Cats - Illness and injury

What is Allergy Management? Is your pet itchy? Perhaps they chew their feet or are prone to ear infections. These are often signs of allergies (or hay fever) and there are many things we can do to

Anal Sacs (or Anal Glands) are two small glands located just inside your pet’s anus (bottom). Each of these glands has a tiny duct or tube, which has an opening into the rectum.

Arthritis or osteoarthritis (to give it its proper name) is a rapidly growing area in feline medicine. Cats are very cunning at hiding illness and pain, as this is seen as a sign of weakness and

Feline Bronchial Disease is also known as feline asthma, allergic airway disease, chronic bronchitis, allergic bronchitis or feline chronic small airway disease. These terms all describe a condition

A blood vessel rupture is usually caused by the cat itself. Normally from vigorous scratching of the ears or shaking of the head which is often due to an infestation with ear mite (Otodectes cynotis) or allergic dermatitis (atopy, food allergy).

If your pet has been stung by a bee or insect, here's some instructions you can follow to assist your pet.

Bladder stones are also known as urinary bladder calculi or uroliths. They can occur in many companion animals, but only cats will be discussed in this article. Their presence in a cat’s bladder

An overview of the most common blood tests we perform in pets and the types of diseases and problems the results can indicate.

What causes cancer and why your pet may have developed cancer. How will it affect your pet, diagnosis and treatment including oncology.

Cat flu is a common and highly contagious disease in unvaccinated cats of all ages. It tends to be particularly severe in kittens. Signs of cat flu are similar to those for colds and flu in people. It can cause inflamed and runny eyes, discharge from the nose, sneezing, coughing, loss of appetite and sometimes mouth ulcers.

One of the most common diseases that we see at our clinic is kidney (renal) disease in cats. Kidneys are a vital part of a normal functioning body. They filter the blood and help to excrete urea and

Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the inside of the eyelids and the whites of the eye. A cat with conjunctivitis will often appear to have a red, swollen and partially

Coughing in cats is a symptom of a problem, rather than a problem in its own right. When the cough receptors in the larynx (the area at the back of the throat), the trachea (windpipe) or the

Diabetes Mellitus is a medical condition where there is an excessive amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. This is caused by a deficiency of the hormone insulin, which is secreted by the pancreas.

Ear infections are a common reason pet owners will seek advice from their vet. Recognising an ear infection and seeking advice early can be critical in achieving a quick and successful outcome.

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) is a disease that results in inflammation of the bladder (cystitis) and/or the urethra (urethritis). The condition may result in partial or complete

The familiar sounds of late night cries and squeals are often the first obvious sign that a cat fight has taken place. Cats are instinctively territorial. They fight with other cats to protect or

Have you ever suspected your pet may be suffering from an injury and you weren't sure what to do? Bleeding skin, broken bone, eye injury, convulsion, obstruction, choking and not sure what to do. Here's a few tips on how you can make your pet more comfortable whilst you are on the way to the vet.

Burn damage to the surface &/or deeper layers of the skin will occur immediately regardless of the source of burn. Visible signs can be seen immediately or it can take up to 12-24 hours after the accident depending on the cause or type of burn.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is a viral disease that affects the immune system of domestic cats. The immune systems main function is to fight off infection and ensure the body remains healthy

There are many reasons why cat's itch and allergic dermatitis or skin allergies can be the source of irritation. In the allergic state, a cat's immune system "overreacts" to foreign substances called

What causes food allergies? A food allergy is a reaction by an individual animal to a particular substance in their food. This occurs when the bodies' response to normal food becomes 'confused',

Hairballs can be quite distressing to observe and also messy to clean up. They are a common problem in cats - especially longer haired cats. If there are concurrent clinical signs it is important to

Cardiomyopathy is a term used to describe diseases of the heart muscle. In cats, three classes of cardiomyopathy have been described: hypertrophic, dilated and restrictive cardiomyopathy. However,

Just like humans, a pet’s heart can also develop diseases and cause many health problems. Unfortunately, any diseases or problems with the old ticker, seem to come to light when your pet is already in heart failure as the physical symptoms become obvious.

Heatstroke (hyperthermia) is the elevation of the body’s temperature and is a life threatening condition requiring immediate treatment. Dogs left in hot cars, pets exposed to extreme heat when left

Springtime is a fine time for your pet to pick up a seasonal allergy from all the pollen, spores, grass seeds and dust that’s flying around.

Cats just like humans can get hypertension (high blood pressure). However, for most cats hypertension is secondary to an underlying disease rather than the stress and pressure of everyday life.

Hyperthyroidism is a common disease affecting middle age and older cats. It is caused by an increase in production of thyroid hormones (known as T3 and T4) from enlarged thyroid glands in the cat's neck.

Hibernation season is upon us! As the temperature outside is dropping, all we can think about is getting cosy with our favourite winter blanket, a nice cup of tea and staying as close to the heater as possible.

The liver is a very complex and multi-faceted internal organ that is vital in the normal functioning of the body as a whole. It has many important roles including aiding digestion, removing toxins

Disabled and ageing cats are able to adapt to their new circumstances more quickly than most animals as cats are versatile creatures who manage disability well.

There are a number of reasons cats lose their hearing. They could be born deaf (known as congenital deafness), or develop hearing loss during old age or after physical illness. With a few adjustments

Although most lumps are harmless it is impossible to tell what sort of lump you are looking at. There are many different things that can cause swellings - bruising or fluid build-up, abscesses, things attached to the skin (eg. small parasites) and, of course, cancers.

If you know or suspect your pet has been involved in a motor vehicle accident, seek veterinary treatment immediately. Your veterinarian will be able to perform a thorough physical examination and detect potential areas of concern and check for the signs which may indicate internal injury.

In the wild, cats that appear sick or injured are vulnerable to predators. For this reason, cats often disguise the fact they are in pain. Cat pain can be caused by a variety of problems such as

Dr Suzanne Libel wanted to highlight an issue that she sees regularly in clinic, which is owners having difficulty identifying pain in their pets. Most people these days agree that animals do feel physical pain.

If your cat’s appetite has changed recently, it could be due to something as simple as fussiness. However it could also be an indicator of an underlying medical problem. While the causes of appetite

Yes, pets can get skin cancer. Tumours affecting the skin or subcutaneous tissue (the tissue just under the skin) are seen in pets. Many cancers are benign, meaning that they won't spread to other parts of the body, others are more life threatening. A veterinarian can diagnose a tumour in a pet with a biopsy, which involves removing a small amount of tissue.

Armed with curiosity and natural hunting instincts it is not uncommon for our favourite four legged friends to cross paths with a snake. At this time of year, even city dogs and cats can have these

Sneezing is a natural body mechanism in cats. There are a lot of causes for sneezing, some of which are covered below:- Allergies Allergies generally cause skin problems in cats however they can also

Each year at your pet’s annual check-up, your vet may recommend getting a blood test. Ultimately you have the final decision if you would like the test completed and that choice should be respected.

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by infection with the organism called Toxoplasma gondii.Cats are usually infected by ingesting the organism present in the tissues (meat) of another infected animal known as an ‘intermediate host' which is usually a rodent.

Ultrasound scanning is a painless procedure that uses high frequency sound waves (inaudible to humans) to produce images of structures within the body.

The life of a pet parent can be summed up in three simple words: messy, stressful and (above all) rewarding. We would do absolutely anything to keep our furry child safe, and most of the time we forget about one of the greatest dangers that can hurt our pet.

If your cat vomits once and there is nothing else unusual about their behaviour or their health and they return to their normal self straight away, then chances are your cat is probably ok. On the other hand if the vomiting continues and you notice any other signs ...

The excess calories are then stored as body fat. We have little control over some contributing factors; eg. Breed, sex, hereditary, and age. However, there are others which we can control, these being over-feeding and exercise.

We often get phone calls from clients who are concerned about the symptoms their pet are showing, but are unsure whether it is a sign of something more sinister or if things will resolve on their own

Understanding wounds and infection. How to stabilise a wound or graze and first aid tips for simple wounds and bleeding wounds. Dog and cat fights and tips on breaking up a dog fight.