What is wrong with TOBY?

Toby could have lost his sight.  Or developed kidney failure.  This beautiful 12 year old boy is SO lucky that his owners were able to recognize the subtle but abnormal changes occuring in his eye.  What they noticed was a small red area developing in the margin of the iris (the colored part of the eye).  It was not bothering Toby, and he was acting perfectly normal.  But he was suffering from HYPERTENSION, or elevated blood pressure.  This elevated pressure was causing damage to the fragile blood vessels in the iris of one eye.  And could have caused him to go blind....thank goodness I was able to help him before that happened.

HYPERTENSION is a disease of people, and has many causative factors:  genetics, obesity, stress, poor diet, sedentary life style, smoking...  But did you know that high blood pressure is a real threat to your cat as they age as well?  Several of the common diseases seen in older cats, such as kidney disease, diabetes, obesity, hyperthyroidism can be associated with high  blood pressure. 

HYPERTENSION in people (and animals) is a HIDDEN DISEASE.  The blood pressure can be high without ANY outward signs. Toby actually was the lucky one -with an outward sign in his eye before severe damage was done to the rest of his body.  Measuring the BLOOD PRESSURE is the only reliable way to know what is going on at the level of the blood vessels (which is what this is all about!).   Measuring a blood pressure on a cat is very similar to what we are all familiar with -the cuff, and the pressure gauge on your upper arm.  The challenge is that most cats do not appreciate having their feet worked with, and Toby was definitely in this category! 

The benefits of having blood pressure measured in your older cat definitely outways the challenge of taking the measurement.  I recommend having this test done for  any senior cat that is diagnosed with thyroid disease, kidney disease, diabetes, or in the healthy geriatric catagory.  It is a simeple, inexpensive test, and can be SO IMPORTANT to the health and vision of your older cat.  Toby is now on daily medication to control his high blood pressure, and his eyesight is no longer at risk, thanks to Toby's loving owners.

If you found this information helpful, please pass it on to your cat loving friends.  Thanks for following!
Dr. Maureen Flatley
Fox Valley Cat Clinic

What is wrong with Butch?

     Meet Butch.  He is one on my diabetes mellitus patients .  He is a gentle friendly fellow who is a delight to work with.  Sadly, last week Butch suddenly stopped eating, stopped playing, and  did not want to move around at home.  Appetite is often the first sign that a cat is sick, and this is especially true with a diabetic cat as they usually have a ravenous appetite. 
     Upon examination, Butch's leg muscles were too weak to support his body, and although he was purring and kneading, he was not himself.  To identify exactly what we were dealing with, I ran a complete blood workup on Butch.  While waiting for the test results, Butch accepted an IV catheter and fluids  to help with his hydration, and was willing to eat small amounts of soft food with some persuasion.  The lab tests showed a dramatically low potassium level in his blood.  Potassium is an essential electrolyte in blood that is in part responsible for muscle strength.
    Cats with hypokalemia (low potassium in the blood), are at risk for severe muscle weakness.  Certain medical conditions such as kidney disease or diabetes may lead to low potassium because of potassium loss in the urine.  A chemistry panel evaluates the potassium level as well as kidney function, liver function and blood sugar.   Without a chemistry panel many diseases, like hypokalemia for example, can go undiagnosed.
     Butch received IV potassium during his  hospital stay at the Fox Valley Cat Clinic and oral potassium supplement at home over the last  week.  I just recheck Butch yesterday, and he looked like he was feeling much better -playing with his cat friends at home and eating up a storm, and even putting some needed weight back on.  Kudos to Butch's owners for being great cat owners and quickly recognizing that Butch was in need of medical care.  We at the Fox Valley Cat Clinic love you Butch!  Great to see that your spunky attitude is back and that Life is Good!
Dr. Maureen Flatley