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Blog posts Categorized under ‘Cat Health News’

Cat health: Feline Allergies

Posted on: June 1st, 2011 by

A cat with cat insurance eats a meal from a dish.

Like dogs, cats can also have allergies. There are several different causes for cat allergies including flea bites, food allergies, atopy (inhaling something like pollen or dust) and immune-response allergies, which can be very serious. Many pet insurance companies will cover allergies so long as they are not preexisting conditions.

Food Allergy
Cats can have allergic reactions to foods that cause similar responses in humans—soy, dairy products, wheat, or meats. To determine if a cat is allergic to a substance, they must be exposed at least twice. If a reaction happens after only one exposure, it could be an isolated incident.

• Symptoms: These can include itchy rashes on cats’ heads, necks and backs. Often hair loss and sores will result from scratching. Less common is redness and a discharge from the ears.

• Treatment: After it’s determined that a food is causing the allergic reaction, treatment starts with changing the food to a hypoallergenic type.

Inhalant Allergy (Atopic Dermatitis)
Sometimes you will see an inhalant allergy as the seasons change and pollen gets in the air. But mold, dust, and other irritants can cause the reaction as well. You may see itching and rashes on the cat’s head, neck. Excessive licking can cause hair loss.

This type of allergy is hard to differentiate from allergic reactions caused by insect bites. Diagnosis is often made after skin tests. Because quality veterinary care can be expensive, looking for the best pet insurance for your cat is a good idea.

• Treatment: As with foods, try to identify the allergen and remove it from the cat’s environment. The cat can also be treated with antihistamines, but this will not cure the allergy.

Immune-Related Skin Allergies
These are a group of diseases that come from the body’s autoimmune system “attacking” the skins. It’s the most common allergy seen in cats and results in itching and small pustules. In severe cases, symptoms include a fever, loss of appetite, and lethargy.

• Treatment: This can include corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs.

Watch for symptoms and signs of allergies in your cat. Because cat health care can be expensive, be sure to find a pet insurance company that will provide coverage for allergies.

To Fix or Not to Fix?

Posted on: May 26th, 2011 by

A cat is attended to by a veterinarian.

It’s estimated that one dog or cat is put down every eight seconds in U.S. shelters, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

When Leigh Peterson of Ohio found herself posting ads trying to find homes for four puppies, she struggled with guilt.

“I felt like I was killing a dog in the pound every time someone came to see our puppies rather than go to a shelter,” said Leigh.

In the past, she had always preached how important spaying and neutering, vaccinating and investing in pet health insurance was. She volunteered at an animal shelter and considered herself fairly knowledgeable on pet health. “But when I started dating my boyfriend,” Leigh said, “he refused to get his dogs fixed.”

One day, when her boyfriend was out of town, he called and asked how everyone was. Leigh started to say how the dogs were fine and playing in the back yard, which was completely fenced-in. When she went to the window to look outside, she was shocked to find a strange male dog in the yard with their dog Abby. The two were mating.

“I stood there watching, telling him over the phone what was happening and resisting the urge to say I told you so,” said Leigh. “Even I had started to believe it was OK not to spay because I knew we were responsible pet owners. But this stray dog wanted in to our yard and found a way in.”

Sure enough, puppies were soon on the way. Leigh had to swallow her guilt and take control. She was releived they had purchased dog health insurance for their own dog, but now she had to focus on finding the best homes for the new pups.

The only thing in Leigh’s control now was making sure that these puppies didn’t further contribute to pet overpopulation. All the puppies were spayed and neutered before leaving her care. Although spaying females and neutering male dogs does not come without risk, it does offer some pet health benefits and reduces the urge to roam, like the male dog who found his way into Leigh’s fenced-in yard.

To help ensure that the puppies found good homes, the ads stated that the puppies would be fixed and an adoption fee was set at $50 per puppy. She screened all adopters and was able to keep in touch with them all, receiving pictures as the puppies grew.

When her boyfriend’s older dog developed a large tumor on her uterus, she was spayed, too. It was then his turn to feel guilt, as he could see that the surgery was much harder on a senior dog to recover from than it was for the puppies. From then on, he became a proponent of spaying and neutering, as well.

Wild animals and pet safety

Posted on: May 24th, 2011 by

A dog with pet insurance is safe outdoors on a leash.

If you have a pet, it’s a safe bet that you love animals in general and enjoy seeing wildlife. But pets and wildlife can be a lethal combination.

It’s important for you to keep your pets safe from dangers they might encounter from wild animals. Injuries and bites from wildlife have a serious impact on pet health care. Most pet health insurance includes coverage for those injuries, but it’s best to prevent them.

Dangers From Wild Animals
Many wild animals present a danger to our pets. As humans are increasingly encroaching upon wild animals’ natural habitats, wildlife has become more adapted to living in populated areas. Because of this, wild animals, especially predators, come into contact with domestic animals more frequently. There are a number of things you can do to protect your pets from harm by wild animals.

• Don’t leave you pet outside unattended – This is dangerous to pets on many levels. They can get lost, ingest things that make them ill, get hit by cars or injured and killed by wild animals. Many predators and even animals that aren’t considered predators, like raccoons, are nocturnal. So be careful, even when letting your dog out at night while you’re with him.

• Make sure your pets are vaccinated against rabies – While cases of humans getting rabies are now rarer, animals continue to be bitten by rabid wild animals. Some pet health insurance companies will even provide limited coverage for vaccines.

• Take measures to ensure that wild animals don’t have access to your home. Pets can be bitten by bats and other animals that come into your home. Be sure to look around your foundation, chimney and attic for areas that might allow an animal in.

• Do not leave pet food outside – Your pets’ food is like a buffet for wildlife. Keep their food bags in covered containers inside. Be sure that your garbage cans are closed and in an area that is inaccessible to wild animals.

• Notify local wildlife extension service agents – If you see a dangerous wild animal in your yard, notify the authorities.

• Clear debris and tree limbs from near your house – Snakes pose a very real threat to pets because they hide in woodpiles and underbrush. Pets will often not have any warning before being bitten. Clear the vegetation around your house. Keep tree limbs from your roofline to prevent tree-climbing animals from access to your home.

But no matter how conscientious you are about protecting your pet from wild animals, it’s a good idea to have pet insurance in case of unforseen attacks.

Top three benefits: Cat spaying

Posted on: May 20th, 2011 by

A cat with cat insurance sits in a plush bed.

Cat spaying and neutering offers many benefits not just to fixed cats themselves, but also to shelters, homeless animals and overpopulation.

Pet Health Benefits of Cat Spaying and Neutering
According to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center, spayed cats have reduced risk for developing breast cancer and life-threatening pyometra, an infection of the uterus. Neutered male cats may be better pets, as 90 percent show decreased incidents of spraying, fighting and roaming.

Pet health insurance can help make spaying and neutering more affordable, and many discount spay and neuter programs are available across the country.

Other Benefits
Residents who keep their pets indoors and vaccinate may spay and neuter their pets for the sake of their neighbors. A howling cat in heat can be annoying even to cat lovers, but especially so to neighbors who don’t own pets and don’t find incessant cat meowing “charming.” And while it might be nice to lessen your litter scooping duties, try telling that to the neighbor who just planted their garden or laid down fresh mulch who had to scoop it for you.

Ask anyone who has ever lived among a colony of feral cats how they feel about strays. Just one litter of kittens can turn into 100 kittens in seven years, according to a 2006 Wall Street Journal article, “Trying to Herd a Cat Stat.”

If the kittens of just one cat receive no human interaction in the first few weeks of life, a feral colony could be born, made even worse by other non-fixed neighborhood cats. Feral and stray cats kill local wildlife, increase the risk diseases like rabies, and can be a loud, unsightly nuisance.

Cat Spaying and Neutering Benefits to Animals & Shelters
For every cute, new kitten that is born due to failure to spay or neuter, a homeless cat waiting for a home stays locked in a cage or is euthanized. These shelter cats were also once cute, new kittens. Many were once someone’s beloved pet before ending up in a shelter due to a job loss, a move, allergies, a new baby, or even the cost of vet bills, despite the fact that affordable cat insurance is increasingly available. Every spring, shelters burst at the seams with kittens who need foster homes, take up precious limited space and resources, and steal homes away from older cats, who continue to sit and wait for a new family.

Being kind to animals

Posted on: May 18th, 2011 by

A dog with pet health insurance waits for a treat.

The American Humane Association advocates protection and humane treatment of the voiceless, and among the voiceless are animals. This organization offers a few tips on its website outlining how you can speak out and provide care for animals.

Appreciate Wildlife
Wildlife is part of our Earth’s delicate lifecycle. American Humane Association suggests creating an inviting area in your yard for birds, butterflies, and other local animals. Avoid inhumane traps and poisons, which can harm animals that aren’t being targeted, like stray cats and loose dogs.

Adopt a Pet From a Shelter or Rescue
According to the American Humane Association, every year “an estimated 3.7 million animals must be euthanized at our nation’s shelters because they could not be adopted into loving homes.” Save these animals by offering them a home rather than buying from a neighbor who failed to spay and neuter. Spaying and neutering dogs and cats offers pet health benefits, can help decrease pet overpopulation, and may be subsidized with pet insurance coverage.

Take Care of Your Pet
Pets rely on their owners to keep them safe and in good pet health. Annual vet check-ups aren’t just for vaccinations. These exams can also detect potential pet health issues early, when they can still be successfully treated. Pets should also be protected from getting lost with proper identification. Vaccinations, preventative visits and treatment are often covered by pet health insurance. Visit Pets Best Insurance for more information.

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