Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” sequence, the place each Monday we carry skilled 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 offer solutions to your most urgent questions. From diet suggestions and preventive care to troubleshooting frequent behavioral points, Dr. Paola is able to supply insights that can hold your kitty joyful, wholesome, and feline superb. Keep tuned for skilled steerage on a variety of matters that matter most to you and your cat, so you may make knowledgeable selections and supply the very best care in your furry companion.
Have a question? Send it in here!
Assist! How Do I Hold My Blind Cat Comfy?
“Pricey Dr. Paola,
My cat Linden is 17 years outdated and has gone blind over the previous few weeks. His pupils are large open on a regular basis now. I’m guessing it’s cataracts. How can I assist him? I can’t afford the price of a vet and I don’t need to put him to sleep. How can I assist him to not less than be comfy? Thank You” – Hollger
I’m sorry to listen to about Linden’s imaginative and prescient loss, Hollger. It’s clear how a lot you take care of him, and I need to reassure you that blind cats can nonetheless stay comfy, joyful lives with some changes. Whereas cataracts are one potential reason behind his blindness, different situations equivalent to hypertension resulting in retinal detachment, glaucoma, or different age-related points may be in charge. Though you’re unable to take him to the vet, it’s necessary to notice that these underlying situations may cause ache or discomfort if left untreated. Actually, dilated pupils could be an indication of the ache itself.
Monitor him intently for any indicators of discomfort, equivalent to pawing at his face, vocalizing greater than common, or adjustments in urge for food. If at any level you’re involved about his high quality of life, I recommend you discover low-cost veterinary clinics or animal welfare organizations which will offer assistance. We additionally supply a veterinary telehealth service, PangoVet, the place you’ll be able to have a face-to-face name with considered one of our veterinarians from the consolation of your property. Whereas they aren’t a alternative for in-person veterinarians, they can assist reply your whole questions and provide you with and Linden a tailor-made motion plan for an reasonably priced worth level.
To assist Linden adapt to his blindness, it is best to create a secure and predictable surroundings. Cats rely closely on their sense of odor and listening to, so sustaining consistency in your house is crucial. Keep away from including new, unknown scents or candles that moreover being a risk to their respiratory well being, may confuse him. Keep away from transferring furnishings or leaving obstacles in his common paths. Delicate mats or rugs positioned close to necessary spots also can function tactile landmarks.
Encourage Linden to stay active with toys that make noise, like crinkle balls or feather wands with bells, to stimulate his play instincts by way of his listening to. Chatting with him regularly in a relaxed, reassuring tone can assist him really feel safer.
Cats are extremely resilient and might adapt to imaginative and prescient loss when supported by a loving owner such as you. You’re doing all of your finest for Linden, and with these changes, he can proceed to take pleasure in his golden years in consolation and security.
Greatest needs!
Dr. Paola
💛 😺 Converse To a Vet On-line From the Consolation of Your Sofa!
If it’s worthwhile to converse with a vet however can’t get to 1, head over to PangoVet. It’s a web-based service the place you’ll be able to discuss to a vet on-line and get the personalised recommendation you want in your pet — all at an reasonably priced worth!
Assist! My Cats Will get Getting a Clogged Nostril!
“Pricey Dr. Paola,
My 9-year-old male Cornish Rex, Ringer, has suffered from a clogged nostril within the wintertime when the warmth is on, each single 12 months. One nostril will get crusty, I’ve to choose off the dry bit to ensure that him to breath & the opposite nostril will get clogged inside. His temperature is regular, and he eats and drinks superb. Any ideas for the best way to assist and ideas on why this occurs?” – Paulina
Hello Paulina,
Ringer’s recurring nasal congestion in winter sounds uncomfortable for him and difficult for you. Since this sample aligns with when the warmth is on, it’s very possible associated to the dry air in your house. Cats, particularly these with finer coats like Cornish Rexes, could be additional delicate to environmental adjustments, together with decreased humidity, which may dry out the mucous membranes of their nasal passages and result in crusting or clogging.
You may assist Ringer by growing the humidity in your house. A humidifier positioned close to his favourite spots could make an enormous distinction by including moisture to the air. For those who don’t have a humidifier, you can place bowls of water close to warmth sources, because the evaporating water will assist enhance humidity. And even bringing him inside the toilet when you have a steamy bathe. Repeatedly cleaning his nose with a moist, tender fabric or a saline nasal spray designed for cats (seek the advice of with a veterinarian or an online pet telehealth service to verify the most secure possibility) can assist hold his nostrils clear and forestall crusts from forming.
It’s all the time necessary to make sure his hydration ranges keep optimum, nearly as good hydration helps wholesome mucous membranes. Providing him moisture-rich meals, or including a little bit of water to his meals can assist. Many cats are interested in transferring water so including in a water fountain can be really useful.
Since you’ve gotten clearly recognized that this can be a yearly difficulty, it’s value observing if different irritants, like mud or allergens from heating programs, may be affecting him. Cleansing air vents and utilizing hypoallergenic HEPA filters can also assist decrease irritants within the air.
For those who discover any adjustments, equivalent to nasal discharge turning yellow or inexperienced, or sneezing, these are indicators of an infection or one other underlying difficulty, and it’s one thing that deems a vet go to. I hope this helps him!
Sincerely,
Dr. Paola
Assist! My Cat is Spastic within the Solar!
“Pricey Dr. Paola,
I’ve acquired an actual thriller right here: I’ve a silver/grey American shorthair cat Sabi. He’s very wholesome other than just a little little bit of a weepy eye, which is form of normal for that breed. His coat is wholesome. His pores and skin is wholesome. He likes to be brushed and petted, and is mostly joyful and wholesome. Nevertheless, each time he goes exterior within the sunshine, he will get form of spastic, like somethings biting him and itchy, and he runs again inside. It’s not fleas, and at this level, as I’m asking this query it may well’t actually be any bugs in any respect as a result of we’re in the midst of winter within the Pacific Northwest. It’s the primary solar we’ve seen in a month. Poor man simply needs to sit down out and revel in it, however he retains getting attacked by one thing itchy. – Jamie
Hello Jaime,
Sabi’s response to daylight is definitely a curious thriller, however it feels like he might have a sensitivity or irritation triggered by direct exposure to the sun. Whereas uncommon, cats can have a type of photo voltaic dermatitis or heightened pores and skin sensitivity as a consequence of UV rays, even in cooler months when the solar is much less intense. One other risk is that the solar’s warmth is amplifying a gentle pores and skin irritation or nerve sensitivity he already has, making him really feel uncomfortable or “itchy” outside.
Since Sabi is in any other case wholesome and his pores and skin seems regular, I’d first recommend inspecting his coat for something that could be heating up within the solar, equivalent to small bits of particles, mud, and even oils from his surroundings. Typically warmth may cause these particles to annoy the pores and skin or hair follicles. Brushing him earlier than and after his outside excursions might assist rule this out.
One other potential issue is photodermatitis, which may typically have an effect on lighter-colored cats or these with much less pigmented areas. Even when his coat appears wholesome, the pores and skin beneath could also be reacting to UV publicity, particularly if it’s thinner in some areas like his stomach or round his ears. Medication, crops, home chemical substances, and even liver illness can contribute to this situation. Holding him indoors throughout peak daylight hours or offering shaded areas or a UV-blocking window with a cat hammock for him to lounge in may alleviate his discomfort. For those who’d like him to take pleasure in extra time within the solar, contemplate making use of a cat-safe sunscreen to uncovered areas of his pores and skin, particularly when you discover redness or irritation afterward (make certain the sunscreen is particularly formulated for pets, as human sunscreen could be poisonous).
It’s also value contemplating whether or not the change in habits may relate to sensory overstimulation. Shiny gentle reflecting off his environment or the heat of the solar may very well be triggering a nerve response, making him really feel agitated. Cats are very delicate creatures, and even small environmental components can create important reactions.
If Sabi’s indicators persist or worsen, I’d suggest consulting considered one of our veterinarians at PangoVet, our pet telehealth service. They can assist slender down the probabilities and make clear whether or not there’s an underlying situation equivalent to an allergy, nerve irritation, or pores and skin sensitivity contributing to this, and allow you to know if a visit to the vet clinic is important or really useful. With just a little detective work, it’s potential to discover a resolution that lets him enjoy the sun comfortably!
This text is part of our weekly Ask Dr. Paola sequence
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