EMERGENCY CARE

As a feline-only practitioner, I look forward to kitten season every year. Nothing brightens my day more than examining a kitten and seeing all of the joy and amusement it brings to the family. I do not, however, look forward to peering inside a kittens ear - especially a kitten thats been aggressively scratching at her ears with a hind paw and shaking her head afterward. This behavior is usually the telltale sign of ear mites.

These days, many cat owners are giving considerable thought to investing in a pet health insurance policy. But is pet health insurance for your cat actually a good idea financially? To help you make that decision, lets examine what a few of the more popular pet health insurance companies have to offer.

Youre worried about your cat Henry. About a week ago, you noticed that a small, hairless, red sore had developed mysteriously on his upper lip, and it isnt going away. Perhaps you have nothing to worry about. Maybe this angry-looking eruption will simply disappear within a few days.

I have a five-year-old female longhaired cat who I adopted from the local humane society a couple of years ago. Recently, she has been having hairballs almost on a daily basis.

Among all threats to feline health, none is more fatal than rabies. The threat also applies to cat owners who are bitten or scratched by an infected animal. Rabies is caused by a bullet-shaped virus called a lyssavirus, and this microorganism affects many warm-blooded animals, most commonly in skunks, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, bobcats and bats. However, notes Dr. Orla Wages, a specialist in internal medicine in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Tufts, the virus can affect all warm-blooded animals, including domestic dogs and cats that have not been vaccinated.

Spring and summer are on the way, and a lot of people are rejoicing. The weather may be extremely enjoyable for many of us - but it can be miserable for cats because warm and humid weather is paradise for fleas. The truth is that few creatures have had as much impact on world history as the common flea. From the black plague during the 14th century to the present, fleas have been the cause of much grief.

There is a variety of bacterial, viral, parasitic and fungal diseases that can affect both cats and humans. These zoonotic diseases can be passed from an affected cat to her owner through touching, biting or scratching.

A common reason clients bring their cat in to my cats-only veterinary hospital is halitosis (this is the medical term for bad breath). Cats are carnivores, and given their meat- and fish-based diets, nobody expects a cats mouth to be minty fresh. But some cats mouths have a smell that goes beyond simple fish-breath.

I am feeding an intact feral cat with whom I have formed a friendship. Recently when I fed him in the morning, I noticed that the skin behind his ears had been ripped open, probably during a fight.

In todays culture, pets are commonly considered to be beloved family members, and the decisions we make regarding their care often reflect our own philosophical views regarding nutrition, emotional well-being and healthcare. With improved nutrition and medical advances, our pets are living longer, healthier lives - and receiving the type of care once thought out of reach for animals.

While these medical advancements certainly give us hope, they also raise a number of decisions we must make on behalf of a beloved pet regarding a thoughtful, compassionate end-of-life plan.

For some 50 years, there have been guidelines in human medicine for what constitutes a level I trauma center and what constitutes a level II trauma center (as well as levels III, IV and V). A level II center may not have the staff expertise or the equipment to perform cardiac surgery or put a patient on a dialysis machine. A level I center would because its top tier.

[From Tufts January 2012 Issue]

Diarrhea is one of the most common health problems seen in cats and can present a diagnostic and treatment challenge because of its wide variety of possible causes. Infectious diseases, toxins, dietary changes and even emotional upset can result in diarrhea, and determining the cause is often a process of elimination.

The most likely causes of diarrhea in a given cat depend on his age and lifestyle, says Michael Stone, DVM, DACVIM, an internal medicine specialist and clinical assistant professor at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Intestinal parasites such as roundworms typically cause diarrhea in kittens. …