Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” sequence, the place each Monday we carry professional 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 preserve your kitty joyful, wholesome, and feline nice. Keep tuned for professional steerage on a spread of matters that matter most to you and your cat, so you may make knowledgeable selections and supply the very best care to your furry companion.
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Assist! My Cat Suffers from Allergy symptoms!
“Expensive 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 just a little. 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 all the pieces 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 gentle circumstances 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 resembling Atopica (cyclosporine) or off-label use of Apoquel (oclacitinib), can also be thought of, however this must be primarily based on her particular case. Stress administration can also be essential, as it may possibly considerably influence her total well-being since stress worsens allergy symptoms.
If you happen to want to be taught extra and discover the totally different accessible choices for Nikki whereas minimizing stress and making certain her consolation, we suggest talking to one among our veterinarians in a one-on-one seek the advice of at PangoVet.com. PangoVet’s providers can present personalised recommendation and allow you to navigate the subsequent steps, making certain you and the veterinarian can work collectively to create a plan tailor-made to her particular wants.
Finest needs!
Dr. Paola
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Assist! My Cats Are Fart Machines!
“Expensive Dr. Paola,
I’ve two 5-month-old kittens, Tux and Max, from the SPCA. They eat Purina professional plan kitten meals moist 2 occasions 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 fuel, nonetheless persistent foul-smelling flatulence isn’t thought of regular. There are a number of doable causes for this. Dietary components are sometimes the first trigger. Extremely processed meals could include elements that some kittens discover more durable to digest, resembling sure proteins, fillers, or components. Swallowing air whereas consuming, particularly in the event that they’re enthusiastic eaters, may contribute to the issue. Moreover, kittens not too long ago adopted from shelters could have an imbalance of their intestine flora or may nonetheless be harboring intestinal parasites, even when they have been handled for worms.
I like to recommend beginning with a more in-depth take a look at their weight loss plan. Transitioning to a species-appropriate, much less processed meals with fewer components may assist enhance their digestion and scale back fuel. You need to keep away from meals with “Meat By-Products” within the ingredient listing as you possibly can 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 verify together with your veterinarian that Tux and Max are free from intestinal parasites, as these can typically trigger gastrointestinal upset, together with fuel. 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!
“Expensive Dr. Paola,
I’ve a foster cat, Catsby, with severe environmental and meals allergy symptoms. Since he’s allergic to mud mites he will get a weekly bathtub with a hypoallergenic shampoo. (Plus HEPA filters, frequent bedding adjustments, steam mopping, and so on.) Somebody really helpful month-to-month therapy with Revolution as a result of it could assist with any mud mites within the atmosphere. Is that true? I hate to place chemical compounds on his pores and skin until they actually would assist considerably. Thanks, Dr. Paola”
– Kitty
Hello Kitty,
Thanks to your dedication to Catsby’s care whereas he finds a without end house! Whereas Revolution (selamectin) is efficient in opposition to many parasites like fleas, ear mites, and sarcoptic mange mites, it doesn’t work on mud mites. Mud mites, resembling 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 instantly with handled animals.
I have to congratulate you, you’re already doing a superb 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 compounds unnecessarily. Please by no means take therapy
This text is part of our weekly Ask Dr. Paola sequence
