WELCOME to the 10th edition of Parkside Animal Hospital s monthly newsletter: June 2009, Vol. 2, No. 6.

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1 WELCOME to the 10th edition of Parkside Animal Hospital s monthly newsletter: June 2009, Vol. 2, No. 6. Look forward to health care tips and information, including services available for your pet; product rebates/promotions and much more, coordinating with the Parkside Animal Hospital website: Meeeee OW! it s nearly all about CATS! Maddox Zoe Katie Whiskers Bobbi Vivian Hal Nupus Lucy Peanut Butter Muffin Spencer Tracy Little Orphan Angels rescues Kali Denali "Who could believe such pleasure from a wee ball o' fur?" --Irish saying

2 IS YOUR CAT IN DANGER FROM HEARTWORM DISEASE?. the answer is YES! Over the last few years, several new disease patterns and concerns have been the focus of significant attention in veterinary medicine. One of these is feline heartworm disease. Heartworm disease was previously considered only a dog disease. Difficulties with effective diagnosis and prevention as well as an entirely different set of disease symptoms allowed feline heartworm disease to remain a silent killer for many years, until it began to be recognized and studied in the late 1990s. Since then, feline heartworm disease has steadily gained attention as a major preventable disease in cats. Here are a few important facts about feline heartworm disease: - Texas has the highest prevalence of feline heartworm disease in the nation, mirroring a high canine prevalence. -Various studies suggest a range of 10% to as high as 35% of cats in our area will test positive for heartworm exposure, depending on the specific group studied. There does not appear to be a significant difference in risk between indoor and outdoor cats. -Feline heartworm disease can be transmitted by a single bite from an infected mosquito (including the ones that sneak into the house when the door is opened). -Symptoms of feline heartworm disease are highly variable but may include wheezing, coughing, chronic vomiting (often confused with hairballs ), and sudden unexpected death in an apparently healthy cat. Some cats may not show symptoms at all during some stages of the disease, then later develop serious problems. Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease in cats is often referred to as H.A.R.D. Symptoms associated with HARD: Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease include: Coughing Lethargy Vomiting Rapid Heart Rate Difficulty Breathing Fainting Diarrhea Weight Loss/Anorexia Blindness Convulsions Collapse Sudden Death Unfortunately, no mediations exist for the safe elimination of adult heartworms in cats. Since no safe treatment exists the best option is the routine use of heartworm preventives to inhibit development of infection. -In 2005, the American Heartworm Society revised its nation-wide recommendations for heartworm control to include annual heartworm testing in both cats and dogs, and use of a monthly heartworm preventive all year long in both cats and dogs.

3 -At a meeting in 2004, one of the world s leading veterinary cardiologists stated that use of monthly heartworm preventive is without a doubt the most important preventive care that veterinarians can provide for cats. Fortunately, feline heartworm disease can easily be prevented. We have a very effective product to protect our feline patients from this serious threat- Revolution. We recommend this product for several reasons. First, it is a topical product, eliminating the need to poke a pill down the patient. Secondly, it is very effective at controlling fleas and ear mites, the most common cause of ear infections in cats. Another important feature is that Revolution controls hookworms and roundworms in cats, two intestinal parasites that can seriously affect people (especially children and the elderly). 3 to 6 million people in the United States are infected with roundworm larvae each year. With all that it does, Revolution is the most cost effective preventive measure that we can provide our patients. No other preventive measure we offer in either cats or dogs offers such a wide range of benefits. Again, we stress the importance of monthly heartworm preventive in both dogs and cats for all of our patients. Please call us at if you have any other questions concerning heartworm disease or would like to start your pet on an appropriate preventive. The veterinarians and staff of Parkside Animal Hospital recommend that your cats be examined and placed on REVOLUTION immediately, unless contraindicated As a heartworm preventative To control fleas and ear mites To control hookworm and roundworm (intestinal parasites). "A Cat sleeps fat, yet walks thin." --Fred Schwab

4 PARASITES, PREVENTION and YOUR PET Questions?..we have answers! Q. How does a cat get a parasite? A. Parasites can attack your cat in many different ways. Roundworms are contracted when your cat ingests worm eggs that have passed through the feces of an infected cat or dog. Tapeworms can be contracted if your cat eat fleas or other hosts (such as rodents) that carry tapeworm larvae. Heartworm is contracted when an infected mosquito bites a cat. Some intestinal parasites can be passed through the mother cat s milk to her kitten. Another unique parasite is a hookworm, whose larvae thrive in moist soil. Your cat can simply step on a larva and it can pass through the skin of its paw. Still other parasites, mites, for example, can be contracted if your cat has direct contact with an infected cat. Considering all the ways your cat could become infected, it would be impossible for you to make sure it avoids all the possible situations. Therefore, it is necessary to give your cat preventative medication. There are options available that will protect your pet from the most common parasites. Q. How does a cat get heartworm? A. Heartworm infection takes place when a mosquito carrying microscopic heartworm larvae bites a cat. The larvae enter through the bite wound where they develop in the tissues. The immature worms then enter a blood vessel and are carried to the arteries in the lung where they cause an inflammatory reaction. This inflammatoy reaction can cause cats to have respiratory problems such as difficulty breathing or coughing. Most worms die at this stage, causing even more inflammation and damaging vital lung tissue. Worms that survive and progress to the adult stage may live undetected for a couple of years. However, when the adult worms die, the inflammation can be severe enough to cause death to the cat. The respiratory signs associated with these reactions are called Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease (HARD). Q. Can my cat give me (or my children) a parasite? A. Yes, there are a few common parasites that can be shared between cats and humans. The most common is roundworms. 3 to 6 million people in the United States are infected with roundworm larvae each year. Roundworms can cause blindness if they migrate to the eye. Q. How can I tell if my cat has parasites? A. Some parasites are easier than others to recognize. If you see changes in your cat s grooming habits, notice your cat consistently scratching or observe patches of hair loss, it is possible your cat has fleas or mites. Intestinal parasites are usually only diagnosed with a veterinary exam and analysis of your cat s feces. This is why we strongly recommend a fecal examination for cats and dogs at the time of your pet s annual exam. Heartworm disease can be particularly devastating and is difficult to diagnose in cats. This is why it s important to have your cat examined regularly and placed on year-round prevention. Q. What can I do? A. Parasites can have a negative impact on the relationship between you and your pet. There are things you can do to prevent your cat from getting a parasitic infection. Some important preventive measures include practicing good personal hygiene, treating your cat with internal and external parasite treatment and control medication, regularly cleaning your cat s litter box, only feeding your cat cooked and prepared food and not allowing your cat to hunt.

5 DOGS vs. CATS: Heartworm disease is not just a canine disease. Heartworms affect cats differently than dogs, but the disease they cause is equally serious. INDOOR vs. OUTDOOR CATS: It only takes one mosquito to infect a cat, and because mosquitoes can get indoors, both indoor and outdoor cats are at risk and should receive heartworm preventive medication. In a recent study, 28% of the cats diagnosed with heartworm were inside-only cats. IT S A HEART DISEASE: The name heartworm disease is a misnomer, as it mostly affects the lungs and not just the heart. Signs are often mistaken for feline asthma, allergic bronchitis or other respiratory diseases. ADULT HEARTWORMS vs. LARVAE: Cats do not need an adult heartworm to exhibit clinical signs, in fact, larvae are a main cause of the problems. Studies show 50% of cats infected with heartworm larvae have significant disease of the small arteries supplying blood to the lungs. DIAGNOSIS: Diagnosis is difficult as negative antigen and antibody tests do not rule out heartworm disease. Positive tests, however, are significant. It s BEST to PROTECT. Give your cat heartworm preventative, monthly! "There are no ordinary cats." --Colette

6 ASK A VET. answers for your questions Q. If my cat doesn t eat for a day or two, do I need to worry? A. YES! Cats are different than dogs or even people. The larger the cat, the more you need to be sure they do not go off their food. Cats that stop eating for any reason can develop a serious medical condition known as hepatic lipidosis or fatty liver. This can turn into a vicious cycle. If the cat doesn t eat, the liver gets upset, then the cat doesn t eat from the nausea caused by the liver disease. Please talk to your veterinarian if your cat stops eating for more than a day or two to decide if your pet needs to be examined or if the veterinary staff can recommend ways to encourage the cat to start eating. Q. I ve seen my cat go to the litter box more frequently than usual. What does this mean? A. Cats can develop a number of problems with the urinary system, from infections to blood in the urine to crystal and stones. If you see your cat in the litter box frequently, pay attention to what they are doing in the box, urine or feces. If you do not notice a normal stream of urine, your vet will likely want to examine the pet and start with a urinalysis to rule out some of the above medical problems. Male cats that are not producing a full stream of urine need to be seen by a vet very quickly. If the cat is straining and not producing any urine, that is a medical emergency and the cat must be seen immediately. Q. Why does my cat eliminate outside the litter box? A. If we knew the answer to this question, there would be many more happy cat owners in the world. First, it is best to talk to the veterinary staff to decide if your pet needs to be examined because we always rule out a medical reason first. There are many medical reasons a pet may not use the litter box, such as diarrhea or a urinary tract infection may cause pain which the cat associates with the litter box. A cat with arthritis may associate the pain of posturing to eliminate with the litter box. There are also many behavioral reasons a cat won t use the litter box. Your veterinary staff can offer many solutions to help with behavior problems. Always have 1 more litter boxes than the number of cats in the house. Be sure the boxes are in a place where the cat feels comfortable eliminating. Offer different types of litter since cats develop litter preferences. These are just a few of the things you can try. Please ask the staff for more suggestions. Q. I want to change foods for my cat. What is the best way to do this? A. Very importantly, cats transition differently than dogs. Do not mix old/new foods hoping to gain acceptance of the new food. Set out present and new food at the same time in separate bowls/food dishes. Allow the cat TO CHOOSE the new food, and then take the old food away after the cat has chosen to eat the new food. This may take a few days for some cats and a month or more for others. To try and force a cat to eat a new food often sets up food aversion problems. Cats are endearing for their strong will and independence. This is one of those issues that is the other side of the coin.

7 Q. My cat stays inside all the time, is it really necessary to vaccinate my cat every year? A. YES! More important than vaccinating your pet each year is the physical exam. We have to remember our pets age much more quickly than we do. At one year of age we estimate a cat to be human years and ages approximately 5-7 human years for each subsequent year. It is important your veterinarian to check out all body systems and address any concerns you may have with your pet. Many times your veterinarian can point out problem areas you may not have seen like ear infections, dental disease, and weight issues. In regards to vaccination, they are also important. Typically the recommended vaccinations are Rabies, FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis Calicivirus Panleukopenia), and Feline Leukemia for outdoor or indoor/outdoor cats. Depending on the kind of vaccinations given, some vaccines are given every three years while others are updated yearly. Q. Is declawing a cat safe? A. Many people have different opinions on declawing cats. Ideally, we would like to not declaw cats and allow them full used of their nails. Declawing alternatives include regular trimmings of the nails, providing cat furniture they can sharpen their claws on naturally, or placing small, temporary vinyl caps over the nails to prevent them from destroying inappropriate things. If these practices do not work and you are still interested in declawing, it is a surgical procedure that entails removal of the first bone of the digit including the nail. Your cat will be placed on pain medication, strict rest and recovery usually takes 7-14 days if no complications arise. Many complications to declawing occur if the cat licks the paws too much, is too active after surgery or uses improper litter after surgery. Q. How do cats purr? A. This question has befuddled even the smartest scientists through the years. The answer is we really don t know. The simple explanation provided is that cats are able to vibrate the muscles of the larynx during inhalation and exhalation creating what we hear and feel as purring. Cats are the only animals known to purr and even their larger family members such as tigers purr as well. Many people think cats only purr when they are happy this seems the case most of the time. Interestingly enough cats will also purr during stress or when very ill. Additional questions? Please or call Claudia at Parkside, as your questions may be included in future Ask a Vet features.

8 More pets seen recently at Parkside.. Popeye Ila Boone Clara Heidi Layla Becca Baby Cakes Gus Shiner & Sammy Petra Draco HOME AGAIN Microchip Did you know?? In addition to helping return your lost pet to you, there are additional benefits. 1. A $3,000 insurance policy is available, complimentary the lst year, should your pet be injured when they are lost. The insurance policy is renewable succeeding years for a small fee. While Parkside Animal Hospital staff registers your pet with Home Again, you must respond to follow-up communication and register your pet to activate the policy. 2. Through Home Again s 24/7 hotline number, consultation with the ASPCA Poison Control is available at NO CHARGE. You must call Home Again and have your pet s microchip number available. This is a $60.00 savings* per call, and a wonderful benefit! *Cost of consultation via ASPCA Poison Control is $60.00 per call, should you not have the Home Again chip or contact ASPCA directly. Contact Parkside Animal Hospital to have your pet micro-chipped today. Micro-chipping can be done during a simple office visit, during spay/neuter or dentals.

9 Independence Day 4 th of July is next month but we ve already heard the pops, whistles and booms of fireworks, especially on the weekends. Fireworks are magical to us, but to some of our pets, fireworks can be frightening and/or hazardous to their health. What does this mean to YOUR pet.. both cats and dogs? Keep pets away from all explosive objects, fires, matches and lighters. Their fur is easily ignited and some pets may be tempted to chew on unfamiliar objects. If you find your pet has chewed or ingested explosive material, contact poison control and take your pet to the vet immediately. Take what is left of the object to help identify all possible toxins and complicated risks associated with ingesting the particular foreign object. Bring your pet indoors, if at all possible. Pets outside may grow so terrified they escape from yards previously thought secure. Pets in this state are genuinely terrified and may injure themselves or be hit as they run into busy streets. While your pet is indoors, put them in an interior room (away from windows and doors) and play music or have the television on to distract your pet from the loud booming of fireworks. Please be aware that their hearing may be much more sensitive than your own. Toys and chews may be good tools to help occupy or divert your pet s attention and your pet may feel safest in his/her crate while fireworks are being displayed. Have your pet s ID tags on and check that his/her harness, collar and leash are properly tightened and fastened. Ask your veterinarian about micro chipping your pet if they are not already chipped. Signs and symptoms of firework phobia: Shaking and/or trembling Excessive drooling Barking and/or howling Trying to hide or escape Diarrhea from prolonged stress purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr