Albuquerque Journal Articles
Cats love a warm, cozy spot on cold winter nights. Horrible trauma occurs when the car is started. Question: Our neighbor’s cat got stuck in the fanbelt of his car last week. How common is that? How do I make sure that doesn’t happen to my cat? Dr. Nichol: Great question. I’m delighted to hear you thinking about prevention. The truth is that automobile fans and fanbelts kill and maim many cats every fall and winter. It is tragic but preventable. It happens because it takes awhile for a car engine to completely cool down even on a…
Problems develop fast. Learn to correct low blood sugar & hypothermia. Question: My cat just had kittens 2 weeks ago and one died yesterday. I found him off by himself moving slowly and crying. It broke my heart. I didn’t know what to do for him. Any ideas? The other 6 kittens seem O.K. but I’m worried that it might happen to another one. Dr. Nichol: That is so hard to take. Being a part of the excitement of raising babies is great until you have a disaster. I will give you an understanding of what works in…
Many different long term symptoms can suggest AIDS. Infected kitties must be handled carefully to allow them to live as long and as well as possible. Question: My cat Jessie has been sick on and off for a long time so I got worried about him. He’s had a snotty nose and a fever and then he starting losing weight. So I took him to the vet who did some blood tests and he came up AIDS positive. Now I’m really scared. Will Jessie die soon? What about me and my kids-are we going to get sick too? …
Always a serious sign- move quickly. A thorough exam plus lab work may uncover age related kidney failure-a disease which may be treatable. Question: Our cat Bugsy is 17 years old and she seems to be acting like the years are catching up to her. For the past 2 or 3 weeks she’s been drinking more water and she’s hardly eating. My sister thinks that her breath smells like urine but I say it’s because her teeth are bad. How could a cat’s breath smell like urine? Dr. Nichol: You are right to be concerned about Bugsy. At…
Low potassium causes poor muscle function. Get a thorough health evaluation to rule out other problems. The right supplement will make it right. Question: “Blinken” is my 9 year old cat and he’s been acting funny lately. He’s always been pretty healthy but for the last few weeks he seems weak. He doesn’t want to walk around the house much and when he does, his legs are kind of stiff. But the part that I really noticed is that his head is down. He won’t look up. What’s wrong with Blinken? Dr. Nichol: Blinken has a serious problem-I’m…
Pets, without question, feel pain just as we do. Better pet hospitals treat & prevent pain. Question: I have often wondered about cats and dogs and pain, especially when Skippy, our wonder cat with 3 legs, had most of his hind leg amputated to the hip. He came home the evening of surgery and my wife and I took turns holding him all night. He did not seem to be in pain, but rather out of it or a little crazy from the anesthetic. Isn’t pain medication typically given for this kind of thing, and for such procedures as…
Have a stool check done for the kitty’s health. Have a new kitten wormed for yours. Question: We got a new cat last week and took him to the vet for his first shots. After the doctor gave him the shot he said that we need to bring in a stool sample to check Teka for worms. He also said Teka needs to be wormed anyway even if they don’t find worms in his stool. Why not just worm the darn cat in the first place and forget the stool sample? Dr. Nichol: That piece of advice is…
A nasty parasite, they can also infect humans. Question: What causes hookworms and what are the symptoms? Can my kitten be reinfested with them? (She is strictly an indoor cat.) Dr. Nichol: Hookworms are passed between cats and dogs by microscopic eggs and through the skin. They bite into the inside wall of the intestine and suck blood. They cause weight loss, diarrhea, and anemia. If you fail to dump out your cat’s litter pan after every use your girl can become reinfected as you give her the medication to eliminate those worms. The good news is that…
A grumpy, sleepy cat with fleas is also anemic & sick. Frontline should do the trick. Question: My cat of eight months, recently has been sleeping a lot, and every time I pick him up, he gets mad, and bites me. My cat is normally very active, and doesn’t mind getting handled. My cat right now is experiencing a lot of fleas. I don’t know if that has to do with anything. Dr. Nichol: You make the diagnosis simple. Those fleas are a major nuisance to your cat and, in large numbers, will cause grumpiness. But more importantly,…
Don’t Waste Time with Meat Diets & Supplements. Get a Diagnosis & Save Your Cats’ Lives Question: When my 5-year old sibling cats had a dental cleaning, the vet performed blood tests. The results indicated less than 50% of normal red blood cell count for one and low normal for the other. He suggested feeding them some red meat. I also have been putting drops the vet prescribed, to prevent anemia, on their food. Both are feisty, active, well-adjusted and affectionate cats. I don’t want to subject them to more blood work, but do not know if their red blood…