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I typically read in veterinary journals how lots of felines across the country do not get appropriate veterinary care or exams. Whether it’s an indoor cat that lives on the 30th floor of a major united states city, or a barn cat that spends a lot of of the time in a hay loft or catching mice in a barn, lots of such cats get very little veterinary attention.
One of the most crucial reasons for having a cat frequently examined, (no matter what the lifestyle of the particular animal) is for the basic reason that cats typically hide or mask scientific disease, acting seemingly normal to the feline guardian only until they are very sick. While in people, dogs, and other family pets signs of health problem are readily apparent, lots of cats do not show signs. subtle issues such as minor changes in thirst or appetite, coat quality, and digestive tract dysfunction typically go unnoticed by even the most observant feline guardian.
Feline periodontal disease is on the increase in all age cats. Cats are typically distinguished for losing weight unexpectedly and dramatically, after which a severe chronic disease of long duration is typically diagnosed. It is for these reasons that every cat must have at least an annual physical exam and oral exam, including a veterinarian listening to the heart for murmurs or abnormal rhythms, and palpating the abdomen for enlargements, areas of pain or organ abnormalities. A fecal sample must be checked to discover hidden parasites that are often a risk to particularly young and immunocompromised people.
After middle age, feline guardians should consider annual wellness blood testing, including a CBC/chemistry and thyroid blood profile, as well as a urine analysis to discover early or hidden disease. Feline guardians must be on the look out for subtle signs of weight loss, including a muscle loss/atrophy over the shoulders and back, as well as boosted thirst/urination and appetite or behavioral changes in their cat. While occasional hairball vomiting is sometimes normal in cats, lots of guardians and even veterinarians over blame hairballs as a cause of chronic vomiting of liquid and food, while in lots of cases these cats have a chronic metabolic condition, food allergy, or inflammatory bowel condition causing such scientific signs.
We are also becoming increasingly aware of potentially new and emerging diseases such as feline heartworm disease, and feline infectious anemia (known as feline mycoplasma and/or feline Bartonella), which are typically transmitted by parasites such as fleas/ticks and mosquitoes. It is for these reasons that lots of feline guardians choose to have their family pets on heartworm preventative medication like Heartgard for cats as well as flea and tick control products like advantage II and Frontline Plus, even if outside exposure is minimal.
And while in my opinion lots of of our feline companions are undoubtedly overvaccinated too frequently, certainly a discussion with a progressive veterinarian about which vaccinations, if any are appropriate, given the lifestyle of the cat and laws of the state, must be discussed.
cat Health