Happy Pets

Ulcers are painful areas of inflammation affecting the skin, eye or membranes such as the gums and nose. The affected tissue becomes swollen, red and often moist and angry looking. Various things can trigger an ulcer: trauma, infection or allergy being the commonest. Corrosive chemicals can also be responsible and if swallowed these can ulcerate the throat, oesophagus and stomach, giving very unpleasant symptoms. Ulceration of the ear tips (see EAR PROBLEMS; SUNBURN) is common in white cats which sun bathe a lot. (more…)

Travel sickness is somewhat different from anxiety about traveling, although there is undoubtedly considerable overlap between the two problems. Acclimatization to travel is best started in young kittens, since they adapt better and learn quickly, and the acclimatization process can be as gradual as needed. This can work in older cats too, and is worth tackling if frequent travel becomes necessary (see below for a suitable programme). (more…)

Wheezing

Wheezing is noisy breathing (respiration) and may be accompanied by increased effort during breathing, noticeable by exaggerated movements of the abdomen or chest, and perhaps more rapid breathing than normal. True wheezing is often caused by allergic conditions, especially the quite common condition of feline ASTHMA, but most owners would be unable to differentiate this from similar breathing noises caused by other conditions such as PNEUMONIA. (more…)

Superficial skin wounds are treated by bathing with tepid saline to keep the area moist and clean. It is unnecessary to apply antiseptic creams or ointments if prompt attention (within 24 hours) is being sought. Simply bathe regularly (every 2 hours or so) and keep the cat indoors. Generally, only attempt to apply a bandage if severe or continued bleeding requires this; most wounds are best left uncovered initially as correct bandaging is a difficult task in the majority of cats and improperly applied bandages can do more harm than good. If the cat will allow, trim the hair around the edges of the wound to allow easier bathing. (more…)

Wounds are injuries which disrupt or destroy tissues, usually the skin. Severe wounds may also affect underlying structures such as bones or internal organs and gun shot wounds, in particular, can cause massive damage to adjacent structures.

Wounds vary enormously, from small and superficial to extensive and deep, and can sometimes be very deceptive in appearance. For example, bite puncture wounds are often much more serious than large but superficial skin tears, yet a puncture wound may be so small as to be hardly noticeable on the cat’s hairy body. Initial impressions might be that the gaping shallow skin wound is the worse injury, it certainly looks more dramatic. However it is often the small but deep bite injury, combined with the crushing effect on surrounding tissue that causes the most pain and carries most risk of serious complications. (more…)

Adverse effects of vaccination

Modern vaccines are very safe in the vast majority of patients, nevertheless, as with all medical products and drugs, a small risk remains in their administration. This small risk is considered preferable to the larger risk imposed by the disease being protected against in most cases; in other words a ‘risk-benefit analysis’ is usually seen as coming out in favour of the vaccine, since some of the diseases being protected against can be fatal. A recent comprehensive review’ of vaccination in cats and dogs continued to support the administration of vaccines and their annual booster in most cases.

Adverse reactions can be variable in nature, from the temporary slight increase in temperature and sleepiness, sometimes associated with lameness, often noticed in kittens at their very first vaccine, to rarer symptoms such as allergy/hypersensitivity type reactions and even anaphylaxis (an unusual severe allergic reaction which is treated as an emergency). (more…)

Vaccination is the process of preventing disease in animals or people by exposing them to the same disease in a ’safe’ form. This controlled exposure allows the immune system to learn to recognise the disease so that if encountered in its real, dangerous form in the future, a rapid immune response can be mounted before serious effects of the disease are seen. (more…)

Weaning

Weaning is the gradual process of separation of suckling kittens from their mother, when they start to become independent animals, able to feed and move around actively by themselves. Kittens may begin to show an interest in liquid food at around 3 weeks. By 6-8 weeks, they are usually eating well and receiving very little nutrition from their mothers. Many kittens are rehomed at this time. (more…)

Cat Warts

Warts are small benign growths on the skin surface which often have a characteristic wrinkled appearance. They are common in dogs, less so in cats. All skin growths should be checked out by a veterinary surgeon in case removal is necessary. Warts near the eye may be removed quickly owing to possible interference with the eyelids. (more…)

Arsenicum album

Chemical substance from which the remedy is prepared: arsenic trioxide

Arsenic is of course the ‘archetypal’ poison and if anyone is asked to name a poison it is likely that they will mention this chemical. Arsenic’s potency as a toxin means, of course, that it can also be an extremely potent and valuable homoeopathic remedy, with wide-ranging constitutional effects in the body. There is of course no danger of toxicity in homoeopathic preparation since there are so few, or no, molecules of arsenic present in the prepared remedy. (more…)