Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” collection, the place each Monday we convey skilled recommendation straight from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to assist our readers higher perceive their cat’s well being and well-being.
Whether or not you’re a brand new pet mother or father or a seasoned cat lover, Dr. Paola is right here to offer solutions to your most urgent questions. From diet suggestions and preventive care to troubleshooting widespread behavioral points, Dr. Paola is able to provide insights that may preserve your kitty glad, wholesome, and feline high quality. Keep tuned for skilled steerage on a variety of subjects that matter most to you and your cat, so you may make knowledgeable choices and supply the absolute best care on your furry companion.
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Assist! My Cat Has a Ruptured Anal Gland!
“Pricey Dr. Paola,
Yesterday, my cat Peach was seen on the vet and had a ruptured anal gland. How can this be prevented, what precipitated it, and what questions ought to I ask in regards to the blood work outcomes from the assessments they ran? Thanks!” – Ruth
Hello Ruth,
I’m sorry Peach needed to undergo that. Ruptured anal glands may be fairly painful, however with the best care, she’ll be feeling higher quickly. You may consider anal sacs like tiny balloons positioned simply contained in the anus, positioned at about 4 o’clock and eight o’clock when you think about a clock face. These small, sac-like buildings sit beneath the pores and skin and produce a thick, usually strong-smelling fluid that cats use for scent marking. Usually, this fluid is of course expressed throughout defecation when agency stool passes by way of, making use of strain to the glands. Nonetheless, if the fluid turns into too thick, the ducts develop into blocked, or there’s irritation, the glands can overfill, resulting in impaction, an infection, and, in extreme circumstances, rupture.
This rupture occurs as a result of strain builds up like an overfilled water balloon. As soon as the fluid thickens or the ducts develop into blocked, micro organism will get entangled, forming an an infection that develops into an abscess that bursts. Some cats are extra vulnerable to this attributable to stool consistency, anatomy, or underlying well being points.
Stopping this implies holding these “balloons” from overfilling within the first place. A food plan that promotes agency, well-formed stools helps naturally categorical the glands, very similar to squeezing a ketchup packet simply sufficient to launch a little bit at a time as an alternative of unexpectedly. If Peach has mushy stools or frequent anal sac points, adjusting her fiber consumption with the addition of pure sources like canned pumpkin or psyllium husk, or perhaps a veterinary really useful complement may assist.
Sustaining a wholesome weight can be vital since extra fats can intrude with regular gland hygiene and performance. Chunky cats merely can not attain to maintain the realm clear by themselves, whereas the surplus weight can cut back circulation within the space, and their slower digestion attributable to sedentarism doesn’t assist both. For some cats, periodic veterinary checks to manually categorical the glands could also be needed, however provided that that is really useful by the vet. Manually expressing the glands when it’s not needed can additional contribute to the lack of tone and lead to improper emptying.
For her bloodwork, you may ask about her white blood cell rely, which might point out an infection or irritation, and whether or not any liver or kidney values had been assessed, particularly if she’s on antibiotics or ache medicine. Additionally it is vital to find out if allergic reactions or meals sensitivities is likely to be contributing; discussing dietary adjustments might be helpful. Regulate stool consistency, food plan, and any indicators of discomfort (like scooting, extreme licking, or swelling close to the anus) to assist forestall future issues. I hope Peach heals shortly!
Dr. Paola
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Assist! My Sphynx Retains Drooling!
“Hello Dr. Paola,
Each time our Sphynx cats are cuddling with us, they drool rather a lot. They purr and are very affectionate. They’ve yearly dental checkups and cleanings. Our vets say their enamel are high quality. Generally there’s a variety of drooling and generally not a lot. Why do they do that?” – Suzie
Hello Suzie,
It feels like your Sphynx cats are displaying their love in a very drooly approach! Some cats, particularly when deeply relaxed and content material, will drool as a part of their pure response to pleasure. That is just like how some folks may tear up when feeling very emotional—it’s an involuntary response linked to robust optimistic feelings. Since your cats are purring, cuddling, and in any other case wholesome with common dental checkups, their drooling is most definitely an indication of pure happiness fairly than a medical concern.
The variability within the quantity of drool may rely upon how relaxed they’re within the second, their physique place, and even slight adjustments of their hydration ranges. Some breeds, together with the Sphynx, may be extra vulnerable to this conduct attributable to particular person anatomy or sensitivity. So long as there are not any different regarding indicators like pawing on the mouth, unhealthy breath, or issue consuming, their drooling is probably going simply their approach of expressing contentment. You may wish to preserve a mushy material close by for cuddle classes and take into account it their model of affectionate “glad tears!”
It’s refreshing to listen to about glad and cuddled cats!
Dr. Paola
Assist! My Cat Had Laborious Poops!
“Anthony bear is a big 18-lb cat who, for his dimension, based on the vet, just isn’t that a lot obese, however he has purple blood on the skin of his stools very often from licking his fur and the stools being more durable, bigger, stuffed with hair, and many others. I used to be searching for the perfect various with out having to provide him a stool softener that he doesn’t like and doesn’t actually wish to take day by day of his life. I’m positive there needs to be a greater possibility, even one thing holistic I can simply add to the meals that he received’t discover.” – Daybreak
Hello Daybreak,
If you concentrate on Anthony Bear’s digestive system like a set of family pipes, when water flows freely, every thing strikes because it ought to. But when particles builds up, and there’s not sufficient water flushing by way of, issues decelerate, and ultimately, blockages can type. His more durable, bigger stools filled with fur are placing further pressure on his system, and similar to an excessive amount of strain in a pipe could cause small cracks or leaks, the repeated straining is probably going inflicting tiny tears within the delicate tissues round his rectum. That’s why you’re seeing vivid purple blood on the skin of his stools; it’s an indication of irritation from passing dry, cumbersome waste by way of an already delicate space.
If this cycle continues, the danger isn’t simply discomfort. Persistent constipation can result in megacolon, the place the colon turns into so stretched out and weakened that it might probably now not push stool by way of successfully. At that time, waste turns into impacted, requiring medical intervention. One of the simplest ways to stop that is by holding issues shifting naturally. Small dietary adjustments can go a great distance in stopping critical points, and holding Anthony Bear’s digestive “plumbing” operating easily now can save him from a lot larger issues down the road.
A moisture-rich food plan like high-quality recent or moist meals might be of nice profit because it acts like including water to the pipes, serving to forestall clogs earlier than they begin. I extremely advocate you add a cat water fountain to your own home to entice him to drink. It’s also possible to add pure, natural canned pumpkin puree or psyllium husk to his meals to offer mild, pure fiber that retains issues mushy and flowing easily. Omega-3 fatty acid from fish, salmon, or krill oil are sources of EPA and DHA. These fatty acids assist to assist intestine motility and cut back irritation. It’s a should to maintain up with common brushing, which is able to cut back the quantity of hair he swallows, serving to to stop stool from changing into excessively dry and ponderous.
If constipation continues regardless of these adjustments, or if he begins skipping bowel actions for greater than 48 hours, appears uncomfortable, or his stool turns into progressively more durable, a veterinary check-up is essential. Persistent constipation can result in worsening issues over time, and as soon as the “pipes” are too stretched out, restore turns into way more tough. By making small, pure changes now, you may assist Anthony Bear preserve a wholesome digestive circulate and keep away from critical problems down the road. I hope this helps!
I hope this helps,
Dr. Paola
This text is part of our weekly Ask Dr. Paola collection
