Educational Articles
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Conjunctivitis means inflammation of the conjunctiva. If you see excessive tearing from one or both eyes, abnormal discharge, and reddened conjunctival membranes, your cat may have conjunctivitis. The most common causes of conjunctivitis include infectious diseases and non-infectious conditions, including allergies, injuries, hereditary conditions, and tumors. The approach to non-specific conjunctivitis is to use eye medications containing a combination of broad-spectrum antibiotics to control the bacterial infection and anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the inflammation. The prognosis depends on the specific diagnosis. It can be a recurring condition in some cats.
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Constipation can be defined as an abnormal accumulation of feces in the colon, resulting in difficult bowel movements. This may result in reduced frequency or absence of defecation.
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Coonhound paralysis is a sudden inflammation of multiple nerve roots and peripheral nerves in dogs, and occasionally cats. It can be caused by an immune reaction to raccoon saliva. It can also occur in dogs who have not encountered a raccoon. In this case, it is called acute idiopathic polyradiculoneuritis, and its cause is often unknown. Dogs with coonhound paralysis start out with a stiff-legged gait that rapidly progresses to paralysis of all four legs. Good nursing care is essential for recovery.
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Corneal lipidosis is an accumulation of fatty substances within the cornea. This is caused by genetics (corneal dystrophy), eye inflammation (corneal degeneration), or by an increase in circulating lipids in the body (hyperlipidemia). Visually, lipidosis appears as a sparkly or shiny area of the cornea. It is diagnosed by a thorough eye exam, bloodwork, and patient history. Treatment and prognosis will depend on the cause and may include treatment of underlying inflammatory conditions of the eye, or systemic treatment of elevated lipid blood levels.
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Ulcerative keratitis is inflammation in the cornea of the eye. The signs of ulcerative keratitis depend somewhat on the cause and how long the condition has been present. There are many potential causes of ulcerative keratitis, including trauma, infection, and abnormal tear production. Antibiotic ointment or drops will be prescribed and it is important to prevent additional trauma to the cornea. Superficial corneal ulcers typically heal within 5 to 7 days. Deeper or more complicated ulcers may take several weeks to heal and may require surgery in addition to medical treatment.
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This handout outlines corneal ulcers in cats, a painful eye condition often resulting from trauma. Other causes, clinical signs, diagnostic testing, and treatment options are also explained.
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A cough is an expiratory effort producing a sudden, noisy expulsion of air from the lungs. In cats, coughing is most often a sign of an inflammatory problem, affecting the lower respiratory tract, especially some form of bronchitis, often due to an infection. Heartworm infection, allergies, presence of foreign material within the airway, or irritation from inhaled liquids or gases can all be responsible for coughing and respiratory problems in cats. In order to diagnosis the cause, blood tests, laboratory cultures, endoscopic examination, and radiography may be performed. Treatment depends on the diagnosis and your cat's medical condition.
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Crystalluria refers to the presence of crystals in the urine. These crystals are made up of minerals and other substances that would normally be dissolved in the urine; crystals form when these substances do not remain dissolved in the urine and instead coalesce (join together) into crystals. Crystalluria is diagnosed via urinalysis.
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Cushing's disease is a condition in which the adrenal glands over-produce certain hormones. It may be caused by a pituitary gland tumor, an adrenal tumor, or prolonged corticosteroid use. Clinical signs include poor haircoat, pot-bellied appearance, increased drinking, and increased urination. Medical and surgical treatment options are discussed. Prognosis varies but is improved with intervention.
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Skin cancers are common in cats, but cutaneous lymphoma is relatively uncommon. Less than 2% of lymphoma cases in cats occur in the skin. As the disease progresses, the skin becomes thickened, reddened, ulcerated, and may ooze fluid. The most common locations to find lesions include the junction between mucus membranes and the skin. Unfortunately, feline cutaneous lymphoma is considered incurable. Surgical removal can be attempted for solitary lesions, although the tumor often returns to the area or will have spread elsewhere in the body already
