid mixed with sugar. It gets a fatal dose of changed digestive PH. Boric acid is not poisonous to roaches, it eats it from the inside due to overinjestion, it is like a human drinking a gallon of hot sauce. A little is great on food, but go to far, make it too hot and you are going to get a stomach ache, drink a gallon and you will end up like the roach. So a note to people using Boric acid on pets, Check the Ph of the solution you are going to use to see if it is compatible with your pets PH, if you do not know what I am talking about or do not have the means to do so, that is a clue that you are not qualified to use this method safely, so don't! Same goes for Vinegar, remember it is an acid too, and there are differing acidic levels in Apple cider vinegar, it is usually listed on the bottles.
My suggestion is use the lowest acidic content apv you can find.
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