Please let us know if you need assistance transporting your cat(s) from the parking lot to the clinic. We will be happy to assist any way we can.

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1 Fall 2009 Newsletter Dr. Daniel M. Watson Dr. Tracy L. Winterowd Construction of the new College Station Cat Clinic is finally underway! For approximately the next six months, the area around our current hospital will be under construction. We want the transition phase to go as smoothly as possible for our clients and staff. Here are a few things to note during this phase: We will be open our normal clinic hours throughout construction of the new hospital. Client parking during construction is as follows: WEEKDAYS park behind Rare Finds (building east of the clinic.) DO NOT park in the Metra lot during the week as this could result in a parking ticket. THE CLINIC DRIVEWAY will be reserved for clients who are handicapped, have limited mobility, or need to run in briefly. SATURDAY parking will be behind Rare Finds and at the commuter Metra lot. Parking is free at the Metra lot on weekends. Please let us know if you need assistance transporting your cat(s) from the parking lot to the clinic. We will be happy to assist any way we can. If you have any questions or concerns about our construction process, please give us a call at The next time you stop by the clinic, please say hello to our two new employees. Paula is our new Certified Veterinary Technician. She graduated from Joliet Junior College in the spring and started working with us this summer. Paula is a great addition to our hospital both in technical abilities and bedside manner. She has five cats of her own and lives by the motto: When all else fails, hug the cat. Carolyn is our new person staffing the front desk. After receiving a degree in Zoology, Carolyn worked for 13 years at Brookfield Zoo caring for lions, tigers, and bears just to name a few. She volunteered in Thailand helping hand raise clouded leopard cubs. She loves all animals and is especially fond of her four cats. She believes cats are like potato chips, you can t have just one!

2 We discussed veterinary pet insurance in a past Newsletter and had many inquiries as to the companies and plans available. For a more in-depth comparison and those interested in pursuing more information, we recommend the following website: Our little men continue to keep our lives busy and happy. Josh (age four as a Snow Leopard) and Ben (age two as Batman) enjoyed Trick-or-Treating this year. Fortunately for us, they do not have a sweet tooth and we were able to reap the benefit of all their hard work. H1N1 Flu Confirmed in Iowa Cat The cat, which is recovering, is believed to have caught the virus from someone in the household who was sick with H1N1. There are no indications that the cat passed the virus on to any other animals or people. Prior to this diagnosis, the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus had been found in humans, pigs, birds and ferrets. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) are reminding pet owners that some viruses can pass between people and animals, so this was not an altogether unexpected event. Pet owners should monitor their pets' health very closely, no matter what type of animal, and visit a veterinarian if there are any signs of illness. The AVMA is actively tracking all instances of H1N1 in animals and posting updates on its website at Can my pet get the 2009 H1N1 virus? Until recently, we had no reason to believe pets could be infected with the 2009 H1N1 virus because it is very uncommon for flu viruses to jump between species. However, on October 9, 2009, a USDA laboratory confirmed 2009 H1N1 infection in a ferret. The ferret's owner had recently been ill with the flu. Ferrets are more susceptible to infection with influenza viruses, so this was not altogether surprising. At this time, there are no reports of the 2009 H1N1 flu virus being transmitted from a ferret to a person.

3 On November 4, the Iowa State Veterinarian and the Iowa Department of Public Health announced that a pet cat was confirmed infected with the 2009 H1N1 flu virus. The cat's owners were ill and the cat developed respiratory symptoms shortly afterward. The cat has recovered and there is no evidence at this time that the cat passed the virus to any people. Pets that live indoors, especially cats, tend to have close contact with their owners - after all, that's why we have pets - and that increases their chances of being exposed to diseases. The best advice is to always follow common sense guidelines when dealing with animals (for example, washing your hands). In addition, it's more important than ever that pet owners keep a good eye on their pet's health and consult a veterinarian if their pet is showing any signs of illness. Keeping your pets healthy reduces their risk of becoming ill. I've heard about ferrets and a cat getting the 2009 H1N1 virus. Should I get rid of my cat so my family is protected? Certainly not. This is not cause for panic and extreme measures. You are much more likely to catch the flu (any type of flu, including the 2009 H1N1 flu) from an infected person than you are from an animal. So far, all of the pets infected with the 2009 H1N1 virus became infected from being around their ill owners. The main lesson here is that if you're feeling ill and have flu-like symptoms, you should probably limit your contact with your pets (and other people, for that matter) until you are feeling better. As always, if your pet is showing signs of illness, a veterinarian should examine it. What symptoms would I see in my cat if it developed H1N1? The most likely symptoms are signs of respiratory illness. These signs can include lethargy, loss of appetite, fever, runny nose and/or eyes, sneezing, coughing, or changes in breathing (including difficulty breathing). Should I keep the people in the house who have respiratory disease away from the pet and vice-versa? Until we know more about the risks of spreading the virus from person to pet, pet to pet, or pet to person, it's a good idea to limit contact between an ill family member and other family members and pets. If your pet is ill, contact your veterinarian. Is there a vaccine that can be used for pets? Can the human H1N1 vaccine be used for pets? There is not a licensed and approved 2009 H1N1 vaccine for pets. The human H1N1 vaccine should not be used for pets. Sneezing, runny nose, congestion, and coughing are all symptoms that people are familiar with this time of year. When a cat shows these symptoms, we call it an upper respiratory infection (URI). With new fears of H1N1 flu virus running high, it s important to know that most upper respiratory infections are caused by cat-specific viruses and less commonly by bacteria. Most viruses are specific to cats only and rarely pass to or from people. More commonly they can be passed to other cats through airborne routes and direct contact.

4 When do you have to worry about an URI? Most healthy adult cats will have a mild form of infection that will limit itself without medical intervention. These cats may have sneezing with clear discharge for several days, but do not develop a colored discharge or change in appetite. Young kittens or older cats with concurrent disease may have a much more severe form of the infection that may lead to a fever, decreased appetite, green or yellow nasal or eye discharge, and overall lethargy. Cats with these symptoms should be seen by a veterinarian and may require additional care such as hydration and appetite support. Is there anything I can do to limit infection in my other cats? Any new kitten brought into a home with other cats should be kept isolated for a minimum of a week. Even apparently healthy kittens can carry hidden viruses and may develop symptoms days after entering the new home. Any new kitten with a runny nose or eyes, sneezing, or coughing should be kept isolated from other cats until examined by a veterinarian and symptoms are completely resolved. If a healthy adult cat develops mild symptoms of an URI, it should ideally be kept separate from other cats until the symptoms are gone. Although these cats may not need medical attention, they are still at risk for passing the virus to other cats. One question we ask over and over again is How much are you feeding your cat? Quite commonly the answer involves an endless bowl of dry cat food that is refilled as needed. Don t cats just eat what they need? The answer is a big fat NO. Feral cats that hunt for their food will always eat what they need, but not so with our pampered domesticated house cats. In fact, feral cats will eat a diet that is purely carnivorous (mice and small animals). This means their diet is mostly protein and very few carbohydrates. Cats are built to process this diet very well. Now enter our happy, and sometimes fat, house cats. Many of them are eating dry food alone, which contains a large amount of carbohydrates and a lesser amount of protein. When allowed to freely dine on this combination, most cats will become well, fat. What s a better and healthier alternative? To start, cats should be fed measured and scheduled amounts of food. Since they won t regulate their own intake, we must do it for them. Cats that are allowed to eat free choice dry food and become obese are: Twice as likely to die at the 6- to 12-year mark, which is middle-aged for cats. Three times more likely to develop non-allergic skin conditions. Four and half times more likely to develop diabetes mellitus. Seven times more likely to require veterinary care for lameness generally caused by joint diseases, such as arthritis and muscle injuries. An average 10-pound cat only needs a half-cup of dry food daily. An even better alternative is to feed a combination of dry food and canned food. Canned food is higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates, closer to a carnivorous diet. This means cats can eat more canned food and not gain the extra weight. Since each cat differs in size and body type, we can discuss your cat s individual feeding needs at your next office visit.

5 Chronic renal disease (CRD) is one of the most frequently diagnosed diseases in middle-aged and older cats. This disease results in a deterioration of kidney function and is not curable. However, in many cases, treatment can result in a longer and better quality of life by significantly improving symptoms. 1. Acute renal failure 2. Normal kidney 3. Chronic renal disease The kidneys have several life-sustaining functions, making them vital to the overall health of the cat. They filter waste products out of the bloodstream and excrete them into the urine. The kidneys also control the cat s electrolyte levels, ph level, and hydration status. In addition, the kidneys produce an essential hormone, erythropoietin, which stimulates the bone marrow to produce new red blood cells. When the kidneys first begin to fail, the cat will make adjustments to compensate. For example, the cat may consume more water and urinate frequently in an attempt to flush out the waste materials accumulating in the blood stream that should have been eliminated by the kidneys. Symptoms Increased thirst Drinking water from strange sources Increased amounts of urine in the litter box Tiredness and weakness Loss of appetite Weight loss Vomiting and diarrhea Bad breath High blood pressure, sometimes leading to a loss of vision Diagnosis Chronic renal disease can be diagnosed with a thorough examination and laboratory tests of the blood and urine. Other testing may include a urine culture, x-rays, an ultrasound, and a measurement of blood pressure. Unfortunately, by the time tests reveal significant changes that alert the veterinarian that chronic renal disease is present, 75 percent of the kidneys have already stopped functioning properly. However, the cat only needs 25 percent of one kidney to function. Treatment Chronic renal disease can often be managed at home with medication, dietary changes, fluid therapy, and kidney function monitoring. Cats with severe CRD require hospitalization so they can receive a daily examination, intravenous fluids, nutritional support, and medications under a doctor s and veterinary technician s care.

6 Possible Medication Recommendations Benazepril: Treats high blood pressure and protein loss from the kidneys, common side effects of CRD. It has also been shown to slow the progression of kidney disease. Famotidine: An acid blocker used to decrease stomach acid production and increase appetite. Norvasc: Treats high blood pressure, a common side effect of CRD. Potassium Supplementation: Stabilizes and improves renal function. Dietary Management A low protein/low phosphorus diet is vital to the management of CRD. In fact, long-term research has shown that a low protein/low phosphorus diet doubles the life expectancy of a cat with kidney disease. Low protein/low phosphorus foods reduce the amount of waste materials filtered out by the kidneys, thereby slowing the progression of the disease. Prescription Diets The following lower protein/low-salt/low-phosphorus prescription diets, available both canned and dry only through veterinarians, are the best for providing the combination of ingredients essential for managing CRD: Iams Multi-Stage Renal Renal LP Pouches Hill s Prescription Diet Feline k/dg Purina NF Kidney Function Formula Water While water is important for all cats, it is absolutely essential that cats with CRD have lots of fresh water on hand at all times. There is no set amount of water for a normal cat to drink each day, and although six to eight ounces per day may be considered excessive for a healthy cat, a cat with CRD may drink more than this daily. Therefore, it is advisable to provide at least two water dishes. It is also a good idea to mix a little warm water with the food. Every little bit of fluid helps. Fluid Therapy Subcutaneous fluid therapy or supplemental fluids administered under the skin help to increase fluid intake and flush out waste material. This method is usually recommended for cats with moderate to severe forms of CRD. Prognosis Although not curable, chronic renal disease is manageable. Most cats will live several years following diagnosis and can continue to have a good quality of life. Unfortunately, some cats with advanced renal disease may have complications that cannot be reversed even with aggressive treatment.

7 HAVE A HAPPY FALL!