Archive for the ‘Diseases’ Category

Although spraying is perfectly normal for cats, it can be something of a nuisance for cat owners. In the next couple of posts I shall explain spraying; what it is, why cats do it, what causes it, how best to clean it up and what you can do to prevent it. Read the rest of this entry »

As cats get older, they become more suseptable to kidney failure – something to which they are already quite prone! Symtoms include a dull coat, weight loss, pain in the back, fever, vomiting and diarrhea; it’s quite obvious when something is wrong! Read the rest of this entry »

A couple of months ago we brought you information on the correct technique to use when cleaning your cat’s ears. However, it was clear by your responses that you weren’t all entirely confident with what to do. Bearing in mind that ear infections are amongst the most common forms of health problems found in cats, it’s especially important that you know what you’re doing in this area; even those of you with the very best cat insurance can’t afford to neglect learning this technique. That’s why today we bring you this video from Cat the Vet – a detailed video guide to cleaning your cat’s ears. We figured it would be better to show you what to do this time, so here you go:

[youtube]www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMVLrgKNP5M[/youtube]

Hopefully now you can see what we mean for yourself, you’ll be able to clean your cat’s ears properly!

Remember to keep checking back for more help and information.

There are two main kinds of arthritis that affects cats; traumatic arthritis and osteoarthritis. The first is arthritis brought on by an injury that weakens the joints or bones, causing inflammation. Although it doesn’t always last very long, traumatic arthritis can be exceptionally painful and may even require surgery if it is brought on by a break, fracture or dislocation. Because it is impossible to predict when an accident it going to happen, or when your cat might get into a fight, it is highly advisable to invest in pet insurance, just in case.

Osteoarthritis normally occurs with old age or repeated injuries to the same area; as the joints get old and stop working as well as they used to, they become inflamed while new bone continues to grow around the joints. Osteoarthritis tends to get worse over time and can be severely painful, especially for overweight cats. Pain relief is absolutely necessary to allow cats with osteoarthritis to live a comfortable life, so please speak to your vet if you have concerns. Although the constant medication can be expensive, some comprehensive pet insurance policies will pay for it.

Despite the abundance of cases of ear mites, lice and fleas taking up residence on our cats; the most common parasite seen in adult cats is actually the tapeworm, which attaches itself to the wall of the intestine by hooks and suckers on its head! 

The body of a tapeworm is made up of quarter-inch long segments, each of which contains eggs.  Over the course of the tapeworm’s life, these segments break off and are passed out of the anus in the faeces for other organisms to pick up.  These organisms are normally lice and fleas which, having picked up the tapeworm segment, are commonly ingested by another animal – continuing the tapeworm’s life in a new intestine.  Hence, if your cat has a tapeworm, the chances are that it has lice or fleas as well!

Tapeworms are easily treated by either a deworming pill or injection.  Signs that your cat has tapeworms include dry segments found in the hair around the anus or in the bedding.  On rare occasions or when they are present in large numbers, tapeworms can cause weight loss and debilitation in cats, though a more reliable sign may be “scooting” – where the cat drags his behind across the ground to soothe anal irritation.  This sign is far more common in dogs that cats, however.   

Luckily tapeworms aren’t that bad for you cat’s health so don’t worry yourself too much about seeking out the signs.

Although ear infection of the outer ear (otitis externa) is very common in cats, the disease can also spread deeper down the ear canal if not treated quickly enough.  Otitis externa is has a range of causes and treatments, but will normally have no more serious an affect than discomfort and trauma to the ear from scratching.

Inflammation of the middle ear (otitis media) however, can actually require surgery to put right – although treatment normally involve antibiotics or antifungals.  Symptoms include shaking or tilting or the head as well as a loss of balance in some cases.  Should the infection reach the inner ear (otitis interna), then your cat is in real trouble as these infections can result in permanent damage or even death!  The signs of otitis interna are un-missable and include vomiting, hearing loss and loss of coordination.  For this reason it is imperative that ear diseases are diagnosed and treated as soon as possible, as many cats are put down when the treatment is too expensive for owners without pet insurance.

There are many causes of ear disease and hence many treatments.  In this post I explain a few of the causes and their appropriate treatments.

Bacteria and Yeast:

There are many different kinds of bacteria and yeast that can cause ear infections and hence the ear has evolved to have excellent defences against them.  However, variations in the ear environment – caused by moisture, for example – can provide a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast, allowing them to multiply and overcome the ear’s natural defences.

Regular ear cleaning helps combat both bacterial and yeast infections, though normally a course of antibiotics or antifungals will be required as well, to prevent the infection spreading deeper in the ear.

Allergies:

Allergies change the ear environment, increasing the chances of bacteria and yeast infections.  However, simply treating the infection is not enough in cases when the problem is cause by allergies in the first place.  Allergy testing is recommended to discern the best treatment.

Normal treatment of allergies in cats involves regular ear cleaning combined with antihistamines and fatty acid supplements.

Parasites:

Ear mites are a very common cause of ear problems in cats that can be detected by debris of a dark, crumbly material in the ear.  If a cat is hypersensitive to mites, the itching caused by the parasite can be so intense that the cat may actually damage their ear by scratching so much! 

Once again, regular ear cleaning is recommended, though this time a mediation will be required to kill the mites.  

As should be obvious from the above information; it is essential to keep your cat’s ears clean!

Ear disease, especially of the outer ear (otitis externa), is one of the most common conditions in pets and is estimated to be responsible for up to 6% of feline hospitalisations. The main reason for this is that ear disease can have a variety of causes, including hereditary conditions, allergies, parasites and microorganisms, objects stuck in the ear, trauma and the environment within the ear itself.

Due to the various causes of ear disease, careful diagnosis is required to ascertain the correct treatment. This will include a through physical examination, as well as inspection of the ear canal and taking swabs of the ear. Depending on the cause of the problem, treatments include antibiotics for bacterial infection, antifungals for yeast infections and glucocorticoids to reduce inflammation. When it is a systemic disease that is causing the ear infection, the treatment will have to involve the entire cat rather than just the ear.

Signs of Ear Disease Include:

• Ear odour
• Scratching of ears
• Discharge from ears
• Redness of ear canal
• Shaking or tilting of head
• Pain around the ears

Pyelonephritis is an inflammation of the kidney, commonly caused by a urinary tract infection that has travelled up to the kidney. It is a serious disease that can lead to kidney failure, sepsis and death, but although acute infections can cause bloody urine, vomiting and fever, the signs can be so subtle that they can easily go unnoticed. There are more obvious signs of the disease, like hunched posture, listlessness and weight loss; but often these do not come about until kidney failure has already occurred.

For this reason, pyelonephritis must be diagnosed early to be successfully treated. Diagnosis normally takes the form of a through physical examination and complete history and description of clinical signs, as well as the following baseline tests: a urinalysis to detect the presence of protein, bacteria or white blood cells in the urine; a complete blood count to detect elevated numbers of white blood cells; biochemical profiling to detected elevations in kidney enzymes.

Treatment normally involves dietary modification, fluid therapy and courses of antibiotics over at least four to six weeks. Surgery is sometimes necessary when pyelonephritis is associated with urinary calculi, though this can be expensive for owners without pet insurance.

Signs of Pyelonephritis Include:

• Painful, bloody and malodorous urinationE
• Excessive drinking but loss of appetite
• Abdominal or back pain
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Lethargy