Stomatitis Explained

As we wind down Pet Dental Health Month 2010, we thought we would do a primer on a condition frequently found in cats known as stomatitis. Stomatitis is a general term that refers to inflammation of the oral cavity.

Feline stomatitis is a common, painful and life threatening problem in many cats. Although it does occur in cats of all breeds and ages, there are some breeds in which it develops more frequently such as Himalayans, Persians and Somalis.

Cats with stomatitis suffer from bad breath (halitosis) as well as red and inflamed gums (also known as gingivitis). In time, the inflammation of the gums spreads from areas right next to the teeth to the back of the throat (oropharynx). In some areas, the gums enlarge and block off areas of the oropharynx. This in turn can cause eating and swallowing to become difficult and painful for the cat.

Many cats with stomatitis also have tooth resorption. The inflamed gums may appear to be growing into a tooth or the tooth may appear to have a hole. Teeth so affected are very painful for the cat.

Fortunately, it can be relatively easy to diagnose and treat stomatitis. A history of oral inflammation along with a thorough oral examination are typically sufficient to establish at least a preliminary diagnosis of stomatitis. Chronic oral inflammation with widespread location of tissues involved is typical of feline stomatitis.

However, if the inflammation is not widespread and is localized to a specific area, other diseases should be considered. Allergies, foreign body irritation, periodontal disease or tooth resorption are all possibilities. Therefore, an early, correct diagnosis is very important.

Once established that a cat does indeed suffer from stomatitis, treatment depends on the individual case. Stomatitis affects cats differently depending on the stage of the disease, the severity of the progress, and the individual cat's pain tolerance. The owner's ability to provide home care such as daily teeth brushing is also a factor in treatment planning. Long term treatment is often a combination of medical, surgical and combination therapy. Medical therapy on its own does provide short-term control for feline stomatitis, but the long-term results are unsatisfactory. Surgical therapy has offered remarkable immediate pain relief with effective long-term control.

Often the cause of stomatitis is a reaction of the gingival tissue to the teeth themselves. Therefore, the surgical procedure involves meticulous dental extractions with excision of the inflamed mucogingval tissues. Dental radiology is absolutely essential in performing surgical excisions on cats suffering from stomatitis. Leaving any portion of the tooth, such as the root tips, defeats the purpose of performing the surgical treatment. Radiographs help determine if the teeth have been removed completely. It is also essential to remove the inflamed tissue because bacteria and viruses can hide within the swelling. This causes continued stimulation of the cat's immune system and propagates further inflammation. This in turn contributes to chronic oral pain reducing the quality of life.

If inflamation remains after all teeth have been extracted, long-term medications such as antibiotics and anti-inflammatories may help some. In some refractive cases, strong immune suppressants may be needed. Laser therapy of the inflamed tissue has shown some success as well.

Are Online Pet Pharmacy Discounts Worth It?

"Discount Veterinary Medications!" "Get Your Pet's Medication for Less!" "Common Pet Medications - No Prescription Required!"

How many times do you see such advertising in your email inbox or on website banner ads? They sound very tempting, don't they? It seems as though online pet pharmacies are cropping up everywhere. However, not all of them are helping your veterinarian provide the best care for your cat.

According to a recent article posted on the Federal Drug Administration's Consumer Health Information web page, there are some online pet pharmacies that are unscrupulous at best. According to the article, "[The] FDA has found companies that sell unapproved pet drugs and counterfeit pet products, make fraudulent claims, dispense prescription drugs without requiring a prescription, and sell expired drugs." So pet owners who think they are saving money may be putting their pet's health at risk.

That doesn't mean all online pharmacies are scams. There are reputable, legitimate pharmacies out there that can save you money.

So what are some of the warning signs? Be cautious of any pharmacy that is willing to sell prescription medication without a requiring a prescription from a license veterinarian. If they don't require a prescription, their drugs may not be FDA approved. You have no guarantee of what you are really giving your cat. Some of these pharmacies claim to have on staff veterinarians who can do a long distance evaluation of your cat using information you provide on a form. Using this they then "prescribe" medication. While we know that many of our clients are very intuitive and aware of their cats' behaviors, a physical exam by a veterinarian along with possible additional tests such as bloodwork are required to accurately diagnose a health condition. In addition, just as with human pharmaceutical treatments, follow up progress exams and monitoring by your cat's doctor are essential. If your veterinarian has not prescribed a medication, you should not be giving it to your cat.

Although we are all more than aware of the current economy and the need to be financially savvy, there are some things that just should not be skimped on. Your cat's health care, including medication, is one of them. Remember that old adage, "you get what you pay for".

The Scottsdale Cat Clinic partners with VetStoreRx to provide a safe, reputable option as an online pharmacy. VetStoreRx offers all the convenience of an online pharmacy, including home delivery of food and other products. Check out our website for more information about VetStoreRx.

For more information on how to pick a good online pharmacy, visit these sites: American Veterinary Medical Association Internet Pharmacy FAQ FDA Consumer Health Information Web Page

Are Anesthesia-Free Dental Cleanings Safe for Your Cat?

February is Pet Dental Health Month and a good time to talk to your veterinarian about your kitty’s dental needs. Last year here in this blog we gave a good overview of dental care for your cat.

Of course, to do a proper dental cleaning, your cat will be anesthetized during the procedure. Many people are concerned about the risks of general anesthesia. That is why we maintain strict surgical monitoring standards (read more about that here) as well as use a combination of painkillers, anti-inflammatory medicines and nerve blockers, especially in dental procedures that require extractions.

Recently we ran across an article from Veterinary News Network that discusses new anesthesia-free dental procedures. While this may seem like the perfect solution, there are concerns about how effective these procedures really can be. While the brochures for this type of procedure often show the animals sitting complacently while a technician cleans their teeth, this is not a very realistic situation. Many animals, especially cats, will not sit still for such a procedure leading to restraint that can add to the stress and actually create a fearful situation for the cat.

Another argument against these anesthesia-free procedures is the tools that are used versus the ones that can be used if the cat is properly anesthetized. For example, in addition to the ultrasonic scaler used to remove the build-up on the teeth, here at the Scottsdale Cat Clinic we use digital x-rays of the entire mouth to spot any problem areas that might not be visible to the naked eye. Such procedures are not possible without anesthesia. According to the VNN article, the tools used in these anesthesia-free procedures can actually cause more harm than good. They often cause pitting in the tooth enamel which actually increases plaque and tartar. There can also be damage to the gums, tongue, or lips if the cat moves during the cleaning.

Advances in anesthesia medications as well as combination medicine protocols such as those we use here at Scottsdale Cat Clinic greatly reduce the risks associated with general anesthesia. Remember that there is also a risk to not having proper dental care for your cat. Tartar buildup leads to gingivitis and tooth decay which can be painful. Cats rarely show signs of mouth pain and will eat normally even with severe dental disease. Dental disease can also lead to kidney, heart and joint disease when bacteria enter through the gums and spread throughout the body.

For more information about your cat’s dental health and how Scottsdale Cat Clinic can help, please feel free to contact us.

Cases of Rabies are Increasing in Arizona

Now here is some sobering news: according to an article by John Faherty that appeared in The Arizona Republic on January 2nd, 2009 was a record breaker for reported cases of rabies in animals. According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, 261 animals tested positive for rabies statewide. That is 85 more animals than in 2008. Keep in mind, these are just the animals that were captured and tested. There were probably more infected with the disease that were never tested.

Not only does the Arizona Department of Health Services recommend staying away from wild animals, especially those who appear sick – always good advice – they are also recommending that pets be vaccinated.

Even though rabies is rare in cats, it is a fatal disease without any treatment. It is also a zoonotic disease, meaning it is transmittable from animals to humans. Therefore, rabies in your cat exposes you, your family, and other pets to the disease. Additionally, cats are more likely to have rabies than dogs. In fact, one of the animals diagnosed last year was a cat in Maricopa County. While there is a treatment option for humans, the infection must be caught very early and treatment is very painful and extensive.

Although the rabies vaccine is not required for cats by the State of Arizona, the American Association of Feline Practitioners considers it a core vaccine. This means that all cats should be vaccinated for it. Here at the Scottsdale Cat Clinic, we always recommend vaccinating for Rabies, even for indoor only cats. It only takes a moment for either your cat to slip outside, or for the outside to slip in.

In Maricopa County, the wild animals most frequently found with rabies are bats. Bats can be anywhere outside and can even get into houses. As cats are hunters, they would likely have contact with a bat that came into their yard or house. Since the rabies virus is transmitted through saliva contact, not even a full bite is necessary for infection to occur.

Fortunately, rabies vaccines are very effective. We use the Purevax vaccine made by Merial. We chose this vaccine because is it much less likely to cause an adverse reaction. The Purevax vaccine is a modified live recombinant vaccine that uses a canarypox to stimulate the cat’s immune system to make antibodies against rabies. This differs from other rabies vaccines that use an adjuvant to stimulate the immune system leading to inflammation at the site of injection. The use of adjuvants in vaccines is believed to be the cause of fibrosarcomas that have been found at previous vaccination sites.

The Purevax vaccine is an annual vaccine, meaning it must be given to cats every year to keep their immunity against rabies strong.

To schedule an appointment for your cat to have his or her Rabies vaccine, please give us a call at 480.970.1175 or email us at info@scottsdalecatclinic.com

The Value of Microchipping

There is a lot of discussion about whether or not microchipping is an effective tool for reuniting lost pets with their owners. We here at the Scottsdale Cat Clinic do believe it is a very valuable tool and advocate microchipping. In fact, we include a Home Again microchip registration and one year of premium registration with our kitten packages. And of course, we have mentioned the importance in several of our blogs.

We chose Home Again as our microchip partner because they offer a number of benefits to pet owners enrolled in the premium membership including a strong support system to help if your cat gets lost, pet health insurance if your cat is injured while he or she is lost, as well as much more. More importantly, when your kitty is microchipped with Home Again, he or she is registered for life, whether or not you decide to continue the premium membership. And they allow for updating registration information, such as address or phone numbers, at any time through their website: www.homeagain.com.

We recently ran across an abstract on a study conducted by the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University to research the effectiveness of microchips in returning lost animals to their owners. We found the conclusion very interesting. Basically, the study concluded that while the number of animals returned to their owners due to microchips supports its promotion and use, the registration issues continue to undermine the system. If your kitty has a microchip, please make sure to check the information the registry has on file for you is current and up-to-date.

The actual statistics of the study were quite interesting as well. The study looked at 7704 animals with microchips entering 53 different shelters over a year and half time period. 53%, of the total number of animals were classified as strays, meaning they were not surrendered to the shelters by the owners. Of those just over 4000 strays, 3425 animals were returned to their owners because they were implanted with microchips (most of those were dogs). However, for over 800 animals owners were not found and this was largely due to disconnected phone numbers, owners did not respond, or the animal was registered to another group rather than to an individual.

In addition, there were 1,943 animals that had microchips belonging to a specific registry (such as HomeAgain). However, only 1,129 (58.1%) were registered in the database. In other words, the registry acknowledged that the microchip was one of theirs but the owner of the animal had never completed the registration process to add the animal and owner information to the database.

Many rescue organizations that offer microchips do not complete the registration paperwork, instead relying on the owner to do so. This is probably what leads to the type of discrepancy seen in the study. Scottsdale Cat Clinic wants to ensure that the kitties we microchip are registered in the HomeAgain database. We also understand our clients have a lot of things on their minds and don’t need more paperwork in their lives. This is why we include the initial registration as part of our microchipping service.

If you are interested in having your cat microchipped, please give us a call at 480.970.1175 or email us at info@scottsdalecatclinic.com to schedule an appointment.

Cat Christmas Safety

Christmas is an exciting time for the family, but it always pays to take some extra precautions with our pets. There are many dangers around, below are some suggestions on how to ensure your cat stays safe during the Christmas period.

Christmas Tree/Decorations
The only fool proof way to keep your cat away from your Christmas tree is to put the tree in a room the cat can't access. Unfortunately, this is often not practical. So the next best solution is to make the tree as safe as possible. Real Christmas trees are more dangerous to cats than fake plastic ones. Pine needles can puncture internal organs if eaten, they are also toxic to cats. If you do have a real tree, make sure the drink stand has plenty of water to prevent the tree drying out & losing needles. It is important that your cat isn't able to get to this water & drink it as it could result in poisoning. Ensure the tree has a good solid base so it won't easily be knocked over by your cat. Try not to have the tree near furniture & or shelves which the cats could use to jump onto the tree.

Be very careful with tinsel, if you must have it on your tree, place it at the top of the tree where the cat is less likely to be able to get at it. Tinsel can be caught around the base or move down to the intestines & stomach & cause a blockage, which will result in emergency (and costly) surgery to remove it. A safer alternative are the strands of beads. Ornaments should be securely attached to the tree to prevent them being knocked off. Also place delicate ornaments up high where they're less likely to be knocked off & broken.

When there is nobody around, unplug Christmas lights, you may want to try applying a cat repellent such as bitter apple to the lights to deter your cat from chewing the wires, obviously if this was to happen it could cause a fatal electric shock.

Artificial snow is toxic to cats, so is best avoided.

Candles are especially popular over the Christmas holiday period, be careful to make sure your cat can't get close to lit candles.

Plants
Holly, mistletoe, poinsettias are all popular plants to have in the home at Christmas, especially in the northern hemisphere. These plants are toxic to cats so should be placed where your cat can't get to them. Please see our page on common household toxins for an extensive list on toxic & non toxic plants.

Food/Sweets/Chocolate
Many cat owners enjoy giving their cat the occasional treat of "human" food & generally this doesn't harm the cat. However, it is important to remember that some foods which are fine for humans to eat can be toxic to cats. The odd sliver of chicken or turkey (off the bone) is fine, however it really isn't a good idea to give them large quantities of such food as this can lead to gastrointestinal problems. Never give your cat cooked chicken or turkey bones, these bones can splinter & can become lodged in your cat's throat or puncture the intestines & stomach.

Chocolate is toxic to cats, the darker the chocolate, the more toxic. Chocolate contains both caffeine & theobromine, which are both toxic. If you suspect your cat has eaten chocolate watch for signs of restlessness & vomiting, if in doubt, see your vet.

Cats will often scavenge for food in the garbage so be aware that if you've covered your turkey with foil & thrown it in the bin, your cat may drag it out & chew on it which could make the cat sick. Cooked turkey bones will also attract your cat. Be aware of this & if possible, take your food scraps etc., to your outside bin.

Xmas ribbons/wrap
Ribbons etc., pose the same problem as tinsel, if eaten, it may lead to intestinal blockages. It's important to ensure all ribbons/wrap etc., are safely disposed of.

Please note, your cat isn't a novelty item & it's dangerous to try & decorate your cat with ribbons etc.

Visitors
Some cats love the attention of visitors, others find strangers in their house stressful. Christmas is often a busy time with visitors coming & going. Be mindful of your cat's feelings & give the cat the option of somewhere quiet to escape to should the need arise, this is particularly important if your friends & relatives have young children.

Holidays
If you are going away on holiday, you have several options for your cat. You may choose to put your cat in a boarding cattery while you are gone. It is best to check out the premises prior to taking your cat there so you can ensure the cattery meets your standards. Any reputable boarding cattery will insist your cat is up to date on it's vaccinations, this is important for the well being of your cat & all other cats they have boarding there. Many vets also do boarding for cats but in my opinion this isn't ideal for more than a few days as their cages tend to be much smaller than those you'd expect to find in a boarding cattery.

There are a growing number of pet sitters available these days. They will come over once or twice a day to feed & play with your cat & to clean the litter tray. I find this most suitable when going away for a few days.

If you are going away for an extended period of time you may want to consider asking a friend or relative to house sit.

Whichever option you take, make sure you leave a phone number where you can be contacted & your vet's telephone number in case of an emergency.

Toys
When buying toys for your cat, make sure you thoroughly check them first. Similar precautions should be taken with your cat's toys as you'd take buying a toy for a young child. Make sure there is nothing glued on that the cat can pull off & swallow. As the toy will quite likely be chewed on, ensure that it's made from a non-toxic substance. There are many wand like toys on the market which most cats love, these should be put away safely when not in use because the cat could become tangled on the string. Any toy that is small enough for your cat to swallow is dangerous & should be avoided.

Kittens as gifts
Buying a kitten as a gift is fine as long as the person receiving the kitten has asked for a pet & knows that owning a cat is quite likely to be a 15-20 year responsibility. Never buy a pet as a surprise gift for somebody. Also, because Christmas is usually such a chaotic time, it is best to try & arrange to collect your kitten after Christmas to avoid undue stress on the animal. Please, if you are considering buying a pet as a gift, really think it through before you do so. Pet ownership is a big responsibility & shouldn't be entered into lightly. Any shelter worker will tell you that their most busy time of the year is just after Christmas people bring them unwanted pets. Don't add to the problem by buying a pet for somebody on a whim.

To view the full article by CatWorld visit Cat Christmas Safety.

New Online Resources to Return Lost Pets

Have you noticed a new kitty in your neighborhood that you think might be lost? There are some new online tools to help find out if the kitty has a microchip and if that chip is registered. Most veterinary clinics - including Scottsdale Cat Clinic - will check for microchips for free.

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) unveiled their new interactive website this past September: www.petmicrochiplookup.org There is also another website called www.checkthechip.com which was up in its Beta version in August.

To view the full article about this new service, visit The Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association

Even if your kitties are strictly indoor, we recommend having a microchip put in. It only takes a moment for your baby to slip outdoors and the chip will help see that she gets home to you. According to the organization Bring Pets Home 8-12 million pets wind up in shelters. Most shelters are equipped with chip readers, and do make every effort to get lost pets home.

Although the microchip is not a "Lo Jack for Kitties", chipped cats have a much higher chance of being returned to their owners. Here at Scottsdale Cat Clinic, we use the HomeAgain microchip which has a wonderful network of fellow pet owners to alert if someone gets lost.

Call or email us today for more information.