Home Health Page 18

Health

Unfortunately, even indoor cats can be bitten by a mosquito, making heartworm prevention your only true defense against infection. The medication is available as a monthly chewable tablet, a monthly topical treatment, or a twice-a-year injection. These medications are only available with a veterinary prescription.

Feline Heartworm Prognosis

Q. I adopted a precious cat, Figaro, from a rescue in July. Two months later, I came home to find him lethargic and having...
Subtle symptoms can make pancreatitis difficult to diagnose.

Pancreatitis Is a Real Threat

Suddenly your cat doesn’t seem quite right. He’s lost his typically robust appetite, he seems lethargic, and worse, he’s vomiting. You also recall that,...
You may need to experiment, but with the right tool, your cat may enjoy grooming.

Monitoring Your Cat’s Skin

You’ve probably seen the slogan “Cat hair, don’t care!” on t-shirts and coffee mugs. And while it sounds cute, sometimes cat hair is, well,...

Pandemic Pounds

Nearly 75% of veterinarians believe the pandemic affected pets when it came to weight, according to Hill’s Pet Nutrition. You might think pet parents...
FIV Positive Cat

Adopting an FIV Positive Cat

Q. Recently, I trapped a feral cat who had appeared at my front door. He tested positive for FIV, so releasing him was no...
Because pemphigus is sometimes seen in littermates, a genetic cause is suspected but has not yet been proven.

Crusty, Itchy Skin Lesions

Autoimmune diseases are frustrating. In an autoimmune illness, the protective immune cells in your cat’s body turn hostile and attack the body. Diagnosing and...
With the epidemic of obesity in cats, researchers are looking at dietary nutrients for solutions.

Choline Supplementation to Help Overweight Cats

A doctoral candidate at the University of Guelph is exploring choline in the diets of overweight cats, according to the Pet Food Industry newsletter....
A milky white discharge warrants prompt veterinary consultation.

Ease the Stress of Upper-Respiratory Infections

Viruses cause most feline upper-respiratory infections (URIs). While many of these infections are mild and resolve without medical intervention, stress can make things worse....
Most of us will do whatever it takes to ensure our kitty takes in adequate water.

Diet and Kidney Disease

Q. My calico foster cat came to me with a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD). She willingly ate wet prescription foods for a...

Conquering Cat Allergies

Purina’s Pro Plan Live Clear diet may reduce the availability and effects of a feline protein called “FEL d1” that causes cat-allergic reactions in...
If your cat is giving you that “I don’t dare leave this box” look when in the litterbox, it may be time to talk with your veterinarian.

Controlling Difficult Diarrhea

Diarrhea is no fun for anyone. Your poor cat is constantly in the litterbox and doing some nasty cleanup grooming. The mess and smell...

Defining the Metabolic and Fecal Microbiome Signatures of Hyperthyroid Cats

John Loftus DVM, PhD, DACVIM, assistant professor, Section of Small Animal Medicine, is studying the effects of hyperthyroidism on the feline metabolism and microbiome,...