There are two types of feline diabetes that may affect your pet cats. Type 1 is caused by an insufficient production of insulin while type 2 diabetes is characterized by the inability of the cat’s body to process insulin more effectively. And just like in humans, diabetes can also strike cats at any age but is more likely to affect older cats.

There is also a secondary feline diabetes that can be caused by drugs or by some diseases that may impair the natural processing of insulin in the body.

Cats also display symptoms that may tell veterinarians or pet owners of the onset of diabetes. These symptoms also have similarities with what humans with diabetes develop as the disease progresses. Cats may show frequent thirst and urination. With the body’s inability to process or handle glucose, diabetic cats may also experience weight loss.

Other symptoms that may be associated with feline diabetes include vomiting, loss of appetite and general weakness. Diabetic cats may also have poor skin and coat condition as well as breathing abnormalities.

When a pet cat displays the symptoms mentioned above, it might be wise for pet owners to have their cats tested for sugar levels in the blood as well as in their urine. The reason why both tests might be required is that cats under stress may experience a temporary spike of their blood sugar levels. The two tests will help confirm if your pet cat really has diabetes.

Just like diabetes in humans, the feline version also has no cure yet available. Instead, feline diabetes can be controlled through a number of means. And for cats, it can be done through diet and weight control. A diet that is high in fiber and complex carbohydrates would be ideal for diabetic cats, especially the obese ones.

This type of diet is maintained not only to control the cat’s weight but also to control the cat’s blood sugar levels. There are also oral medications available that can help your diabetic pet cat maintain a suitable blood sugar level.

Pet owners of diabetic cats may also need to carefully monitor their pet’s glucose and insulin levels. For those pet owners who resort to giving their diabetic cats insulin injections for their diabetes, care to avoid overdose should always be maintained. An overdose of insulin can be a very fatal condition in cats. There are also some dietary supplements that can be used to help diabetic cats deal with their condition.

Cat care and diabetes always go hand in hand to ensure that your pet cat can lead a normal life. Providing the right care for diabetic pet cats can make sure that pet cat owners can enjoy the company of their pet for as long as possible.

The genuine concern that is shared through the care given to diabetic pet cats can show the love that pet owners may have on their dear animal companions.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

These two common viral infections are Feline Herpes 1 virus known as rhinotracheitis virus and infection with the organisms called Chlamydia psittaci and mycoplasma.

When a cat is infected, they will experience a fever, have weepy eyes, a crusty nose and sneeze a lot. This can go away with or without treatment but this can come back.

When this happens, the condition is called Feline Keratoconjunctivitis the virus settles in the nerves around their face. Corneal scars can be seen to a little over a centimeter in diameter. This makes it hard for the cat to see and it usually happens due to stresses associated with boarding, weather change, a new pet in the house or as mentioned earlier other diseases.

Things are going to get worse as the outer coating of the cornea will be lost to the invading virus. Secondary bacterial and mycoplasmal infection of these areas may cause deep ulcers around the eye and in some cases damage the surrounding areas as well.

Fortunately, this can be treated using an amino acid called lysine by reducing the amount of another amino acid called arginine that is present in the cat’s body. The vet will prescribe a dosage between 200 to 500 mg per day and sprinkled into their food. There are different brands available and when you look for one, make sure it is glycol free.

You can also try topical antibiotics that have also proven to be effective but they are only designed to quell secondary bacterial invaders.

Another option is for you to use topical anti-virals that are designed to directly fight the virus. Some examples of these include Herplex (idoxuridine), Viroptic (trifluorothymidine, and Vira-A (vidarabine). These medications are relatively expensive and have to be given 5 times a day. Only when the cornea is indeed infection should this be given.

Something more affordable than the topical anti-virals is an oral solution called Oral Interferon. Although it has never been scientifically proven to treat cat viral infections, cat owners that have used this have claimed that it does shorten the length of the infection. The best part is that there are no known side effects so you don’t lose anything by trying it.

Vaccines seem to be the best way to prevent these diseases from happening. Ideally, this should be given to a cat during their 9th, 12th and 14th week of age. It should be administered using a 25 gauge needle on the anterior side of a rear leg and massaged afterwards to prevent tumors from forming in the injection sites.

There are other eye infections that mimic what was just mentioned. One example is eosinophilic conjunctivitis. So before any medication can be given, the vet will first have to do a test to make sure that the proper medication is given.

This is known as PCR or the Polymerase Chain Reaction test. It is a DNA test that amplifies the presence of viral DNA so that even one single virus can be detected in a sample from a conjunctival swab.

Cat viral infections are common among kittens but they can be prevented and cured. You have to know first which one you are dealing with so the proper medication can be given. For more information about them, do some research online and go talk to your vet.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Julie noticed her dog, Zac, was drinking more water. Not just once, but several days in a row. She knew that excess thirst can be a sign of illness, so she took Zac to her veterinarian for tests. Blood and urine tests showed that Zac was in the early stages of acute kidney disease. But Zac was lucky. Because his problem was caught early, Julie’s veterinarian was able to treat the disease successfully and Zac made a complete recovery.

What Is Kidney Disease?

Briefly, kidneys filter and remove waste material from the blood stream. They also regulate the volume and composition of your pet’s body fluids.

There are two types of kidney disease:

Acute – a sudden loss of kidney functioning which is sometimes reversible, and

Chronic – a loss of kidney function that occurs gradually over time. Chronic kidney disease is often progressive, but, depending on the underlying cause and with careful management, animals often live comfortable lives for many years.

The causes of kidney disease can include inherited defects, infections, toxic substances and simply aging. Although the cause of kidney disease can be difficult to determine, with careful testing by your veterinarian, the disease can often be managed. Most treatments are aimed at decreasing the workload of the kidneys, reducing the severity of symptoms, and slowing the progression of the disease.

What Are Its Symptoms?

If kidney disease has undermined the kidney’s ability to perform properly, waste materials accumulate in the blood. Signs that could indicate a potential kidney problem include:

• Loss of appetite
• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination or increased volume
• Poor hair coat
• Depression and/or vomiting

What You Can Do To Prevent Kidney Disease?

While kidney disease is most often found in older dogs and cats, even young animals can be affected. And while the disease is not always preventable, there ARE things you can do to help minimize the chances of your dog or cat developing the disease, such as:

• Feeding the best quality dog or cat food you can
• Providing continual access to clean, fresh water
• Eliminating toxic materials from the home
• Maintaining a low stress lifestyle
• Regular veterinary care to detect potential problems as soon as possible

You are your animal’s daily detective and advocate. You are your animal’s best chance for receiving medical treatment when the problem is still at an early stage and treatment is most successful. It is always better to prevent a disease, or to treat it early, than to have to treat it after it has become advanced.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

In most cases, your breeder will give you a health guarantee or statement. Ideally, they will have had the parents tested to ensure that they do not have a mutation of the gene that determines the presence or development of this disease. If they tell you that the 12 week old kitten has been tested, and tested negative, don’t believe it. HCM can only be detected with cardiac ultrasound, and cannot be detected in a cat younger than one year. Testing is recommended between the ages of one and seven years.

How big is the HCM problem? It’s fairly big, but is currently being bred out by responsible breeders. Of all of the Maine Coons tested for HCM, about one third of them tested positive. Responsible breeders have their studs and dams tested, before breeding, and it is recommended that any Maine Coon that tests positive for the mutated gene not be used for breeding purposes.

As mentioned earlier, genetics isn’t the only way that a Maine Coon can develop HCM. It can also be caused by a deficiency in taurine, which is an organic acid that makes up the majority of stomach bile. It is the only known sulfonic acid that occurs naturally in the body.

Once this was discovered, however, pet food manufacturers started adding taurine to cat food, which has made non-genetically inherited HCM quite rare. In the event that a Maine Coon does develop taurine related HCM, it is cured by adding taurine rich food to the diet. However, HCM that is genetically inherited cannot be cured. This is why responsible breeders have their animals tested, and do not breed those that have the mutated gene.

When you get your Maine Coon kitten, make sure that you ask your breeder about HCM. They should be very open in discussing this with you, and should be knowledgeable about the disease. Ask them whether or not their own animals have been tested, and ask to see documentation of that testing. If for some reason they refuse to show you documentation, the chances are good that the animals either tested positive, or were never tested at all.

The presence of the mutated gene does not mean that a cat should be destroyed, or that it cannot make a good pet or be shown. It simply means that you and your veterinarian need to be aware that it is there, and that you should be on the lookout for eventual heart failure. It also means that you shouldn’t breed the Maine Coon.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

There are different health problems common in cats and they are as follows: Diarrhea

When your cat has diarrhea for a consistent number of times, do not be alarmed. The first thing you need to do is change the diet. When you know what your cat likes to eat, you better give it to him or she for it would surely help. When there is still a continuous diarrhea, it would be best to bring your pet to a veterinarian.

Diabetes

Not only common to people, but also to cats. This occurs when a cat becomes aged. The more it grows old, the more it must stay at home. You have to watch its diet for improper food intake is what the real cause of diabetes is. When you notice signs and symptoms like the cat urinates always. You could obviously notice as well that it gets thirsty so fast.

Throwing up

This is a very common health phenomenon for cats. When this happens to your pet, you have to check the food you have fed to it. After doing so, it would be better if you try to change the food. As much as possible try a far different one from the food you have observed to cause such vomiting.

It has been discovered that the main cause of this is hairballs so as much as you could, brush or comb the hair of your pet.

There is also another angle, and that is allergic to food. Meeting your veterinarian is the best move to make. Make sure that you give enough liquid to your pet, throwing up may lead to dehydration.

FIV This cat disease has something to do with HIV and the best thing for you to do is to seclude your pet from foreign cats. It would be better if you keep it in your home. You have to protect your pet well.

You have to be cautious about these diseases for they would surely be a threat to the life of your pet. When you encounter such health problems, you have to seek the help of the expert, you must not let your insufficient knowledge let you lose your pet.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.