Common Pet Meds That Keep Your Cat Healthy
The great debate among pet lovers has long been, "Which makes the better pet: a dog or a cat?" There is, of course, no way to settle this matter definitively.
Some folks prefer dogs and others like cats.
Heck, some even love both! But if we look at the numbers, we see that the cat can claim a small statistical victory, since she is the most popular domesticated animal on earth! According to a recent estimate, there are more than half a billion cats on earth.
Nearly one-fifth of them, about 94 million, reside in the United States.
By comparison, the dog has fallen well behind in recent years.
There are only about 78 million owed canines in America.
Why are cats growing more popular with each passing year? As any feline owner knows, cats can pretty much take care of themselves.
They are highly independent pets that do not need to be walked or groomed or cuddled on a daily basis.
Dogs are great, but they require a major commitment of time and energy.
Unlike cats, they cannot survive on their own.
They are completely domesticated animals and they rely on their owners for almost everything.
Dogs are also more expensive to take care of.
The average dog owner spends more on food and on visits to the vet than the average cat owner.
That is not to say that felines don't get sick.
They do! This goes double for cats that are allowed outdoors.
There are several serious diseases and conditions that outdoor cats may contract.
Let us take a moment to review a few of the most common ones.
Fleas Most cat owners have had to deal with flea infestations at one time or another.
Many consider it a minor issue, since it is not eminently life threatening.
But did you know that the most common flea in North America can carry tapeworm larvae? If your cat consumes one of these fleas during regular grooming, she may become infested with these hungry tapeworms.
Because they are blood suckers, fleas can also cause anemia, especially in kittens and adolescent cats.
It is also possible for a feline to develop an aggressive allergy to flea bites, which will inevitably result in incessant scratching and even serious skin diseases.
Treatment Flea and tick solutions are easily the most popular prescription medications on the market, since the problem is so widespread.
There are dozens of effective products that can be used at home.
There are flea collars, sprays, dips, shampoos, and pills.
One of our favorites is a product called Revolution for cats.
This safe and simple topical medication not only protects your pet from fleas and ticks, it also keeps her safe from heartworms, roundworms, hookworms and ear mites.
And it only has to be applied once a month! Revolutions and other effective flea and tick medications can be purchased from your veterinarian or from an online pharmacy.
Hairballs Cats are incredibly clean animals, since they handle most of their grooming on their own.
But every now and again, they are unable to digest the hair and food debris they swallow and they must cough it up.
These hairballs not only cause pain and discomfort for your cat, they also make a mess.
Though they are far from life threatening, no pet owner wants to be constantly picking up after their cats.
Treatment Regular grooming is the most effective way to remove excess hair.
However, if your cat will not sit still, there are products that can prevent hairballs with special oils that promote digestion.
Some are prescription only, and others are sold over the counter.
Diabetes Just like humans, cats suffer from diabetes.
Older cats, particularly those with weight problems, are prime candidates for Type 2 diabetes.
The symptoms of feline diabetes include loss of appetite, vomiting, weight loss, dehydration and trouble breathing.
A pet that displays more than one of these issues should be taken to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
Treatment The good news is that diabetes can be treated; the bad news is that it is expensive.
Your vet will have to perform a battery of tests to determine if your cat has the chronic disease.
If she tests positive, oral medications and insulin injections will be prescribed.
All of the prescriptions we have discussed today can be purchase from your veterinarian or at a discount from an online pet pharmacy.
Some folks prefer dogs and others like cats.
Heck, some even love both! But if we look at the numbers, we see that the cat can claim a small statistical victory, since she is the most popular domesticated animal on earth! According to a recent estimate, there are more than half a billion cats on earth.
Nearly one-fifth of them, about 94 million, reside in the United States.
By comparison, the dog has fallen well behind in recent years.
There are only about 78 million owed canines in America.
Why are cats growing more popular with each passing year? As any feline owner knows, cats can pretty much take care of themselves.
They are highly independent pets that do not need to be walked or groomed or cuddled on a daily basis.
Dogs are great, but they require a major commitment of time and energy.
Unlike cats, they cannot survive on their own.
They are completely domesticated animals and they rely on their owners for almost everything.
Dogs are also more expensive to take care of.
The average dog owner spends more on food and on visits to the vet than the average cat owner.
That is not to say that felines don't get sick.
They do! This goes double for cats that are allowed outdoors.
There are several serious diseases and conditions that outdoor cats may contract.
Let us take a moment to review a few of the most common ones.
Fleas Most cat owners have had to deal with flea infestations at one time or another.
Many consider it a minor issue, since it is not eminently life threatening.
But did you know that the most common flea in North America can carry tapeworm larvae? If your cat consumes one of these fleas during regular grooming, she may become infested with these hungry tapeworms.
Because they are blood suckers, fleas can also cause anemia, especially in kittens and adolescent cats.
It is also possible for a feline to develop an aggressive allergy to flea bites, which will inevitably result in incessant scratching and even serious skin diseases.
Treatment Flea and tick solutions are easily the most popular prescription medications on the market, since the problem is so widespread.
There are dozens of effective products that can be used at home.
There are flea collars, sprays, dips, shampoos, and pills.
One of our favorites is a product called Revolution for cats.
This safe and simple topical medication not only protects your pet from fleas and ticks, it also keeps her safe from heartworms, roundworms, hookworms and ear mites.
And it only has to be applied once a month! Revolutions and other effective flea and tick medications can be purchased from your veterinarian or from an online pharmacy.
Hairballs Cats are incredibly clean animals, since they handle most of their grooming on their own.
But every now and again, they are unable to digest the hair and food debris they swallow and they must cough it up.
These hairballs not only cause pain and discomfort for your cat, they also make a mess.
Though they are far from life threatening, no pet owner wants to be constantly picking up after their cats.
Treatment Regular grooming is the most effective way to remove excess hair.
However, if your cat will not sit still, there are products that can prevent hairballs with special oils that promote digestion.
Some are prescription only, and others are sold over the counter.
Diabetes Just like humans, cats suffer from diabetes.
Older cats, particularly those with weight problems, are prime candidates for Type 2 diabetes.
The symptoms of feline diabetes include loss of appetite, vomiting, weight loss, dehydration and trouble breathing.
A pet that displays more than one of these issues should be taken to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
Treatment The good news is that diabetes can be treated; the bad news is that it is expensive.
Your vet will have to perform a battery of tests to determine if your cat has the chronic disease.
If she tests positive, oral medications and insulin injections will be prescribed.
All of the prescriptions we have discussed today can be purchase from your veterinarian or at a discount from an online pet pharmacy.
