Cat health articles. Browse our health collection for common and uncommon cat health issues.
Have you ever wondered what your veterinarian is checking when they perform their annual examination? Well, we have all the answers here.
Also referred to as a wellness examination, the annual veterinary examination is an important medical evaluation to check the overall health of a cat who may not necessarily have a medical condition.
A basal cell tumour is a slow-growing tumour that originates from the basal layer, which is the innermost layer of the epidermis. These tumours make up between 15-25% of all skin tumours found in cats and are most common in middle-aged to senior cats. There is an increased incidence in Persian and Himalayan breeds.
Basal cell tumours may be benign (basal cell tumour) or low-grade malignant (basal cell carcinoma). The majority of feline basal cell tumours are benign and malignant basal cell carcinomas rarely metastasise (spread to other parts of the body).
Most of our cats at some time or another have needed to have diagnostic tests to evaluate their health. There are routine tests and specific tests when your veterinarian suspects your cat may have a disease or injury. We will look at routine tests for cats and what they look for.
Plaque is a sticky biofilm that coats the teeth. It is composed of several types of bacteria, some host cells (macrophages, white blood cells, and epithelial cells), organic and inorganic material (saliva, food debris, gingival crevicular fluid and bacterial toxins).
Cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) are a common wingless parasite that feeds on the blood of cats. A female adult flea can lay 50 eggs a day. The eggs, which have the appearance of salt drop off the cat and into the environment. Eggs hatch into larvae (which look like small maggots) in warm, moist environments. Larvae feed on organic matter such as skin and adult flea feces.
With 50% of calls to the Pet Poison Hotline, we look at common human medications which are toxic to cats, these include:
About: Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne infection caused by the intracellular bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum which takes up residence in the white blood cells of cats and other warm-blooded mammals.
Transmission: Ticks spread the bacteria when they feed on an infected animal. Bacteria in the host blood are ingested and make their way to the salivary glands of the tick. From there into the next host when the tick feeds on a blood meal.
Symptoms: Cats are often asymptomatic to anaplasmosis. When symptoms do present, they include loss of appetite, fever, lethargy, and lameness.
Diagnosis: Baseline tests including complete physical examination and medical history, blood count, biochemical profile and urinalysis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can diagnose infection.
Treatment: Mildly affected cats may require no treatment at all — antibiotics for symptomatic cats.
Vestibular disease is a condition in which the cat develops incoordination due to several disorders affecting the vestibular apparatus in the inner ear or brainstem. The vestibular system is responsible for providing the brain with vital information about orientation and direction relative to gravity. This information means your cat is aware if he is turning, upside down, right side up, walking, running or falling.
Mast cell tumours (mastocytoma) are skin tumours that have arisen from mast cells, which are a type of white blood cell formed in the bone marrow. These cells are found throughout the body but concentrate at points of contact between the cat and the outside world, especially the skin, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and conjunctiva.
Cuterebra (pronounced cuter-ree-brah) are larvae of the botfly who are obligate parasites to rabbits and other lagomorphs. Cats are accidental hosts who become infected when they come into contact with infective larvae (also known as bots or maggots).