Cat Articles, Diseases

Diabetes Mellitus (Diabetes) in Cats

Animals Affected

Cats of any breed, usually middle-aged.

Overview

Diabetes mellitus (known simply as diabetes) is a common and serious disease of cats. The main characteristic of diabetes is an inability to control the level of sugar in the blood. This leads to chronically high blood sugar levels, which in turn lead to the symptoms of the disease.

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Constipation in Cats and Dogs

Animals Affected

Cats and dogs.

Overview

Constipation is a syndrome in which a pet has difficulty defecating or is unable to defecate.   It is characterized by repeated attempts to defecate that produce only small amounts of feces or no feces at all.

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Roundworms (Intestinal Worms) in Cats and Dogs

Animals Affected

Cats, dogs, puppies, and kittens.

Overview

Roundworms (often simply called worms) are extremely common in pets.   In dogs and cats, worms may cause no symptoms whatsoever, or they may cause diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems.  Many safe and effective treatments and preventatives are available to keep pets free of worms.

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Ear Infections in Cats and Dogs

Animals affected

Cats and dogs of any age.

Overview

Ear infections are common and painful problems for pets. In cats and dogs, ear infections typically are opportunistic and not contagious. They often occur when the ear’s immune system is disrupted by allergies, moisture, poor air circulation, or diseases such as feline AIDS. Under these conditions, bacteria and yeast that normally live harmlessly in the ear are able to proliferate to the point of infection.

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Ear Mites in Cats and Dogs

Animals Affected

Cats, dogs, puppies, and kittens.

Overview

Ear mites are parasitic organisms that infest pets.  They may cause intense irritation and itching in the ears, accompanied by production of large amounts of ear wax.

Ear mites are a leading cause of ear problems in kittens and cats.  They can infest dogs and puppies as well, but are a less frequent cause of problems in this species.

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Stomatitis in Cats

Animals Affected

Cats

Overview

Stomatitis is a markedly painful syndrome in which the gums and mouth become severely inflamed.  The cat’s immune system plays a role in most cases of stomatitis.   In these cases, the cat’s immune system begins to reject teeth in the mouth.   In other cases, viruses such as FIV or FeLV trigger the syndrome.

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Feline Urinary Obstruction

Animals Affected

Male cats

Overview

Feline urinary obstruction is a life-threatening medical emergency.  It occurs when a plug of mucus or a small stone lodges in the urethra and obstructs it.  Strong spasms of the urethra may contribute to the syndrome.  Because the urethra is the structure used to drain urine from the bladder, this situation makes urination very difficult or impossible.

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Abscesses in Cats

Animals Affected

Cats

Overview

An abscess is an area of infection and pus accumulation in the body.   In cats, two types of abscess are common.  Dental abscesses occur when unchecked periodontal disease leads to severe infection of the teeth.  Fight abscesses occur when the skin and its underlying tissues are injured and become infected as a result of fighting with other cats. This article discusses fight abscesses.

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Tapeworms in Cats and Dogs

Animals Affected

Dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens.

Overview

Tapeworms are parasites of dogs and cats.   They live in the intestines and, although they rarely cause clinical symptoms or disease in pets, they rob their hosts of nutrients.  Tapeworms are aesthetically unpleasant.

The most common type of tapeworm is spread by fleas. Pets contract this species of tapeworm when they swallow fleas in the process of grooming.  Other tapeworms are spread through improperly prepared food.

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Fleas in Cats and Dogs

Animals Affected

Fleas can infest dogs, cats, rodents, and other mammals. People can be bitten by fleas as well.

Overview

Fleas are a parasitic pest of dogs, cats, and other animals. They are blood sucking insects. Minor flea infestations can lead to severe skin and health problems in dogs and cats. Major infestations can be life-threatening.

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