The Fifth Vital Sign
In 1996, pain began to be considered the fifth vital sign in human medicine, needing to be assessed along with temperature, pulse, respiratory rate,...
Dear Doctor: When the diagnosis is mast cell tumors
Q. During a routine check-up, my cat was diagnosed with mast cell tumors on her skin. How worried should I be?
Danielle Castellani
Hoboken, New Jersey
A....
Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome
Aging cats often start vocalizing a lot more, change how and even whether they interact with people, and start soiling the house. The shifts...
How Long Should Your Cat Fast Before Anesthesia?
For healthy adult cats about to undergo an operation, the American Animal Hospital Association now recommends a 4- to 6-hour fast prior to anesthesia....
For Cats with Asthma, Inhalers
We often think of cats as exacerbating breathing problems in people with asthma. But cats, too, can suffer from the wheezing and coughing that...
Does Spaying or Neutering Really Lead to Weight Gain?
If you’ve recently had your cat spayed or neutered and it looks like your pet has put on a few, you’re probably not imagining...
Recognizing Glaucoma
Does your cat have progressive cloudiness in one or both eyes? Has the white of an eye stayed red? Has one or both eyes...
Old Cats: Three Vet Visits Yearly
If your cat is older than 15, you should be taking him to the veterinarian for a wellness exam not twice a year but...
Take Your Medicine
Few words fill cat owners with more dread than “She needs a daily pill.” Not always the most compliant companions, cats spit pills out....
Constipation: Don’t Just Assume It Will Correct Itself
Most cats defecate once a day; some cats, twice daily. It wouldn’t be unusual to skip a day, but you should be concerned if...
Dear Doctor: Pillow foot
Q. Two of my cat’s feet have become kind of puffy, or swollen, and it looks like he’s uncomfortable walking. I should probably take...
An Eye Condition That Looks Like a Cataract — But Isn’t
A bluish-gray tint is making your cat’s eye look cloudy, or even opaque. You worry that it’s a cataract but are afraid to find...
