Medicine

Studies on kidney disease at Colorado State are focusing on whether stem cells can reduce kidney inflammation in cats. Any cat over 10 is likely to develop kidney disease, and by age 15, Im generally very surprised if it hasnt, says researcher Jessica Quimby, DVM, Ph.D., ACVIM.

Lymphoma is the most common form of cancer in cats and unfortunately one of the most deadly. Although it has no cure, vaccinations against two viruses linked to the cancer can reduce your cats risk of developing the disease.Feline lymphomasarcoma is a malignant cancer of lymphocytes, cells in the immune system that travel the body through the lymphatic system - the network of tissues and organs that influences virtually every aspect of a cats health. Lymphoma can arise in lymph nodes as well as organs, including the spleen, liver, intestinal tract and skin. The disease can sometimes lead to tumors; however, the cancer usually involves the blood-forming organs and lymph tissue.

Symptoms of lymphoma vary, depending upon the part of the body affected. In some cats, the disease is multi-centric, meaning that multiple organs are affected. This type of cancer tends to strike middle-aged and older cats who are usually not infected with FeLV. In cases of more localized lymphomas, the affected sites and their symptoms include:

Some reasons to avoid spaying or neutering pets are based on misinformation, including:

If youre out for a stroll with your cat in your fenced backyard and he suffers a snakebite, his life can quickly be in danger. The safest course: Dont attempt outdated first-aid measures such as application of a tourniquet or incision to remove the venom with suction. It will already have been absorbed, and tourniquets can compromise blood circulation, causing severe injury.

Scientists have known for some time that certain strains of the feline coronavirus can lead to feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a viral disease that is the leading infectious cause of death in cats under 2 years of age. However, the pathogenesis - the way the usually mild coronavirus develops into often-fatal FIP - remains a mystery.

These are only a few of the many components evaluated in a complete blood count:

The drug mirtazapine, used to treat depression in people, has a surprising side effect in pets: It can stimulate appetite and, in some cases, control nausea and vomiting, which are signs of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats.

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning about pets’ exposure to a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drug after reports of deaths and illness in cats. Their owners had applied flurbiprofen cream or lotion to their own neck or feet to treat pain.

If your cat had a life-threatening disease with no effective treatment, would you enter him in a clinical trial that might result in a helpful drug or other therapy - perhaps even a cure? Clinical studies are essential in moving medicine forward and often rely on the participation of animals with naturally occurring diseases to find answers.

Some veterinarians use a newer form of the human hormone erythropoeitin (EPO) called darbepoeitin to treat anemia associated with rental failure. EPO, produced in...

Updated guidelines on pain management from the American Animal Hospital Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners are primarily intended for private practice veterinarians. The guidelines information-packed 18 pages cover the latest research and experts consensus on medications, but cat owners can find practical help, too. Examples: advice for the home environment and a new emphasis on complementary therapy.