Cat Health

Ear Mites affect both dogs and cats. Behavioral changes will give your the clues that your are dealing with an ear mite infection.

The following are sure signs that your pet is suffering from an ear mite infection; continual scratching around the ears, head shaking, restless behavior, some brown material present in the ears, a bad smell and your pet yelping if you touch the ears.

So what are the culprits to these unpleasant symptoms? The ear mite is a tiny parasite that lives in the lining of the ear canal.

The ear swells and becomes painful as they bite through the skin to get at the blood supply.

Left undetected or untreated you are probably looking at more problems, with opportunistic yeast infections, bacterial strains, sores and painful scabs to contend with.

And if that doesn’t scare you, maybe the fact your pet will lose his hearing and will need a costly operation will.

One ear mite infection will lead to another if you have multiple pets, as they transfer from one host to another.

This is especially bad news as an ear mite infection in one animal in a kennel or cattery can spread like wildfire throughout the whole community.

Treat all animals at the same time to ensure you don’t get repeated re-infections.

All cats and dogs can get an ear mite infection, but dogs with long floppy ears such as spaniels as more prone as they offer a greater number of hiding places for the mites.

Ear mites can be dispatched easily and quickly. The first issue to to keep the ears clean - this is where products such as PNP Healthy Ears Ear Cleanser for Dogs can help, as its gentle cleaning properties will remove debris, wax and dust from the animal’s ears.

It can help prevent ear infections, and is easy to apply with a specially designed nozzle. Use regularly and apply after swimming.

Alternatively try Lambert Kay Ear Rite Insecticidal Ear Wash.

Use it to clean the outer areas of the ear in order to stop infection taking hold. To combat yeast infections and mites, ClearQuest Ear Powder is a good solution.

It is suitable for both dogs and cats and helps to control odor and keep ears dry and therefore more resistant to yeast infections.

If you are looking for a clean and easy way to do the job of keeping your pet’s ears clean, consider ClearQuest Ear Wipes.

Formulated with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal components, infections are kept at bay. They come in a convenient container which means clean and easy storage and no waste.

Cleaning your pet’s ears with Dr Golds Extra Gentle Ear Therapy might be good for your conscience too.

Because it’s made with tea tree oil and witch hazel, you can rest assured you are cleaning your pet’s ear with a product that contains natural ingredients.

If you want to bring in something stronger, reach for Gimborn R-7M Ear Mite Treatment for Pets.

It contains a natural miticide that will dispatch ear mites and ticks promptly leaving your pet pain and infection free. Popular among breeders and showers.

If the situation has gotten really bad and your are struggling to cope with repeated or severe infections you need something with some punch, such as Zymox OTIC Solution with and without Hydrocortisone.

Seven days of treatment should resolve a nasty case of ear mites, but double it for repeated ear mite issues.

As you see there are plenty of products available to keep your pet’s ears clean and mite free.

Keep your eyes open for the first signs of ear mites and deal with the infection before it becomes a problem.

It is vital to keep a dog’s nails trimmed short enough.

Overly long nails in humans are annoying but in dogs they can split and break causing bleeding paws.

Your dog’s paws need to be kept in tip top condition as he uses them all the time.

There’s an easy way to know if your dog is overdue nail clipping and that is the sound of click-click-click of the nails on hard floors. You can take your dog to a professional groomer for a manicure, or you can do it yourself.

There are a few vital things to bear in mind if you are going to do it yourself.

You need the right equipment and you need to have some knowledge of the anatomy of your dog’s paw.

If you try to cut corners you may end up cutting your dog’s paw by accident.

The quick is the area to watch for when you trim your dog’s nails, you should cut below this. It is easy with dogs with transparent or light coloured nails but harder with dark nails so take care!

Master Grooming Tools Guillotine Nail Clippers are the correct tools for the job too. Safe and efficient clippers, with an ergonomic, plastic handle that is easy to grip and won’t slip or wear out your hand. Some dogs find nail clipping stressful, so the ultra sharp blades of the Guillotine Nail Clippers make the cutting as easy and stress-free as possible, even with tough nails.

Now we are going to talk about how to cut nails.

It is often best to sit with your dog in your lap, holding his paw firmly, but not roughly.

Get the nail clearly in view by pressing on the “toe”, identify the quick and trim nail at a 45 degree angle. Take off slivers each time, don’t be too ambitious.

Once the major clipping has been done, taking care not to trim the nails too short, check the edges for jagged or rough edges and tidy.

Really take care when trimming your pet’s nails; imagine how vulnerable you would feel with someone cutting your toenails!

If an accident does happen with the trimmers, reach for Gimborn Kwik Stop Styptic Gel with Benzocaine to stop blood flow.

These trimmers are great for home or salon use. A pair of Master Grooming Tools Guillotine Nail Clippers will last a good time too as they are made to last and perform well.

Unlike some lesser brands too, you can expect these clippers to go the distance and still function well for a long time to come. They come with a lifetime guarantee.

The trimmers are great both for the dog, with sharp blades to make nail trimming stress free, and good for the owner with the ergonomic design to reduce stress on the body or the chance of accidents.

The most common infectious skin disease in domestic felines, cat ringworm is a fungal infection, and not a worm at all. It is easily spread by contact.

In otherwise healthy cats, the disease often resolves itself within 6 to 8 weeks. To prevent the spread of the disease and to resolve it more quickly, your veterinarian may prescribe treatment. More difficult cases may take weeks or months even with treatment. Cats with compromised immune systems may take even longer and experience more severe symptoms.

Ringworm, known as dermatophytosis, is a fungus which feeds on keratin. Keratin is a protein found in hair, nails, and skin.

This disease gets its name from the easy to spot, round ring-like marks it leaves on the skin. The classic ringworm symptom presents as patches of hair loss which appear as circular scaly areas with raised edges.

The initial symptoms include dry, flaky skin. The most common locations for infection are the head, face, ears, tail, and paws. In addition, you may see bald areas on the legs, ears, and around the eyes.

In severe cases in cats with compromised immune systems, more serious symptoms may develop. If left untreated, crusty lesions that may become red and sore, as well as infected may develop.

Cat ringworm symptoms include hair loss and broken hair in circular or irregular patterns. You may also see bumpy, scaly, red, or inflamed skin, and possibly deformed claws. The affected areas do not always itch, and some cats may experience little to no hair loss with this disease.

Cat ringworm can only be diagnosed by your veterinarian, so get in contact with your vet if you suspect your cat is infected.

Ear mite infections are a big problem for both cats and dogs. If you watch your cat or dog and notice some changes in behavior it could be that your pet has ear mite problems.

The following are sure signs that your pet is suffering from an ear mite infection; continual scratching around the ears, head shaking, restless behavior, some brown material present in the ears, a bad smell and your pet yelping if you touch the ears.

You are probably asking what an ear mite is. Deep in the ear canal is the home of small parasites known as ear mites.

The ear swells and becomes painful as they bite through the skin to get at the blood supply.

Left undetected or untreated you are probably looking at more problems, with opportunistic yeast infections, bacterial strains, sores and painful scabs to contend with.

And if that doesn’t scare you, maybe the fact your pet will lose his hearing and will need a costly operation will.

Ear mites are like fleas - they will easily find another host if one is available.

Ear mite infections are a particular problem in places where there are large numbers of animals, such as pounds, boarding kennels and breeders.

Treat all animals at the same time to ensure you don’t get repeated re-infections.

Spaniels are particularly susceptible with their long ears and abundant hair, as are any dogs with similar ears, but every dog and cat can get ear mites.

Ear mites can be dispatched easily and quickly. The first issue to to keep the ears clean - this is where products such as PNP Healthy Ears Ear Cleanser for Dogs can help, as its gentle cleaning properties will remove debris, wax and dust from the animal’s ears.

It can help prevent ear infections, and is easy to apply with a specially designed nozzle. Use regularly and apply after swimming.

Another ear cleaner option is Lambert Kay Ear Rite Insecticidal Ear Wash.

Ideal for cleaning the outer surfaces of the ear, it makes your dog’s ears less hospitable for opportunistic infections. For dry ears, ClearQuest Ear Powder comes strongly recommended.

It will get rid of any odor problems and will keep ears dry, leading to fewer yeast-type infections.

If you are looking for a clean and easy way to do the job of keeping your pet’s ears clean, consider ClearQuest Ear Wipes.

Each wipe is infused with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agents which prevent yeast and bacterial infections forming. Easy to store in a resealable container, this time saving product will do the job, and won’t need any cleaning up afterwards.

Nature lovers might like Dr Golds Extra Gentle Ear Therapy for dogs and cats to cleanse their pet’s ears.

Be amazed how quickly this product will neutralize the odor from yeast and mite infections, and feel reassured that the product also disinfects with added natural ingredients such as Witch hazel and Tea Tree Oil.

Gimborn R-7M Ear Mite Treatment for Pets is a good choice for severe problems.

With a natural substance that kills mites, it will speedily resolve your pet’s mite problems. This product comes strongly recommended from breeder and people who show dogs.

When the going gets tough and your poor animal is beset by repeated ear mite problems, or has a particularly heavy case of ear mite infection, Zymox OTIC Solution with and without Hydrocortisone is called for.

Seven days dosage at once a day should resolve severe inflammation, and fourteen days for chronic conditions where the animal is persistently infected.

Your pet’s ears don’t have to be a problems with so many high grade products on the market.

Don’t leave ear mite and yeast problems to sort themselves out, inevitably they don’t and that just isn’t fair on your pet.

Expert Trimmers are essential to keep your dog’s nails trimmed short.

Overly long nails in humans are annoying but in dogs they can split and break causing bleeding paws.

Your dog’s feet are tough but tender, and any foot injury can cause serious problem to move about.

There’s an easy way to know if your dog is overdue nail clipping and that is the sound of click-click-click of the nails on hard floors. You can take your dog to a professional groomer for a manicure, or you can do it yourself.

If doing it yourself is your style, remember a couple of vital rules.

You need the right equipment and you need to have some knowledge of the anatomy of your dog’s paw.

If you don’t prepare you may end up with a dog with a sore foot and a lifelong hatred of having his nails trimmed.

Everyone knows how sore it is when you cut your nail too low - the same goes for dogs, so it is important to know where the nerve starts. You need to cut below the quick, which is easy to identify by the end of the pink color.

Firstly let’s look at the equipment; Master Grooming Tools Guillotine Nail Clippers are a great solution, as they are designed with the user in mind with non-slip, low impact grip so your hand won’t get tired and you won’t lose your grip even if it’s wet. The sharp blades mean that trimming is easy and safe.

Next let’s look at the procedure for cutting nails.

Take your dogs paw in your hand firmly - it’s often best to have the dog tucked under your arm.

Push on the pad to extend the nail and trim the nail below the quick at a 45 degree angle. Trim only small amounts at a time.

Once the major clipping has been done, taking care not to trim the nails too short, check the edges for jagged or rough edges and tidy.

It’s so important to trim the nail carefully as you can seriously hurt your dog with a slip of the hand - and you will know about it!

If by accident you do manage to cut the quick use Gimborn Kwik Stop Styptic Gel with Benzocaine to stop bleeding immediately.

These trimmers are great for home or salon use. A pair of Master Grooming Tools Guillotine Nail Clippers will last a good time too as they are made to last and perform well.

The trimmers are designed with both dog and owner in mind, and come with a lifetime guarantee.

The trimmers are great both for the dog, with sharp blades to make nail trimming stress free, and good for the owner with the ergonomic design to reduce stress on the body or the chance of accidents.

Among house cats, feline constipation is fairly common. Usually, hairballs are at fault, but other physical and psychological conditions may be the cause. Litter box aversion, kidney disease, and other physical and psychological causes may be a factor.

For the average cat, a little bout of constipation every now and then is probably normal. Perhaps it’s from too much fur in the gut, or a recent change in diet.

As cats age, the chances of developing constipation increase. Also at higher risk are those cats with other health problems, including kidney problems or pre-existing bowel conditions. In any case, you’ll want to be aware of a few issues and warnings on this condition.

Issues and warnings concerning feline constipation:

1. Never give human preparations to your cat — Preparations made for people may be harmful or fatal when given to cats. You should never give a remedy designed for humans to your cat unless recommended by a cat health professional. Talk to your veterinarian first to make sure it’s cat safe.

2. Home preparations — Check with your veterinarian before attempting a home remedy. I’ve seen some people recommending mineral oil as a home remedy, but this is not advisable. Mineral oil is easily inhaled into the respiratory tract, and never breaks down in body. This may cause long term problems for your cat.

3. Giving enemas — If an enema is recommended, it’s best to have your veterinarian administer it in order to avoiding hurting your cat and getting battle scars yourself. If you do decide to give your cat an enema, make sure that you use one that has been recommended by your veterinarian so you’re sure it’s not harmful to cats. You’ll also want an assistant to help you restrain your cat during the procedure.

4. Chronic feline constipation — With long term constipation, there may be other more serious underlying medical conditions that need to be addressed. You should have a conversation with your veterinarian about the potential risks and issues. Some cats develop a condition known as megacolon. In a cat with megacolon, the size of the stool in the large intestine grows too large for it to leave the body.

Whatever the cause and severity, you’ll want to have a talk with veterinarian if your cat suffers from persistent feline constipation.

The most common infectious skin disease in domestic felines, cat ringworm is a fungal infection, and not a worm at all. It is easily spread by contact.

In otherwise healthy cats, the disease often resolves itself within 6 to 8 weeks. To prevent the spread of the disease and to resolve it more quickly, your veterinarian may prescribe treatment. More difficult cases may take weeks or months even with treatment. Cats with compromised immune systems may take even longer and experience more severe symptoms.

Ringworm, or dermatophytosis, is a fungus which feeds on keratin. Keratin is a protein found in skin, hair and nails.

The disease gets its name from the round ring-like appearance seen on the skin. The classic ringworm symptom presents as patches of hair loss which appear as circular scaly areas with raised edges. These symptoms are fairly easy to spot.

The initial symptoms include dry, flaky skin. The most common locations for infection are the head, face, ears, tail, and paws. In addition, you may see bald areas on the legs, ears, and around the eyes.

In severe cases in cats with compromised immune systems, more serious symptoms may develop. If left untreated, crusty lesions that may become red and sore, as well as infected may develop.

The symptoms list for cat ringworm includes loss of hair (or broken hair) in circular patterns and hair loss in irregular patterns. Also visible is scaly, bumpy, red, or inflamed skin, and possibly deformed claws. Your cat may scratch the affected areas, but not all cases present with itchiness, and some cats may experience little to no hair loss with this disease.

Only your veterinarian can diagnose cat ringworm. You should call your veterinarian if you suspect your cat has this illness.

The feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a highly dangerous and usually deadly virus that affects the immune system of your cat. Unfortunately, there is no known treatment that is consistently effective against this disease.

FeLV, being a retrovirus, is able to insert copies of its own genetic material into the cells of the cat it has infected. This disease has a variety of signs and symptoms, many of which may be common to other conditions or diseases.

Healthy cats, like healthy people, are attacked by organisms all the time. Most of the time, both felines and humans can fight them off. When your cat’s immune system is compromised, however, opportunistic infections and parasitic organisms are more likely to thrive and cause damage.

Secondary infections and diseases will cause problems with FeLV infected cats. These secondary infections and diseases make the symptom list for this illness quite varied. FeLV infected cats have a difficult time fighting off invaders, even common bacteria.

Initially, symptoms of FeLV may include blood disorders, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, and general malaise. It’s possible for some cats, however, to experience no symptoms at the early stage.

FeLV infected cats are susceptible to developing leukemia as well as other forms of cancer. They often will develop anemia as well, and about 30 percent of infected cats will develop tumors. Some cats may exhibit excessive thirst and urination, which is also common to feline diabetes and other conditions.

Additional feline leukemia virus symptoms may also include depression, weight loss to the point of emaciation, and diarrhea. Cats may also experience blood in the stool, jaundice, constipation, and chronic recurring infections.

There are two stages to this disease. Upon initial infection, some cats will fight off the illness and it will not progress to the second stage. Other cats will not be so fortunate and the disease will progress.

If your cat has FeLV that has reached the second stage, the only thing you can do is to treat the secondary diseases and infections, and attempt to strengthen the immune system of your cat. Unfortunately, the disease is usually fatal.

According to professional sources, FeLV infections exist in about 2 to 3 percent of all cats. Infection rates are higher in high risk groups. If your cat is not in a high risk group, chances are limited that she will contract the disease. Since the disease is transmitted through contact with infected cats, keeping your cat indoors and away from infected cats is a good preventive measure.

Think of your dog as a machine, with his organs as the major parts which work together to provide life.

Although we put great store by the larger organs, life depends on health right down to a cellular level.

All parts of this machine must be in tiptop condition for the animal to be in peak health.

Imagine driving a neglected car, it goes, but all it takes is one tiny component to fail, and the whole thing may not function.

Try that analogy with humans and animals, through our own choices or sometimes circumstances we can let our health slide, but we do run the risk of contracting something serious by doing so.

And once disease takes hold, it can be harder to eradicate than a bit of common sense and prevention.

The major organs are particularly at risk as they hold the key to life for every creature.

Transplants are possible, but incredibly costly, uncommon and risky. Much better is, of course, to stop the problem before it starts.

Specifically for dogs, Nutramax Denosyl SAMe tabs are a great way to supplement his diet. When you give Denosyl, your dog will produce more glutathione levels in his liver.

Glutathione is a good thing, and here’s why. It’s a naturally occurring antioxidant which will help fight off attack, disease and other unfriendlies and will repair liver cells, providing healing at basic level.

The best way to avoid disease taking hold is to ensure the cells in the body are healthy; many cells are destroyed each day by the body’s defense systems if they mutate.

Your body destroys thousands of irregular or infected cells every day, but your body has to be healthy in order to fight back.

Nutramax Denosyl SAMe is best used as a way to avoid problems, but it can also help when a dog is already ill; after all there are many unpleasant diseases out there which can affect your dog including Hipidosis, Chronic Hepatitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Drug-induced Hepatitis caused by Prednisone or Rimadyl, and Pancreatitis.

Nutramax Denosyl tablets for dogs are well within your budget, and will greatly benefit your dog’s health, both now and in the future.

A small investment now can save a lot of heartache later on.

If humans choose to abuse their body, it’s their choice, but our canine friends will generally eat what we put in front of them and their lives and therefore health are controlled by us their owners.

Nutramax Denosyl SAMe for dogs is a simple, effective and inexpensive way to do the right thing by your best friend.