Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” sequence, the place each Monday we carry knowledgeable recommendation straight from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to assist our readers higher perceive their cat’s well being and well-being.
Whether or not you’re a brand new pet guardian or a seasoned cat lover, Dr. Paola is right here to supply solutions to your most urgent questions. From diet ideas and preventive care to troubleshooting frequent behavioral points, Dr. Paola is able to provide insights that can maintain your kitty joyful, wholesome, and feline high-quality. Keep tuned for knowledgeable steerage on a spread of subjects that matter most to you and your cat, so you can also make knowledgeable choices and supply the very best care in your furry companion.
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Assist! My Cat Suffers from Allergy symptoms!
“Pricey Dr. Paola,
My 6-year-old cat Nikki suffers from allergy symptoms. We don’t know the precise allergen, however a change in litter, meals, and water has helped somewhat. She was badly traumatized as a kitten. Though she likes to be petted, any try to carry her to offer treatment brings on a panic response. I’ve tried the whole lot I can consider—mixing with meals, liquid treats, making use of to her fur—nothing works. Are there any new subdural meds that her vet may apply?” – Linda
Hello Linda,
Caring for a cat with a historical past of trauma and allergy symptoms can definitively be difficult. Working carefully with a vet is crucial to make sure the therapy plan addresses Nikki’s bodily and emotional wants. Figuring out allergy triggers is a key step, because it permits for focused methods to handle her indicators successfully.
Remedy choices could embrace antihistamines for delicate instances or as a part of a broader plan, corticosteroids to scale back irritation and itching, and immunotherapy to desensitize her to particular allergens over time. Different choices, like immunosuppressants comparable to Atopica (cyclosporine) or off-label use of Apoquel (oclacitinib), may be thought-about, however this must be primarily based on her particular case. Stress administration can be necessary, as it will probably considerably impression her total well-being since stress worsens allergy symptoms.
Should you want to study extra and discover the totally different obtainable choices for Nikki whereas minimizing stress and guaranteeing her consolation, we advocate chatting with one in every of our veterinarians in a one-on-one seek the advice of at PangoVet.com. PangoVet’s providers can present customized recommendation and make it easier to navigate the subsequent steps, guaranteeing you and the veterinarian can work collectively to create a plan tailor-made to her particular wants.
Greatest needs!
Dr. Paola
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Assist! My Cats Are Fart Machines!
“Pricey Dr. Paola,
I’ve two 5-month-old kittens, Tux and Max, from the SPCA. They eat Purina professional plan kitten meals moist 2 instances a day along with their dry meals. Are they speculated to be little raging fart machines? I decide one up and WAM, it’s so foul I’ve to cowl my nostril. Is that this regular? Thanks.” – Mary
Hello Mary! It’s not unusual for kittens to expertise occasional gasoline, nevertheless persistent foul-smelling flatulence isn’t thought-about regular. There are a number of attainable causes for this. Dietary components are sometimes the first trigger. Extremely processed meals could include substances that some kittens discover tougher to digest, comparable to sure proteins, fillers, or components. Swallowing air whereas consuming, particularly in the event that they’re enthusiastic eaters, can even contribute to the issue. Moreover, kittens not too long ago adopted from shelters could have an imbalance of their intestine flora or might nonetheless be harboring intestinal parasites, even when they have been handled for worms.
I like to recommend beginning with a better have a look at their weight loss program. Transitioning to a species-appropriate, much less processed meals with fewer components may assist enhance their digestion and cut back gasoline. You wish to steer clear of meals with “Meat By-Merchandise” within the ingredient record as you’ll be able to by no means know what they include. Including a high-quality, veterinary-recommended probiotic can help them in constructing a wholesome intestine microbiome. It’s additionally a good suggestion to substantiate along with your veterinarian that Tux and Max are free from intestinal parasites, as these can typically trigger gastrointestinal upset, together with gasoline. If the problem persists or is accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting, or weight adjustments, a vet go to can be important to rule out different underlying issues.
Sincerely,
Dr. Paola
Assist! My Cat Wants Weekly Baths!
“Pricey Dr. Paola,
I’ve a foster cat, Catsby, with critical environmental and meals allergy symptoms. Since he’s allergic to mud mites he will get a weekly tub with a hypoallergenic shampoo. (Plus HEPA filters, frequent bedding adjustments, steam mopping, and so forth.) Somebody really helpful month-to-month therapy with Revolution as a result of it will assist with any mud mites within the atmosphere. Is that true? I hate to place chemical substances on his pores and skin until they actually would assist considerably. Thanks, Dr. Paola”
– Kitty
Hello Kitty,
Thanks in your dedication to Catsby’s care whereas he finds a endlessly residence! Whereas Revolution (selamectin) is efficient towards many parasites like fleas, ear mites, and sarcoptic mange mites, it doesn’t work on mud mites. Mud mites, comparable to Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, stay within the atmosphere, feeding on family members’ pores and skin flakes and different natural particles. Since they don’t stay on or feed from pets, they’re not uncovered to selamectin, which primarily targets parasites that stay in and work together immediately with handled animals.
I must congratulate you, you’re already doing a wonderful job managing Catsby’s mud mite allergy symptoms with HEPA filters, frequent bedding adjustments, steam mopping, and hypoallergenic baths. These steps are the best for controlling mud mites and minimizing allergens. Including Revolution is unlikely to supply extra assist with mud mites, so I perceive your hesitation about making use of chemical substances unnecessarily. Please by no means take therapy
This text is part of our weekly Ask Dr. Paola sequence
