Free Vet Advice

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Free Vet Advice

This is a personal appraisal of, and a commentary about, free vet advice.

This is the kind of advice we'd love to get free. Some lawyers give free half hour consultations to attract business so the concept of free advice (that would normally be expensive) is not that unusual. But vets are different in that we only really go to a vet when our cats (pets) are sick. Vets don't really need to give free advice and in any event there will usually be expenses to pay (drugs) so the advice will not be free strictly speaking. I don't know of any local (London, UK) vets giving free advice except see below. What about the internet?

I am sure some vets have given thought to giving free vet advice over the internet. Can it work? I think not to be honest. The only kind of advice that can be given over the internet will be general advice, passing on knowledge but not necessarily specific to a cat's illness because a proper diagnosis cannot take place without the presence of the cat or pet.

But do you need to be a vet to give general advice? Probably not. Yes, vets have better knowledge than most people mainly because of first hand, hands on experience plus excellent training. But in giving general advice they are not really using their skills to the maximum. A well researched article by a scientist could provide advice that is as good.

So what is on the internet as free vet advice for specific ailments and illness? If you Google (from the UK) "free vet advice" the results are not that wonderful. pets2home.co.uk forum doesn't work (at Jan 2008). Nor does www.vetsdirect.com. They have a simple form to complete but I'd bet you wouldn't get an answer? Wrong? Tell me please. Vetsdirect has low traffic indicating that the method doesn't work. Sorry to be negative.

www.vetask.com is better but the most recent entry appears to be Nov. 2007 and if that is true I can't blame the vet Samantha Coe because she is probably too busy making a living on the ground and not on internet. It is all but impossible to make money on the internet as a vet giving free vet advice so why do it?

Samantha makes a good point. If a wild animal has been injured free vet treatment may be forthcoming. And in London (UK) if you are on benefits (social security) you can get free advice and treatment at the Putney RSPCA Animal Hospital. This is partly because the RSPCA in the UK is a relatively rich charity. This though is a valuable and genuinely free service (unless the rules have changed at 2009).

www.petnews.com provides answers to what appear to be general questions. Good stuff but this is not really specific advice and I think people who search for free vet advice are looking for advice about their pet's condition. There are a number of books that provide a good reference source for vet advice. So for a modest financial outlay we can get almost free vet advice of the kind available on the net only it is probably more complete. Here are some examples available from Amazon (these are USA) but the same applies to the UK.

Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life
I can recommend this book as I have it and use it. It is about cat diet and how it affects health.

Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook

Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook, Fully Revised and Updated
I have this book too and can recommend it.

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Apr 21, 2012
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trouble needs help lol NEW
by: Anonymous

i have a large cat, when he is say sitting on your lap or laying on the floor he gets like a spasm he cant work it out if you are holding him he will dig in and claw very badly

Apr 20, 2012
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my puppy NEW
by: Anonymous

My puppy is throwing up won't eat or drink just started today I have another puppy her age 9 weeks her nose is dry to what could be wrong with her ?

Mar 15, 2012
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Diabetic Kitty with runny poop NEW
by: Anonymous

My cat was diagnotised with diabetes approx 4 months ago, since then I switched him to an all wet food diet, and along with insulin we have gotten it under control to the point when I check his blood there are times he doesnt need a shot of insulin. However in the last week his poop has been very runny, almost liquidy. I have NOT noticed any blood in it, and is darker like it should be, just very runny. We where at the vet aprox a month ago and he had a bladder infection and the gave us meds(he said it was like a form of kitty cipro) he finished these in 1-1/2 weeks and was all good. So I dont know if we got rid of too much bacteria with the meds or if this is something different all together. And another $200 at the vet is not in the books.

Feb 29, 2012
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Cat question NEW
by: Anonymous

My cat has not moved off the chair on the front porch all day. This morning I noticed a place on his head that looked like something may have bit him.. but no blood. He is moving and walking around, but not eating. Tonight I looked at his head again and it looks like some white stuff coming out of the cut. I'm not sure what to do. There is tornado watches out right now and I can't leave. Please someone tell me what to do. Do I clean the wound, put band aid on it what?

Jan 22, 2012
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Please Help! NEW
by: Anonymous

Im in desperate need for advice and I hope you can help me. I have a 15 year old tom cat and at his last check up at the vets he was told that he needs to have a lot of teeth removed as they were causing him a lot of pain. He would need to go under anaethetic you see and i am terrified about this as I know there is a risk he might not wake up due to his age or might suffer kidney problems later as a result of the anaesthetic. I also heard horror stories of cats suffering heart failures days later as well. He has had all his preliminary tests and his results are all great. He is in good overall health. No heart or kidney problems. Only abnormality is his urea is 15.3 instead of 12 and his Alk Phos is high at 61 in his biochemistry lab results. In his haematology results his MCHC is 30.6 (low) and his platelets is 57 which they noted as saying it was platelet clumps and the count was probably normal. I'm up the walls trying to decide what I should do. He has lived with his teeth being bad for so long that I wonder are the extractions that necessary but our vet says that his health is in danger due to his bad teeth. What would your professional advice be on this? I love my cat and putting his life at risk is not something I'm willing to do.

Jan 08, 2012
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Taking on a cat NEW
by: craftypat

We have been asked to take on a 1yr old male cat who has been brought up in a flat (where cats are not allowed)
we live in a house and have had cats right up to last April when our old boy died. My husband is concerned that as we
plan to shortly start decorating the 2 downstairs room this could be too traumatic for the cat, whereas I feel that couldn't
be any worse than going into a cats home and then (hopefully) having to resettle into another home and I would appreciate as an expert your opinion on this. Thank you

Dec 03, 2011
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Responses
by: Michael

To Aly Shaker: sorry I don't have information to respond.

To Hayley: is the mother eating normally?

Dec 02, 2011
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cats after giving birth
by: Hayley

my cat had 1 kitten 4 days ago and i haven't seen her go a poo yet ive seen her wee once or twice but no poo is this normal plz help

Nov 30, 2011
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serum test for rabies
by: Aly Shaker

Hi,
Currently I am in Egypt, and I have a pet nice female Persian cat,
And I have to back to my wife in London, I vaccinated my cat against rabies from sex months and I gave her the booster from 1 month and I took a sample blood after 28 days and sent it to lab in London but the test failed,
I guess it failed for two reasons,
1- The vaccine was Egyptian,
2- I kept the serum 2 days in my fridge before sending it by D.H.L to the lab in London.
Any way I re-vaccinated my cat again by Pfizer vaccine but the lab advise me to re-sample the blood after 2 weeks and send it at the same day to them.
So do you thing 2 weeks is enough to the pet body to reduce the antibody level required,
Please advise me,
thanks

Nov 04, 2011
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my pit bull 8 weeks old
by: Jessie

my pit bull puppy ws fine and healthy and eating like a horse then yesterday he stopped eating and started throwing up and want eat whats wrong

Sep 28, 2011
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14 yr. old siamese is congested
by: Anonymous

I have a 14 yr.old Siamese cat that has a cold and is congested,she hasn't eaten for 3 days so far,an hardly goes to the bathroom,she has chronic kidney disease,which she takes medicine for.

I've been giving her steam treatments to help clear her sinuses,but she still ain't eating an lays around a lot, and she still congested,what can I give her to make her better?

Please help me,I have no money for a vet,I love her very much an I don't want to lose her.Thank you very much.

Sep 26, 2011
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Hi Bill
by: Michael

Normal range for gestation is 63-69 days with 65 day average. After 61 days check temp. 24 hours before delivery the rectal temperature may drop to normal of 38.6 to 37.5 or below. The 2 degrees F drop may not occur. Some cats may pass a mucous type plug immediately before delivery.

Queen will be making a nest for birth when delivery is imminent. See also cat pregnancy.

Hope this information from Cat Owners Home Veterinary Handbook helps.

Sep 26, 2011
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kittens birth
by: bill

my cat is 62 days in to her pregnancy and her temperature is 37.8 and no signs of the kittens and this is her first time is this normal

Aug 02, 2011
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Response to last comment
by: Michael

I am worried about your cats. It seems that your vet misdiagnosed first time. The symptoms are rather vague. You need a good vet can run some tests and arrive at a correct diagnosis. There are some nasty illnesses that produce general symptoms. Please take more action - sorry.

Aug 02, 2011
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sick cats
by: Yotina

I have 2 cats 5 year old male and 3 year old female. My male cat was sick last week took him to the vet he said my cat may have had a blockage and could not pee. The vet catheterized him drained his blatter, perscribed pain meds, and put him on special can food for a week. Said after that was gone give him store bought can foon and dry urinary tract food. I did this thought he was getting better. Now both of my cats are sick. seem to be acting like they have colds. Sneezing, breathing with trouble, and drooling. What could be the problem. PLEASE HELP.....

Jul 10, 2011
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false preganacy
by: Anonymous

Can a dog go in to heat right after a false preganacy.

Jul 10, 2011
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false preganacy
by: Anonymous

Can a dog go in to heat right after a false preganacy.

Jul 10, 2011
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false preganacy
by: Anonymous

Can a dog go in to heat right after a false preganacy.

Apr 22, 2011
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sick puppy
by: Anonymous

My friend has a sick puppy he has been vomiting and has a diarrhea and no appetite what is wrong with him and what can i do to help this sweet boxer puppy

Apr 18, 2011
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furballs
by: Anonymous

my cat seems to have a furball in his throat , what can i get to help him.

Apr 18, 2011
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furballs
by: Anonymous

my cat seems to have a furball in his throat, what can i get to help him get rid of them.

Apr 18, 2011
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furballs
by: Anonymous

my cat seems to have a furball in his throat, what can i get to help him get rid of them.

Mar 28, 2011
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Poorly Kitten
by: Karen

Yesterday I used bob martin flea droplet and my kitten is still at the vet hospital she is still very lethargic this morning and her tongue is sticking out she has had no fits since just a couple of shaking bouts .... im really worried

Mar 26, 2011
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cat vomiting
by: Anonymous

my cat vomits at least once a week but seems healthy other wise. i changed her food but she still does it. im wondering if cat grass will help her since she is a very fluffy long haired inside cat?

Mar 21, 2011
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thanks
by: seo

Free Vet Advice. Thanks for sharing this with us. I find your cat unique and I wish you all the best. Best wishes! Established in 1982, Favortron Co. Ltd. has been dedicated to designing and manufacturing of a very wide array of wiring management products. The firm's major product lines with different function there are Normal Heavy duty favortron cable clamps, Marker favortron cable ties. SUMAKE is your best one stop for SUMAKE air pumps and Belt type SUMAKE air compressors resource system, provides products, services and solutions that enhance our customers' energy efficiency, productivity and operations.

Mar 11, 2011
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Tabanial, my cat
by: Anonymous

So i have a sick cat, i have taken him to the vet, a very good vet at that, and he has been on doxycycline and clindamycin, has also been wormed. But is not getting any better this was a while ago so i contacted my vet and we both thought FIP but normally that would have killed him by now. He has been sick for months now. He is very skinny but not dehydrated, his ears are pale but not his gums, his bowel movements are yellow but firm and he has not used the litter box in a long time. He just turned a year this month, they were born with me from a feral mother, i took them from her at about 5 weeks and contined to bottle feed them from there, all five of them lived until recently the other brother i kept died out of nowhere, he was the healthy brother and i don't know if that helps but i thought i would mention it. We still have no idea what happened to him. So it would be helpful if you had any idea of what this might be.

Feb 21, 2011
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my cats face is half swollen
by: jennie

the left side of my kittens face is swollen don't know what would have caused it. could have been her playing with my little dog or from something else?? she has had a cold for the last couple months that i finally got rid of with penicillin like my vet told me to give her orally for 7 days. so i did and her cold kind of seems to be gone just a lil yucky in her eyes sometimes. so i don't know if now the cold has caused her left side of her face to swell or not or have a clue of what would cause it.

Feb 19, 2011
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Puppy
by: Anonymous

My puppy is lathargic, he was walking around in circles a couple times then he flopped over a couple times. He layed on his back and started whining he started kicking his hind legs a lot. He still can't stand up very well, he started whining that turned into almost like a scream. He is laying in a blanket and has been sleeping for a while. He has woken up a couple times but then gos back to sleep. What happened?

Feb 10, 2011
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My cat has lost weight
by: Anonymous

My female 3 year old cat has lost a lot of weight in the past 3 weeks. she is lethargic. She is not eating but cries for food. She does drink water. Please can you tell me what might be wrong.

Feb 03, 2011
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rabbits
by: Anonymous

how much would it cost to get my bunnies dressed to calm them down

Jan 26, 2011
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is my cat sick?
by: Anonymous

My cat has dierehha for over a month now and it is yellow sometimes white... i havent changed her food or anything, but her litter box is having to be dummped everyday. what causes that? is she sick?

Jan 04, 2011
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Puppy Strangles
by: Anonymous

my puppies, who are 5 days old, have the ame sypmtoms as puppy strangles but every website that i read says that it occurs in puppies 2 months or older? can my puppies have it at 5 days old? if not what could it be?

Dec 27, 2010
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3month old kitten in shock
by: Anonymous

Cat attacked by dog. NO visable cuts. NO swelling. CAt immediately started hyperventalating. WHen she tried to get up she flopped or crawled. ABout a minute afterwards she emptied her bowels. Been about half hour now and she's breathing better and I have her wrapped in a towel to keep her body heat. I'm about an hour from town. IS there anything else I can do? I don't have I v equip.

Dec 17, 2010
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Kitten has scab under eye
by: Rachel

We adopted a kitten from a local shelter about 2 1/2 weeks ago. Shortly after bringing him home he developed an upper respitory infection with lots of coughing and sneezing and congestion. We brought him back to the shelter so they could take a look at him. We were given omoxycyclin to orally give to him twice a day. He took that for 6 straight days but didn't seem to be getting much better. So we had a vet come over to look at him and also said it was an upper respitory infection, with possible borderline pnemonia. She said the congestion will eventually go away on it's own. She gave him a little shot of steriods and also new pills to him give. I can't remember the name off the top of my head. So he's been taking that for 3 days and he really seems to be doing much better. Although he never had a loss of appetite and was always fairly energetic, he is now totally energetic and his breathing has improved, so I believe he is getting better. However 2 days ago we noticed the thinning of hair above and below his eye. Just this morning we noticed it has become a sort of scab underneath his eye. He doesnt seem to be in any pain, and I don't see him itching it ever, it just feels very rough and scab looking. I'm just wondering if that could be attributed to the meds he is on? Another thing I should mention is that, my kitten usually always has to sleep right near me. He likes to sleep on my neck and/or face mostly. And during the night I kept itching my face/ear where he had been laying. I still kind of am this morning. So that leads me to believe that maybe he as fleas/mites? or some infection that was possibly passed on to me? Now i'm unsure if I'm being paranoid at the itching and it's all in my head, or if spots of my head really do itch. Anyway, just looking for some possible answers before we take him to the vet again. Sorry for the book, I apprectiate any help :)

Dec 17, 2010
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Dec 02, 2010
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help please
by: Tim

My cat has developed a tennis ball size of fluid on her stomach just under her skin. It burst once but returned two weeks later. The fluid is like water and clear.I have noticed she also has tapeworm.

Nov 09, 2010
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Sick dog
by: David

My small dog has been throwing every 15min for about three hours. She ate some left over pasta that had a lil bit of shrimp in it. She last ate that around 24 hrs ago. She normally eats dry dog food but occasionally I will give her table scraps with no problems. I also have another dog that appears to be fine, he didn't have any left overs. What could it be?

Nov 08, 2010
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SHE HAS FLEES ALREADY?
by: Anonymous

Hi, my 16month old cat was flee'd only 2 weeks ago, unfortunately, there are ALOT of cats in our road that dont get flee'd or wormed at all, and she is now re-infested with the things already???
I was just wondering if it would be safe to treat her again? I have children so dont fancy a flee infestation in the house!

I look forward to hearing from you very soon.

Kind Regards,
A very concerned cat owner

Oct 27, 2010
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pink or red eye in cat
by: Anonymous

Hi there I have a Himilayan / siamese cross male cat. Hes 2 years old. Yesterday i noticed his left eye was yellow. Now he has crystal almost white blue eyes and this actually caught my eye, I thought it was the lighting in the house. When I got home from work his eye was totally red. I was going to give him Visene for red eyes but I wasnt sure if this was okay for cats. I will give you a briefing, I cant afford a vet right now, my cats mother died 2 weeks ago and I was crippled with her debt and death, so funds are just not there , I would just like some easy recommends to this if you can...my email is greggs0072003@yahoo.ca..thanks

Oct 09, 2010
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My dogs face is swollen...
by: Muddy

I came home 3 days ago and the left side of my doberman's face was swollen. Just under his ear there's a large firm lump, almost the size of a tennis ball and the one side of his lip was also swollen. The next day the swelling on his lip went down quite a bit, but the large lump still remains and seemed to have gotten bigger to the poit where his left eye was almost completely shut. Now today the lump seems the size of a baseball and his left eye is completely shut and is pussing qiute a bit. There is also a droopy sack of skin hanging underneath his jaw which seems to be full of puss. He has been eating and drinking a little less than normally but still eating and drinking. Could this be serious? Would it be alright if I gave him penicillin to bring down the infection?

Oct 09, 2010
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Oct 04, 2010
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Cat Constipation
by: Anonymous

I have a 2 year old cat who was contispated over a weekend. She recovered and went to the toilet as normal. She again became constipated and after 2 days was normal again. She is (for the 3rd time) constipated and we have noticed she is pulling out her fur on her leg. She tries to go to the toilet, spends loads of time in the litter box and when she cannot go, sometimes has a tiny amount of watery blood.

Jul 09, 2010
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Decisions???
by: Sharon

My cat, Oreo, is an inside cat and recently looked like she put on a lot of weight so we took her to the vet. The vet took lots of tests and drained her abdomen. She has a fatal virus. I love her so much and don't want to loose her but I can't watch her suffer. What should I do?

Jul 09, 2010
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Jul 06, 2010
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Sick Cat in China
by: Anonymous

My husband and I found a female kitten, and took her in 10 days ago. 2 days ago she stoped eating and was not her usual energetic self. Today my husband took her to a vet in Guangzhou, China and he said she has ascitic fluid on her liver. The vet gave her an injection and said we should go back for more but the vet thinks she will not pull through. I am willing to pay for treatment but wonder if the vet is right.

Jul 03, 2010
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red swollen anus of 2month of kitten
by: Anonymous

so im not the only one with a younge kitten with a red swollen anus,my has the runs though. and i think she is either 1 or 2months old. im not sure she is old enough i know to where she doesnt need her mom. my sister found her running around. so she is a stray. ive gotten rid of her fleas and cleaned her and she eats and got to a healthy size,not fat. i just am worried bout her but area and what coming out. so any ideas? im not rich so anything i can do at home maybe. i can go to a vet or a feed store. i go there to get everything and ill be getting her shots there like i did my dog.

Jun 22, 2010
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Help cat with swollen paw!
by: Anonymous

Help I'm a full time student and my cat just came inside with a huge swollen paw. There are no bite marks it's just swollen. What should I do?

Jun 10, 2010
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kitten with red swollen anus, HELP
by: Anonymous

I became the owner of a kitten who was found by a friend. When I got the kitten, I noticed its behind was weird looking. It was kind of pouched out and pink. IT has been a week, and the kitten seems healthy, eats, and has solid stools, but its anus is red and swollen, even bumpy looking. Once I thought it was bleeding as it looked "neon". I am so worried. I don't have money for the vet here, it is very expensive, and I cant find one who will bill me for part of the cost. If there is anything i can do to help this kitten I will, if i can. anyone ever hear of a small kitten having something like this at such a young age? I have read about anal sac's, but I don't think that would apply here. So young.

Jun 10, 2010
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kitten with red swollen anus, HELP
by: bkstreetgrl@gmail.com

I have a rescued a kitten about 1 month old. When I got it, its anus was and is red and swollen. It does not act sick or cry out when going to the bathroom. It looks like it bleeds, but not really, it is mostly red and swollen and looks like it is bumpy. Its stools are normal, and it acts normal. Please advise. Also regarding the kitten with the red, swollen anus, the person who gave it to me asked me lately if it still "limped". I said no, as it does not. She said that it limped when she found it. Could this also be a symptom?

May 04, 2010
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Abandoned kittens
by: Anonymous

My friend just found abandoned baby kittens, some still with an umbilical cord. There is no mom that they know of. She has them in a blanket in a box. What more should we do? We can't contact any of the vets in our area. Help ASAP!

May 01, 2010
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eye injurie
by: Anonymous

i have a 2year old shitzu, a dog attacked him and left him with a swollen eye, his eyelid is scratched and his eyeball is bloody...what should i do please help

Apr 12, 2010
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???HELP PLZZZ,PLZZZ REPLY !! IM BEGGING YOU
by: chelsea

OKAY I WAS AT SCHOOL AND MY MOM TOLD ME THAT SHE CALLED ALL THE CATS TO GO EAT SOME FOOD AND SHE LAYED THE FOOD DOWN AND LET THEM EAT THEN SHE RELIZED THAT OUR CAT LIL MISSY WASNT THERE SO SHE FIGURRED SHE WAS ALRIGHT SHE STARTED SWEEPING OFF THE POURCH AND SEEN LIL MISSY LAYING ON THE GROUND SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS DEAD BUT THEN SHE SEEN HER HEAD MOVE SHE CALLED LIL MISSY FIGUREING SHE WAS FINE AND LIL MISSY DIDNT MOVE AND MY MOM PICKED HER UP AND PUT HER IN A BOX AND PUT HER IN MY BRO'S ROOM SO NOW SHE IS JUST LAYING THERE SHE MOVES HER LEGS A LIL BIT BUT NOT VERY MUCH SO I THINK SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH HER LEGS BUT MY MOM SAID SHE CAN'T POOP OR PEE SOOOO CAN YOU GUYS PLZZZZZZZZ TELL ME WHATS THE MATTER WITH HER AND WHAT I CAN DO TO HELP HER

P.S WE HAVE NO MONEY FOR THE VET

P.S.S PLZZZZZZ REPLY IM BEGGING U !!!!!!!!!!!!

Apr 01, 2010
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Kittens been neuted
by: Anonymous

Our kittens were neuted 3 days ago but one of them is very smelly he wet himself in his carrier comming home from the vets and I can't get rid of the awful smell and now the smell is inthe house and it stinks how can I get rid of the smell they are both verygood boys use thier tray

Mar 12, 2010
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6-MONTH OLD KITTIN EATING WEIGHT CONTROL FOOD
by: Anonymous

Good morning. I was wondering...I have a kitten that's 6 months old and a 10 year old cat. The older cat has been eating the higher calorie food for the kitten. Our local vet said it's o.k. to give both cats the same food..the one that the older cat eats..Iams weight/hairball control...the cat is small and always seems hungry..am I making a mistake in not feeding kitten food to her until she's 1 year old?..or can I just keep giving her larger amounts of the "diet" food. I'm suspecting I may be depriving the kitten of the fat and other nutrients she needs for proper growth. Any and all help/suggestions are greatly appreciated..Joe (Danbury, CT)

Mar 03, 2010
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my cat
by: ariel

my cats eye is sweling.what can i do to help him?he is a 1.

Feb 12, 2010
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Cat Lady
by: Donna

feral cat is sick
by: Donna, Newberg or.

I have ask for advice, and I get e-mails saying that I have received comments, but the link sends me to the page that I posted, and don't know where to see the comments, can you help. I would love to read the advice from other cat lovers.

Thanks
Donna

Feb 09, 2010
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help me
by: Anonymous

i have a 4-5 month old kitten who i have accidently flee'd with a dog fleer. ive washed her but the cat has scrathed so hard that her skin is becoming red. what do i do

Jan 18, 2010
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HELP URGENT!!!
by: Anonymous

My 9 month old female cat was spayed 4days ago, she has been eating but not drinking and now has a fishy smelling dribble coming from her mouth and i am very worried. What is happening to her?

Jan 17, 2010
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17 year old Calico
by: Janie

she has been in good health up until the last few weeks...I noticed some sores on the back of her neck and sores mostly toward the end of her backbone..if you touch that area, she falls to the floor on her back and totally freaks out, crys like she's in a lot of pain..she is having trouble walking because of her hind legs. I've been trying to put medication to help heal the sores but it's not helping. What do you think is happening?..thank you so much.

Jan 11, 2010
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feral cat is sick
by: Donna, Newberg or.

Can anyone help me? I have a feral cat colony, So
I am unable to catch them and take them to the vet.
I have two of my little friends that have guppy eyes and runny noses.
Is there anything that I can put in there food to make them better.I think that I need meds from a vet, but they will not help me unless I bring in the cats.
As you know feral cats can not be handled.
I really need to help my friend. So if anyone can help let me know what I should do.
Thanks
Donna

Jan 05, 2010
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help
by: Anonymous

i have a 6year old cat about 6 months ago it started weeing in the house for no reason . so we shut it out in the kit with a cat bed it seemed to stop...........but now it has started doing it again it even wees in its own bed plz can some one help tell me why it doing it...

Jan 05, 2010
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Drooling and Dripping
by: Anonymous

I have a 13 year old tom cat and he tends to drool a lot and also has a clear liquid that drips from his nose. I was wondering if this is serious as I am worried about him. He is still very active in spite of his age and enjoys playing and can still climb walls. He is an indoor cat that occasionally goes outside but he stays near the garden as we had him neutered quite young. We also still have his 14 year old mother who does drool but only while sleeping. Is this drooling and nose drip serious or is it just due to his old age? Thank you.

Dec 07, 2009
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Cat
by: Anonymous

my cat seems to whine a lot And does not eat or use the washroom. What is the problem and what is a solution to this???

Oct 20, 2009
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Swollen Anus
by: Michael (PoC Admin)

Thanks for the comment. The diarrhea must be stopped as well as the underlying cause treated. Diarrhea causes dehydration which is very serious. Diarrhea (a symptom of illness) can be treated with Kaopectate. A cat that is dehydrated may need to be hospitalised for fluid replacement.

Possible causes:

repeated bouts of diarrhea cause an inflamed anus and rectum - what causes diarrhea in kittens?

roundworms: a bad infestation can make a kitten very ill. Symptoms: looking ill, pot bellied, coughing sometimes, vomiting, diarrhea, anemia

acute hookworm infestation. This can be fatal in kittens

infectious disease such as coccidosis. This is caused by a protozoan. Diarrhea is the most common sign of infection by this disease.

in kittens overfeeding causes diarrhea

toxiic milk syndrome. A mother's milk can be toxic to a kitten. This might be because the mother's breast is infected
One sign of anal disease is repeated licking at the rear. Repeated licking softens the skin and "mascerates" it making it more open to infection.

In adult cats disorders of the intestine that lead to diarrhea are:

inflammatory Bowel Disease

Acute Enteritis. This can be caused by a disease called feline panleukopenia

obstruction in the bowel - by for example a foreign body

These are some pointers only. A good vet is the undoubted answer and soon I would say because what seems like something fairly minor can become serious in a vulnerable kitten. Good luck.

Source of information: Myself and Book 1 listed in this page. Medical References.

Oct 19, 2009
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Response to Question on Soft Claws by TIM
by: Michael (PoC Admin)

Thanks for the comment Tim. Soft Paws are a favorite alternative to the brutal act of declawing. Generally people recommend soft paws if a cat's claws upset you. I don't know of any particular problem with them except that they obviously disrupt the usual use of the claws. This must be a problem for the cat.

When a cat scratches it stretches too. Caps on the claws disrupt this. The cat's defenses are also severely blunted. They may feel strange to the cat and they may upset the cat.

Also cats will naturally clean their paws and nibble their claws. Sometimes cats remove the outer layer of the claw this way. That may present a problem. Will the claw cover come off? Will the cat eat the cover etc.

By far the best solution if we are looking for a solution on cat scratching is for us to get used to it. In other words the change should come from us not the cat. This preserves the cats natural functions, is much better for the cat, is cheaper, there are no medical issues to think about and it is frankly easier to train ourselves to get used to scratching and how to minimise it than to do things to our cats that are unnatural.

If you are stuck on the idea of doing something to your cat then soft paws is a reasonable solution and some vets will put them on free apparently if you buy from them. How they are put on must be important in relation to comfort for the cat and the matter of how long they stay on.

Apparently they last about one month. So having a vet do it is probably going to be too expensive (note: please don't go near a vet that declaws!).

Some preparation to the claw may be required and that takes care. And if some preparation to the claw is required why not learn to trim claws (very carefully) regularly instead. This is a better compromise as it allows normal use but blunts the claw.

Bottom line: the are 2 parties to this "problem" (it's no problem really), us and the cat. The party more able to change and adapt is us.

Oct 19, 2009
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swollen anus
by: Anonymous

i have a kitten that's about 8 weeks old. He has diarreah and a swollen/inflamed anus. It appears that he has licked it raw. What should i do?

Oct 19, 2009
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cat/kitten claw caps
by: Tim

How safe for cat/kittens are the rubber claw caps to keep cats from scatching leather couches?
are you harmful or not good for them?

Aug 26, 2009
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Response to last comment
by: Michael (PoC Admin)

There are numerous possible reasons for these symptoms. But one thing for sure is that this needs a vet visit as soon as possible.

I could be a blocked bowl caused by ingesting (eating) a foreign body. Other causes of a blocked bowl (if this is the cause) might be:

a tumor

groin hernia

the bowl telescoping in upon itself

for a complete blockage, which seems to be the case, it might be a foreign body or fecal impaction (or both) and if the blockage is low in the digestive tract the stomach might become swollen as you describe. There may also be vomiting

This is serious and a complete blockage, which seems to be the case, can cause death. Yes, it is that serious. So please go to the vet now. Ring the vet immediately please and the very best of luck to you both.

Incidentally, it might be a bad case of hairballs blocking the intestine. The vet will advise on how to prevent it occurring again, which depends on the cause.

Aug 26, 2009
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im scared
by: Anonymous

Hi my cat has a very big tummy and is very lazy i think it's sick and is not able to poo what should i do please help thanks

Aug 17, 2009
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Response to last comment - Ear Mites?
by: Michael (PoC Admin)

Hi Ciarhys

The ear is itching and there are no fleas. Check the fleas are gone. Anyway fleas normally infest the neck area. The most likely cause is ear mites. These also cause a waxy discharge and a bad odor emanating from the ear.

Otherwise if might be an allergy, sunburn (solar dermatitis), head mange. A vet will advise.

I think you have to see a vet to isolate the cause. Ear mites can be treated at home but with great care because other ailments can be made more complicated if ear mite treatment is applied if there is no ear mites.

For ear mites, the ears should be cleaned first (seek veterinarian advice on this please as it is possible to do damage). Then an ear mite preparation is applied such as Nolvamite or Mitaclear (USA). Once again a vet will advise. I hope this helps and good luck.

Michael

Aug 17, 2009
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my cats ears...
by: ciarhys

hi there i have a half siamese cat and she is losing hair behind one of her ears she does scratch it alot i de'flea and de'worm her regualy so what else can be the problem?

Jul 14, 2009
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Swollen Ear
by: Michael (PoC Admin)

Hi, In reference to the books that I mention above, these are my comments about the swollen ear. Although please remember I am not a veterinarian.

The swelling is probably due to an abscess or hematoma (bruising or a collection of blood outside the blood vessels). Abscesses are the most common probably acquired in a fight. The ear may have been scratched by your cat exacerbating it.

Vets deal with this by draining the abscess, an injection (antibiotics) and a course of antibiotics by pills.

It may have gone too far for you to treat at home. Early treatment would have included bathing the wound and applying a topical antibiotic ointment such as Triple Antibiotic Ointment (USA I believe).

If this assessment is correct you will need to purchase antibiotics, at least. Hope this helps.

Jul 13, 2009
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Help!
by: Anonymous

My cat's ear is swollen. I don't have the means to consult a vet. Need a home remedy or advice on what could be done. Many thanks, Anon

Jun 16, 2009
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Bengal Nose
by: Micheal

You may well have seen this page about Bengal Nose, which is probably a genetically inherited disease affecting the immune system. No idea if it will have any bearing on your cat's problem.

Jun 16, 2009
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lesion on cat's nose
by: Paul

My black and white cat has had a small lesion on his nose for about one year. It tends to scab over and then become pink and again the scab forms. I took him to a vet who said that i should wait and see what happens and that a biopsy would ruin his looks(!) He is about 10 years old and generally has a happy life living in the countryside.
Many thanks.

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Written material by Michael Broad and Helmi Flick's photos are copyright protected - please respect it. My thanks to all the contributors both in articles and comments for adding interest to this site through personal experience and insights.

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