September 8th, 2008 at 12:26pm
Under Cat Health+ Cat Owner
By Lee Dobbins
Cats need only be provided with decent shelter, food and water
and they will be quite healthy most of the time. Like any other
living thing, however, they can get sick and can come down with
anything from a minor cold to a major ailment.
As a responsible pet owner, you want to make sure you feed your
cat premium cat food so he can be his healthiest and also watch
your cat closely for signs of sickness so that you can get him
to a vet right away. Hopefully most ailments will be minor, but
in some cases getting your cat expedient veterinary help can be
the difference between life and death.
Some things to look for include:
Your cats coat – is it full and shiny or dull and patchy? Is he
shedding abnormally? If so get your cat scheduled for a vet
visit.
Behavior – is your cat acting sluggish and not eating? Any
change in behavior warrants a trip to the vet as it is better to
be safe then sorry!
Diarrhea or vomiting – If your cat is doing either of these for
more than a day, I would get him to the vet as soon as you can.
Coughing – Some cats routinely cough up hairballs, but if your
cat is coughing for no reason then you should have this checked
out.
Swelling or lumps – when you pet your cat, take the time to
feel around for any unusual lumps or swelling.
To insure that your cat doesn’t fall victim to disease, you
should make sure he has all of his vaccinations as recommended
by your vetrenarian. The most devastating but easiest to prevent
disease that affects cats is infectious enteritis, or feline
distemper. This is a virus disease that strikes quickly and
leaves little time to enact treatment.
Feline Leukemia or FeLV is another deadly disease that can be
prevented through early vaccinations. This disease poses no
threat to humans but can be spread between cats. These days, it
is treatable and some cats can live a long life with Feline
Leukemia although you would want to be very careful to keep them
away from other cats so as not to spread the disease.
One health problem in cats, particulary those that go outdoors
is worms. A cat with worms usually has a lackluster coat and can
either have a large appetite or none at all. There are many
kinds of worms, and cats are susceptible to all of them. Cats
can get worms from lice or fleas or in the organs of the rodents
that the cats eat. Typically the cat ingests the eggs which
mature and attach to the intestinal walls. Feeding your cat a
bit of garlic every once in a while can protect him against
worms.
Keeping your cat happy and healthy is really a simple matter of
caring for him properly and making sure he gets the appropriate
veterinary care. Make sure your cat gets all the recommended
vaccinations and you give him the proper treatments to repel
fleas and other pesky pests. These simple steps will keep your
cat happy and healthy for a lifetime!
About the Author: Lee Dobbins writes for
www.epet-center.com where you can find lots of articles
on cats, dogs, fish, birds and ferrets. Read more about how to
keep your cat healthy at
www.epet-center.com/catarticles1.html
Source: www.isnare.com
By Fred
July 28th, 2007 at 07:48am
Under Cat Health+ Diseases+ Dog Health
What is rabies?
Rabies is a disease caused by the rabies virus. It may take several weeks or even a few years for people to show symptoms after getting infected with rabies, but usually people start to show signs of the disease 1 to 3 months after the virus infects them. The early signs of rabies can be fever or headache, but this changes quickly to nervous system signs, such as confusion, sleepiness, or agitation. Once someone with rabies infection starts having these symptoms, that person usually does not survive. This is why it is very important to talk to your doctor or health care provider right away if any animal bites you, especially a wild animal.
Can animals transmit rabies to me?
Yes, many kinds of animal can pass rabies to people. Wild animals are much more likely to carry rabies, especially raccoons, skunks, bats, foxes, and coyotes. However, dogs, cats, cattle (cows), or any warm-blooded animal can pass rabies to people. People usually get rabies from the bite of an infected animal. Many animals, such as dogs, cats, and horses are vaccinated against rabies, but you should always wash any bite thoroughly and check with your health care provider about what to do if any animal bites you.
How can I protect myself from getting rabies?
Be a responsible pet owner:
Keep vaccinations up to date for all dogs, cats, and ferrets. This requirement is important not only to keep your pets from getting rabies, but also to provide a barrier of protection for you, if your animal is bitten by a rabid wild animal.
Keep your pets under direct supervision so they do not come in contact with wild animals. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately.
Call your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood. They may be unvaccinated and could be infected by the disease.
Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or regularly vaccinated.
Avoid direct contact with unfamiliar animals:
Enjoy wild animals (raccoons, skunks, foxes) from afar.
Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter.
Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Do not try to nurse sick animals to health. Call animal control or an animal rescue agency for assistance.
Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly. “Love your own, leave other animals alone” is a good principle for children to learn.
Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, and other similar areas, where they might come in contact with people and pets.
When traveling abroad, avoid direct contact with wild animals and be especially careful around dogs in developing countries. Rabies is common in developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America where dogs are the major reservoir of rabies. Tens of thousands of people die of rabies each year in these countries. Before traveling abroad, consult with a health care provider, travel clinic, or your health department about the risk of exposure to rabies, preexposure prophylaxis, and how you should handle an exposure, should it arise.
By Fred
