Tag Archives: cat health

What Pet Owners Should Know about Flea and Tick Medications

dog on grass

When I was at a recent veterinary conference, I picked up some flyers on flea and tick preventatives. There are now so many products on the market with different combinations of active ingredients that remembering their individual nuances is impossible. The flyers contained tables outlining the ingredients to help me choose the best product for

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The Truth About Vital Signs: What Pet Owners Need to Know

Veterinarian listens to a dog's heartbeat

Just like humans, animals have measurable vital signs that indicate their body’s overall functioning. These vital signs include breathing rate, heart rate, temperature and blood pressure. Patients with abnormal vital signs might be considered unstable and urgent steps will be taken to return the heart rate or breathing rate to normal. Illness and injury are

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Is My Cat Frail? How to Understand an Aging Cat

Billy the cat

A week ago, the owner of an elderly cat contacted me because her cat was not doing well. “Fluffy looks so frail,” she said during our telephone chat. When I saw Fluffy, I couldn’t disagree with her assessment, as Fluffy was rail thin and reluctant to move about; she clearly fit the dictionary definition of

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Sidney the Cat Goes “Red” to Educate Owners About Feline Heart Disease

A black and white cat

February is American Heart Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the most common form of heart disease in humans is coronary artery disease. This disease causes the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle to become blocked, resulting in a heart attack. To raise awareness of heart disease in women, the Go Red for

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