Is Stress Having an Impact on Your Cat?

Stress. Our lives are filled with it. Or at least that's how it seems based on how much is written on the subject, both in terms of how to avoid it, its deleterious effects on our mental and physical well-being, and how to minimize that impact. But have you ever thought about whether your cat is stressed too, and how that stress affects her? It does sound a little silly, doesn't it? A stressed-out cat. All cats do is sleep and play. Sounds like a great life. Many cats are fortunate enough to have good homes where all their needs are met, so they don't even have obvious stresses such as where to find their next meal or a safe place to sleep. So how can a cat be stressed?

According to several recent studies, not only do cats feel stress but they are also susceptible to the negative physical and mental effects of it. A summary of papers presented at the NAVC Conference 2010 in Orlando was published in a supplement by the professional journal Clinician's Brief. Both papers presented in the supplement Stress - The Silent Player in Feline Disease discuss how cats' stressor responses are related to their evolutionary make up and how they do - or don't - adapt to being brought indoors. The success of their adaptation to being our indoor companions relates to their ability to handle stress and whether or not it will effect them physically and mentally.

In his paper Internal and External Influences on Disease Risk, Tony Buffington of Ohio State University states that indoor cats will still behave as if they were in the wild in terms of their drives to hunt, hide and defend their territories. If we don't understand these behaviors for what they are, we frequently misinterpret the meaning behind them, thinking they are acts of deliberate hostility or spite. The behaviors most commonly misinterpreted are biting, scratching, climbing and marking. In our misunderstanding, our responses to these behavior can create external sources of stress for cats, which in turn can create internal problems. Dr. Buffington concludes his paper saying that because our current knowledge base is limited with regard to the internal factors that cause physical stress, we as owners need to focus on the external factors that we can control and positively enhance.

Sarah Heath, a veterinarian and behaviorist from Chester, England, discusses in her paper Happy, Healthy Cats: How to Minimize Stress in the Modern Domestic Environment, how being indoor companions can actually compromise natural behavior for a cat. These lead to creating stress for cats, and again, can have a direct impact on their health. Dr. Heath discusses our preference for multi-cat household consisting of unrelated cats, as well as how people have different interaction expectations from cats versus how cats are more accustomed to interaction amongst themselves. Even if there is not outright aggression or fighting amongst cats in a multi-cat household, low-grade stress and tension can still be present, which can lead to behavioral issues and may even contribute to physical illness.

While it might seem that the best answer would be to let your cat roam unsupervised outdoors to relieve his or her stress at being indoors, this is definitely not the answer. The outdoor presents many dangers for cats including parasites, diseases, predators and cars. Keeping cats indoors is still the best option for a long and happy life.

Both Dr. Buffington and Dr. Heath offer suggestions for helping reduce external stressors for cats by providing proper environmental enrichment in the home. These include each cat having his or her own space away from other cats in the house; providing several "food and water" stations around the house so there isn't a sense of competition for these; providing several litter boxes, again to reduce a sense of competition, and maintaining the cleanliness of the box; and providing adequate physical and mental exercise that stimulates their normal "in the wild" behaviors. More suggestions can be found at the Ohio State University's Indoor Cat Project. Because cats can be so skilled at hiding signs of tension or stress until the effects have become detrimental, here at Scottsdale Cat Clinic we recommend implementing these environmental enrichments. Even if your cat is happy and healthy, these are wonderful ways to ensure she stays that way.

March...

March comes in like a lion...a good start for any month.

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.