Cats and hepatic lipidosis or fatty liver disease
Cats don’t cope well when they don’t eat. That’s because most cats don’t metabolize fats well so when they stop eating and their body starts to go into ’starvation’ stage and moves those fat stores in an effort to generate enough energy for the cat’s body, it inevitably encounters problems. That’s when cats end up with what is called hepatic lipidosis or fatty liver disease as some people know it. The fat just ends up in the liver and the liver starts to suffer signs of damage resulting in jaundice in the cat. Jaundice in the cat is most commonly seen in the whites of their eyes – a hint of yellow. It’s harder to see in the gums but with cats that are heavily jaundiced their gums will start to have that yellow tinge as well (superimposed on the pink). What’s worse is that a jaundiced cat actually feels nauseous so if it didn’t feel like eating before, it REALLY won’t feel like eating now. The cause of the initial lack of appetite in the first place could be sickness eg cat flu – cats with blocked up noses can’t smell very well and that often makes them pickier eaters. Other reasons could be stress related eg a new cat in the household, overseas visitors etc. Most times when these cats come into the surgery, the vet usually has to rehydrate them with fluids and then they get forcefed blended cat food or baby food. A lot of cats then get sent home with the owners having to continue this regime until the cat is over it’s nauseous state (when the body decides that it’s not starving anymore) and eat on its own. Some cats will refuse forcefeeding and make it impossible to carry it out on a daily basis. With these cats a feeding tube is usually inserted into their tummy and they get fed that way – pretty invasive stuff but it’s a life saving procedure that has saved many a cat.
Dogs – a tribute and a warning
I feel that a tribute to dogs is due here. If only because as I was patting my 12 year old Labrador cross who’s been steadfastly at my side for all those years, I realized that he had put up with so much of me and despite all my failings, still thinks the world of me and has never failed to brighten my day no matter how bad it’s been. Now was that long enough statement? It’s no wonder that they are man’s best friend. Happiness is hugging a warm furry puppy and equally lovely wet kisses!
Which I guess is why I feel so incensed when I see dogs that are brought into the vet surgery who have been found by some well-meaning stranger because they’ve found them wandering aimlessly on the roadside. Imagine the confusion, the bewilderment, the sense of betrayal! Obviously their previous owner had decided that they couldn’t care for the dog anymore and just dumped the poor thing on the side of the road. It’s no wonder that pound dogs have so much ‘baggage’. Some are frightened to death of men who have obviously abused them in their past lives. Others are petrified of car rides because their last ride was the one that ended up with the dumping on the side of the road. Still others will follow you around the house and won’t allow you to leave their sight for fear of ‘losing you’ again…
So my warning to all pet owners who are well-meaning and want to take in a pound dog is that they need a lot more care and loving than most puppies that you get straight from the breeders. That’s not to say that they won’t make wonderful pets – and they do, but you just need to be prepared for the long haul. There’s nothing worse than a pound dog who’s been adopted with the best of intentions only to be returned a week later because it was destroying furniture when left on its own (a trait common in dogs with separation anxiety). One dumping is bad enough, twice is doubly worse.
Greetings
I guess as an opening post I should list down the reasons why I’ve started this web log…
- It’s to satisfy my writing bug
- From a vet’s point of view there are lots of pet issues that I’d like to raise with pet owners but in the normal day to day hustle and bustle of life I don’t have the time to
- It’s a way for me to unload – it’s cathartic
- It’s a way for me to discover what other opinions are out there when it comes to pet and animal related issues
So yes, hello world indeed.