If you’ve followed us for a while, you may remember Allegra’s last visit to the dentist in 2015. Six years later, it was time again: last week, I took Allegra to Animal Dentistry and Oral Surgery in Leesburg, VA.
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Feline Health
Your Cat Needs Regular Exercise
Cats have a reputation for being lazy and sleeping for much of the day. The average indoor cat sleeps 12 to 16 hours a day, which makes it even more important to provide plenty of opportunities for exercise during their waking hours. Exercise is nothing more than extended playtime, and it’s up to cat parents to make sure cats get plenty of it.Continue Reading
The 2021 American Association of Feline Practitioners Conference
The American Association of Feline Practitioners is hosting its annual conference this weekend. Unlike last year, when the conference was entirely virtual, this year’s conference is a hybrid event with the in-person event taking place at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona.Continue Reading
Ask the Cat Doc: Managing Pain, Dark Spot Above Nose, Fungal Infection and More
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Welcome to our regular “Ask the Cat Doc With Dr. Lynn Bahr” segment! Once a month, Dr. Bahr answers as many of your questions as she can, and you can leave new questions for her in a comment.Continue Reading
How the Assisi Loop Helped Two Special Needs Kitties Thrive
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Andrea Carollo has been a volunteer with Animal House of South East Michigan for several years. Last summer, she started fostering Greigh, who was rescued after being badly injured and had to have a significant portion of his front leg amputated. This summer, Rasputin, a kitten suffering from radial nerve paralysis, joined her household. Both use the Assisi Loop to help them with their issues.Continue Reading
When it Comes to Your Cat’s Litter Box, Simple is Better
After receiving and turning down the umpteenth pitch to feature or review yet another “innovative” litter box, I feel compelled to share my views on litter boxes, which is pretty much summed up in the headline of this article: simple is (usually) better!
Most of the new litter boxes are designed to either make cleaning the litter box easier, or to hide the litter box. Neither of these two reasons have anything to do with what cats want or need, and everything to do with human sensibilities. Continue Reading
Case Study: How the Assisi Loop Helped Charlie with a Severe Case of Stomatitis
This post is sponsored by Assisi Animal Health
Stomatitis is a frustrating and painful condition, a severe inflammation of the oral cavity in cats in which the affected cat essentially becomes allergic to her own teeth. The outward signs of this condition are red, inflamed, and often ulcerated gums, and this can be very painful for the cat. The exact cause of stomatitis is not known. The most commonly held theory is that stomatitis is caused by an abnormal reaction of the immune system. Some cats appear to be hypersensitive to their own plaque, and even small amounts will cause the immune system to mount an exxagerated inflammatory response by sending lymphocytic and plasma cells into the cats’ gums and oral tissues. For this reason, the condition is also referred to as lymphocytic plasmacytic gingivitis stomatitis.Continue Reading
Not One More Vet Documentary Aims to Raise Awareness of Suicide Among Veterinarians
We previously wrote about the devastating rise in suicide rates among veterinarians. Most cat parents have no idea that the compassionate and smiling person who cares for your cat is at a higher than normal risk of suicide. A 2019 study analyzing 10,000 veterinarian deaths found that 1 in 6 veterinarians have considered suicide.Continue Reading
Ask the Cat Doc: Skin Conditions, Upper Respiratory Infections, Gabapentin, and More
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Welcome to our regular “Ask the Cat Doc With Dr. Lynn Bahr” segment! Once a month, Dr. Bahr answers as many of your questions as she can, and you can leave new questions for her in a comment.Continue Reading
How to Care for Your Cat After Surgery
The only surgery for most cats, if they’re lucky, will be their spay or neuter surgery, but even these simple procedures require some special care for a few days. For more complex surgeries with longer recovery times bring even greater challenges. Cats may be uncomfortable, experience pain, and their ability to move around freely may need to be temporarily restricted. Knowing what to expect, and what to watch out for, can make caring for your cat after surgery less stressful for you and help your cat recover faster.Continue Reading
How to Perform a Home Health Check for Your Cat
Cats are masters at hiding signs of illness or pain. By the time they show symptoms, they’re often really sick. By learning what is normal for your cat, and keeping an eye on even subtle changes, you can recognize some problems early and get your cat seen by your veterinarian before they become serious.Continue Reading