Keeping Your Norwalk Feline Healthy: A Comprehensive Guide to Cat Wellness (and Stress-Free Vet Visits!) Hey Norwalk Cat Parents! At Norwalk Animal Hospital, we know you cherish your feline companions. From their playful pounces to their comforting purrs, cats bring
Giving Your Best Friend a Great Life: A Guide to Wellness at Norwalk Animal Hospital You know that feeling of relief when you get a clean bill of health from your doctor? That’s what a wellness visit is like for
Wobbler’s Syndrome Wobbler’s syndrome is a pinching of the spinal cord in such a way as to result in an unstable gait to the hind end. Unlike vertebral disc disease this condition occurs when there is an instability of one
Vitamins Are vitamins really necessary for my pet? Doesn’t the food that I feed have all the vitamins and minerals my pet needs? Which vitamin/mineral supplement should I buy? The answers to these questions will vary depending on who you
Urinary Obstruction in Male Cats When a male cat develops a urinary obstruction uremic poisoning can result in a short time and thus this is considered a life threatening disease condition. Once the diagnosis has been made it is necessary
Traveling Traveling with pets usually requires advanced planning. If you have never taken your pet with you on a trip before there are several suggestions you might like to consider. When traveling by car, it is best to withhold at
Thrombocytopenia Everyone expects that when you accidentally cut yourself a clot will form and the bleeding will stop shortly after applying some pressure to the area. The same thing normally happens when your pet cuts itself too. When clotting does
Shampooing There are many different types of shampoos available to choose from. The two general categories are medicated and non-medicated. The medicated types contain special ingredients suited for a specific job or skin condition while the non-medicated are for general
Radiographs Radiographs or X-rays are widely used in veterinary medicine to help identify or rule out suspected causes for disease. It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words and this is also true of radiographs. A
Rabies State law , public act #-91-46, requires all cats and dogs that are three months of age or older , indoors as well as outdoors to be vaccinated against rabies. The current update on positive rabies in CT is
Pyometra It is not very common that the reproductive tract of either the male or female becomes infected. When it does, however, it is usually serious and can even result in death. Antibiotics are often not enough to resolve the
Prostate Gland As is the case in man, both dogs and cats have a prostate gland. This gland is located above the urethra in the pelvic region of all males. The prostate produces a viscous fluid that carries the sperm
Pneumonia Pneumonia affects dogs and cats alike. This infection can be either primary or secondary in origin and is caused by bacterial or viral organisms. A deep chested, often productive, cough is the most common clinical symptom seen. A tentative
Phobias (Fear) Fear is an emotional response to either a real or perceived danger. A phobia is an excessive and inappropriate response to a perceived fear. It is possible to become phobic to almost anything and at anytime in life.
Periodontitis Periodontitis is an extension of gingivitis. As the amount of infection (gingivitis) increases and subsequently travels towards the roots of the tooth it becomes trapped under the gums. Next, the infection begins to eat away at the gum tissue
Periodontal Disease Most of the premolars in the dog have a wide diastema or space between their teeth while there is very little space between each of the molars and incisors. As is the case in man, when the teeth
Perianal Adenoma There are certain tumors that are stimulated to grow by the male hormone, testosterone. An example of this in the male is the tumor that exists around the anal area called the perianal adenoma or carcinoma. They are
Parvovirus Historically, this virus developed as a mutation from the cat distemper virus in the mid 1970’s. At that time the disease spread rapidly throughout the United States resulting in an epidemic. While this virus was of no threat to
Paronychia Paronychia is an infection of the toenail and surrounding tissue. While this is not a common condition for pets, once the infection has established itself it is often very difficult to cure. Even with the best of medications as
Papillomas (Warts) Papilloma is the doctor’s word for warts. A wart is a benign tumor projecting from the surface of the skin. Warts can be found anywhere on the body and at any age. They can vary in size, shape
Osteosarcoma (Bone Cancer) Osteosarcoma is a malignant cancer of the bone. This form of cancer starts inside the bone and works its way to the surface in a relatively short period of time. The body’s reaction to the destructive (lytic)
Obesity Obesity is the most common problem seen in pets today. Consuming excess calories, beyond that which is needed to maintain the pets present weight, will lead to obesity. Most veterinarians agree that a pet, which is greater than 20%
Microchipping A microchip is a tiny transponder, about the size of a grain of rice, that is encoded with a unique identification number. It is used for permanent identification. The technology is relatively recent, but is becoming widely available. Before
Medicating Giving medication to your pet can be a challenging experience. Sooner or later it may become necessary to give your pet medication. Therefore, it may be wise to know a few “tricks of the trade” before hand. In some
Lyme Disease Lyme disease is caused by an organism called Borrelia burgdorferi. This part bacterium, part virus organism belongs to a distinct group called spirochetes. A better known example of a spirochete disease is syphilis in man. The deer tick
Leptospirosis Leptospirosis is a worldwide problem that can express itself as both a rapid onset condition as well as a chronic condition. Leptospira organisms can penetrate intact or cut skin as well as mucus membranes, invade the bloodstream, and spread
Laser Surgery Lasers have been successfully used on humans for over 30 years. This human experience is now proving to be of benefit for use in pets too. A laser is a device that generates an intense beam of light
Kennel Cough (Tracheobronchitis) Kennel cough (tracheobronchitis) is an airborne disease that affects dogs of any age. The virus causes a sore throat that results in a mucus discharge and a persistent cough. Many owners have described the sound of the
Intervertebral Disc Herniation The spinal cord is located inside the bony vertebral column. If any damage should occur to the spinal cord there is very little room for any swelling to take place without further damaging the cord. This is
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) An invasive intestinal disease found in both dogs and cats that results in loosing a significant amount of protein is an inflammatory bowel disease called lymphocytic-plasmacytic gastroenteritis. The normal digestion of food, including protein, takes place
My Pet Was Hit By a Car If a car should ever injure your pet there is a good chance that he/she will go into shock. In animals the most common form of shock results from a sudden loss of
Hernias When a muscle separates abnormally due to a tearing of the wall the condition is called an acquired hernia. When there is an incomplete development of the muscle wall from birth, it is called a congenital hernia. When a
Heat Stroke Officially, the first day of summer arrives on June 21st. This should also be a reminder that hundreds of pets die each year from heat stroke. This condition usually occurs rapidly as a result of the body over
Heartworm Prevention – Testing and Prevention The primary purpose for a heartworm blood test remains to be the early detection of the adult worms in the dog and cat. The most common reason for the pet not being protected is,
Heartworm Disease Heartworm disease is now more difficult to detect due to the widespread use of the monthly preventative. The old direct side test is no longer accurate and has been replaced by a more sophisticated antigen-antibody blood test. The
Halloween Problems Halloween can pose a host of horrors for some pets. The tradition of children dressing up in scary costumes and coming to the door to collect candy can be very stressful for the family pet. The following is
Gum Disease Research indicates that greater than 80% of dogs and greater than 70% of cats over the age of three show some sort of gum disease. When the gums become inflamed it is called gingivitis. This condition in pets
Grooming Grooming is necessary in order to keep the hair and skin in good health. The behavior trait for grooming is called epimeletic and is stronger in some individuals than in others. In cats the instinct to groom ones self
Glaucoma Glaucoma is considered an emergency condition of the eye for both the dog and cat. As is the case in man, glaucoma can result in a permanent blindness within a very short period of time. By definition, glaucoma occurs
Foreign Body Ingestion Dogs and cats explore much of their world by picking up objects in their mouths to be examined, similar to the way humans use their hands. The accidental swallowing of these objects is a fairly common event,
Flea/Tick Prevention Ticks can transmit serious diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Ehrlichiosis, and Anaplasmosis. Many of these diseases have symptoms that are vague and/or mild until the disease has progressed. Many flea and tick preventatives start
Fleas Now that the summer Olympics in China are over and all the medals have been awarded there is one athlete that was not included in the competition that would have put us all to shame. Size for size, weight
Feline Upper Respiratory Disease Feline upper respiratory disease is a viral condition seen in cats of any age. The most common symptoms seen with the cat “flu” include sneezing, sinus congestion, and watery eyes. There is often a fever present,
Feline Lymphocytic Plasmocytic Stomatitis Feline lymphocytic plasmocytic stomatitis is often a painful condition for the pet as well as a frustrating disease to treat for the practicing veterinarian. This case report will describe a satisfactory treatment option of total mouth
Feline Leukemia (Felv)/Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) Feline leukemia (Felv) is a deadly disease. Dr. William Hardy first isolated this contagious viral disease in the early 1970’s. It was not until the mid 1980’s that the first vaccine against Felv was
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) is a progressively fatal viral disease seen in a relatively small number of cats each year. The virus enters through either the respiratory or intestinal system and sequesters itself preferentially in the
Fecal Flotation Test The fecal floatation test is one of the most important tests that an animal hospital does on a regular basis. This test is important because it is used to determine if your pet has intestinal worms. Most
Tooth Extractions The extraction of a tooth in the dog and cat may be necessary but can be very difficult to perform without damaging the gums unless special instruments are used along with good technique. The canine tooth has the
External Ear Canal – Shape The shape of the external ear canal in the dog and cat is very much different from yours and mine. In general the ear canal should be free of debris (except hair), free of odor,
External Ear Canal The external ear canals in the dog and cat are shaped in the form of a capital letter L. Due to this cornucopia like or funnel shape canal, any sound made will be collected and amplified to
Estrous / Pregnancy / Whelping Female dogs are called “bitches” and normally come into “heat” or estrus every 6-7 months on the average. This mating “season” usually lasts for three weeks at a time and can occur at any time
Epiphora Epiphora is the term used to describe the overflow of tears on to the skin of the lower eyelid. This condition occurs if there is an overproduction of tear fluid, an inadequate drainage of tear fluid or a combination
Epilepsy Epilepsy in animals occurs most often as a genetically inherited trait. Certain pure bred dogs seem to be more likely to have this problem, such as the Poodle, German Shepherd, Irish setter, and others. The most common age of
Encephalitis Encephalitis is the medical term for an inflammation of the brain. Although most people think of infection as the most common cause of encephalitis there are actually many other possibilities to consider. For example certain toxic elements such as
Electrocardiogram When any irregular heart rhythm is detected on clinical examination, an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) should be performed. The small electrical impulses normally generated by the heart are amplified 3,000 or more times and recorded by the ECG machine. An ECG
Eating Styles There are two eating styles that are commonly recognized in pets, the “nibbler” and the “gobbler”. Both styles are primarily determined from the personality of the pet. While it is possible to change your pets eating style it
Ear Mites Ear mites (Otodectes) are commonly found in the external ear canal of dogs and cats. These pests cause an itching sensation that results in the pet shaking its head or scratching its ears and thereby spreading the parasite
Dry Eye (Keratoconjunctivis Sicca – KCS) Dry eye is a condition that occurs spontaneously, to mostly small breed dogs, where the tear production becomes inadequate to keep the eye healthy. The doctor word for this condition is called keratoconjunctivitis sicca.
Dislocated Joint When a joint in the body is significantly displaced from its normal position it is called dislocated. This comes about as a result of a traumatic event in which the soft tissues (ligaments and tendons) are stretched or
Diseases – Onset Did you ever notice how quickly signs of illness seem to appear? This is especially dramatic in the very young or very old animal and especially in the feline species. Both the young and old show symptoms
Dental Radiographs Dental care should be a regular part of your pet’s daily routine. I want to remind you to “lift the upper lips” of your pet and take a look, if you haven’t done so recently, at the gums
Dental and Mouth Problems One of the primary influences on a pet’s health is determined by the genetic code. An example of a genetically controlled trait can be seen or expressed in the mouth as a malocclusion (bad bite). In
Dental Care There are 42 adult teeth in the dog and 30 adult teeth in the cat. As a result of domestication and commercially prepared foods, the need for most of the teeth in the pet’s mouth has diminished considerably.
Dehydration If your pet should become dehydrated it will make any medical problem worse. This is especially true if the dehydration occurs rapidly and thus does not give the body enough time to shift fluids from other compartments to compensate.
Deciduous Teeth Deciduous teeth or baby teeth are present in both dogs and cats. Normally, starting at approximately 3 months of age, they begin to fall out and are replaced with larger permanent teeth by the time they are 6
Cysts The definition of a cyst is a fluid filled sack. The most common type of cyst is the sebaceous gland cyst found in the skin of dogs and cats. Cysts can occur anywhere on the body and at any
Feline Constipation Constipation is a relatively common problem in older and overweight cats. The predisposition to a nerve-muscle breakdown in obese and geriatric cats that leads to a slowing or retention of fecal matter in the colon is the most
Cat Scratch Fever A bacterium called Rochalimaea henselae has now been identified as the causative organism for a condition in man known as cat-scratch disease. Contact with kittens more than cats is the major source of transmission for this disease,
Cavities Do animals get cavities? Yes they do, but not very often in the dog. This is due to the lack of sweets in their diet, and the different pH of the saliva in the mouth, as well as the
Blood Transfusion Blood is made up of cells and a liquid. The cellular portion comprises approximately 35-45% of the total volume. When the cellular percentage drops below 10-12% a transfusion is considered. Although transfusions can be life saving there are
Biopsies Your veterinarian has many different types of tests that are at his/her disposal in order to make a diagnosis. Most tests, however, are indirect measures of the body’s response to disease. One of the most direct and therefore useful
Arthritis – Non-Steriodal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) Arthritis is a complex condition involving inflammation of one or more joints. There are many causes of arthritis in pets. In most cases, the degree of arthritis is related to the age of the
Antibiotics Antibiotics are widely used in veterinary medicine today. Louis Pasteur is generally credited for the discovery of Penicillin from the mold penicillium. The word “anti” means against, and the word “bios” means life, and thus antibiotics are chemicals that
Anesthesia – Local and Topical Local and topical anesthetics are used commonly in veterinary medicine. Anytime it is desirable to numb an area for a short period of time local anesthetics can be used. They are relatively safe, easy to
Anesthesia-General Information Anesthesia comes from the Greek word meaning “lack of sensation”. Anesthesia is accomplished by administering drugs that depress nerve function. With general anesthesia, the patient is made unconscious for a short period of time. During this unconscious state
Anesthesia The need for anesthesia still evokes a strong fear response from most pet owners despite considerable advances in the safety of the anesthetic agents commonly used today. A pre-anesthetic evaluation, including an examination of the patient and blood tests
Aging – Cataracts There are several changes that are associated with the aging process in all mammals. One of these hallmarks of the aging process occurs in the lens of the eyes which will turn from a clear to a
