Health

My 11-year-old domestic shorthaired cat was just diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, and we are trying to decide the best way to treat him. Weve been told that he is otherwise healthy, and our veterinarian has told us about the possibility of radioiodine therapy, but were concerned about the effects of the radiation on him and our family.

Many cats show some signs of periodontal gum disease by three years of age. Reports indicate between 50 and 90 percent of all cats over four years of age will have some degree of dental disease.

On average, the grain-free diets were lower in carbohydrates than the diets that contained grain, but there was a wide range in carb content across all of the foods. This means that if your cat needs a diet with fewer carbs, choosing a grain-free diet does not guarantee that the carbohydrate content will be lower than the food you are currently feeding.

The researchers want to compare DNA from ill cats to DNA from healthy cats, so they may learn to better diagnose and treat diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, renal disease, and diabetes.

Signs of ringworm in cats include lesions with hair loss around the face, head, or tail that may or may not itch.

Pumpkin is an excellent source of potassium—a mineral that is important for a variety of physiologic functions.

Pumpkin is an excellent source of potassium-a mineral that is important for a variety of physiologic functions.

Cats do not pant on a regular basis like dogs do. Feline panting can be either normal or due to underlying medical problems.

A study published in the Journal of Internal Veterinary Medicine compared the efficacy of low-dose radioiodine treatment for cats with hyperthyroidism to the standard dose.

Feline lower urinary tract disease, or FLUTD, is a problem that cat owners everywhere dread. Litter box “accidents,” bloody urine, or a cat straining to urinate can all concern families. In some cases, this is an emergency—in others, a painful annoyance for you and your cat. In general, when a cat has urinary problems, it’s important to rule out any medical conditions before considering behavioral problems (to be covered in another issue). A common indication of…

A study published in the January 2017 Journal of Applied Animal Behaviour Science may help you determine if a dog you want to adopt will get along with your cat.

We are saddened to report that our friend and colleague Betty Liddick died June 21 following a brief illness. Betty began her long career in journalism as staff writer for numerous notable newspapers, including the St. Petersburg Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Detroit Free Press and the Orange County Register, before turning full-time to her first love-writing about dogs and cats. A former editor of Dog Fancy (now Dogster) magazine, she devoted the past…