CAT HEALTH & MEDICINE

Letters to Tufts Veterinarians - A cat who vomits on a regular schedule

Researchers are closing in on a more accurate method of determining if cats are infected with heartworm, according to a study recently published in the journal Parasites & Vectors. The study also suggests that feline heartworm - a potentially lethal parasite transmitted by mosquito bites - may be more prevalent than previously believed. …

A few decades ago, recommendations regarding feline vaccinations were relatively simple. Veterinarians generally agreed that all domestic cats should be inoculated annually with a number of vaccines. In recent years, however, the issue has become far more complicated - and in some respects, more controversial. Back in the early 1990s, only four or five vaccines were available; today, no fewer than 10 vaccines have proven to be generally effective in providing a cat with immunity against…

Many people assume that the hardest part of my job as a veterinarian must be putting pets to sleep. Surprisingly, it isnt. Putting a beloved pet to sleep is certainly the saddest part of my job, but by the time weve reached the point of euthanasia, weve run out of options for maintaining a good quality of life for the cat, and humanely ending the cats life is the proper and kind thing to do. …

I look forward to kitten season every year. Nothing brightens my day more than examining a kitten and seeing all of the joy and amusement it brings to the family. I do not, however, look forward to peering inside a kittens ear - especially a kitten thats been aggressively scratching at her ears with a hind paw and shaking her head afterward. This behavior is usually the telltale sign of ear mites. …

My ten-year-old female cat was recently diagnosed with carpal hyperextension in one of her front paws. I am reluctant to have the surgery performed on her, and there is currently no medication that can help the condition.

According to a recent study from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, higher levels of vitamin D could potentially help the survival rate for hospitalized cats. Blood samples were obtained from 99 hospitalized cats with life-threatening conditions that were admitted to the Universitys small animal hospital - and those with higher levels of vitamin D were more likely to still be alive a month after admission. …

Your 10-year-old cat seems to be slowing down quite a bit. She no longer scampers happily from one end of your home to the other. She doesnt spend much time playing with her toys, and shes stopped hopping up onto your lap while youre watching TV. Instead, shes begun devoting long stretches of time lying absolutely motionless in a corner, staring dreamily into space. At her age, such behavioral changes may simply be a normal consequence…

Chances are you already know the benefits of preventing cats from reproducing: helping to curb overpopulation, improving feline health and reducing or preventing unruly behaviors. But is it safe for a young kitten to be spayed or neutered? Absolutely - in fact, its preferred. The traditional age was historically six months, but theres really no reason for that, says Emily McCobb, DVM, MS, DACVAA, a clinical assistant professor at the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary…

Old habits tend to change slowly. As a result, many pet owners - and even many veterinarians - still wait longer than they should to get cats spayed/neutered. One website that Dr. McCobb recommends to distill myths is www.whentospay.org, which is run by the non-profit Humane Alliance. Some facts from the site: …

If you have a kitten, you are likely quite familiar with his razor-sharp baby teeth, especially when he bites down on your fingers during interactive play. Thankfully, kittens usually lose their baby teeth at three months of age and adult teeth usually replace them. In some cases, however, baby teeth dont fall out. The condition is referred to as persistent deciduous teeth, or more commonly and inaccurately, as retained deciduous teeth.

Letters to Tufts Veterinarians - Helping a friendly stray; Lameness after injection