Five Most Common Cat Illnesses
January 17, 2010 by
Filed under Cat Health
When taking care of your cat it is a good idea to know about the different types of cat illnesses that can affect your kitty.
Urinary tract infection
Some cats will be in noticeable pain when using litter box and you may see some blood in their urine.
Frequent trips to the litter box and accidents are common. If any of your cat’s litter box habits change you should take him in to vet for a check up to see if \ there is urinary tract infection
If caught early enough this can be cleared up with antibiotics given.
If not there can be complications with spreading to the kidneys and much more pain. Could be a blockage that prevent cat from urinating and this is life threatening.
Upper Respiratory Infection
Like humans cats can catch colds too but it is much more fatal for them. A cat kept strictly indoors is at less risk.
This is highly contagious and is spread through contact with an infected cat to another cat.
Symptoms include: coughing, sneeze, running nose, fever, watery eyes, harsh meow.
Warning signs you should look for: not eating or drinking, lethargic.
If you notice your cat is less active and not eating or drinking anything this can be quite serious. Seek medical attention at once.
This kind of infection is caused by a virus and antibiotics are given. Antibiotics is not given to treat but rather to keep any other infections from forming.
Some medications are given to help in breaking up the mucous so your cat has easier time in breathing.
Severe cases cat may become so dehydrated that they require use of a drip.
Feline Panleukopemia
Also known as feline distemper and caused by a virus. This is contagious and spread through litter box, contaminated food and water. Be careful if you are have a mult-cat household.
Signs to be aware of: lifeless and lethargic, vomiting, diarrhea that is severe, not eating or drinking, dry skin from being dehydrated, fur falling out.
See your vet if you suspect your cat has this.
No medications to be treated but antibiotics to help keep other infections from happening.
A white blood count is also used to confirm the diagnosis of felinen panleukopemia.
Many cats end up dying from this as it is difficult to fight off.
Good news though there is a vaccine you can give your cat to help prevent this from happening.
Chronic Kidney Failure
More common in older cats and part of natural aging. When kidneys are not working properly than waste is not able to be removed from the body.
Signs: constipation, no appetite, lethargy, nausea, vomiting.
As this progresses more water is needed to process any toxins in body. Vet gives blood and urine tests to check for kidney failure.
There is no known cure but some treatments are available to help cat live a longer life.
Most common treatment is a IV drip or diaylsis.
Diabetes
Not enough insulin in body to maintain proper blood sugar level. If not treated in time a cat will not live a very long life.
Early symptoms: Increased appetite with no weight gain, may even see weight loss, drink and urinate in excess, frail, tiredness, vomit, diarrhea, muscle weakness, trouble breathing, dehydrated.
In later stages cat will become less active. Ketoacidosis happens in some cats. This is a complication when there is no sugar in body
Testing is done through blood and urine samples to determine if have diabetes.
Treatment consists of shots once or twice a day for insulin and some sort of special diet. If cat has become dehydrated will need be treated.
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Owner’s Look At Cat Kidney Failure
July 11, 2009 by
Filed under Cat Care
Your cat’s kidneys have many different jobs. They include controlling blood pressure, removing wastes, and producing hormones. Kidney or renal failure in cats occurs when damage is done to the organs. Some cats develop the condition suddenly, while others develop it slowly over time. This article will discuss kidney failure in felines.
Causes
Your cat’s kidneys can begin to fail for numerous reasons. One of the most common reasons is age. This is due to the fact that kidney function naturally declines over the years. Renal failure can also be brought on by various infections. Various medications and ingestion of toxins such as antifreeze can also lead to renal failure.
Signs
Your cat’s kidneys can continue to function even after sustaining damage to up to 70% of the organ. This means that until the disease is well-advanced, your cat likely won’t display many symptoms. Most cats experience increased thirst and urination. It’s also common for cats to experience weight loss, loss of appetite, vomiting, and cat constipation.
Diagnosis
Your cat will need to undergo various tests in order to diagnose kidney failure definitively. Urine and blood samples are analyzed to measure kidney function. An infection may also be detected via the samples. A biopsy of the kidney can determine how advanced the problem is.
Treatment
The kidneys aren’t able to regenerate like the liver. Therefore, all damage done to the organ is permanent. A cure isn’t the aim of treatment for this disease. Quality of life can hopefully be improved via treatment.
Your cat will likely be placed on a special diet after being diagnosed with this condition. This involves decreasing intake of protein and salt. Medication will likely be needed to control high blood pressure. The kidneys are also responsible for producing hormones to maintain a proper level of red blood cells. This means that medication may be needed to prevent anemia in cats.
Your precious kitty can be susceptible to many different health conditions. You can read up on many different potential health problems at cat-illnesses.com. Click over right now.
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