Feline Medicine

Cat owners can have a lot of questions: "Should I get a second cat as a playmate?" "How can I stop my cat from scratching the furniture?" "Why doesn't he use the litter box?" So in the spirit of David Letterman, I compiled this top 10 list of cat behavior tips.

Many conditions can cause pruritus in dogs and cats, the most common being allergies (atopy, food, flea) and external parasites (e.g. Sarcoptes scabiei, Cheyletiella species).

In this retrospective study from the Animal Medical Center in New York City, the medical records of 18 cats with feline cutaneous hemangiosarcoma were reviewed, and the cats' clinical features and responses to surgery were described.

From 1998 to 2003, we evaluated several chemical restraint protocols for blood donor cats to improve the quality and efficiency of the blood bank, as well as the donors' quality of life.

Because cats are relatively quiet creatures, that is, they don't bark, whine, and announce themselves, their analgesic needs are often ignored or forgotten. Evaluating pain in cats is challenging and requires intense and prolonged observation, intuition, interaction with the animal, and knowledge of the various feline behaviors that may signal pain.

St. Joseph, Mo. — Nestle introduces Friskies Feline Favorites, a dry cat food that contains Carnation milk.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - 6/7/05 - The Hartz Mountain Corp. says removing the company's topical flea and tick medication for cats is necessary due to owner reports of adverse reactions to the products.

Jefferson City, Mo. — A cat at the University of Missouri (MU) has been chosen to be the genetic model for all cats in the feline genome project.

Environmental contamination with infectious stages of gastrointestinal helminths is widespread, and the risk of reinfection of pets, particularly those allowed to roam freely outside, is great.

Pain negatively affects quality of life as well as many important physiological functions, so controlling it in all patients should be a top priority.

Recent publications, ongoing prospective studies, and better knowledge of the available therapeutic options should provide the necessary framework for appropriate pain management in cancer-bearing pets.

Dr. Pedersen set out to add to our knowledge of feline virology. He succeeded. Among other notable accomplishments, he co-discovered the feline immunodeficiency virus in 1986. Today, he is the director of the Center for Companion Animal Health and the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

In 2003, frequency of calcium oxalate uroliths fell to 47 percent; frequency of struvite uroliths rose 42 percent.

Lymphoma is the most common hematopoietic neoplasm affecting both dogs and cats and results from the malignant transformation of lymphocytes.

ST. JOSEPH, MO. — Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the use of Metacam? (meloxicam) injection in felines.

Although the prevalence of self-directed behaviors is not well-documented in dogs or cats, it is likely underappreciated because animals are not typically presented for evaluation of such behaviors unless the clients think their pets are manifesting a behavior problem or some degree of injury as a consequence of the behavior.

St. Louis — Purina Veterinary Diets introduces a therapeutic weight-loss formula for cats.

A 2-year-old intact male Siamese cat was presented to the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine's Dermatology Service for evaluation of self-mutilation and psychogenic licking of the forelimbs and abdomen.

Neurodegenerative diseases in dogs and cats can result from a wide variety of pathologic processes.

Tooth resorption is the most common dental problem in cats, with studies worldwide showing a prevalence rate (in cats presented for dental problems) of up to 75%.

In this retrospective study from a veterinary teaching hospital, the records of 15 dogs and three cats surviving cardiopulmonary arrest were reviewed to describe the animals' resuscitations and outcomes.

Duluth, Ga.—Merial, announces a new, non-adjuvanted feline leukemia vaccine to its Purevax, line of vaccines.

In this article, we offer guidance on what drug or combination of drugs to use, concentrating mainly on postoperative analgesia.

Since it was first documented in 1979, hyperthyroidism has become increasingly more common in cats.

In this article, I describe the most common clinical signs and physical examination findings in hyperthyroid cats. I also review the available diagnostic methods, including their advantages and disadvantages.

The options for treating feline hyperthyroidism include surgery, medical therapy, and radioiodine therapy.

Signalment:

Coming in August: Dr. Carmichael will complete his discussion on feline oral diseases including odontoclastic resorptive lesions, treatment options for fractured teeth, feline gingivitis/stomatitis syndrome and feline oral neoplasia.

The CAPC guidelines are based on the concept that awareness of heartworms and other parasites can increase compliant use of broad-spectrum agents.

Albuquerque, N.M.-The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) published its strategy to dealing with the nation's 73 million feral or abandoned free-roaming cats, advocating trap-neuter-release (TNR) programs and, in some cases, euthanasia.