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Button posted:How necessary is it to get indoor cats vaccinated every year? I have two 1 and a half year old boys who got their full shots when they were kittens and again a month ago. They are 100% indoor, have no exposure to any other animals, and I plan to keep it that way of the rest of their lives. Do they really need anything other then a regular checkup? The respiratory vaccine (FVRCP) is usually recommended anyway because you can bring the germs in on your clothes even if the cats never leave the house. Leukemia isn't recommended for indoor cats as it's the most risky vaccine reaction-wise and you need pretty direct cat-to-cat contact to get it. Rabies is up to you, again it's unlikely if you keep the cat indoors, but some people do it anyway, to protect the cat in case of escapes or maybe just for peace of mind in case the cat bites soemone and the person freaks out about rabies. If you license your cat (I think most people don't) rabies may be required depending on where you live.
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Dec 12, 2007 00:44
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Mr. Grumpybones posted:
Have you tried wrapping the cat in a towel to make him more manageable? The other idea would be mixing the liquid with something he'll eat easily, like wet food or meat baby food, though some cats see right through that trick.
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Dec 20, 2007 06:55
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Meat Street posted:
I'm having a very similar issue with one of my cats, who is also about 18 lbs. I don't know if it's been a chronic issue with her as I just adopted her 3 weeks ago, but it sounds very similar as far as the inflamed, gross-looking anal area. In her case she can reach the area and was licking it so much she had it all raw and inflamed, and it was getting pussy and nasty so we went to the vet and they couldn't find any anal gland issues, though that was one of their initial suspicions. In her case they decided the likeliest answer was that she was irritated enough from a short bout of diarrhea she had recently that she just licked herself raw, like a hotspot in dogs, and was continuing to make it worse. She's been in an e-collar for a couple weeks now and we're working our way through a bottle of antibiotics. The vet also had me bathe her butt and then wipe it daily with medicated wipes. It's looking better, especially since she can't lick it. The vet said anals can be an issue with fat cats, but that also dermatitis issues like this might be more common just because all the fat comes together in that area to make it easier for it to stay moist and gross. I can definitely see how that's possible with all the fat my girl seems to store in the base of her tail.
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Oct 18, 2008 19:45
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gyroball posted:My dog got some tar on her paws and belly. I managed to cut off the hair that was tarred and scrub her paws but they're still black and a bit tarry. How worried should I be about her licking the affected area? She hasn't started yet but I'm sure she will... Have you tried using baby oil to remove the tar more completely? It works wonders on my feet every time I go to the beach, and if you can get most of it off that'd be better than trying to guess if tar is toxic.
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Oct 30, 2008 00:06
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Seventeen-Five posted:I adopted a kitten 5 weeks ago, and I am just curious as to how neccesary shots are? She is and will always be indoors, so I'm not really sure if I can justify the money. I plan on getting her a rabies shot for my own saftey, but beyond that I am sceptical, to say the least. If the cat will be indoors only some vaccines become less important than others. FeLV (leukemia) in particular is spread by pretty direct cat-cat contact so it's not really needed for an indoor-only cat. Rabies would be for your own peace of mind, but I remember hearing somewhere that cats don't, or haven't been shown to transmit rabies to people, so if you are anti-vaccine you might be interested in finding more information about the risk of rabies for an indoor-only cat. In some places a rabies vaccine is required by law, though, so that could make the decision for you. The one vaccine routinely recommended for indoor cats is the respiratory combo vaccine, usually called FVRCP or something similar, that vaccinates for a few different respiratory viruses. These viruses are pretty contagious and you can bring them in on your shoes or clothes, so that's what the vaccine is recommended for indoor cats.
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Nov 14, 2008 04:38
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Olive Bar posted:I would say definitely get her shots. If she somehow escapes one day as cats tend to do sometimes, you'll want to know when you find her that she doesn't have FIV or something like that. Also, if you ever need to board her for some reason, you won't be able to unless she has all of her shots. FIV isn't commonly vaccinated for, but escapes are something to consider when deciding which vaccines to do. As for boarding, I think the most important one is the respiratory one, since those viruses are more contagious, but it may depend on the specific facility as to whether they want the rest.
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Nov 14, 2008 07:18
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Unfortunately it was one of those things a vet I worked for while ago said he read, or something to that effect. Nothing I can find online suggests cat-human transmission is impossible, just that cats are the suspected cause of far fewer cases than dogs, or, to a much greater extent, wildlife. Here's the source for that: http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/inside.asp?AID=552&UID=
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Nov 14, 2008 10:12
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GoreJess posted:The other thing to consider is that when you take your cat to the vet, she'll be around other cats in the waiting room. What if one of those cats is FIV+ and your cat isn't vaccinated? Honestly, it's usually better to be safe when considering whether or not to vaccinate. The vast majority of animals don't have vaccine reactions. My point was that FIV isn't usually vaccinated for regardless of whether or not the cat will be around other cats. The three big ones with cats are FeLV, Rabies, and FVRCP.
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Nov 14, 2008 15:54
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xboobookittifkxx posted:My 13 week old Pembroke Welsh Corgi has something in his eye. The breeders vet said nothing was wrong, but someone else said it could be a cherry eye. I haven't ever seen a "cherry eye" (prolapsed eyelid gland) be in the outer corner like that, but I don't know enough to say it's impossible. Regardless, anything growth-like on the eyelids should be checked out by a vet, because even if it's deemed to be a benign growth, depending on where exactly it is it potentially could rub on the cornea and cause an ulcer. Definitely have your vet look at it and decide if it's a foreign body, or a growth that might need to be removed, or a cherry eye that needs fixing.
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Nov 30, 2008 02:34
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My vet seems to think that kitty dandruff is often related to weight--that is, obese cats are more prone to dandruff and it improves with weight loss in many cases. Not sure if anyone knows why, but my guess is it may be related to fat cats being unable to reach certain areas when grooming, contributing to poor coat and skin condition. My fat cat (8kg) has dandruff, especially over her back where her coat is also more oily and less well-groomed in general. If it's rapidly worsened lately, there could be something else contributing though--any changes in food, possible sources of stress that might have affected his grooming patterns, maybe even the weather if it's exceptionally dry where you are? As Diocenes said some people think fatty acid supplements can help skin conditions, and some sort of moisturizing or soothing shampoo could help (and bathing cats can be fun in an ear-splitting, bloody and soaking wet sort of way). Supplements and shampoos are things your vet's office might be able to recommend over the phone and have you come in for without an exam as they usually aren't prescription, so it might be worth calling them for an opinion.
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Dec 23, 2008 20:42
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Adrenochrome posted:Where is the best online resource for finding a good place to neuter/spay your pets? What kind of things should I look for? For reference, I live near the Dallas area, so how much should I expect to pay? She's about 4 months old now. Are you looking for some sort of low cost spay/neuter program, or just a regular vet? If it's the second, I would either ask people in your area for recommendations, since you'll need a good vet anyway, and if price is an issue most places should be able to give you a quote for the surgery by phone so you can call around.
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Dec 27, 2008 03:59
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EmeraldFlashlight posted:One of my cats is doing some very strange litter box stuff. First of all, box is brand clean, etc, etc. I've had old cats with urinary issues before, but this guy is young, only about two. I just went through this with one of my cats, where she was in an out of the box and only peeing a couple drops every time she squatted. It progressed to squatting other places, and then the drops being bloody. In her case there were no stones, crystals or bacterial infection, so she was diagnosed with idiopathic sterile cystitis, which essentially means inflammation of the bladder and urinary tract without a specific cause. The vet said this syndrome is increasingly being recognized as related to environment or stress. Your cat could have this, or the more well-known crystals, stones or UTI, so a vet visit is in order. Given that he's male and could block much more easily, get the appointment sooner rather than later and be very watchful for that.
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Dec 29, 2008 17:32
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Helanna posted:That's interesting... the same cat who had a UTI and crystals for me is now clear of both (multiple urine tests done), and he has tested negative of everything we can think of (diabetes/kidney problems/FELV/FIV/anemia/loads of other stuff) but he STILL has a fever (ongoing for a long time) and pissing on stuff periodically. My vet is baffled and we're still doing ongoing tests (scheduled for an ultrasound this week). The other possibility is that the inappropriate urination has become a habit because of the UTI/crystals episode, though a fever wouldn't go along with that. If he always has a slight fever though, and he stresses out as easily as you say, ask your vet if THAT could be behavioral too--some animals stress out at the vet enough to raise their temp a little.
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Dec 29, 2008 23:43
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Might want to have a vet check them out because anal gland issues aren't as common with cats as dogs so you'll want to make sure there isn't something wrong besides them just not expressing properly. The vet can also show you how to express them yourself if that's what is recommended.
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Jan 14, 2009 07:28
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What about locking him in the bathroom overnight and taking him to the vet in the morning for the sample? They can probably just get the urine without charging you for an exam, and really, the syringe method isn't bad. It's quick, it's sterile (which is actually important if you're looking for evidence of infection), and probably less stressful than continuing to harass him with repeated lock-downs. As for price, in some clinics the price of sample collection is built into the lab fees, so it might not even cost you any more than getting the sample tested to also have them obtain the sample. And even if they do charge extra, it shouldn't be much if they aren't doing an exam at the same time.
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Jan 15, 2009 01:34
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CompactFanny posted:Not sure if this warrants its own thread, but... Guinea pigs are sort of like rabbits in that they do best with a decent amount of hay in their diet, such as timothy hay. It helps to grind down their teeth, which continually grow, and you want to avoid dental issues if at all possible. Some amount of guinea pig pellets can be good, as they will be fortified with vitamin C if they are meant for guinea pigs, but the main staple should be hay. Fresh vegetables are good too, but avoid much fruit.
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Jan 17, 2009 04:09
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DenialTwist posted:Does anyone have any experience with steroid sots for doggy allergies? My dog has an unknown allergy and the vet recommended switching her to a more allergy friendly food which we have done (Orijen 6 Fish) she is also taking lots of Benedryl as per the vet at 50mg every 6 hours how she stays awake I don't know. But the vet mentioned giving her a steroid shot after she recovers from her spay but she used a few words that made me a little weary of it saying that it isn't used frequently because it is reserved for severe cases. I am also weary because the vet first prescribed prednisone and it didn't help her itchyness at all. What this all started with was she was chewing on the area one her back right by her tail to the point where it was raw and bleeding so the vet prescribed the prednisone and an antibiotic even during that she chewed and itched constantly. Steroid injections usually work very well for itching. Long-term steroid use can have some serious risks, but they are very commonly used short-term to alleviate itching associated with allergies. If the anti-histamines work though many people will stick with that because it's thought to be safer. It really comes down to what works to keep her from itching while you figure out what she is allergic to.
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Jan 30, 2009 17:33
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You really should take him to vet, even if you don't want to spring for the allergy testing. They can prescribe something to help with the itching since the benadryl isn't working. Also, dogs can be allergic to a to of things besides food, just like us, so it could easily be a grass or pollen allergy, a sensitivity to a detergent or fabric softener, even fleas. Also, as the previous poster said, he could have a food allergy to something that's also in EVO, or it may have not been long enough on the food yet to tell. But don't let your dog scratch himself raw for the 6-8 weeks it can take for food trials to work, go to the vet.
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Feb 26, 2009 16:29
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Semper Ubi Sub Ubi posted:My 7-month-old Beagle Henry was at the vet today for a check-up, and because of his red ears (no infection), decreased appetite, and him chewing on his feet, she said he probably had allergies. She recommended we give him 25mg tablets of Benadryl twice a day and he should feel better, but I wanted to see if PI had any opinion on this, since I'm a bit hesitant to give my puppy some people medicine. What do you guys think? If it's a food allergy they take time to improve when the food is switched, so you should be giving your dog the meds if he's itchy now--don't let him itch for the weeks it can take to see an improvement. It could easily be something not diet-related too, so in that case he would be itchy and not improving while you tried to figure out foods. The most important thing to remember here, though, is that if your vet prescribes a medicine the internet won't be able to tell you if they are right or not, so find a vet you trust and follow their recommendations. In addition, just because people take benadryl doesn't mean anything about how well it will or won't work in dogs. With a few exceptions, the vast majority of drugs in veterinary pharmacies are generics of human drugs.
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Mar 11, 2009 23:43
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thuvia posted:
Cats and dogs can hear frequencies much higher than we can, which is why those whistles can be heard by dogs and not the owners--I have no idea if they work to curb barking, but if a dog can hear it a cat can too. Cats can actually hear even higher frequencies than dogs.
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Mar 13, 2009 01:31
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Psiharis posted:
If the spots are raw or oozing at all keep them clean and watch for signs of infection, but I wouldn't try to treat them with anything. Really the best thing you can do is see what the vet thinks, and when people treat their pets themselves first it can change what the doctor sees and maybe make it harder to figure out. If it is skin cancer it is best to catch it early when the tips of the ears can be removed--I saw one cat who when untreated for so long we had to remove his entire ears, which were scabby bloody messes. It could be other things too, though, so don't panic yet--dogs and cats seem to get scabby patches of skin from a lot of things, and ears are just more skin.
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Mar 14, 2009 15:40
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Psiharis posted:
If they think it looks cancerous and not like a rash they can biopsy it and have a lab look at the sample to see. I honestly don't know what skin cancer looks like in less advanced cases, nor can I tell from your description what your cat's ear looks like in relation to what I have seen, so please don't worry based on that--just know it's possible, and you should get it checked out.
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Mar 15, 2009 03:11
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This would be most of her ear, it's a spot right in the middle.
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Manx is a breed in itself, not just a reference to tail length, and Manx cats can have the whole range from a full tail to none. By "Manx mix" they probably mean a shelter cat with less than a full tail--unlikely to be purebred, but still with Manx qualities.
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Mar 26, 2009 02:36
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He may not like the clicker, especially if he was weirded out by it from the start. It's not something they automatically like--you have to "load" it first by clicking, giving a treat, clicking, giving a treat, many times until the dog is conditioned to associate the clicker with the happiness of getting the treat. Once that happens, the click itself becomes a reward because it triggers that good feeling, and then it is a useful training tool. It may be that if you skipped that step or went through it too quickly he was just weirded out by it. If so you can probably overcome it by doing the click, treat, click, treat repeatedly until he makes that positive association.
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Apr 15, 2009 00:02
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Definitely call up your regular vet first thing tomorrow. It depends on the vet, but often there's wiggle room in the schedule for urgent cases. Even if they can't see you, they may be able to at least say if the original diagnosis sounds reasonable or suggest yet another vet to try if they think it sounds bad enough he should be seen right away and they can't fit him in.
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Apr 24, 2009 06:31
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Druz posted:Are there any diseases/parasites that can easily be passed from mice to cats? I've never seen a mouse inside the house before this, but in the last month I've found 5, and 2 of them were being carried around in the mouth of one of our cats. For parasites there are a few I can think of that have rodents as an intermediate host and could be passed to a cat if the cat ate the rodent, and those are 2 types of roundworm (Toxacara and Toxascaris), lungworms (Aelurostrongylus) and a couple tapeworms (Taenia and Mesocestoides). Which ones are prevalent in a given area varies. There is also the possibility of the rodents transferring fleas (which can harbor another type of tapeworm, Diplydium). Aside from the fleas the real risk is from ingested rodents, not ones simply carried around, but it's still a good idea to discourage the behavior.
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Jun 6, 2009 22:16
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I think the reason rabies is done at 16 weeks is because all maternal antibodies should be cleared from the system then, and maternal antibodies can interfere with the kitten's response to the vaccine. So, if the vaccine is given too early and there are still antibodies from the mother around the vaccine may not work or work as well. It may be that 12 weeks is still ok but the studies to prove efficacy have only been done for 16 weeks, or it may be that it doesn't work very well at 12 weeks. In any case, the law is the way it is for a reason so if it becomes an issue the 12 weeks vaccine may not actually hold up.
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Jun 9, 2009 01:23
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Hay itself is better than the pellets, which have other things in them and also require less chewing. Part of the point of the hay is to provide a constant grinding motion to properly wear down the teeth as they grow (and they are always growing, it's not an age-related thing). Some pellets is good, but make sure they are guinea pig pellets as those will include the vitamin C he needs in case he isn't getting it from fruits/veggies.
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Jun 15, 2009 04:06
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Where I worked we had three options--owner takes the body, hospital disposes of the body (we sent them to the county shelter for a mass cremation sort of thing), or private cremation. For private cremation we would send the body to the company and they would return the box of ashes to us for the owner to pick up. If your vet does not deal with a specific cremation company you would just take the body yourself and find one. People opted to take the body home with them for burial and it was never an issue.
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Jul 7, 2009 20:34
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MoCookies posted:One of my dog REALLY hates it when I apply Advantage. She starts skulking as soon as I pop the applicator, and continues to skulk & sulk around for hours and sometimes days afterward. She's currently hiding under the comforter in my guestroom. If she hates it that much it might be worth it to try another topical, like Frontline, and see if she reacts the same. She may just hate topical applications, or there may be something in Advantage she reacts to, though I haven't heard of that before. If she doesn't respond well to a different topical you could also switch to Comfortis, the once-a-month flea pill.
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Jul 12, 2009 21:17
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lionskull posted:If that's an option that's great, but I believe the issue is that we don't know when her last heat was and you're supposed to wait a certain amount of weeks after that. You can do the spay at any point during the cycle, even while pregnant or in heat, it's just a little more complicated due to the uterus being full of fetuses or if she's in heat or was recently in heat there may be more bleeding to deal with. It comes down to what the vet is comfortable with, but most places I've seen will do it any time, they may just charge a little more if it's a more complicated procedure.
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Jul 24, 2009 20:39
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RazorBunny posted:
I've seen dogs improve from methods like this, but instead of jumping straight to the act the dog doesn't like, working towards it gradually. Like, if paws are a no-no, placing a hand on the leg, then treat. Move the hand a little closer to the paw, then treat. Eventually touching the paw, then pinching or placing light pressure on the paw, working up to holding/examining the paw. Clicker-training can be a good tool in conjunction with treats.
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Aug 5, 2009 05:23
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Agedashi Tofu posted:My wife and I discovered a small stray kitten outside our home today, and have taken it in for the evening until we can get it to the vet tomorrow (no collar). Bacteriology and virology are coming up this next quarter, but until then I can't say for sure. I can tell you that dogs and cats get vaccinated for different respiratory pathogens, and that the clinic I worked at had separate exam rooms and waiting rooms for dogs and cats, but would switch them for respiratory cases to reduce the risk of infecting other patients. From that I would say it is unlikely your dogs will get the cat's respiratory infection, but the precautions are a good idea in general.
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Aug 8, 2009 06:48
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KilGrey posted:Cat colds are caused in the same magic way human colds are. You can't really ask 'what caused this' in the same way you would for another illness. It's just a cold. Not sure what you mean by this..."colds" are generally caused by viral infections, which are very contagious and can be picked up from various sources. Sometimes the symptoms of a respiratory illness can be due to something like herpes virus, which can be dormant and flare up with stress, such as being moved to a new environment. Respiratory infections are common in cats (and people) but they have definite causes.
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Aug 10, 2009 07:03
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I can't see how it's in the patient's best interest for the owner to be less than fully informed about the care their pet is receiving. Not only is it the vet's duty to give the client the information needed to make health care decisions for their pet in general, skipping around the details because you think the client can't handle it is one of the many ways distrust and misunderstandings develop between the client and the vet, and that does no one any good, vet, patient or owner. I know you're just talking about the details of a specific procedure here, but it is a very common one, and a very useful diagnostic tool that reasonable clients should consent to if they understand what it entails versus the benefits of doing the urine collection that way. If they don't want it done that way, it is their choice to use a less traumatic (from their viewpoint) method. I can't see the justification in not explaining the procedure when asked, or any other.
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Aug 14, 2009 23:01
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The Wonder Weapon posted:What's a good tankmate for a red eared slider turtle? Apparently this thing is going to need a 50 gal tank but it's only 1" right now, so I figured I would get the 50 gal and then give him a housemate of some sort. I'm partial to snakes, think there are any that could safely cohabitate with a red ear in that environment? There are no snakes that could safely or happily live with a red-eared slider (or any other water turtle). If you want to give it a tankmate another turtle of a similar size is feasible, but keep in mind that having two turtles will mean that eventually you will want a tank larger than 50 gallons. Not for several years, but eventually. If either of them are female red-eared sliders (will be difficult to tell for a few more inches) they will need a much larger tank; even one large female could use at least 75 gallons.
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Aug 22, 2009 02:17
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Cinderwitch posted:I'm moving to a new (thankfully cat friendly) apartment next week about an hours drive from my current place. I'm doing the big move in one day and think it'll take me 2 or 3 trips. My cat, Meeshka, has MAJOR abandonment issues (goes apeshit if i leave for over 12 hours) due to crappy past owners passing her around like a toy. Here's my question/ can you give your opinion on: Should I a) move all of my stuff and get everything set up before moving her (this will probably involve an overnight stay for her in my old, almost empty apartment -> abandonment freakout) OR b) do I move her with all my stuff and try to keep her calm as I unpack everything around her? I would move her with all the stuff, and settle her in a bedroom or something with her carrier, her bed/toys, food, water, etc before unpacking the rest. Make sure she has somewhere to hide. That way she can settle in and you can pop in occasionally and let her know you're still around. I'm moving this weekend with my two cats (and two turtles, one snake and 5 squirrels....), one of which has stress issues, and that's pretty much what I'll be doing.
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Aug 25, 2009 23:44
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Hearts on Fire posted:My boyfriend has three mice and I'm a bit worried about one of them. Lately we've noticed it making these weird noises - a sort of breathy, clicking sound constantly. It's gotten to the point where if it's quiet you can actually hear it from a few metres away. Usually it's not good to be able to hear small rodents breathing. It is often a respiratory problem (for instance, pneumonia can be heard as a clicking or bubbling sound with each breath). Pet rodents do get respiratory problems not uncommonly, so I would get the little guy checked out by a vet. Sooner rather than latere, espeically if the noise is getting worse.
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Sep 1, 2009 18:07
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In deaf dalmatians the condition develops within the first few weeks. The exact mechanism is not clear, but it is thought to have something to do with a lack of pigment-producing cells in the blood vessels that feed the auditory nerves, so it could be a similar mechanism in Australian shepherds and other breeds with excessive white coloring.
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Sep 18, 2009 01:49
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Nuurd posted:Took him to the vet this morning. Looks like Linus has a UTI. To add my experience to the thread, it looks like this was a urination problem, not a defecation problem, despite the obvious pooping. The vet suggested that sometimes cats have trouble urinating, and they end up wait long periods between attempts, and when they do finally get it out, that sometimes it takes so much effort that they end up defecating as well. I hadn't seen Linus use the box at all for a while, so I think it's correct that he wasn't going in to pee. She felt of Linus's bladder and found it to be VERY full, took a sample with a syringe, and immediately put him in a box. The cat peed, and was visible distressed at the process. A poop followed. Good for you on getting him seen and taken care of--it is often difficult to convince owners that this sort of thing can be medical, not just behavioral. Another note along the same lines--when cats have urinary issues they often strain to urinate, in or out of their box, and the owner sometimes thinks they are constipated. A blocked cat is much more critical than a constipated cat, so it is important for people to realize that they may not be able to tell one from the other themselves and get it checked out.
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Sep 18, 2009 21:50
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