Disease

Our dog came home from the kennel last week with a bad case of kennel cough. Hes on antibiotics and hes gradually getting better. However, now our two cats are also coughing. Is it possible that they have kennel cough, even though they did not go to the kennel and they are cats? I never heard of cats getting kennel cough. If they have kennel cough, should they be treated with antibiotics, as well?

During the past half-century, no fewer than 10 vaccines have been developed that, according to their manufacturers, can protect your cat against a wide variety of lethal feline diseases. In general, these claims of efficacy have been justified. According to Fred Scott, DVM, PhD, professor emeritus of virology at Cornell Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine and the founding director of the Cornell Feline Health Center, the vaccines have been responsible for "a tremendous improvement in feline health." A prime example is the vaccine created to protect against the feline panleukopenia virus (FPV). "Prior to the late 1960s and early 1970s," says Dr. Scott, "half of all cats that passed through a shelter developed panleukopenia within a few days - and as many as 90 percent of them died from it.

When Dr. Lucas came into the room I was too embarrassed to admit that Id been peeking at Lilys record so instead of asking her, Im asking you, Elizabeth: What does that description mean? In particular Im curious about the mackerel tabby part; Ive always called Lily a tiger cat, which I think is another name for tabby … but mackerel sounds fishy!

There is a growing understanding of osteoarthritis (OA) - also called degenerative joint disease - in cats that has led to investigation of the clinical signs, radiographic findings and also treatments. Cats are very good at compensating for orthopedic diseases, and therefore the clinical signs of arthritis are more difficult to detect and are different than those seen in dogs.

Yearly, thousands of cats are brought to veterinary clinics throughout the U.S. showing the telltale signs of respiratory distress: labored breathing, chest constriction, wheezing and coughing. In the vast majority of cases, the animal will be diagnosed with asthma, a mechanical constriction of the airways, or bronchi, the narrow network of tubes that lead directly from the trachea to the lungs. The narrowing of the airways occurs when a cats immune system overreacts to the presence of an allergy-producing substance, such as cigarette smoke, dusty kitty litter or pollen and responds to the presence of the allergen by releasing stimulants that cause a swelling of the tissue (mucous membrane) lining the bronchi.

Ringworm (dermatophytosis) is a superficial - yet highly contagious - fungal skin infection that affects many animals, as well as humans. In healthy cats, it is generally self-curing, and should resolve over the course of several months. However, treatment will shorten the course and help to prevent it from spreading, including to humans. This is particularly important in a shelter environment where infection can negatively impact adoptions, and is a risk for staff and visitors.

Commonly referred to as ringworm, feline dermatophytosis is a fungal infection that is frequently observed in cats. The condition occurs worldwide, most commonly in warm, humid climates that are hospitable to the peculiar type of fungus that causes it. In the U.S., the disorder is especially problematic year-round in the deep South, says William Miller, VMD, a professor of dermatology at Cornell Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine, and its prevalence can rise markedly in cooler areas of the nation with the arrival of hot and muggy summer weather.

The American Animal Hospital Association has recently released new guidelines for managing diabetes in cats and dogs. The "AAHA Diabetes Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats" (www.aahanet.org/) provides current recommendations for the diagnosis, management and treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM).

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common endocrine disease in cats, and it is becoming a model for DM in humans because cats develop a form of the disease that is similar to the human type-2 diabetes mellitus. Amylin is a normal secretory product of pancreatic beta cells, and it plays an important role in controlling nutrient fluctuations. Amylin has become an established therapy along with insulin in human diabetics because it reduces post-prandial glucagon secretion and slows gastric emptying. This study ("Amylin reduces plasma glucagon concentration in cats," The Veterinary Journal, 2010) was the first to investigate if amylin reduces plasma glucagon levels in cats.

Among the various illnesses that can bring an end to your cats life, none is more lethal than feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), which primarily affects young cats (less than two years of age) and cats that are 10 years of age and older. While the name of the disease suggests an inflammation solely involving the peritoneum - the membrane that lines the feline abdominal cavity and covers the organs that lie within it - the condition can ravage an affected animals entire system.

The warmer weather brings sunshine, fresh breezes, singing birds - and bugs. As a conscientious pet owner, its likely that you wonder if its safe for your cat to eat bugs. The answer depends on what kind of bug youre talking about. According to Steven Hansen, DVM, ASPCA Veterinary Toxicologist and Senior Vice President of Animal Health Services of the national ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, "most calls involve animals eating things they shouldnt, including bugs."

The feline lymphatic system influences every aspect of a cats physical health According to Margaret McEntee, DVM, a professor of oncology at Cornell Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine, owners should be able to recognize the signs that could indicate feline lymphoma, a potentially deadly cancer of the lymphatic system that can affect many areas of a cats body, including its liver, gastrointestinal system spleen and skin. Lymphoma is the most frequently observed of all feline cancers, explains Dr. McEntee - even more common than mammary cancer. At the Cornell University Hospital for Animals (CUHA), she notes, "We see about 40 cats or so each year that have this disease, and the incidence may be even higher than that at other veterinary clinics."