Inappropriate Urination in Cats

Inappropriate urination is one of the most common problem behaviors observed in cats and one of the most common reasons cats are abandoned at shelters. Yes, it can be frustrating when your cat starts urinating outside of the litter box. However, it is also important to remember that cats don’t exhibit this type of behavior out of spite or to seek revenge. Inappropriate urination is a sign that something is wrong with your cat.

Why Do Cats Urinate Outside the Litter Box?

There are many reasons a cat may start peeing outside of the litter box. In some cases, the cat may be marking its territory. The cat may also be “spraying”,  or urinating on a vertical surface such as a wall. Spraying is always a form of marking, but marking is not always accomplished by spraying. Some cats will mark horizontal surfaces or particular items. A common misconception is that only male cats spray or mark. However, female cats may also spray or mark their territory.

In other cases, your cat may simply dislike something about the litter box. The box may not be clean enough; the box may be in a location where the cat gets frightened or harassed while using the box; or your cat may simply prefer a different type of litter or substrate to relieve itself in or on.

Medical issues are still another cause for inappropriate urination in cats. There are many diseases that can be responsible, including:

•  Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) is actually a complex of diseases and includes illnesses such as bladder infections, bladder stones, inflammation in the bladder and even, in rare cases, cancer of the lower urinary tract. Stress is thought to play a role in some cases of FLUTD, particularly in the case of cystitis where inflammation occurs in the bladder.
• Urethral obstruction is an especially serious form of feline lower urinary tract disease. This occurs primarily in male cats and results in the cat being unable to urinate. It is often the result of urinary stones or crystals becoming lodged in the narrow portion of the cat’s urethra but can also occur for other reasons. Urethral obstructions are a life-threatening situation that can quickly become fatal for your cat. Seek veterinary assistance immediately if your cat is unable to urinate. You may see your cat visiting the litter box frequently and/or may see him straining to urinate in or out of the litter box.
• Diabetes, kidney disease and other illnesses that cause your cat to urinate more often than normal may cause your cat to not make it to the box in time.
• Arthritis and other ailments that make it more difficult to enter or exit the litter box. This is especially true if your cat's litter box has high sides easily or if the litter box is found on a second or third floor.

Helping Cats with Urinary Problems

Often the most important aspect of helping your cat is detecting the problem at an early stage when treatment is more likely to be successful. This can only be done with regular veterinary visits. Cats are well-known for masking signs of pain, resulting in very subtle symptoms that are difficult for cat owners to detect. In addition, it can be difficult for cat owners to spot changes in litter box habits. Needless to say, if you do notice changes in your cat’s routine, you should consult with your veterinarian immediately.

Nutrition can also play a part in managing many of the diseases that can cause inappropriate urination. However, the best diet for your cat will depend on your cat’s individual situation. Diets that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates are often recommended for cats with diabetes, while diets that help control urine pH (the acidity level of the urine) are often advised for cats that tend to develop stones or crystals in the urine. There are even cat foods which contain glucosamine and/or fatty acids such as DHA or EPA. These are beneficial for cats with arthritis or other inflammatory conditions. Your veterinarian can help you determine which diet is best for your cat.

Cats, like most other animals, also need plenty of water in their diet. However, many cats do not drink water all that readily without encouragement. Wet foods can be recommended for cats because of their increased moisture content. Other solutions that are sometimes useful include adding water to your cat’s food, using a water fountain to stimulate interest, or leaving a water faucet dripping to allow your cat access.

If your cat has suddenly stopped using the litter box, you should not assume your cat has a behavioral issue. Schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to rule out medical problems and discuss appropriate measures, including environmental enrichment procedures, diet changes, and medications to correct the issue.

Parasites and Indoor Cats

It’s a dilemma we see often in our veterinary practice — indoor cats that have parasites. Many cat owners believe that keeping their cats indoors protects them from parasite infestations and/or infections. Unfortunately, that’s not always true.

Indoor cats can become infested with fleas quite easily. Disturbingly, fleas can overwinter in your home very easily as well. Even outdoors, under the right circumstances, fleas can be active in the winter. Indoors, fleas are never exposed to freezing temperatures or other adverse weather conditions, making it easy for these parasites to survive indefinitely.

To make matters even worse, fleas can be difficult to find. Being fastidious groomers, many cats remove the evidence of an active flea infestation from their skin and hair coat, leaving an unsuspecting cat owner with no idea that there is indeed an existing flea problem.

Tapeworms also can be a problem for indoor cats. Since tapeworms are carried by fleas, this should come as no great surprise. Your cat can get tapeworms by swallowing a flea that is carrying tapeworms. This can happen when your cat grooms. Grooming activity can result in ingestion of live fleas.

Roundworms also may be a threat to indoor cats, particularly if there is a rodent problem in the home. Mice can enter a home through very small openings, sometimes even as small as a quarter. It’s not unusual to find a rodent problem even in a well-maintained home. Cats, being the predators that they are, will naturally hunt these animals, even when well-fed. I’ve experienced this myself, finding my cat Dillon with a mouse. It was surprising because I had found no evidence of mice in my home prior to the incident, nor have I found any signs since then.

Heartworms are another parasite that can infect cats that are housed strictly indoors. Heartworms are passed through the bite of an infected mosquito. We all know all too well that mosquitoes can find their way indoors. It only takes one bite to pass the parasite along to your cat.

Clearly, it is far from impossible for an indoor cat to suffer from both external and internal parasite infestations. So what can you do to protect your cat?

• Use a safe and effective flea product to prevent flea infestations. Consult your veterinarian for help in choosing the best product for your cat. Follow the directions on the label carefully when using a flea product. Do not use flea products not specifically labeled as being safe for cats. Many products that are safe for dogs are not safe for cats.

• Administer a monthly heartworm preventive medication to your cat year ‘round. Many of these products also provide some protection against roundworms and hookworm infections. Revolutions is the heartworm/flea/intestinal parasite preventative that we recommend at Cherokee Cat Clinic.

• Have your cat examined by your veterinarian on a regular basis.

• Have your cat dewormed every 6 months.  This will rid your cat of any intestinal parasites they may have picked up. Remember, some of the intestinal parasites that are carried by our feline and canine friends can be transmitted to their human companions….YOU.

 Living indoors (or primarily indoors with leashed walks outdoors and/or access to an outdoor enclosure) is the safest lifestyle for your cat. However, your cat is not safe from parasites even if living indoors. It is important to take the proper precautions to protect both yourself and your cat.

Lyme Disease in Dogs

Lyme disease is one of the most common tick-transmitted diseases in the world. The most common symptom in dogs is a recurrent lameness due to inflammation of the joints. There may also be a lack of appetite and depression. More serious complications include damage to the kidney, and rarely heart or nervous system disease.

Kidney disease appears to be more prevalent in Labradors,  Goldens and Bernese Mountain Dogs. Experimentally, young dogs appear to be more susceptible to Lyme disease than adult dogs. Transmission of the disease has been reported in dogs throughout the United States and Europe, but is most prevalent in the upper Midwestern states, the Atlantic seaboard, and the Pacific coastal states.

Symptoms and Types

Many dogs with Lyme disease have recurrent lameness of the limbs due to inflammation of the joints. Others, meanwhile, may develop acute lameness, which lasts for only three to four days but recurs days to weeks later, with lameness in the same leg, or in other legs. Better known as “shifting-leg lameness,” this condition is characterized by lameness in one leg, with a return to normal function, and another leg is then involved; one or more joints may be swollen and warm; a pain response is elicited by feeling the joint; responds well to antibiotic treatment.

Some dogs may also develop kidney problems. Eventually, if left untreated, total kidney failure sets in and the dog begins to exhibit such signs as vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, weight loss, increased urination and thirst, fluid buildup in the abdomen and fluid buildup in the tissues, especially the legs and under the skin.

Other symptoms associated with Lyme disease include:

• Stiff walk with an arched back
• Sensitive to touch
• Difficulty breathing
• Fever, lack of appetite, and depression may accompany inflammation of the joints
• Superficial lymph nodes close to the site of the infecting tick bite may be swollen
• Heart abnormalities are reported, but rare; they include complete heart block
• Nervous system complications (rare)

Causes

 

Borrelia burgdorferi, which is the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease, is transmitted by slow-feeding, hard-shelled deer ticks. However, infection typically occurs after the Borrelia-carrying tick has been attached to the dog for at least 18 hours.

Diagnosis

You will need to give a thorough history of your dog's health, including a background history of symptoms, and possible incidents that might have precipitated this condition. The history you provide may give your veterinarian clues as to which organs are being affected secondarily. A complete blood profile will be conducted, including a chemical blood profile, a complete blood count, and a urinalysis. Your veterinarian will use these tests to look for the presence of bacteria, parasites, and fungi in the bloodstream. Fluid from the affected joints may also be drawn for analysis.

The condition of the skin near the tick-bite site will be an important indicator of your dog's health as well, such as whether the wound is still open, or whether there are any fragments of the tick's body left in the wound.

There are many causes for arthritis, and your veterinarian will focus on differentiating arthritis initiated by Lyme disease from other inflammatory arthritic disorders. Immune-mediated diseases will also be considered as a possible cause of the symptoms, and an X-ray of the painful joints will allow your doctor to examine the bones for damage or disorder.

Treatment

If the diagnosis is Lyme disease, your dog will be treated as an outpatient, unless its health condition is severe. There are a number of antibiotics from which to choose. It is important that you keep your dog warm and dry, and you will need to control its activity until the clinical signs have improved. The recommended period for treatment is four weeks. Your veterinarian is unlikely to recommend dietary changes. Do not use pain medications unless they have been recommended by your veterinarian.

Unfortunately, symptoms do not always completely resolve in some animals. In fact, long-term joint pain may continue even after the bacteria has been fully eradicated from your dog's system. 

Prevention

If possible, avoid allowing your dog to roam in tick-infested environments where Lyme borreliosis is common. In addition to grooming your dog daily and removing ticks by hand, your veterinarian can recommend a variety of sprays, collars, and spot-on topical products to kill and repel ticks. Such products should only be used under a veterinarian's supervision and only according to the label's directions. In addition there are vaccines available for dogs; talk to your veterinarian about its availability and whether it is right for your dog.

Myths Vs. Facts: The Truth About Ticks

Odd news

Article from  AFP News    February 27, 2013 at 12:24PM

WASHINGTON - The latest addition to America's ever-growing list of craft beers gives new meaning to the time-honored idea of feeding leftovers to the dog.

Dawg Grog, a non-alcoholic mock brew for canines, is the brainchild of Daniel Keeton, 32, who perfected it over the past year with a little help from his seven-year-old American Staffordshire terrier Lola Jane.

It's made with wort, or spent grain, left over from the process of making real beer at the Boneyard Brewery of Bend, Oregon, where Keeton works in the tasting room when he's not home-brewing his own suds.

"I'm recycling a spent product that would otherwise go down the drain," Keeton, contacted by telephone on Tuesday, told AFP.

"I've had a lot of people say dogs love human beer," he added. "But obviously that's not good for dogs, so I wanted to make an alternative that's fun to give to your dog as well as a beneficial healthy treat."

The first batch of Dawg Grog, which comes in 16-ounce (half-liter) bottles in cases of six or 12, went on sale last August in Bend, a beer-loving city of 76,000 in the heart of the Pacific Northwest state.

But a spate of national publicity in recent days has seen Keeton suddenly facing a rush of orders from around the United States, where craft beers from small-volume local breweries have exploded in popularity in recent years.

"It's sweet and kind of caramelly and malty," said Keeton when asked how Dawg Grog tastes. He adds that his product -- which also has vegetable broth among its ingredients -- is best served on its own or poured over dog food.

Source: AFP