Archive for the ‘Cats’ Category

Easter is around the corner so it’s a good time to take note of a few Easter traditions that could cause harm to pets. Also, let’s look at human traditions that pets would likely enjoy as well!

1. Easter lilies and other lilies can be toxic to cats, causing kidney failure and death.
All parts of the lily can be toxic, and eating just one leaf can
result in severe poisoning. After eating a portion of an Easter lily,
a cat will generally vomit and become depressed within 2 hours.
The vomiting may subside, but the cat will not eat and continue
to become more depressed.

Contact your veterinarian immediately if you know or suspect your
cat has eaten any part of an Easter lily. Your veterinarian will start
treatment that includes causing the cat to vomit by giving an emetic,
administering activated charcoal and a cathartic (stimulates bowel
movements), and giving subcutaenous or intravenous fluids.
A cat must be treated within 18 hours of ingesting the plant,
or the damage to the kidneys will be irreversible.

2. Bunnies are most often NOT good gifts.
As cute as they are, a bunny should not be a “new toy” in
an Easter basket. Given as a surprise, a bunny could easily
get ignored when the excitement of being new is lost.
They are a life-long commitment and the whole family should
be involved in the responsibility a new pet brings.

If you’ve discussed getting a bunny (or duckling, another
traditional Easter animal), and feel your family is ready and
willing to take on the commitment, consider tucking some
pet supplies in your child’s Easter basket in preparation for
a new pet. They will have to figure out that the supplies mean
they will be getting a new pet, and the anticipation of then
getting a new pet will just add to the excitement of the
new family member.

3. Pets like gifts, too! Consider giving your pet an Easter basket!
When I give my dogs a new treat or toy, it’s a real joy
to watch as their tail wags in excitement over their new
treasure! Dogs love treats and toys, and so do cats!
No matter what type of pet you have, I’m willing to bet
they’d appreciate a small token of “love” on Easter morning!

Article by Ellen B.

The single best thing you can do to help prevent periodontal disease in your pet is to provide regular in-home care. Pets who receive regular in-home oral care rarely developed periodontal disease.

Even if you have only minutes each day, you have many options to help you establish an oral-care routine with your pet. This limited investment of your time and money is much less expensive than the cost of treating dental problems that result from neglect. And, assisting in your pet’s dental care is a great way for you to spend one-on-one time with your dog.

Today’s prevention options
We recommend a two-prong approach to your pet’s dental care. First, we suggest you brush your pet’s teeth daily to decrease plaque-forming bacteria. Second, we recommend that you offer your pet a dental treat or toy on a regular basis. Dental treats and toys help scrape off existing plaque, massage gums, and satisfies his urge to chew. In addition, there are plenty of ways to help freshen your pet’s breath, whether he has an occasional bout with bad breath, or his problem is chronic.

Brushing/Mouth Care
Veterinarians recommend pets receive daily tooth-brushing as a necessary, proactive approach to their dental care. Most dogs will grow to enjoy the extra attention, but the key to a successful dental care program is to start slowly and learn the correct way to perform good oral care.

Special tools offer many choices to make the job easier and more convenient for you. Special dog toothbrushes, such as the Petrodex Dual-Ended Toothbrush, ensure you have access to even the hard-to-reach back teeth. Dog-formulated toothpastes aid in removal of plaque and bacteria, while freshening breath. Oral solutions, such as Dental Cleanser Solution, are easy to apply with a soft sponge, and they require no rinsing. When you’re short on time, a simple once-over with a ready-to-use, convenient Dental Clens Pad reduces plaque buildup and freshens breath. For stubborn plaque above the gumline, you can even use a veterinary-quality tooth scaler to scrape off plaque and bacteria-harboring calculus. However, we still recommend professional cleanings by a veterinarian, who can better do the job of cleaning below the gumline.

Treats/Toys/Bones
Chewing comes naturally for dogs, which gives you a unique opportunity to provide that second step in your pet’s dental care. Dental toys and treats can effortlessly assist in his dental care, and your dog does all the work. Plus, he thinks he’s getting a treat every time you give him one, making them a delicious way to scrape away plaque and tartar, and freshen breath, all while satisfying his chewing needs. Dental toys are reusable, and depending upon on their fabrication, provide various benefits. Harder, textured toys, such as the Pro Action Dental Chew, helps fight plaque buildup and massages your dog’s gums. It is made to withstand virtually any impact without cracking and splintering, so every time your dog chews it, he receives the same dental benefits. Flossy Chews Rope Dog Boness are intended to help clean in-between your dog’s teeth, much like floss. A delicious treat biscuit satisfies your pet’s treat cravings while helping scrape plaque and help with bad breath.

Giving your dog a treat after a brushing session will make your pet look forward to your next session.

Breath Fresheners
Sometimes, you simply need a quick solution for the common problem of “doggy breath.” In addition to your pet’s daily brushings, you may find it necessary to use a breath-freshener, as well. Any of our chlorhexidine solutions will help eliminate odor-causing bacteria, the culprit in most cases of bad breath. There are minty water additives available, as well as several treats and bones available that are infused with mint to make them excellent short-term breath fresheners.

Article by Dr. Fosters & Smith

Removing a tick from your cat or dog is easy if you just follow these simple steps.
To remove an attached tick, use a pair of fine-tipped tweezers, or a Tick Twister as described below. These special devices allow one to remove the tick without squeezing the tick body. This is important as you do not want to crush the tick and force harmful bacteria to leave the tick and enter your pet’s bloodstream.

1. Grab the tick by the head or mouth parts right where they enter the skin. Do not grasp the tick by the body.

2. Without jerking, pull firmly and steadily directly outward. Do not twist the tick as you are pulling.

3. Using methods such as applying petroleum jelly, a hot match, or alcohol will NOT cause the tick to ‘back out.’ In fact, these irritants may cause the tick to deposit more disease-carrying saliva in the wound.

4. After removing the tick, place it in a jar of alcohol to kill it. Ticks are NOT killed by flushing them down the toilet.

5. Clean the bite wound with a disinfectant. If you want to, apply a small amount of a triple antibiotic ointment.

6. Wash your hands thoroughly.

Do not use your fingers to remove or dispose of the tick. We do not want you in contact with a potentially disease-carrying tick. Do NOT squash the tick with your fingers. The contents of the tick can transmit disease.

Still don’t feel comfortable removing the tick? Products like Tick Twister are an easy and effective way to remove ticks without touching them.

Article by Dr. Foster Smith.

The Top 10 Things to Avoid Feeding to Your Pet
* Alcohol
* Avocado
* Chocolate (all forms of chocolate)
* Coffee (all forms of coffee)
* Fatty foods
* Yeast
* Moldy or spoiled foods
* Onions, onion powder
* Raisins and grapes
* Salt

Common Household Hazards
* Blue-green algae in ponds
* Citronella candles
* Cocoa mulch
* Compost piles
* Fertilizers

Toxic Plants
There are a large number number of toxic plants. The most common signs of a plant poison are vomiting and diarrhea ( gastrointestinal signs). These can affect other organs, resulting in liver or kidney damage, depending on the plant. The following is a good list to start with.

Holiday Plants
* Amaryllis spp.
* Celastrus spp. “Bittersweet”
* Chrysanthemum spp.
* Colchicum autumnale “Autumn Crocus”
* Euonymus japonicus “Japanese Euonymus”
* Euphorbia milii “Crown of Thorns”
* E. pulcherrima “Poinsettia”
* Helleborus niger “Christmas Rose”
* Ilex spp. “Holly”
* Phoradendron spp. “American Mistletoe”
* Solanum pseudocapsicum “Jerusalem Cherry”

Common House Plants
* Alocasia spp. “Caladiums”
* Azalea spp. “Weeping Fig” “Creeping Fig” “Mistletoe Fig” “Rubber Plant”
* Dieffenbachia spp. “Dumb Cane”
* Hydrangea spp.
* Hedera helix spp. (many indoor ivies)
* Ligustrum spp. “Japonicum’texanum’”
* Narcissus spp. “Paperwhites” and other winter forced bulbs
* Nicotiana spp. “Ornamental Tobacco”
* Philodendron spp.
* Rhododendron Ficus spp. “Weeping Fig” “Creeping Fig” “Mistletoe Fig” “Rubber Plant”

Cold Weather Hazards
Antifreeze: If you think your pet has consumed antifreeze, contact your veterinarian right away.

Liquid potpourris: Exposure to some types of liquid potpourris can result in severe oral, dermal and ocular damage.

Ice melting products can be irritating to skin and mouth.

I am of the firm belief that it is better to prevent than have to treat. But the only way to know how to prevent toxic emergencies is by being aware and educated about exactly what they are.

Article by Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM, a veterinarian and author of Veterinary Secrets Revealed.

I found this great article here by Jean Hofve, DVM…    and thought I would share! (Thanks Dr. Jean, great article!)

Cats are true carnivores, requiring a meat-based diet for optimal health. Their natural diet is prey such as rodents, lizards, insects, and birds. These prey consist primarily of water, protein and fat, with less than 10% carbohydrate (starch, sugar and fiber) content. Cats are exquisitely adapted to utilize fat and protein for energy. They are not at all like dogs and people, who are adapted to use carbohydrates for energy.

When feeding our companion cats, the most logical strategy is to feed the diet that most closely mimics the natural prey diet. A homemade diet is an excellent way to accomplish this. Feeding more (or only) canned food is another way–one that is often easier for people to deal with. Canned foods are higher in fat and protein, and lower in carbohydrates, than dry foods. Their high water content increases the cat’s overall fluid intake, which keeps the kidneys and bladder healthy. The higher fat contributes to skin and coat health. Because the ingredients are more easily digested and utilized by the cat’s body, canned foods produce less solid waste in the litterbox.

Another feature of the cat’s natural diet is variety. A hunting cat doesn’t one day decide to eat only purple finches! He will eat any small prey he can catch: chickadees, mice, grasshoppers, robins, or rabbits. Likewise, we should feed our cats a variety of foods. Variety keeps cats from becoming finicky and food-addicted, lessens the chance of dietary excess or deficiency of any single nutrient, and may prevent the development of food intolerances, allergies, and inflammatory bowel disease. Feeding the same dry food year after year greatly increases the risk of these problems. With canned food, it is easy to vary the flavors and protein sources.

Dry food typically contains 35-50% carbohydrates, mostly as starch. (The new “grain-free” foods may be as little as 20% carbohydrate). This is necessary because the equipment that makes dry food requires a high-starch, low-fat dough for proper processing. Cereal grains provide an inexpensive and plentiful source of calories, which allows manufacturers to produce foods containing adequate calories at an affordable price. A few dry foods provide less carbohydrates, in some cases substituting starchy vegetables and soy for cereal grains; but they are still heavily processed and just as dehydrating (if not more so) than regular dry food.

Adult cats need 2-3 times more protein than dogs. Yet dry cat foods generally supply only about 1/3 more protein than dry dog foods—about 30-35% in dry cat food compared to 20-26% for the average dry dog food. “Kidney” diets for cats in renal failure are even more restrictive with 26-28% protein (such diets should never be fed to normal cats; they will cause muscle wasting as the cat breaks down its own body for protein). Canned cat foods contain 45-50% protein, and canned kitten foods may contain up to 55% protein. (All percentages calculated on a dry matter basis.)

Cats are attracted to food that has a strong meat or fat flavor. Pet food manufacturers go to great lengths to make their starch-based dry foods palatable to cats. They may coat the kibbles with fat or with “animal digest,” a powder made of chemically or enzymatically digested animal by-products. The result may be a cat who overeats, not because he’s hungry, but because he loves the taste of the food and doesn’t want to stop. (I think we’ve all been there!)

Dry food is very dehydrating. Our feline friends descend from desert-dwelling wild cats who are well adapted to limited water resources. Their ultra-efficient kidneys are able to extract most of their moisture needs from their prey. However, the end result is that cats have a very low thirst drive, and will not drink water until they are 3-5% dehydrated (a level at which, clinically, a veterinarian would administer fluid therapy). Cats eating only dry food take in only half the moisture of a cat eating only canned food. This chronic dehydration may be a factor in kidney disease, and is known to be a major contributor to bladder disease (crystals, stones, FUS, FLUTD, cystitis). Caution: adding water or milk to dry food does not solve the problem; and the fact that there are always bacteria on the surface of dry food means that adding moisture can result in massive bacterial growth–and a very upset tummy.

The high heat used in processing dry food damages (denatures) the proteins in the food. The resulting unnatural proteins may trigger an immune response that can lead to food allergies and inflammatory bowel disease.

There is increasing evidence that carbohydrates (starches and sugars) in dry food are simply not metabolized well by many, if not most cats. While obesity is caused by many factors, the free-choice feeding of dry food to a relatively inactive cat is a major player. Obese cats are prone to joint problems, liver and kidney disease, and diabetes.

Recent research has shown that high-carbohydrate diets are to blame in most cases of feline diabetes. Many overweight cats are carbohydrate-intolerant, and should be fed low-carbohydrate diets (think “Catkins” diet!). This means canned food. Experts are now recommending canned kitten food as the primary treatment for diabetes. Many diabetic cats can decrease or even eliminate their need for insulin, simply by changing to a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. Ultimately, canned food may be even more beneficial as a preventative for this devastating disease.

Overweight cats may greatly benefit from a switch to an all-canned diet. Stick to foods containing 10% or less carbohydrate. Many all life stages and kitten foods fit this requirement. Carbs are usually not listed on the label. However, all you have to do is subtract the other ingredients from 100% to get an estimate of the carb content. Most cats lose weight more efficiently on a canned food than dry food diet. Even though they’re often eating more calories, these diets are much better suited to the unique feline metabolism.

If your cat is not used to eating canned food, add it to the diet slowly in small amounts. It is so different in composition from dry food that it may cause tummy upset at first.

If a cat won’t eat canned food, it’s usually because of a dry food addiction, or because he isn’t hungry enough to try something new. Start by putting the cat on a meal-feeding schedule, leaving dry food out only an hour each, morning and night. Once he’s accustomed to the schedule, put a little canned food down first. Most cats will be willing to try it at that point. (See “Switching Foods” for more information on why and how to make the change.)

Quality is just as important with canned cat food as any other type of food. See this article to learn how to read a label and assess a food’s quality for yourself. If possible, buy the food in a larger can, and store leftovers in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Pop-top cans, by-products, and fish flavors of canned cat food have been linked to the development of thyroid disease in cats.

Dry food is a great convenience and may be necessary in some cases when the guardian is gone long hours or cannot feed on a regular schedule. But at least 50% of the diet (preferably 100% if you want to ensure optimum health!) should be a high-protein, high-moisture, low-carb diet such as canned or homemade food. Your cat will be healthier, and while you’ll spend a little more on food up front, ultimately you’ll save hundreds, if not thousands, on veterinary bills!