CAT HEALTH & MEDICINE

Dear Doctor: My Cat Went Lame After an Injection

My one-year-old female cat received two injections in the rear to treat an insect bite. The first injection contained an anti-inflammatory medication and the second was Benadryl. The veterinarian at the emergency clinic said that the Benadryl would burn, and my small cat screamed when it was injected.

Understanding Feline Asthma

According to data collected by the United States Census Bureau, well over 70 million cats are currently living in American homes. And it is estimated that 700,000 or more of them suffer from asthma, a condition marked by chronic and acute attacks of labored breathing, chest constriction, wheezing, and coughing. …

The Pesky Ear Mite

If your cat or kitten has itchy ears, you may have a new, if uninvited, pet in your home: ear mites (Otodectes cynotis). Ear mites are the most common cause of ear disease in cats, says Lluis Ferrer, DVM, PhD, DECVD, a professor of veterinary dermatology at the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Fortunately, these nearly invisible parasites are pretty to easy to diagnose, and quite easy to eliminate, explains Dr. Ferrer. …

What Appetite Changes Mean

Youd think it would be relatively easy to spot when a cats appetite is flagging - or revving up. If you have one cat, its fairly obvious when your cat is not eating the same amount of food, explains Linda A. Ross, DVM, associate professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Tufts Universitys Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. But the majority of cat owners live with more than one cat. When you live with…

Other Common Causes of Itchy Ears

Not all itchy ears are caused by ear mites. If your veterinarian has ruled out mites - or has cleared a mite infection but the itchiness continues - he or she will look for other common causes: Food allergy. Your vet may prescribe a specific diet, often one with novel proteins such as rabbit or salmon or duck, for six to eight weeks. If it helps, we can manage the condition as a food allergy, says…

Hypertension in Cats

Hypertension (also known as high blood pressure) has become increasingly recognized as an important clinical condition in cats. Affected cats, if untreated, can suffer damage to several important body systems. One of the first things that your doctor does, after taking your temperature and listening to your heart, is take your blood pressure. When you take your cat to the veterinarian, however, blood pressure isnt routinely measured. It seems ironic that blood pressure monitoring has yet.

MRI: An Invaluable Diagnostic Tool

Among all imaging technologies employed to explore the internal structures of a cats body, none is more complex and, in some respects, more effective than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). During the past two decades, this sophisticated technology has become immeasurably valuable to veterinarians as a tool for diagnosing several feline disorders. …

Researchers Have New Insight into Feline Trichomoniasis

Researchers Identify Parasite University of Florida researchers have recently identified a new species of Tritrichomonas in domestic cats - finally distinguishing the parasite that causes the disease in felines from the agent previously believed to affect both cats and cattle. According to researchers, while the disease is just beginning to be understood and tested for in cats, it costs cattle producers millions of dollars each year in lost revenue. Up to now, there has only been one…

New Research on Transfusions for Cats

Every now and then, a cat develops anemia that is so severe that a transfusion is required to save its life. Cats have distinct blood types, so obviously it is important to make sure that a severely anemic cat receives the proper blood type. Blood types in cats are classified similar to those in people. Theres type A, type B and type AB. (There is no type O, however.) Most cats are type A. Purebred cats…

Feline Heart Murmurs

During the course of a routine physical examination, a veterinarian will use a stethoscope to listen carefully to the sound of a cats beating heart. What the veterinarian wants to hear is a gentle, steadily pulsating thump-thump, which would indicate that the animal is in good health, at least as far as her heart is concerned. What the veterinarian does not want to hear is a heart murmur-a rhythmic swishing sound that might be inconsequential.