Pet Health Facts: Omega Fatty Acids

By the Drs4pets Team

Fat is the primary source of energy for your pet. The fats in food are made up of omega fatty acids, important nutrients in your pet’s diet. Not only are certain fatty acids essential for life, they also play critical roles in optimal health and vitality.

All foods contain omega-6 fatty acids. Linoleic acid is one of the omega-6 fatty acids, and is considered an essential nutrient. One of the key roles this fatty acid plays is to maintain the proper moisture balance in the skin’s surface. This is critical for maintaining a barrier between the outside world and the inner workings of the body.

Omega-3 fatty acids come from ingredients such as marine sources (fish oil or fish meal) and also from vegetable or plant sources (flaxseed or algae). While alpha-linolenic acid is the only omega-3 fatty acid that is truly considered to be an essential nutrient, it is likely that others in this important group will make the list soon. Omega-3 fatty acids, such as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), have been found to be critical for good health. DHA is important for the proper development of cognitive function and vision in young animals, and EPA has powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Omega-3 fatty acids can diminish inflammation in the joints, skin and digestive system and may even help fight or prevent cancer.

It is important to feed a pet food that contains a blend of omega fatty acids to support optimal skin and coat condition, proper immune function and to control inflammation throughout the body. Looking at the label for sources of these critical nutrients, as well as checking the Guaranteed Analysis for the guaranteed levels, will help ensure that your pet’s diet contains omega fatty acids for optimal health.

 Question: How can I tell if my pet’s food has omega fatty acids?

Answer: Reputable brands will guarantee the levels of omega fatty acids in the guaranteed analysis. Look for words such as omega-6 fatty acids, linoleic acid, omega-3 fatty acids or alpha-linolenic acid in the list of nutrient guarantees. This will prove that not only is it in the food, it is guaranteed to be there at a specific amount.

Question: Should I give my dog a fish oil supplement for his dry skin?

Answer: It would be a good idea to check with your veterinarian first. If the food that you are feeding has a balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, a supplement may not be beneficial. There may be another explanation for the dry skin. Sometimes, additional supplements can lead to loose stools.

Question: My cat loves tuna fish. Can I feed this to her for the fatty acids?

Answer: It is important to feed a balanced diet to your cat. An occasional treat is ok, but be cautious. Cats can be finicky and may choose treats over their regular food, leading to dietary imbalances and deficiencies.

Photo by Tony

Visit www.drs4pets.com to learn more about pet health, nutrition and safety.

Questions to Ask Your Vet

By Suzanne Alicie

As a responsible pet owner, you know that you should take your dog or cat to the vet for regular checkups or if they show signs of being sick, but there’s more to it than just taking the animal in. You should also ask your vet questions and pay close attention to the answers, because it could save your pet’s life. It could also save you a lot of sorrow and expense.

Question #1

No matter what kind of dog or cat you have, you should always ask your vet if there are any breed specific conditions or illnesses to watch out for and attempt to prevent. This may include hip dysplasia, skin conditions and other dangerous or even fatal problems that you should keep in mind as you raise your pet.

Question #2

How much exercise should my pet get? This may seem like an easy question if you have a dog – you know your dog needs to play and go for regular walks, but how can you make sure your cat is getting enough exercise? Some people do walk their cats (see How to Leash Train Your Cat for pointers); others just make an effort to play with them daily. Your vet can also give you tips to help ensure that your pet is not only getting the right amount of exercise, but also the right type of exercise.

Question #3

What types of plants should I avoid in my yard and home to make sure my pet is safe? There are many plants that are toxic to animals, and there are some that are beneficial to pets. Catnip is a plant that many cat owners keep a small patch of to entertain their felines, and daisies are known to keep fleas away so having them in your yard is a good thing.

Question #4

What is a healthy diet for my pet? What type of food should I be feeding my pet? How much should I feed my pet? What are the signs of a food allergy? All of these questions should be presented to your vet in order to make sure your pet is getting the right nutrition and to avoid allergies and stomach or digestive problems. CANIDAE offers ten different formulas for dogs including four grain free options and a new Single Grain Protein Plus formula; FELIDAE has five different formulas for cats, including two grain free varieties.

Question #5

What vaccinations should I consider for my pet? Does my pet need vitamins or supplements? Both of these questions are important. Some vaccines aren’t mandatory and most supplements aren’t mandatory but may help prevent illnesses and conditions such as heartworm, corona virus and Lyme disease.

Because you love your pet and want them to be happy and healthy, you will want to discuss their health with your veterinarian each time you take them in. Conditions and illnesses can arise quickly, and your vet is the most reliable and trustworthy source of information on your pet’s health.

All of us at the Responsible Pet Ownership blog love our pets and can offer some advice and tips for pet care, but any decision you make concerning your pet’s health should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Photo by Ubon

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What Does a Pet Rehabilitation Center Do?

By Julia Williams

When age or injury makes it more difficult for your dog or cat to get around, many pet owners assume that nothing much can be done. However, thanks to new treatment options and modern technology, our pets don't have to hobble about in pain anymore. Pet rehabilitation centers are springing up all around the nation, and they’re helping pets regain mobility and get relief from the pain. Rehab can be a great help for humans, so why not for our pets too? Whether the aches and pains are from tendonitis or arthritis, a pinched nerve or surgery, a pet rehabilitation center can help to get your pet back on his paws.

Pet rehabilitation involves using a variety of treatments and technology to help restore normal function to their joints and muscles. Rehab can improve a pet’s flexibility and mobility, enhance limb use and mitigate pain. The pet rehab facility takes a holistic approach to health and considers all factors, including medical history, current issues, body condition, lifestyle, nutrition, supplements and medication. Pets typically visit a rehabilitation center about twice a week, and owners are also taught how to do core exercises with their pet at home.

Pet rehabilitation centers combine the education and expertise of a veterinarian with a doctor of physical therapy. This produces optimum results because vets understand the nature of pet injuries and diseases while physical therapists understand the science of rehabilitation – e.g., how a body moves, joint and soft tissue mechanics and the impact of exercise. Add cutting edge technology to the mix, and it’s easy to see how beneficial this could be for aging or injured pets.

Does Your Pet Need Rehabilitation?    

Your pet may benefit from rehabilitation if it has one or more of the following:

● Arthritis or dysplasia
● Tendonitis or bursitis
● Ligament tears or sprains
● Muscle strains, spasms or weakness
● Spine disorders: disc problems, neck or back pain
● Appetite or behavior changes that suggest discomfort
● Limping, gait abnormality or change in movement quality
● Post-operative orthopedic or neurological surgeries
● Reluctance to go for walks or engage in play
● Difficulty jumping up on the bed or sofa
● Changes in posture during daily activities
● Performance problems in canine athletics
● Obesity or a need for an overall wellness plan

Treatments Available at Pet Rehabilitation Centers

The techniques and treatments available will vary depend on the individual rehab center and the condition being treated. Manual therapy can include working on the pet’s range of motion, massage, pressure point therapy, joint mobilization and stretching. Hydro-therapy may include underwater treadmill, swimming and water jet therapy. Gait training is used to help pets learn to walk again after an injury or surgery, or to help correct an abnormal walk. Therapeutic exercises with balance boards, exercise balls and therabands can help a pet regain strength and balance, as well as help with overall conditioning.
Technologies utilized at pet rehabilitation centers may include therapeutic ultrasound, laser therapy, electric muscle stimulation, heat or cold therapy, Magnetic Field Therapy, Pulsed Signal Therapy and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

How to Find a Pet Rehabilitation Center

The country's first canine rehabilitation certification program was started in 1997. Now there are 17 veterinary colleges in the United States that offer canine rehabilitation. Your veterinarian may be able to help you find a good Pet Rehabilitation Center or a certified therapist in your area.

You can also visit the website for the Canine Rehabilitation Institute (CRI), a leading pet rehabilitation certification center in the U.S. CRI provides veterinary and physical therapy professionals with training and hands-on experience learning state-of-the-art rehabilitation techniques. They offer a certification program for veterinarians and physical therapists, as well as one for veterinary technicians and physical therapist assistants. You can search their state-by-state database for graduates of their program who practice in your area.

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How to Tell if Your Pet is Overweight

By Suzanne Alicie

Responsible pet owners have the job of making sure their pets stay healthy and fit. Besides regular vet visits and exercise, it’s also important to make sure your pet is at the proper weight. Overweight animals, just like overweight people, tend to develop other health problems. Some people think it’s cute to see a big fluffy cat or pudgy pooch, and you may believe that a full bodied animal is healthy. But there is a limit to just how big a dog or cat should be allowed to get. This has nothing to do with height or length; the determination of whether a dog or cat is overweight is generally based on their appearance. There are several visual indicators that let you know it’s time to discuss your pet’s food intake with the veterinarian.

Overweight Cats

Felines are known for their lithe bodies, and cat owners can help their kitties watch their figure by keeping an eye on the following areas.

• Ribs should be easily felt but not sticking out prominently.
• From above, your cat should have some indentation between the ribs and the hips; this is the feline hourglass shape that is healthy.
• The cat’s belly should not protrude to the sides or hang down.
• Feline hips should be covered with a light fleshiness. If you have to really search to find the hip bones, your cat is likely overweight.

Overweight Dogs

Because different dog breeds have differently shaped bodies, you may find it more difficult to determine if a small fluffy dog is overweight than if a large shorthaired dog is overweight. Just keep in mind that even if you can’t see it, you can feel it.

• Look and feel the dog's ribs to see whether they are covered by a t-shirt thin layer of skin/meat or a coat thick layer. You should be able to feel the ribs easily.
• Look at your dog from the top and see if you can see and/or feel the shoulders, hips and a slight indentation between the ribs and hips. If these are easily determined, your dog probably isn’t overweight.
• Dogs are often muscular, and when you run your hands along the dog’s body you should be able to feel the structure of the muscles rather than just a solid mass.

Preventing Overweight Pets

Most cats and dogs love treats (especially those tasty TidNips™ from CANIDAE!) but they also have daily food requirements. Read the helpful RPO article “How Much to Feed Your Dog” for some basic guidelines. It’s important that you follow the guidelines on your pet’s food, and adjust the caloric intake to allow for treats as well. To keep your pets from being overweight, make sure that they get exercise every day, eat the required amount of food and are checked for health problems that may cause weight gain.

Helping Overweight Pets Slim Down

If you’ve allowed your pet to become overweight, now you get to meet the challenge of getting your tubby tabby or floppy Fido in shape. Your vet can help you determine just how much your pet should have to eat each day to lose the excess weight in a healthy manner. Keep in mind that the body of dogs and cats is much smaller than human bodies, but starvation diets aren’t any healthier for them than they are for you!

You can also help your overweight pet shed the flab by providing plenty of exercise and playtime. Cats love interactive toys such as the “fishing pole” that has feathers or a soft toy on the end. For overweight dogs, check out these articles: How to Train Your Dog for Agility, Running With Your Dog, and Can Your Pooch Help You Lose Your Paunch?

Photo by By Jose Inacio

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Eight Things Every Pet Owner Needs to Know

By Julia Williams

First of all, let me just say that what follows is not an “official” list of things pet owners need to know. I’m not a veterinarian or animal behaviorist, but I am an animal lover and lifelong pet owner, and these are my personal suggestions. Knowledge is power, and so is awareness. Both can help us take better care of our beloved pets.

Exercise is vital to a pet’s wellbeing. A body needs to move in order to stay physically fit and mentally healthy. Regular exercise burns calories, stimulates a pet’s immune system, and increases muscle mass and cardiovascular strength. Many aggression and behavioral problems in dogs can be attributed to lack of exercise. Dogs need to run and play, which helps to burn off excess energy and keep boredom at bay. Even cats are more prone to mischief if no one takes the time to play with them. Sure, some cats can be pretty lazy and may need encouragement to chase that feather toy or mouse – but they’ll live longer and happier lives, so it’s worth the effort to engage them in play.


Know what to do in case of an emergency. We should know what to do if our pet gets hit by a car, sprains or breaks their leg, cuts themselves, has a seizure, is choking, stops breathing, gets heat stroke or hypothermia, or ingests something poisonous, to name just a few. Basic pet first-aid courses are offered in just about every major city, and can literally save your pet’s life.

Training is not optional. Aggressive or unruly dogs that don’t listen to you or follow your basic commands are no fun to be around. No, they don’t need to go to obedience school for years or master every trick known to man, but a well trained dog makes life easier, and ensures that they won’t be a nuisance to your neighbors or at the dog park. Cats need training too – believe it or not, even people who adore felines don’t want to eat at a table that your cat has just been lounging on. Cats don’t belong on kitchen counters either! If you need some help training them so stay off of these “no-kitty” zones, check out this article.

Many common plants are toxic to pets. We may love the way a particular plant beautifies our home or garden, but if it’s toxic to our pets, it doesn’t belong anywhere they have access to. It might surprise you that the list of plants which are potentially toxic to pets is quite long – more than 700 plants have been identified as producing toxins that could cause harmful effects in animals, ranging from mild nausea to death. The “most poisonous” list includes lilies, azalea, cyclamen, oleander, tulips, castor bean and sago palm. Read Plants Pets Should Not Eat for more information.

Our attitudes and emotions affect our pets. Animals are adept at picking up on their owner’s mood, be it happy, sad, worried or relaxed. They know when we hurt, and they try to make it better. When we’re in good spirits, our pets are too. Because how we feel can greatly impact our pets both positively and negatively, it behooves us to choose calmness over chaos when they are around us. It may not always be easy, but we owe it to these sentient beings to try. Click here for a related article on pets and emotions.

Lock up medicines, household cleaners and automotive fluids. Responsible parents go to great lengths to keep these items safely out of reach of their children. Responsible pet owners need to do the same for their four-legged “babies.” Ingesting pain relievers, drugs, vitamins and chemical-based cleaners can lead to rapid onset of illness and even death. Be sure to keep these numbers handy in case of accidental ingestion: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, (888) 426-4435; Animal Poison Hotline, (888) 232-8870.

Yearly wellness exams are essential. After you, your vet is the most important person in your pet’s life. Your cat or dog might appear to be perfectly healthy, but the only way to know for sure is to have them checked by a vet. Untreated dental disease can do more than give your pet bad breath; it can damage their kidneys, heart and liver. Some early signs of illness are very subtle, and many pets (especially cats) are masters at hiding illness. There is simply no substitute for a vet’s trained hands and eyes. Catching problems early will not only save you money but may also save your pet’s life.

Love works miracles. Love has the power to heal physical and emotional wounds like nothing else. The love you give to your pets is always returned, magnified to the nth degree. Dr. Karen Halligan, in her book What Every Pet Owner Should Know, writes “Loving a dog or cat is truly one of life’s most rewarding experiences. Animals can melt our hearts.” It’s true. An animal’s unconditional love can soften even the most hardened human heart.

Anatole France, novelist, satirist, playwright and poet, said it best: “Until one has loved an animal, part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”

Read more articles by Julia Williams

How to Help a Cat with Feline Arthritis

By Ruthie Bently

As cats age they may get feline osteoarthritis, also known as feline or cat arthritis. A cat that is overweight can develop osteoarthritis. Feline osteoarthritis can be difficult to diagnose as a cat’s instinct leads them to attempt to hide their infirmity. (Any signs of weakness can lead to a lion’s place in a pride being compromised.) Osteoarthritis affects the cartilage and soft tissue around the joints. Cartilage is the natural shock absorber of an organism, and is made of protein. It’s like an airbag for your joints. Arthritis causes cartilage to deteriorate from around the joints. If left untreated, the bones can begin to rub against each other, and bone thickening or bone spurs may result. The symptoms are varied and may not be something you might associate to arthritis. While feline arthritis is not curable, it is manageable and you may be able to prevent it in your cat.

Some cats slow down as they age. If your cat isn’t one of those but they are exhibiting some strange behaviors and you are concerned there may be something wrong, here are some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis. A cat may sleep more often and pick lower places to sleep. They may not cover leavings in the litter box, and if the box is too tall for them to easily climb into they may have an accident outside the litter box. Your cat may not want to jump up to high vantage points like they used to. Their leg muscles may look thinner or less filled out than they used to; this is called muscle wasting.

Was your cat an extrovert at family gatherings until recently? Do they shy away from your other pets or family members? If your cat’s appetite has changed, be aware that cats don’t eat when they don’t feel good. If they would rather be a couch potato all day, your cat may have feline arthritis.

By giving your kitty a premium quality natural cat food like FELIDAE®, and making sure they get daily exercise with a toy to chase or a lively game of fetch, you can lessen their chance of getting osteoarthritis later in life. If your cat is overweight, you should speak with your veterinarian about the proper way to help them lose weight healthily. Try using a shorter litter box and put a small rug or litter mat under the box to catch any accidents that may happen. Lowering food and water bowls for easier access will help keep your cat’s appetite up and may reduce muscle wasting. Using a thick waffle foam bed that will keep your cat off the cold floor, a bed with a back to block drafts, or using a heated bed or pet-approved heating pad under their bed can ease any aches and pains associated with feline osteoarthritis.

If you visit a holistic practitioner, ask them what methods of alternative treatments have worked for cats with osteoarthritis. See my article on treating canine arthritis for a list of alternative therapies to consider, such as massage, acupuncture and laser therapy. Your veterinarian may prescribe NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). They help reduce joint swelling, increase mobility and relieve pain, but should not be used unless prescribed by your veterinarian. Surgery may be suggested depending on the severity of the osteoarthritis. Whatever course you choose, be sure to consult with your veterinarian prior to treatment.

Read more articles by Ruthie Bently

Cats and String – a Dangerous Duo

By Julia Williams

We’ve all seen the classic image of a cute kitten playing with a ball of yarn. I’m not sure why, but most cats seem to really enjoy chasing string as its being dragged across the floor by their human playmate. Mine love a simple piece of string more than any fancy store-bought cat toy. Mickey is a couch-potato kitty, and if I can’t get him off his duff to play with the cat toys, all I have to do is dangle a string in front of his face and he’s off and running.

A piece of string or yarn is a cheap cat toy, and they can be great fun as well as good exercise for felines. However, what many owners don’t realize is that string can also be quite dangerous for their cat, and can even result in death. If the string is left out for the cat to find between playtime sessions, many kitties will start eating the string. Unfortunately, once they start swallowing the string, they can’t stop – they can only swallow more.

A cat’s sandpaper-like tongue has small backward-facing hooks called papillae that assist with grooming, eating and hunting. As useful as those uniquely designed tongues are, they make it nearly impossible for the cat to spit the string or yarn back out once they start swallowing it. The more string they swallow, the more life threatening the situation becomes.  

Why is Swallowing String Dangerous for Cats?

Swallowed string can cause strangulation, and it can also become wrapped around the cat’s intestines. Sometimes the string is able to pass through the digestive tract without harming the cat. Other times, the intestines can become blocked, pulled or torn by the string. Surgery might be able to save the cat’s life, but if the string cuts the intestines it can cause fecal matter to contaminate the abdominal cavity, resulting in a life threatening inflammation called peritonitis.

In addition to string and yarn, common household items such as embroidery floss, sewing thread, curling ribbon, rubber bands, tinsel, Easter grass, window blind pulls, and even dental floss can also be extremely dangerous if a cat ingests them.

What to Do If Your Cat Swallows String

First and foremost, if you see your cat eating string or see the string dangling from your cat’s mouth or rear end, DO NOT pull on the string in an attempt to remove it. This can make the damage much worse as the intestines can bunch up accordion-like around the string, and pulling on the string could cut the intestine or the esophagus.

If you know for certain that your cat swallowed string, yarn or something similar, it’s important to take them to your vet right away. If the string can be removed before it enters the intestines, your cat stands a much better chance at survival. If there is any string present in the gastrointestinal tract, the longer you wait, the more serious and life threatening it becomes.

If you suspect your cat has eaten string but don’t know for sure, the safest thing to do is to have your vet look them over and help you determine the best course of action. Because ingested string is so dangerous for cats, most vets don’t recommend a “wait and see” approach; however, if you do decide to take that route, be alert for the appearance of clinical signs. Usually, but not always, these will appear in one to two days. 

Possible clinical signs from string ingestion:

• vomiting or dry heaves
• anorexia or decreased appetite
• straining to defecate or diarrhea
• painful abdomen
• fever
• depression
• dehydration (from vomiting)

Kitties do love playing with string, and it can be a safe, fun and super cheap cat toy. Just remember that cats should not be allowed to play with string on their own. Being a responsible pet owner means never leaving string, yarn, ribbon, thread and similar items lying around the house, and if you have cat toys with string attached, be sure to put them away in-between supervised play. Your cat’s life may well depend on it.

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How to Help the Vet Treat Your Pet

By Julia Williams

Wouldn’t it be great if our pets could talk? They could tell us when they aren’t feeling well or when they think something isn’t quite right with their body. Better yet, we could take them to the vet and let them describe their symptoms and health issues in great detail. It would be so much easier and quicker for the vet to diagnose health problems if our pets could tell them what’s wrong! Unfortunately, very few people have a real life “Dr. Doolittle” vet who can chat with animals. Which means it’s up to us to take an active role in our pet’s health, and do everything we can to help our vet diagnose and treat them.

The most helpful thing a responsible pet owner can do for their animal is to keep detailed records of their health and medical history. In the veterinarian’s office, a timely diagnosis might mean the difference between life and death. A detailed medical history can provide important clues to the current issue, and may prevent unnecessary tests and needless expense. I keep a big notebook for my cats that includes basic information on when they were born, when they were immunized and spayed or neutered, and details of all other vet visits. If you have a good memory, you might think it’s unnecessary to write it all down. However, the stress and worry of a medical emergency can make it difficult to remember things, and having written records can lessen your anxiety.

Reviewing your pet’s medical records can give your vet valuable information, especially if you move to a new city or want to change clinics for some other reason. Many vet offices will ask the previous vet to send over your pet’s medical file, but this doesn’t mean that owners shouldn’t also be keeping their own records. For one thing, you may have information in your notes that was not recorded in your pet’s file. Also, as with my own medical records, I like to take a more hands-on approach – I just prefer not to rely on someone else when it comes to providing my vet with the information he needs to treat my pet. Medical records are essential to have, because a new complaint may be a consequence of a previous condition and/or treatment.

Aside from comprehensive record-keeping of treatments and illnesses, there are other pieces of information that can help your vet treat your pet. Some breeds of dogs and cats are predisposed to certain illnesses, so knowing your pet’s pedigree can help your vet determine which diagnostic tests to perform. However, if you aren’t certain of your pet’s lineage, don’t tell your vet you have a purebred cat or dog just because it resembles a picture you’ve seen. And if you’re not sure exactly how old your pet is, an approximation is still useful for your vet, since some medical conditions correlate to aging.

Environmental history is another important component of your pet’s records. Your vet needs to know if your cat is allowed to roam outdoors, because they can exposed to many diseases, toxins and other health risks that aren’t an issue for indoor cats. A pet’s travel history may also be useful to your veterinarian, particularly if your pet has been exposed to diseases that are endemic to certain regions but not prevalent in your local environment.

Dietary history is also essential information for your vet to have. In addition to knowing which brand and type of food your pet eats, their dietary history should include how often they are fed, if they are routinely given treats or snacks, what their usual appetite is like, and whether there has been any weight gain or loss. You may also find it useful to watch your pet eat from time to time. A pet that chews only on one side of its mouth or suddenly refuses to eat kibble in favor of canned food, may indicate the presence of an oral health issue that needs treatment.

Because dogs and cats can’t talk (at least, not in a language that most of us understand), veterinarians must rely on pet owners to speak for them. The more information you have about your pet’s health, the easier it will be for your vet to diagnosis what ails them. Then, they can devise a treatment plan that gets your four-legged friend quickly on the road to recovery.

Photograph © Andrew Dunn, July 2005.

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Feline Health Concerns

By Suzanne Alicie

Cats seem to be pretty easy pets to care for; all they really ask for are food, water and a clean litter box. But felines in general have many health concerns that responsible pet owners should be aware of and discuss with their veterinarian.

Hairballs - Because cats groom themselves they are always swallowing loose hair. Occasionally this hair forms into a ball and lodges in the cat’s stomach; your cat may do a great deal of coughing and hacking to dislodge the hairball, eventually coughing it up and out. If your cat is unable to expel a hairball then it is time to take action. There are over the counter medications that you can use to help the cat pass the hairball one way or the other, or you can visit your vet and he will administer a treatment after examining the cat to make sure there are no other problems.

Worms - Roundworms, tapeworms, hook worms and even heartworms can affect your cat. If left untreated, worms can be fatal to your feline friend. You can take your cat to the vet to be checked for worms and choose the best treatment for the specific type of worms.

Urinary Tract Infections - Bladder problems are common in both sexes of cats; however male cats risk a life threatening blockage due to urinary and bladder infections. A veterinarian should examine any cat you believe has a UTI or any problems with urination.

Fleas - Flea infestations cause anemia and have been known to kill kittens. Many times you can deal with fleas at home with flea dips and treatments to prevent infestation, but in the case of kittens younger than 6 months you should contact your vet before using any topical treatments. Linda Cole has written two helpful articles on how to fight fleas: Natural Flea Control for Dogs and Cats, and Winter is the Best Time to Fight Fleas.

Cat Flu - This viral infection that affect the upper respiratory tract can make your cat very sick, and can even kill young kittens and older cats. Pus leaking from the eyes, sneezing and thick discharge from the nose, fever or loss of appetite are all symptoms of cat flu. A veterinarian should be consulted immediately if your cat is displaying any of these symptoms.

FIV - Also known as feline AIDS, this disease lowers the cat’s immunity to common infections. A cat that suffers a long list of illnesses is commonly found to have FIV. While there is no vaccine for FIV, all cats should be tested so that preventive steps can be taken.

Feline Leukemia Virus - Thanks to a recent vaccine, FLV is no longer the most common fatal disease in cats. Cats that contract FLV rarely have a long life expectancy, and all cats should be immunized while young before they are in contact with any other cat that may have FLV.

Abscessed Wounds - The skin on a cat is tough and does not tear easily. This means that when a cat gets a scratch or bite the skin heals over quickly, often trapping bacteria underneath. These bacteria can cause your cat to become very ill as the infection spreads. An abscess can rupture on its own releasing thick yellow pus. If you clean this with warm salt water or peroxide the abscess will usually heal with no further problems. If an abscess does not rupture you should take your cat to the vet so that he can drain it and resolve the infection with antibiotics.

By keeping a close eye on your cat and his behavior, you can many times head off any health concerns before they become a problem.

Read more articles by Suzanne Alicie