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Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” collection, the place each and every Monday we carry skilled recommendation directly 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 puppy father or mother or a seasoned cat lover, Dr. Paola is right here to supply solutions on your maximum urgent questions. From vitamin guidelines and preventive care to troubleshooting not unusual behavioral problems, Dr. Paola is able to be offering insights that can stay your kitty glad, wholesome, and tom cat effective. Keep tuned for skilled steering on a variety of subjects that topic maximum to you and your cat, so you’ll make knowledgeable choices and give you the best possible imaginable maintain your hairy better half.
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Lend a hand! My Hepper Suffers from Hypersensitive reactions!
“Pricey Dr. Paola,
My 6-year-old cat Nikki suffers from hypersensitive reactions. We don’t know the precise allergen, however a transformation in muddle, meals, and water has helped a little bit. She used to be badly traumatized as a kitten. Despite the fact that she likes to be petted, any try to cling her to provide drugs brings on a panic reaction. I’ve attempted the whole lot I will be able to recall to mind—blending with meals, liquid treats, making use of to her fur—not anything works. Are there any new subdural meds that her vet would possibly follow?” – Linda
Hello Linda,Caring for a cat with a historical past of trauma and hypersensitive reactions can definitively be difficult. Operating carefully with a vet is very important to verify the remedy plan addresses Nikki’s bodily and emotional wishes. Figuring out hypersensitivity triggers is a key step, because it permits for centered methods to regulate her indicators successfully.
Remedy choices might come with antihistamines for delicate circumstances or as a part of a broader plan, corticosteroids to cut back irritation and itching, and immunotherapy to desensitize her to precise allergens through the years. Different choices, like immunosuppressants equivalent to Atopica (cyclosporine) or off-label use of Apoquel (oclacitinib), will also be regarded as, however this must be in line with her explicit case. Tension control could also be necessary, as it may considerably have an effect on her general well-being since tension worsens hypersensitive reactions.
If you want to be informed extra and discover the other to be had choices for Nikki whilst minimizing tension and making sure her convenience, we suggest talking to one in every of our veterinarians in a one-on-one seek the advice of at PangoVet.com. PangoVet’s products and services can give personalised recommendation and can help you navigate the following steps, making sure you and the veterinarian can paintings in combination to create a plan adapted to her explicit wishes.
Easiest needs!Dr. Paola
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Lend a hand! My Cats Are Fart Machines!
“Pricey Dr. Paola,
I’ve two 5-month-old kittens, Tux and Max, from the SPCA. They consume Purina professional plan kitten meals rainy 2 occasions an afternoon along with their dry meals. Are they intended to be little raging fart machines? I pick out one up and WAM, it’s so foul I’ve to hide my nostril. Is that this commonplace? Thanks.” – Mary
Hello Mary! It’s no longer unusual for kittens to revel in occasional gasoline, then again power foul-smelling flatulence isn’t regarded as commonplace. There are a number of imaginable causes for this. Nutritional components are frequently the main motive. Extremely processed meals might comprise substances that some kittens to find more difficult to digest, equivalent to sure proteins, fillers, or components. Swallowing air whilst consuming, particularly in the event that they’re enthusiastic eaters, too can give a contribution to the issue. Moreover, kittens just lately followed from shelters can have an imbalance of their intestine vegetation or may nonetheless be harboring intestinal parasites, even though they had been handled for worms.
I like to recommend beginning with a more in-depth take a look at their vitamin. Transitioning to a species-appropriate, much less processed meals with fewer components would possibly assist reinforce their digestion and scale back gasoline. You wish to have to keep away from meals with “Meat By-Products” within the element record as you’ll by no means know what they comprise. Including a top quality, veterinary-recommended probiotic can enhance them in construction a wholesome intestine microbiome. It’s additionally a good suggestion to verify along with your veterinarian that Tux and Max are loose from intestinal parasites, as those can frequently motive gastrointestinal disappointed, together with gasoline. If the problem persists or is accompanied through diarrhea, vomiting, or weight adjustments, a vet discuss with can be very important to rule out different underlying considerations.
Sincerely,Dr. Paola
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Lend a hand! My Hepper Wishes Weekly Baths!
“Pricey Dr. Paola,
I’ve a foster cat, Catsby, with severe environmental and meals hypersensitive reactions. Since he’s allergic to mud mites he will get a weekly tub with a hypoallergenic shampoo. (Plus HEPA filters, common bedding adjustments, steam mopping, and so forth.) Any individual commended per month remedy with Revolution as a result of it could assist with any mud mites within the surroundings. Is that true? I hate to position chemical substances on his pores and skin except they truly would assist considerably. Thank you, Dr. Paola” – Kitty
Hello Kitty,
Thanks on your determination to Catsby’s care whilst he reveals a endlessly house! Whilst Revolution (selamectin) is valuable in opposition to many parasites like fleas, ear mites, and sarcoptic mange mites, it does no longer paintings on mud mites. Mud mites, equivalent to Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, are living within the surroundings, feeding on family contributors’ pores and skin flakes and different natural particles. Since they don’t survive or feed from pets, they’re no longer uncovered to selamectin, which basically objectives parasites that are living in and engage without delay with handled animals.
I want to congratulate you, you’re already doing a very good task managing Catsby’s mud mite hypersensitive reactions with HEPA filters, common bedding adjustments, steam mopping, and hypoallergenic baths. Those steps are among the best for controlling mud mites and minimizing allergens. Including Revolution is not going to supply further assist with mud mites, so I perceive your hesitation about making use of chemical substances unnecessarily. Please by no means take remedy
This text is part of our weekly Ask Dr. Paola collection
