CAT HEALTH PROBLEMS

When my dad was growing up in a rural area of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, cats were hardy animals that seldom suffered any illnesses. They usually passed on from old age, being struck by a motor vehicle on the Island Highway or being shot by an annoyed neighbour. However, over the last forty or so years, with the advent of commercial cat food and “selective” breeding, cat diseases are becoming fairly common. The only one that he can recall, from his childhood, is the first one on my list.

1. WORMS.

All breeds of cats are very susceptible to worms. Tapeworms, roundworms, and hookworms are the most common worms found in cats. Often, kittens are born with worms, or get them shortly after birth. Therefore, if your cat has recently had kittens, or if you have recently obtained a kitten, it is suggested that you consult a veterinarian (vet) about worming your kitten(s). If your cat is lethargic, has trouble gaining weight, or has white specks in its stool, have it checked for worms by a vet. Worms can be eliminated by medication, but if left untreated they can prove to be fatal to your cat.

2. HAIRBALLS.

Although not a disease, hair balls cause health problems in many cats, particularly in cats with long hair. Since most cats spend a considerable amount of time each day grooming themselves, usually by licking their fur or licking their paws and then rubbing the damp paw on their fur, they normally swallow hair in the process. As a result, sometimes the long hair forms into a ball and blocks the cat's intestines, instead of passing through the cat with its stool. If your cat shows signs of straining when attempting to have a bowel movement, particularly if it is also coughing and gagging a lot, take it to your vet as it probably has a hairball. With proper treatment most hairballs can be eliminated. Untreated, hairballs can lead to serious health problems and even death.

The easiest way to eliminate the possibility of hairballs is to brush your cat two to three times a week. This will remove most of the loose hair that could end up in your cat's stomach. Apparently, there is now cat food that is supposed to prevent hairballs from forming. Before considering the use of this food, you should consult your vet. Ingredients ingested to prevent the formation of hairballs could prove to be more harmful than helpful.

3, URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS.

Many cats suffer from urinary tract infections. Interestingly, urinary tract infections are more prevalent in male cats that haven't been neutered, although it also occurs in female cats, but with less frequency. Symptoms to watch out for are:

a. The cat stops using the litter box and starts urinating in other places.

b. The cat appears to have problems urinating and when it goes there is blood in the urine.

c. The cat's urine smells very strong.

I'm a dog and as a puppy and a young adult, I suffered from urinary tract infections and also from kidney stones. My vet determined that my problems were caused by my diet. I was put on a more acidic diet and my problems went away. So, be sure to take you cat to the vet if you suspect it has a urinary tract infection. Your vet can provide medication to cure the infection and recommend ways to prevent infections from reoccurring.

4. FELINE LEUKAEMIA

This disease is actually misnamed. It is not the cancerous blood disease that humans get, but instead it is a highly contagious virus based disease. It is usually fatal., but if you get your cat vaccinated against this disease and continue getting all required booster shots, it should not be a concern. Death from the disease is not immediate, but once contracted the disease will greatly shorten your cat's lifespan. Any unvaccinated cat exposed to the Feline Leukaemia virus will catch the disease. So, be sure to discuss this disease with your vet and arrange for a vaccination.

5. FELINE ASTHMA.

Approximately one percent of the world wide cat population will catch this allergy related disease, which is incurable. However, with proper veterinarian treatment, you cat could live a nearly normal life. Symptoms to watch out for are wheezing when breathing, coughing and laboured breathing. Consult your vet immediately if your cat exhibits these symptoms.

6. FELINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY (FSE)

This disease is believed to be caused by eating the meat of a cow with BSE or, as it is more commonly called, “Mad Cow Disease.” Since pet food is primarily made for animals that have died, there is a small chance of your cat getting this disease from its food. However, after the last commercial pet food debacle, there are much more stringent rules in place regarding pet food ingredients used in pet food manufactured in North America. Be very careful of pet foods from other locations as their standards may not be as stringent. FSE does not currently have a treatment available, so a painful death is a certainty unless you have your pet euthanized as soon as it is diagnosed with this disease.

7. FELINE DIABETES

One in 400 cats will be affected by feline diabetes, which usually occurs as a Type 2 insulin dependent version of the disease. Symptoms include sudden weight loss, excessive drinking and urination, lethargy and an appetite that is either non existent or completely ravenous with the cat eating 3 to 4 times its usual volume of food. If detected early enough, treatment could result in complete remission. Those cats that do not go into remission can live a fairly normal life with long lasting insulin shots and a low carbohydrate diet. If your cat exhibits any of the symptoms of this disease, get him or her to a vet as soon as possible.

Take your cat for regular visits to your veterinarian. Get all recommended vaccinations and consider making your cat into an indoor cat and you will have a pet that will live a long and happy life with you.

Until next time,

Teia

Rabbit Care and Tips

See the April 12, 2009 post titled “Unusual Pets - Rabbits” and the July 22, 2009 post titled “Building Housing for Pet Rabbits” for further information on these great pets.

Pets complete a home for both single people and families. Children often desire pets more than adults do, as they think animals are cute and fun to have. Adults, of course, know the work required. Like any pet, rabbits need care. They need to go to the veterinarian, be fed and watered daily and have their home cleaned. When you decide to purchase a rabbit, you need to know exactly what is required.

Before I get into your rabbit’s needs, you will want to know the types of rabbits that are available. The most common types of rabbits sold as pets are cottontail, dwarf and lop eared rabbits. The dwarf rabbit is small and should be kept indoors. Cottontails are not as sensitive to the weather and can be housed outside in moderate climates. Lop eared rabbits have long floppy ears and like cottontails grow to a good size. The type of rabbit you wish to have for a pet will determine the care needed.

Like cats and dogs, rabbits require shots from the veterinarian to keep them in good health. People carry diseases that can harm animals if they do not wash their hands before and after they handle their pet. Rabbits can be susceptible to worms and other dietary parasites so it is important to take your rabbit for its veterinarian visit when needed. Speak with a veterinarian about your rabbit’s care and any questions you may have before you complete your purchase.

Rabbits eat pellets, hay and some vegetables. Most rabbits like to munch on carrots or lettuce as a treat. You want to feed your rabbit every day to ensure it is receiving the proper amount of food. Unlike cats that eat when they are hungry, a rabbit can over eat and become over weight. Some commercial feed for rabbits contain nuts; however, these foods are typically not good for your rabbit as they are too high in fibre. You can feed your rabbit fruit as a treat, but you should not do so daily as the sugar in fruit could cause health problems.

Housing for a rabbit can be in your home or if you wish to keep them outside, a wooden cage will work. Most outside cages are designed to let the waste fall through so your rabbit(s) are not sitting on it or laying on it. The cage should be built large enough to house an adult rabbit with bedding spread out to make a nice little home. They should be given plenty of water and have it changed daily. Having a fenced backyard for your pet rabbit is a great idea. They can roam, under supervision, for a little exercise, which all pets need. Do not leave your rabbit unattended, even in a fenced back yard. In the time it takes you to go to the washroom and return to the back yard, your rabbit can dig a hole under the fence and be gone. Tame rabbits have no defence against dogs, large hawks or eagles. They are also easy pray for coyotes, feral cats, racoons and foxes.

You should clean your rabbit cage at least once a week or more often, depending on how messy or smelly it becomes. Your rabbit needs a clean environment to eliminate the possibilities of disease. An important factor in having a rabbit that lives a long life is its environment.

Rabbits with their fuzzy cottontails or floppy ears are some of the cutest pets you can own. They are a medium maintenance pet. With proper feeding and environmental care, you can have your rabbit for 5 to 10 years. Your children will enjoy showing off their pet rabbit to all their friends and beg you to take her to show and tell. I do not think that this is a good idea. Rabbits do not handle stress well. Being in a room full of children who want to touch and hold her is quite stressful and could cause your pet to become ill.

There are a couple of things you have to watch for that are seldom mentioned in rabbit books or by your vet. When female rabbits go into season (become ready for breeding), they will pull hair from their chest to make a nest. Frequently they swallow some of this hair, which like a cat, will form a hairball in their stomach. If your female rabbit begins to look lethargic, get her to a vet immediately. She could have a hairball, which if untreated, could be fatal.

If you have male rabbits, when they go into season, similar to a male dog, they will begin to spray their cage and any nearby furniture. Therefore, at this time, it is advisable to restrict them to their cage until their season is over. During this time, you will have to wash their cage more frequently as their urine is quite smelly. From experience, mom and dad recommend that you get a female rabbit if you decide to get a rabbit for a pet.

I feel that pets are needed to complete a family. As mentioned in one of the previous posts listed above, rabbits are great pets and can provide you with countless hours of entertainment and affection.

Until next time,

Teia

Dog Illnesses and Symptoms

All dogs should be treated as members of your family. As a family member, you must pay adequate attention to your pet’s health. If appropriate and adequate vaccinations are administered to your dog from the time he is a puppy, most of the common dog illnesses can be easily prevented. Therefore, yearly medical examinations should be undertaken along with regular vaccinations at intervals recommended by your veterinarian. That being said, for various reasons, vaccinations may not have been given, or your dog may come down with an illness that does not have a preventive vaccination.

Sometimes dogs become sick but they may not appear to be ill. Therefore, it is very important to recognize and understand dog illness symptoms.

Some elementary observations are useful to recognize certain common dog illnesses. Dogs need a lot of sleep but their sleep is marked by alertness. If a dog is sluggish then there may be various causes contributing to it, right from anaemia to old age. Whatever the reason for the sluggishness, your dog should be taken to a veterinarian for a thorough check up.

If the dog is limping then you should check for prospective painful areas using a firm and yet gentile hand. If you discover a painful area, then take your dog to the veterinarian to determine what is causing the pain, Thereafter, check for any signs indicating lameness from time to time.

The appetite of most dogs is affected by ill health. Look for any signs of loss of appetite. Before taking the dog to the veterinarian for a thorough check up, make sure that the dog food has not spoiled. Frequently in hot weather, dog food will go rancid fairly quickly.

Another important sign of dog health problems is excessive thirst. Canine parvovirus can cause dehydration in dogs, which will result in prolonged drinking by your dog. Whenever your dog exhibits excessive thirst ensure that you get him to a vet for a check up as soon as possible.

A pronounced weight loss is also an indicator of ill health. Check the eyes for any ulcers, discharges, veins or sores. The mouth of a healthy dog is pink. There should not be any discolouring or cavities in the teeth. Look for signs of discharge from ears. It is advisable to clean the ears from time to time.

The dog's head should be regularly checked for sore patches, hair loss, or deep wounds. Investigate the limbs and trunk for the same signs. If the dog is vomiting, there may be various underlying problems. If the body temperature of your dog is not between the range 38 to 39 Celsius it is an indication of some kind of illness. In all of the previous situations, a trip to the vet is recommended.

Check your female dogs for any kind of foul smelling vaginal discharge, which needs the immediate attention of a vet. The symptoms of pain and discomfort experienced by a dog can give us many clues about the possible underlying illness. If the dog is suffering any abdominal pain, it may be due to canine hepatitis, enteritis or it can be a simple case of constipation.

If your dog’s abdomen swells it could indicate canine bloat. If the same thing happens to a puppy it could indicate roundworms.

Sudden aggression by your dog may indicate that it has contracted rabies. This is particularly true if your dog is slobbering at the same time.

Roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms frequently cause anaemia in dogs. If the lips, tongue or gums of your dog are pale instead of pink, this is a sign of anaemia. Your dog scrubbing his butt on the ground or floor is also a sign of worms, however, this can also be caused by stool stuck to the hair around the anus or to itchiness caused by recent grooming.

Behavioural changes in your dog can be an indicator of worms, arthritis, heart disease or parvovirus. Whenever behavioural changes occur, take your dog to your vet because changes are not a normal occurrence.

Kidney diseases sometimes cause blood in the urine. It could be as simple as kidney stones or as complicated as failing kidneys. If you have ever suffered from kidney stones you will know how extremely painful they are. Kidney problems must be treated by a vet as soon as symptoms are noticed.

Eye infections and entropion cause bloodshot eyes in dogs. These diseases will also, in most situations, be accompanied by tears or squinting.

A ruptured diaphragm, obstructed airway, lungworm, bronchitis, pneumonia, food poisoning, heatstroke or allergies can cause respiratory problems in dogs. If your dog shows signs of laboured breathing, particularly when he is at rest, take him to a vet immediately.

There are various reasons for a sudden change in weight of dogs. To ensure that it is not a serious problem, take your dog for an examination by your veterinarian.

A hernia might be caused due to long term constipation in dogs. Be sure to check your dog’s stool on a regular basis. If it is extremely hard or your dog has difficulty passing it, this is an indication of constipation. If your dog’s stool is runny or very soft, it is a sign that your dog has diarrhea. Any pancreatic disorder, food poisoning or a sudden change in diet can give rise to diarrhea in dogs. Neither constipation or diarrhea is normal for a healthy dog, so a trip to the vet is recommended.

Allergies, parvovirus, hepatitis, lungworm, TB, pneumonia or distemper may be one of the reasons for your dog to cough. Persistent coughing is not normal and needs to be checked out by a vet.

The dog may suffer from hair loss due to mange, red mange demodectic, scabies, cheyletiella mange, or Cushing’s syndrome. All must be treated by a vet.

I hope that the above symptoms will alert you to possible problems in your pet. If you catch problems early, there is a much better chance of a successful outcome. I have found that my veterinarian, who was introduced to me and the other dogs in our house when we were puppies and therefore knows our histories and normal appearance, invaluable in keeping us fit and healthy.

Until next time,

Teia