Natural Pet Health

Tumors form due to abnormal multiplication of cells and can be benign or Malignant. Benign Tumors are harmless and do not spread. Malignant Tumors are progressive and characterized by an uncontrollable growth that metastasizes to other parts of the body.

Apart from the above mentioned properties, tumors can further be classified according to the category of the cells that they affect. Eyelid tumors are a less common type of Feline Cancer that mostly affects white and older cats. They are also more prevalent among cats that remain outdoors in the sun for long periods of time.

Cancer in dogs and cats is a life-threatening condition that can originate in one part of the body and spread to the others. The issue with the condition is that the symptoms of cancer remain masked or hidden for a long time and surface when it is too late. The symptoms of liver cancer in dogs can remain hidden for a long time since they can be wrongly diagnosed as Digestive Problems or parasitic infections.

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Your cat’s skin has two types of glands in the dermal layer. The sweat glands that keep the body temperature in check and the sebaceous glands that secrete a greasy substance called sebum. The sebum is a source of one of the most common cat skin diseases that we know as feline Acne.

Sebaceous glands are present in large numbers under the skin on the chin, lips, top surface of the base of the tail, prepuce and scrotum of cats. Sebum secretions from these glands are primarily meant to protect hair against water and keep the skin supple.

Cats also have a tendency to mark their territories. Cats mark their areas by rubbing their chin, temples and the base of the tail against certain favorite objects. This behavior surfaces more evidently during feeding time. The evident sign of such ‘markings’ is the appearance of black greasy spots on the objects “marked”. And those cats that are more inclined to this marking behavior have a high levels of secretions and are more susceptible to feline Acne.

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It may sound a bit strange but the way your dog’s head is shaped has a direct correlation with the risk of developing a nasal tumor. A dog with a long head is more susceptible to nasal Tumors than dogs with a short broad heads. The benchmark is a cephalic index, which is the ratio (in percent) of the maximum breadth to the maximum length of the skull. A cephalic index of 75 or less is considered to be a long head.

The logic for a long head to be more susceptible to Cancers is simple. The long head has a longer nasal passage and therefore, provides a larger area for environmental carcinogenic substances to accumulate. These substances like smoke from tobacco, indoor coal or kerosene combustion and flea sprays can harm the nasal passage significantly. Breeds with short heads are associated with abnormal narrowing of nasal passageway and are typically mouth breathers. This reduces the risk and the exposure of the spongy bones of the nasal passages to environmental carcinogens is reduced.

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The l iver is an important organ of the detoxification system in the body. Every human being and pet is exposed to carcinogens. These carcinogens are substances that cause cancer. The liver purifies these carcinogens to a large extent keeping the toxicity levels down.

But in cats, the fungi that appear on spoiled cat-food, specific pesticides and food additives, dyes, plants and animal tissue become toxic only after being metabolized by the liver. These substances can therefore, potentially cause Feline Cancer in the liver in cats.

Primary liver Tumors are rare in cats and most of the times liver cancer in cats appears as a result of metastasis from other Cancers. Primary liver Tumors can be benign or Malignant. Benign Tumors do not cause much trouble to the cat unless they grow big enough to encroach upon other organs that are close by. In certain cases benign tumors in the liver may result in lowering Blood Sugar Levels in the cat.

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Of all the body organs, the skin is not only the biggest but also the most problematic organ of the cat’s body. Most medical conditions demonstrate symptoms that relate to skin and Coat. In addition external factors like physical trauma and Parasites can also affect the skin in a significant manner.

Like dog Skin Problems, cats can also suffer from skin disorders that are self limiting and chronic conditions that require treatment over a protracted period of time.

Pruritus: The Itchy Cat

Itching brings forth almost an amazing array of changes in a cat’s skin. Constant Itching can make it impossible for the veterinarian to ascertain whether the Skin Condition has caused the Itching or whether the excessive itching has caused the Skin Lesions. Besides itching, pruritus causes symptoms like symmetrical feline Hair Loss, damage to skin due to intense scratching and Miliary Dermatitis.

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Hookworms are one of the most dangerous parasitic worms. Even though the symptoms of worms in dogs are normally elusive, it needs to be known that Hookworm infestation can cause life threatening anemia to puppies even before the eggs can be noticed in the stools. Some species of Hookworms attach themselves to the small intestines and Bite off pieces of the intestinal wall to cause bleeding.

Controlling Hookworms properly does not involve only basic de-worming drugs like antihelminthics. If the process has to be completed successfully, then a series of steps needs to be taken to ensure proper eradication. Understanding the characteristics of the Hookworm is essential for proper removal.

Hookworm eggs differ from the eggs of other worms in dogs in at least two ways.

1. Unlike Roundworm eggs that can bear the vagaries of environmental hazards, hookworm eggs require a typical climate to survive.
2. Whereas dog Roundworms and dog Tapeworms must necessarily be ingested for infection to occur, hookworms can penetrate through the skin tissue.

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Environment in kennels is far removed from what a pet dog experiences at home. Some aspects like absence of the dog owner, different feeding and exercise timings are totally new for the dog. Add to this the unfamiliar noises and smells, temperature difference, change in diet and lack of exercise and what results is a dog who is vulnerable to Stress, abnormal behavior and Anxiety.

If you have to kennel your dog for some reason, make sure that you plan in advance. Take time off to check up some essentials before deciding on the kennel where you are going to leave your dog. This will go a long way in relieving Stress in pets during their stay in the kennel.

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Is Your Cat at a Higher Risk?

As cases of Obesity rise in canines and felines around the world, so do corresponding cases of the diseases caused by Obesity. One of the most prominent and perhaps alarming examples of this trend is the drastic rise in instances of feline Diabetes.

There are many causes of feline Diabetes, including excessive weight and Obesity, as well as the use of medications including steroids and progesterone derivatives used to treat behavioral abnormalities and skin diseases.

Feline Diabetes can be potentially devastating to your cat’s health, especially if it goes undiagnosed and untreated. Diabetes is a disease where your pet is unable to regulate its sugar levels.

This can be very dangerous, as at times sugar levels may drop low enough, where cells no longer receive the glucose they need to function properly. This leads to Hypoglycemia and your pet can suffer from muscle agitation and eventually experience a Seizure.

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The continuing trend in the upward weight spiral isn’t restricted to the human population anymore. While we recently reported that more than 60 percent of men and women are Overweight or obese in this country alone, studies also indicate that that canine Obesity is certainly a significant problem in the United States.

Studies indicate that a staggering 40 percent of domesticated canines in the United States are considered Overweight, a term applied when a dog is anywhere from 5 to 20 percent over the ideal body weight for its size and breed.

Excessive weight and Obesity in dogs pose significant health threats, as well as affect their quality of life on a day-to-day basis. When a pet is Overweight, they have to exert more energy just to move around.

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There were times when it was believed that the only way worms in dogs passed on to puppies, was through the mother’s system while they were still in the uterus. Whereas this contention still holds good for some types of worms, it has now been established that worms can infest puppies through other means also.

Worms like dog Tapeworm, and dog Roundworms and even some feline Parasites have a typical lifecycle and can enter a pet’s body through various means.

Worms are intestinal Parasites that reside mostly in the small intestines. Worms like Tapeworms and Roundworms are extremely migratory within a dog’s body and they are expelled and ingested during different stages of their lifecycle. Infestation can be through ingestion of larvae or eggs of worms or through ingestion of infected intermediate hosts like rodents and mice. Worms are passed through feces and puppies ingest worms directly from the environment as well. Sometimes the infection can be passed on by contact with the Coat of the infected mother.

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