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Ringworm is a very common form of skin disease that is found in both dogs and cats. Although its name makes you think otherwise, this skin disease isn’t caused by any type of worm. It’s actually caused by fungi known as Dermatophytes that feed on dead tissues found in the surface of the skin, spreading them around the skin of the animal.

With cats, there is a certain type of fungi known as M Canis that is found with nearly 95% of all ringworm cases. Normally, cats will get the ringworm disease from contaminated objects like bedding, clippers, or another animal that already has the disease. If there are animals in your home or around your house that have the ringworm disease, your cat could very easily contract it this way.

If you have kittens or cats that are under a year old in your home, you should always use precaution, as they are more susceptible to ringworm. Kittens can easily contract the disease, especially if you allow them to go outside. They can easily come in contact with a contaminated object or another cat that has the disease. Kittens take a long time to build their immune system up, and in the meantime they are more apt to get common disease such as ringworm.

The most common symptoms of ringworm in cats are rough or broken hairs, or hair loss around the head or the paws. Ringworm can easily be identified by a patch of scaly skin on the body that appears itchy and inflamed. There will also be broken hairs around the patch of scaly skin. This area is very sensitive, and you should never try to touch it, as it will hurt your cat.

If you notice any of the above symptoms with your pet, you should immediately schedule an appointment with your vet. If the vet diagnosis your cat with ringworm, he may prescribe ointment or tablets. What he describes however, will determine on how serious the ringworm is. If he prescribes tablets to your cat, you should give them with meals. Ointment on the other hand, is normally spread into the coat, topically. You should always use what your vet prescribes on a daily basis, to ensure that your cat heals. The healing process will take time, normally around six weeks or more.

Cats that have ringworm should be labeled as infectious. If you have children in the house, you should keep them away from your pet. Whenever you handle your cat, you should always use gloves. Ringworms are contagious, and you should always use caution. Even though it’s a mild disease, ringworm can result in serious problems due to the slow recovery time and fact that it’s contagious.

About the author: We provide grooming for dogs and cats, and free pet grooming consultation services & free grooming tips by breeds! Our pet products include fashionable carriers, embroidered shirts, reversible raincoats, pet shoes, cotton dresses, pet food, pet carrier, dog ribbons, and other related pet products.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

If you’re a cat owner, you want to ensure that your feline friend enjoys the happiest and healthiest life possible. In order to help make this possible, it’s important for you, as the pet owner, to be educated about feline health issues. While cat kidney disease most often affects elderly felines, it has the potential to affect cats at any stage of life. So in order to protect and promote your cat’s health, it’s a good idea to understand the basics of feline kidney function and cat kidney disease.

The Feline Urinary Tract

Generally, a healthy cat’s urinary tract will consist of two kidneys, each of which is each connected to the bladder by a ureter. As a physiological system, the feline urinary tract carries out several different functions, including the regulation of the concentration and acid-based balance of the blood. However, the main function of the kidneys and urinary system is the filtration and removal of waste products.

Feline Kidney Disease

Feline kidney disease occurs when the kidneys are no longer able to function properly. This usually occurs because the kidney cells become damaged or worn out. In most cases, feline kidney disease will develop slowly over time and a cat with this medical problem generally won’t display any symptoms of the disease until approximately two thirds of normal kidney function is lost. At this point, the kidneys are no longer able to sufficiently remove waste products from the body and toxins begin to accumulate within the cat’s system, causing significant discomfort for the animal as well as dangerous and potentially fatal disruptions with several other physiological pathways.

Symptoms

Once a cat reaches this point, where approximately two thirds of normal kidney function is lost, a variety of signs and symptoms will begin to appear. Two of the most frequently displayed symptoms in cases of feline kidney disease are increased thirst and increased urination. Other common warning signs include bloody urine, loss of appetite, weight loss, lethargy, depression, and poor coat quality. In some cases, feline kidney disease will also cause vomiting and bad breath. Since chronic kidney disease, which develops slowly over time, is more common in cats than acute kidney disease, signs and symptoms will typically occur with a gradual onset and grow increasingly severe with time.

Diagnosis

Generally, a case of cat kidney disease will be diagnosed through blood tests and urinalysis. With respect to blood tests, the concentrations of the substances urea and creatinine can be very helpful with diagnosing feline kidney disease. Both of these substances are typically filtered out of the body by healthy kidneys and, therefore, unusually high concentrations of urea and/or creatinine could suggest a lack of proper function on the part of the cat’s kidneys. Also, when a cat is suffering from this disease, the concentration of its urine will often be higher than normal as well. As a result, urinalysis can also be helpful when it comes to diagnosing feline kidney disease.

Causes

As alluded to earlier, there are two types of cat kidney disease — acute kidney disease, which develops suddenly, and chronic kidney disease, which develops slowly over time. Acute feline kidney disease is often caused by a traumatic event such as being hit by a car or losing a significant amount of blood. Toxins such as antifreeze can also trigger the sudden onset of cat kidney disease. Chronic feline kidney disease, the most common type of this disease, can be caused simply by the natural wear and tear that occurs with age, a genetic defect, or an infection. While there are numerous potential causes of cat kidney disease, in many cases the exact cause will be unknown.

Treatment

Unfortunately, there is no cure for feline kidney disease; however, in many cases this condition is controllable. Two of the most basic and common forms of treatment for cat kidney disease include diet control and prevention of dehydration. In addition to these treatments steps, a holistic approach to dealing with this condition often proves to be very beneficial as well. Natural supplements and remedies can help to increase the feline patient’s comfort by reducing symptoms and can also promote the animal’s overall health and well-being. However, no matter what treatment methods are used for your particular cat, they should always be carried out under the supervision of a veterinarian.

Prevention

If your cat does not have feline kidney disease and you’d like to ensure that he or she never does develop this condition, there are several steps that you can take to increase the chances of your feline friend living a long and healthy life free of kidney disease. One of the best ways to do this is to deal with your pet’s health in a holistic manner, ensuring that he or she is as healthy as possible in every respect. By providing your cat with a healthy diet complemented by natural supplements, you will be increasing the strength of your pet’s immune system while improving its overall health and happiness. With a well-rounded health care plan and regular veterinary care, you can decrease your cat’s likelihood of developing kidney disease as well as many other feline health problems.

About the author: Catharine Wells is a freelance writer who writes about topics concerning pet care such as Cat Cancer | Cat Hyperthyroidism | Cat Kidney Disease
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

For cat owners, there’s nothing more terrifying and distressing than to find out that your beloved feline companion has developed a malignant tumor or tumors. In order to give your cat the best chance to survive a case of feline cancer, it’s important to seek treatment as soon as possible. Also, having a basic understanding of cat cancer and the steps involved in fighting the disease can help make the process of diagnosis and treatment less confusing and overwhelming.

What is Cancer?

Cancer involves the unregulated proliferation of cells resulting in the formation malignant tumors. This type of uncontrolled growth occurs when gene mutations are caused by damaged DNA. Typically, any damaged cells would be destroyed by the animal’s immune system; however, cancerous cells are able to avoid destruction by the immune system and, therefore, continue to grow in their unregulated manner. These cells then form a mass known as a tumor, which can either be benign or malignant. Malignant tumors are the cancerous ones, and they can be very aggressive and dangerous.

Types of Cat Cancer

There are so many different types of cat cancer that it’s not possible to discuss all of them here. Cancer can originate in and affect almost all parts of the feline body; however, there are certain types of cat cancer that are more common than others. These include bladder cancer as well as various abdominal cancers which can affect the kidneys, intestines, spleen, and liver. Feline leukemia and malignant skin tumors also affect cats quite frequently.

Causes

In most cases, it’s impossible to identify one or more particular causes of cancer in a feline patient. The potential causes and triggers of this disease are numerous and encompass both genetic and environmental factors. For example, hereditary defects and toxic chemicals can both play a role in the development of cat cancer. Radiation and viruses such as the Feline Leukemia Virus are also known to increase a cat’s risk of developing cancer. With so many potential triggers and contributing factors, the cause of feline cancer in a particular cat will often remain unknown.

Common Symptoms

Since there are so many different forms of cat cancer, the type of the disease that is affecting a particular cat will determine the type of symptoms and warning signs exhibited. For example, excessive drooling and trouble with eating could be signs of mouth cancer while stiffness and difficulty with movement could be symptoms of bone cancer. However, even though the warning signs of cancer will differ with each type of the disease, there are certain symptoms that are common to various forms of cancer. These warning signs include weight loss and loss of appetite, abnormal and firm swelling, a lack of interest in daily activities, trouble with eating, an offensive odor, and unusual stiffness or lameness.

Diagnosis

A diagnosis of cat cancer will be reached through an evaluation of symptoms and clinical signs as well as the results of various diagnostic procedures. Since there are so many different types of feline cancer, there are a number of diagnostic tools and tests that may be necessary to confirm and identify a particular case of this disease. Certain tools and tests that may be employed include blood tests, biopsies, x-rays, and CT scans. Once the presence of a particular form of cat cancer has been confirmed, the veterinarian will also need to evaluate the stage of the disease in order to implement an appropriate treatment plan.

Treatment

When a cat has been diagnosed as having cancer, the necessary treatment plan will depend on a number of different factors, including the type of cancer present and the stage of the disease. Examples of treatment methods frequently used for various forms of cat cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is part of a holistic health approach to treatment and is often used in conjunction with other treatments. This particular form of therapy involves using a variety of natural supplements to boost the cat’s immune system in order to provide the animal with a greater ability to fight the cancer as well as to withstand other forms of treatment such as chemotherapy. In some cases, treatment for cat cancer will successfully eradicate the disease but, unfortunately, in other cases treatment will only serve to slow the progress of the cancer.

Prevention

Since the potential contributing factors with respect to the development of cat cancer are so numerous, it can be difficult and even impossible to predict and prevent cancer in many cases. Yet, there are certain steps that pet owners can take to help lower the chances of their feline friends developing this terrible disease. Often, a holistic health care approach is very beneficial in this regard. By promoting and protecting your cat’s overall health with a good diet, a healthy living environment, and natural supplements, you will be boosting the strength and function of your pet’s immune system. As a result, your feline companion will have a stronger defense against cancer and all other feline medical problems and will be more likely to live a long and healthy life.

About the author: Catharine Wells is a freelance writer who writes about topics concerning pet care such as Cat Cancer | Cat Hyperthyroidism | Cat Kidney Disease
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com