CAT HEALTH & MEDICINE

Managing Feline Idiopathic Cystitis

The health conditions that involve the lower urinary tract (the bladder and urethra) in cats are commonly referred to as feline urinary tract disease (FLUTD). FLUTD is not a disease in itself, but actually a variety of diseases that affect the lower urinary tract. They usually present similar clinical symptoms, which can complicate the specific diagnosis.

Further confounding the situation are those cats who show clinical signs of FLUTD, yet an underlying structural cause - such as bladder stones or a bladder tumor - has not been identified. This condition is called Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC). Experts feel that. …

Common Skin Conditions in Cats

Despite its obviously useful and typically durable structure, the feline skin is subject to a wide array of disorders, most of which are readily treatable but - if ignored by a cats owner - can sometimes progress to a life-threatening stage. Feline skin diseases are extremely common, says Lluis Ferrer, DVM, a professor of dermatology at Tufts. They are one of the main reasons that cat owners seek veterinary consultation. This is probably a consequence…

Taking Vital Signs at Home: A Double-Edged Sword

It might seem that taking a cats vital signs can help you determine whether hes in a state of emergency. But, says Tufts Cummings School emergency and critical care veterinarian Armelle de Laforcade, DVM, I worry a little about people trying to determine the seriousness of a situation by themselves because it can be tricky. For instance, you may find upon taking a cats temperature that he doesnt have a fever, but a cat can still be quite sick in the absence of an elevated temperature - especially if hes not eating or urinating.

That said, here are a couple of vital numbers:

Temperature (taken with a rectal thermometer made for cats) Normal: 100-102.5 degrees F. …

Looking Outside of Spay/Neuter in cats

Cats are well-recognized for their fertility. Bastet, the Egyptian goddess of fertility, is depicted as a cat in artwork, and the ancient Egyptians worshipped cats as symbols of fertility. When it comes to making babies, the feline is one of the most prolific domestic pets around. Cats are known for their ability to reproduce in their first year of life, and like rabbits, they are capable of multiple pregnancies within a single reproductive season. …

Biliary Cysts in Cats

The most common kind of liver mass that we see in a cat is a lesion called a biliary cyst, or hepatobiliary cystadenoma, and theyre benign, meaning that they dont tend to spread to other places in the body, explains Dr. Berg. Theyre often not very invasive into the liver, so in many cases, they can be removed with a fairly straightforward surgery."

Shedding Light on Feline Vision

[From Tufts March 2012 Issue]

The eyes of cats and dogs are quite similar to our own, but there are notable differences. Feline eyes were designed with the night hunter in mind, one reason that cats have the largest eyes of any meat eater. If our own eyes were proportionally the same, human eyes would be eight inches across.

The difference between cat and dog eyes goes beyond size. The way pets see influences how they interact with each other — and with us.

"Placement of the eyes in the skull affects the animals' ability to see, as it affects their binocular field of view versus monocular field of view," says Christopher Pirie, DVM, veterinary ophthalmologist and Assistant Professor at Cummings School of …

When Worms Make a Home Out of Your Cat’s Lungs

[From Tufts May 2012 Issue]

"It's a little bit creepy," says Catnip Editorial Board member Elizabeth Rozanski, DVM. "Larvae migrate from the intestine into the bloodstream and, from there, to the lungs, where they set up housekeeping. They get bigger, maturing into adult worms, and then lay more eggs, or larvae." In the meantime, the worms can cause asthma-like symptoms — difficulty breathing, coughing, and, if things become severe enough, even emphysema, fluid in the lungs, or pneumonia.

Lungworm disease usually occurs in kittens, particularly kittens "from sketchy backgrounds," says Dr. Rozanski — those who live almost entirely outdoors and eat …

An Infection Takes a Trip Across a Cats Body

[From Tufts June 2012 Issue]

Annabelle, a 5-year-old Ragdoll, had been lethargic with little appetite. She was hiding under the bed - unusual behavior for her. The intact cat also had vaginal discharge. Her owner, Ragdoll breeder Denise Celona of Rutland, Massachusetts, took her to the local veterinarian, thinking the cat had developed a uterine infection called pyometra. An x-ray was inconclusive on that score, but it did show that the heart was enlarged and ovoid, or egg-shaped, which is not normal for cats. At that, Annabelle and her owner were referred to the Foster Hospital for Small Animals at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.

By the time emergency and critical care specialist Sean Majoy, DVM, saw Annabelle, she was having difficulty breathing. Her respiratory rate was up significantly. On examination, her,…

Understanding Heart Disease in Cats

Because nature plays no favorites when it comes to doling out heart disease, cats - just like humans - are at potential risk for serious health problems directly or indirectly associated with this vital organ. In some cases, the signs of it are obvious to the trained eye. In others, a serious feline heart disorder can remain hidden for years before finally expressing itself in a sudden, perhaps fatal, attack. …

Intestinal Intussusception in Cats

A few months ago, a client brought her four-month-old female kitten, Squeegee, to my feline-only veterinary hospital for an exam. The kitten had been doing great, eating well, growing nicely and playing like a maniac - until two days before when she began to vomit. She became lethargic, the vomiting progressed and her appetite abruptly disappeared. …

What is IBD and How Is It Treated in Cats?

Your cats appetite seems to be robust, and she apparently likes the food you put in her bowl each morning and evening. Since you brought her into your home as a kitten six years ago, she has never been outdoors, so shes had no exposure to diseases that might be carried by other cats in the neighborhood. And youve always made sure that she gets her semi-annual veterinary checkups and required vaccinations. …

On the Horizon

Earlier test for kidney disease Recently, IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. revealed that a new kidney function test - called symmetric dimethylarginine (or SDMA) - will now be included in all routine chemistry panels from IDEXX Reference Laboratories in the United States. It will be at no additional cost, and with the same turnaround time as routine chemistry panels. …