I have a cat who is about 13 years old. I am having some concerns
about her general health and I’m concerned that “old age” is starting
to set in. Over the past few months she has been urinating on the floor
in various locations and she has not used her litter box in several
weeks. She also has been vomiting quite a bit. Should I
be concerned that her problems are based on “old age”?

Tina
Fresno, CA

I do not think that your cat’s age alone is causing the problems you have mentioned. In fact, I have a very large number of patients who, despite being much older than your cat, use their litter box appropriately and do not vomit frequently.

However, your cat’s age (which I consider to be late middle age), combined with the symptoms you describe, makes me worried that she may be suffering from a medical condition. Middle aged and older cats and dogs are more prone to a variety of problems, such as urinary tract infections, kidney disease, thyroid gland disease, and diabetes, that can cause some of the issues you have listed.

Simple blood and urine tests, combined with a thorough veterinary examination, can identify many of the causes of vomiting and inappropriate urination in pets. Many of the conditions I have mentioned are treatable. If not treated, they may cause pain or decreased lifespan, so I recommend that you take your cat to a veterinarian for an evaluation.

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I’ve been out on disability since December. Recently I had back surgery. My
Boston Terrier seems down and depressed. Can you explain why and what I
can do?

Betty Ann
Rochester, NY

People ask me questions like yours regularly in my practice, as well as on Dogster and Catster. People become ill, or they move or get divorced, and they notice that their pets behave differently.

Cats and dogs are empathic creatures. They pick up our feelings, and they reflect them back to us. That is part of the reason why they are such wonderful companions.

When you go through something stressful, your pet is bound to notice your stress and respond to it. Unfortunately, stressful events are an unavoidable part of life. My advice is to focus on recovering from your surgery. When you feel better, your dog most likely will, too.

That said, to keep my attorney from getting mad at me, I should point out that there is a chance your dog is suffering from a genuine medical problem. Stressful events can unmask developing health issues in pets, just as they can in people. So, to be safe, you should take your dog to the vet for a checkup if you are able, or ask a friend to take him for you.

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Dr. Barchas,

I have two Siamese-mix cats, brother and sister. They are wonderfully
affectionate, loving, loud, soft, shiny kitties. They are nine years old.

My question is about teeth cleaning. I think they need it. Their teeth
look brown, and their gums are red. It must hurt, although we can’t
tell as they are happy, playful cats. I am worried about putting them
under anesthesia. What is your recommendation? How do I find a vet
I can trust?

Thank you,

Laurie
Southeast Portland, OR

It sounds like your cats need dental work. The thing you said that most caught my attention is that their gums are red. That is a sign of gingivitis, or an infection in the gums. Gingivitis is a serious medical problem.

Gingivitis is the most common health issue I see in cats and dogs. Because pets don’t brush their teeth, food sticks to the teeth after meals. Bacteria grow on the food, and then spread into the gums, causing an infection known as gingivitis.

Gingivitis is painful. It also contributes to a myriad of other serious problems, including diabetes, autoimmune disease, heart disease, kidney disease, decreased lifespan, and cancer.

Treating gingivitis involves physically removing the infection from the gums. This must be done under anesthesia. Pets can have their teeth cleaned without anesthesia, but such procedures are mainly cosmetic and do not address gingivitis. Although many people are nervous about anesthetizing their pets, please be aware that the anesthetic agents used by most veterinarians today have extremely low rates of complications. In most pets, the risks of anesthesia are insignificant when compared to the risks of untreated gingivitis.

The most reliable way to find a good vet is to ask your pet owning friends or colleagues for a recommendation. A good veterinarian should be happy to look at your cats and discuss the risks and benefits of dental work. He or she also will be able to explain what safety precautions will be taken to help ensure the procedure goes smoothly.

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Hi Dr. Barchas,

My vet diagnosed a bladder infection in my cat Tigger. Tigger sometimes drinks from dirty mud puddles in my yard. Could that have caused her infection?

Jennifer
Tallahassee, FL

Drinking contaminated water does not cause bacterial urinary tract infections (also known as bladder infections). When cats or dogs drink water, the water passes first into the stomach. From there, it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Ultimately, it enters the kidneys and is excreted into the bladder. Pets’ bodies have powerful mechanisms that help prevent bacteria, which cause infections, from getting into the bloodstream. Therefore, they aren’t likely to make it to the bladder.

Instead, most bladder infections originate at the other end of the system. In other words, the source of Tigger’s bladder infection was probably contamination at her hind end. That is the most common cause of bladder infections.

Less often, there are other factors that may contribute to bladder infections. Dehydration, diabetes, obesity, kidney failure, incontinence, or a weakened immune system make them more likely. However, drinking dirty water, in and of itself, does not cause basic urinary tract infections.

That said, contaminated water can cause a host of other problems. Since water goes to the stomach first, most problems associated with dirty water manifest as gastrointestinal problems. Drinking contaminated water can cause diarrhea, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting. Parasites, such as Giardia, may reside in mud puddles. I would recommend that you keep Tigger away from muddy areas.

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Hi Dr. Barchas,

I have heard that there is a vaccine to protect dogs against rattlesnake bites. Is this true? How is it possible to vaccinate against a snake bite, when I thought vaccines were only for diseases? And how come the vaccine isn’t available for cats?

Jay
Tempe, AZ

A vaccine against rattlesnake bites is available for dogs. The vaccine protects primarily against the Western Diamondback rattlesnake (the most dangerous species), although it provides some degree of protection against a number of other rattlesnake species. The vaccine does not offer protection against other types of snakes, such as coral snakes.

The poison in rattlesnake venom is a protein, and the vaccine causes the dog to create antibodies to the protein. The antibodies act to disable the poisonous protein after a snakebite, reducing its toxicity. This type of vaccine is similar to a human tetanus vaccine. So, although snakebite is not a disease, the technique used to vaccinate against it is not new.

It’s important to remember that the vaccine does not offer complete protection against rattlesnake bites. Even in vaccinated dogs, any snakebite should be treated as a medical emergency.

Regarding the availability of a rattlesnake vaccine for cats, the manufacturer claims that the vaccine appears to be at least as effective in cats as in dogs. However, it is not yet licensed for cats, and its safety in felines is not known. My guess is that the company licensed the vaccine for dogs first because they are much more likely than cats to stick their nose in a rattlesnake’s face.

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