Author: Hans-Ole Wandt
According to a recent report, between six and ten million people (that’s approximately two percent of the population!) in the United States are allergic to cats or exhibit symptoms of cat allergy. However, people often misunderstand these symptoms. Majority believe that cat allergy are caused by allergens from the fur or cat dander (scales of the skin), when, in fact, most of the potent allergens come mainly from saliva and sweat.
A cat’s saliva or sweat contains a protein with a carbohydrate structure called “Fel d 1.” It is an allergen that causes symptoms of cat allergy. “Fel d 1” is much smaller than pollen or mold spores, which are already very potent allergens because of their diminutive size, but because of its much smaller size, “Fel d 1” has even greater potential to cause an allergic reaction. “Fel d 1” can easily bypass nasal passages and lodges deep in the lungs, where it can cause allergic episodes and asthma.
Like pollen and mold spores, “Fel d 1” are airborne allergens. They are often microscopic and float in the air easily. After a cat licks itself while grooming, “Fel d 1” allergen is deposited on its fur and once that happens, the dried specks of saliva can float off and drift around your home. The protein allergen can be found anywhere as aside from being airborne, it attaches itself to walls, windows, and furniture. What is even more amazing is that this allergen can remain in your home for years after a cat leaves your home. So if you want to remove the allergen from your home to protect yourself from cat allergy, everything would have to be totally cleaned.
Symptoms
Like most allergies, cat allergy can affect your eyes, nose, ears, throat, lungs, and skin. The symptoms, especially respiratory reactions, usually occur between fifteen and forty minutes after one is exposed. However, note that pet-related allergies like cat allergy can take days from initial exposure for its onset.
The most common symptoms associated with cat allergy are:
* Red, itchy, or swollen eyes
* Reddened areas on the skin
* Runny nose
* Nasal congestion
* Sneezing
* Ears that become stuffed up or itchy
* Post nasal drip
* Itching and hoarseness in the throat
* Frequent bronchitis
* Coughing and wheezing
How to Control Cat Allergy
Always the best way to control allergic reactions is avoidance method. However, majority of people with cat allergy often ignore medical advice and continue to keep at least one cat at home even after diagnosis of their condition. We all love our cats and we want to protect them, but you should think about yourself once in a while. Below are some tips to help you control your cat allergy even while keeping a cat home:
* Use reputable allergy relief and avoidance products at home
* Since “Fel d 1” allergens float in the air, having a source of fresh air will reduce the allergen. Improve ventilation in your house by using an air conditioner even during humid months.
* Use a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter to reduce particles of cat allergen in your home.
If symptoms persist even after following the tips provided above, then perhaps it’s time for you to consult a doctor for his advice on proper medication or immunotherapy.
About The Author
Hans-Ole Wandt is a very known environmental inventor. He have started a site called http://www.health-information.info. He will come with some very unique system for the net, in the future.
Nasal Discharge In Cats
Author: Anita Hampton
In cats, chronic viral nasal disease develops from one of two viruses involved in upper-respiratory tract diseases. Both the feline rhinotracheitis virus (FVR) and feline calici virus (FCV) are extremely contagious. Clinically, the difference between these two viruses is unnecessary for diagnosis and treatment.
Symptoms and Causes
The typical signs associated with chronic viral disease include sneezing, bilateral nasal discharge, nasal bleeding, increased breathing sounds, and discharge from the eyes. Any bleeding associated with viral disease is usually very minimal; however, if nasal bleeding becomes extreme, it may be suggestive of a tumor.
Nasal discharge from one side of the nose is more typical of a foreign body, tumor, or tooth-root abscess. Moderate to severe bleeding or deformity of the facial bones suggests an erosive process, such as cancer fungal or a foreign body.
To differentiate chronic viral nasal disease from other causes of feline upper-respiratory disease, you must know the past health of the cat. Any previous signs of acute infection would be expected with viral disease. An old injury or prior trauma might have healed externally but resulted in deep bone damage or changes in the nasal anatomy which can lead a patient to be predisposed to nasal disease.
Diagnosis
A cat with chronic viral nasal disease is generally in good condition. Chronic viral nasal disease can be diagnosed only by the elimination of other upper respiratory conditions, such as cancer, foreign bodies, bacterial disease, allergic disease, fungal disease, polyps, dental disease, and prior trauma. Not only will this guide your veterinarian in the proper course of treatment, but will also give you an accurate prognosis. If the diagnosis becomes chronic viral nasal disease, you may expect a long-term treatment or potentially negative results.
Your veterinarian will examine the skull and hard palate very carefully, along with an eye examination. The viruses involved in upper-respiratory diseases do not cause mass lesions or inflammation of the inner structures of the eye. If these problems are identified, then viral disease is unlikely.
To rule out the possibility of cancer, the lymph nodes around the cat's head and neck are also carefully examined. Your veterinarian may also look for a discharge from both sides of the nose or from the cat's eyes. After antibiotics are discontinued, there may be sneezing and relapse of symptoms. These signs are similar to what would be seen in a cat with a polyp.
If the history suggest a systemic cause, then a complete blood count, serum chemistry profile, urinalysis, and chest x-rays are indicated. These tests should also be done if there is any concern about anesthetic risk for the next phase of the examination.
The second phase of examination involves more aggressive testing, such as skull x-rays, endoscopy, and nasal biopsies to eliminate non-viral causes for the nasal disease. You may or may not want to continue with this aggressive diagnostic path, depending on the severity of clinical signs and the evidence provided by the history, physical examination, and other less invasive tests.
Treatment
Some form of antibiotic treatment is often prescribed for a cat with chronic viral nasal disease. If the chosen antibiotic is going to be effective, symptoms should improve noticeably in three to five days.
If improvement is evident, your veterinarian will determine the length of time that the antibiotics should be continued. Normally, the dose is tapered off slowly. In some cats, intermittent bouts of sneezing can be controlled by continued administration of low-dose antibiotics.
Symptomatic treatment also includes the use of decongestants, cortisone, and humidification. Your veterinarian will determine the best treatment for your cat. Local decongestant therapy can be very helpful. Local treatment also decreases the chance of systemic side effects. Decongestants can be given topically or orally.
The problem of using cortisone is that it can mask the development of other problems or decrease the ability of the abnormal nasal cavity to cope with infection. Cats who are virus carriers may start actively shedding the virus. Consequently, cortisone should only be used if absolutely necessary and with close monitoring.
Humidification is a very simple way to provide relief to some patients. Increasing the moisture content of the nasal secretions makes it easier for all the material in the nose to drain. Home vaporizers are inexpensive and easily obtainable from local drug stores. Placing the cat in a bathroom while the shower runs may also be helpful.
To increase your cat's comfort, frequently clean your cat's face, nose, and eyes with cotton balls and water. You can also heat the food to help your cat smell it and increase the appetite.
Although cats with chronic viral nasal disease are prone to intermittent attacks of upper-respiratory symptoms, they can lead normal lives. As with any chronic disease, open communication with your veterinarian and realistic therapeutic goals are essential.
http://www.eliminatecatodour.com
About The Author
Anita Hampton http://www.eliminatecatodour.com
In cats, chronic viral nasal disease develops from one of two viruses involved in upper-respiratory tract diseases. Both the feline rhinotracheitis virus (FVR) and feline calici virus (FCV) are extremely contagious. Clinically, the difference between these two viruses is unnecessary for diagnosis and treatment.
Symptoms and Causes
The typical signs associated with chronic viral disease include sneezing, bilateral nasal discharge, nasal bleeding, increased breathing sounds, and discharge from the eyes. Any bleeding associated with viral disease is usually very minimal; however, if nasal bleeding becomes extreme, it may be suggestive of a tumor.
Nasal discharge from one side of the nose is more typical of a foreign body, tumor, or tooth-root abscess. Moderate to severe bleeding or deformity of the facial bones suggests an erosive process, such as cancer fungal or a foreign body.
To differentiate chronic viral nasal disease from other causes of feline upper-respiratory disease, you must know the past health of the cat. Any previous signs of acute infection would be expected with viral disease. An old injury or prior trauma might have healed externally but resulted in deep bone damage or changes in the nasal anatomy which can lead a patient to be predisposed to nasal disease.
Diagnosis
A cat with chronic viral nasal disease is generally in good condition. Chronic viral nasal disease can be diagnosed only by the elimination of other upper respiratory conditions, such as cancer, foreign bodies, bacterial disease, allergic disease, fungal disease, polyps, dental disease, and prior trauma. Not only will this guide your veterinarian in the proper course of treatment, but will also give you an accurate prognosis. If the diagnosis becomes chronic viral nasal disease, you may expect a long-term treatment or potentially negative results.
Your veterinarian will examine the skull and hard palate very carefully, along with an eye examination. The viruses involved in upper-respiratory diseases do not cause mass lesions or inflammation of the inner structures of the eye. If these problems are identified, then viral disease is unlikely.
To rule out the possibility of cancer, the lymph nodes around the cat's head and neck are also carefully examined. Your veterinarian may also look for a discharge from both sides of the nose or from the cat's eyes. After antibiotics are discontinued, there may be sneezing and relapse of symptoms. These signs are similar to what would be seen in a cat with a polyp.
If the history suggest a systemic cause, then a complete blood count, serum chemistry profile, urinalysis, and chest x-rays are indicated. These tests should also be done if there is any concern about anesthetic risk for the next phase of the examination.
The second phase of examination involves more aggressive testing, such as skull x-rays, endoscopy, and nasal biopsies to eliminate non-viral causes for the nasal disease. You may or may not want to continue with this aggressive diagnostic path, depending on the severity of clinical signs and the evidence provided by the history, physical examination, and other less invasive tests.
Treatment
Some form of antibiotic treatment is often prescribed for a cat with chronic viral nasal disease. If the chosen antibiotic is going to be effective, symptoms should improve noticeably in three to five days.
If improvement is evident, your veterinarian will determine the length of time that the antibiotics should be continued. Normally, the dose is tapered off slowly. In some cats, intermittent bouts of sneezing can be controlled by continued administration of low-dose antibiotics.
Symptomatic treatment also includes the use of decongestants, cortisone, and humidification. Your veterinarian will determine the best treatment for your cat. Local decongestant therapy can be very helpful. Local treatment also decreases the chance of systemic side effects. Decongestants can be given topically or orally.
The problem of using cortisone is that it can mask the development of other problems or decrease the ability of the abnormal nasal cavity to cope with infection. Cats who are virus carriers may start actively shedding the virus. Consequently, cortisone should only be used if absolutely necessary and with close monitoring.
Humidification is a very simple way to provide relief to some patients. Increasing the moisture content of the nasal secretions makes it easier for all the material in the nose to drain. Home vaporizers are inexpensive and easily obtainable from local drug stores. Placing the cat in a bathroom while the shower runs may also be helpful.
To increase your cat's comfort, frequently clean your cat's face, nose, and eyes with cotton balls and water. You can also heat the food to help your cat smell it and increase the appetite.
Although cats with chronic viral nasal disease are prone to intermittent attacks of upper-respiratory symptoms, they can lead normal lives. As with any chronic disease, open communication with your veterinarian and realistic therapeutic goals are essential.
http://www.eliminatecatodour.com
About The Author
Anita Hampton http://www.eliminatecatodour.com
Basic Training For Your cat
Author: Anita Hampton
This is for all of us who would be happy if our cats would just use the litter box instead of our comforter, closet or shoes.
This is for owners who would like their cat to use a scratching post instead of the stereo speakers. If you're like me, you admire your cat for being a cat and you want him to behave as nothing other than a cat, but a well-behaved one.
Before we can train or teach our cats to do something or to stop doing something, we need to look at how cats learn. They don't understand English, they can't read books or attend lectures.
They learn by experience. If the experience is good, they will try to repeat it. If the experience is unpleasant, they will try to avoid it in the future.
They enjoy raking the furniture with their claws, so they continue to do it. But it's quite a shock when they stick their nose in a candle flame, so they won't do that again.
The key to training is to make sure that whatever you want your cat to do is exceedingly rewarding and pleasurable. Whatever you don't want your cat to indulge in must never be rewarding or fun, in fact, it must be unpleasant.
Sometimes we unintentionally reward our cats for obnoxious behavior. A common complaint is that the cat pounces on the owner at five in the morning, meowing up a storm and generally being a pest.
What do the owners do? They get up and feed the cat, play with him or let him outside. Kitty has learned that his behavior gets him exactly what he wants.
Many owners become frustrated because they can't catch the cat in the act of the crime, so instead they show the cat the evidence (usually a wet spot on the carpet or pieces of shredded drapery) and discipline the cat at that time.
A common practice is grabbing the cat, pointing out the wet spot, then dragging him to the litterbox and forcing him to dig in the litter. What the cat is learning is that being reached for by the owner is a bad experience and that the litterbox is a torture chamber. It is usually difficult if not impossible to catch the cat in the act because most cats have already learned that being caught is bad news.
Reprimands simply do not work. If you catch kitty in the act, he will only misbehave when you are not around. If you punish the cat later, he will not associate the reprimand with the crime. In either case, the misbehavior continues. Some cats misbehave just to get attention and the attention is enough of a reward to cause kitty to continue his ways. So what do we do?
If you want to prevent problems from occurring, or reform kitty of his bad habits, the answers are the same. Here's a three point plan:
* First: Stop all reprimands and punishment, no matter what your cat is doing.
* Second: Set kitty up to succeed in performing those behaviors you want her to learn so she can be rewarded.
* Third: Set up kitty's environment so that those behaviors you don't want him to learn are not rewarding.
Let's look at these at little more closely.
1. Stop all reprimands. Concentrate on making your relationship fun, rewarding, playful and interesting. Sometimes this change alone will solve your problem.
Cats are known to become overly active and destructive when bored. Daily play sessions and relaxing massages help calm kitty down. Cats that feel neglected will often stop using their litterbox. If you schedule regular sessions to give kitty your undivided attention and to play games with him, even litterbox problems can disappear almost overnight.
2. The most effective way to train a cat is through rewards, so the second step is setting up the cat's environment so he can succeed.
This will give you the opportunity to reward and praise him for good behavior.
Let's take a look at litterbox training as an example. A cat's physical system is very regular. If you control the input, you are also in control of the output.
Kitty should be on a regular feeding schedule so he will have a corresponding regular output schedule. Adjust his feeding time so you can be present when he needs to go. About 15 minutes prior to when you know he will need to go, take him to his litterbox room. Because you and kitty are locked in the litterbox room, he doesn't have the option of going on the carpet in the hall or on your bed. His only choice is the litterbox.
When he uses it, praise the daylights out of him! Give him a juicy chunk of salmon or another treat that is reserved for this wonderful performance. Until you're sure that kitty is completely litterbox trained, don't give him free access to the rest of your home when you know his bladder and bowels are full.
3. The third step is setting up the cat's environment so that his misbehavior is not a rewarding experience. Let's take a look at furniture scratching as an example. While making kitty's scratching post fun, rewarding and exciting, it may also be necessary to make the furniture unattractive as a clawing item.
Instead of you telling the cat to avoid the furniture, let the furniture itself tell the cat to stay away. It's up to you to find something your cat does not like. Each cat is different.
However, most cats don't like to snag their claws when scratching, so you might try draping some netting or tulle over the furniture. Some cats don't like the feel of aluminum foil or two-sided sticky tape. A mild menthol or citrus scent repels some cats. Once your cat realizes that these places are not fun to scratch or sit on, and she regularly has wonderful times at her scratching post, the problem of inappropriate scratching will disappear.
Maybe you do want to train your cat to jump through a hoop, maybe you just want him to stop climbing the drapes. Whatever the case, remember that cats learn best through the use of rewards, praise and positive reinforcement.
Set kitty up to succeed. Set yourself up to succeed with your cat. It works. And it's a lot more fun that way for both of you.
http://www.eliminatecatodour.com
About The Author
Anita Hampton http://www.eliminatecatodour.com
This is for all of us who would be happy if our cats would just use the litter box instead of our comforter, closet or shoes.
This is for owners who would like their cat to use a scratching post instead of the stereo speakers. If you're like me, you admire your cat for being a cat and you want him to behave as nothing other than a cat, but a well-behaved one.
Before we can train or teach our cats to do something or to stop doing something, we need to look at how cats learn. They don't understand English, they can't read books or attend lectures.
They learn by experience. If the experience is good, they will try to repeat it. If the experience is unpleasant, they will try to avoid it in the future.
They enjoy raking the furniture with their claws, so they continue to do it. But it's quite a shock when they stick their nose in a candle flame, so they won't do that again.
The key to training is to make sure that whatever you want your cat to do is exceedingly rewarding and pleasurable. Whatever you don't want your cat to indulge in must never be rewarding or fun, in fact, it must be unpleasant.
Sometimes we unintentionally reward our cats for obnoxious behavior. A common complaint is that the cat pounces on the owner at five in the morning, meowing up a storm and generally being a pest.
What do the owners do? They get up and feed the cat, play with him or let him outside. Kitty has learned that his behavior gets him exactly what he wants.
Many owners become frustrated because they can't catch the cat in the act of the crime, so instead they show the cat the evidence (usually a wet spot on the carpet or pieces of shredded drapery) and discipline the cat at that time.
A common practice is grabbing the cat, pointing out the wet spot, then dragging him to the litterbox and forcing him to dig in the litter. What the cat is learning is that being reached for by the owner is a bad experience and that the litterbox is a torture chamber. It is usually difficult if not impossible to catch the cat in the act because most cats have already learned that being caught is bad news.
Reprimands simply do not work. If you catch kitty in the act, he will only misbehave when you are not around. If you punish the cat later, he will not associate the reprimand with the crime. In either case, the misbehavior continues. Some cats misbehave just to get attention and the attention is enough of a reward to cause kitty to continue his ways. So what do we do?
If you want to prevent problems from occurring, or reform kitty of his bad habits, the answers are the same. Here's a three point plan:
* First: Stop all reprimands and punishment, no matter what your cat is doing.
* Second: Set kitty up to succeed in performing those behaviors you want her to learn so she can be rewarded.
* Third: Set up kitty's environment so that those behaviors you don't want him to learn are not rewarding.
Let's look at these at little more closely.
1. Stop all reprimands. Concentrate on making your relationship fun, rewarding, playful and interesting. Sometimes this change alone will solve your problem.
Cats are known to become overly active and destructive when bored. Daily play sessions and relaxing massages help calm kitty down. Cats that feel neglected will often stop using their litterbox. If you schedule regular sessions to give kitty your undivided attention and to play games with him, even litterbox problems can disappear almost overnight.
2. The most effective way to train a cat is through rewards, so the second step is setting up the cat's environment so he can succeed.
This will give you the opportunity to reward and praise him for good behavior.
Let's take a look at litterbox training as an example. A cat's physical system is very regular. If you control the input, you are also in control of the output.
Kitty should be on a regular feeding schedule so he will have a corresponding regular output schedule. Adjust his feeding time so you can be present when he needs to go. About 15 minutes prior to when you know he will need to go, take him to his litterbox room. Because you and kitty are locked in the litterbox room, he doesn't have the option of going on the carpet in the hall or on your bed. His only choice is the litterbox.
When he uses it, praise the daylights out of him! Give him a juicy chunk of salmon or another treat that is reserved for this wonderful performance. Until you're sure that kitty is completely litterbox trained, don't give him free access to the rest of your home when you know his bladder and bowels are full.
3. The third step is setting up the cat's environment so that his misbehavior is not a rewarding experience. Let's take a look at furniture scratching as an example. While making kitty's scratching post fun, rewarding and exciting, it may also be necessary to make the furniture unattractive as a clawing item.
Instead of you telling the cat to avoid the furniture, let the furniture itself tell the cat to stay away. It's up to you to find something your cat does not like. Each cat is different.
However, most cats don't like to snag their claws when scratching, so you might try draping some netting or tulle over the furniture. Some cats don't like the feel of aluminum foil or two-sided sticky tape. A mild menthol or citrus scent repels some cats. Once your cat realizes that these places are not fun to scratch or sit on, and she regularly has wonderful times at her scratching post, the problem of inappropriate scratching will disappear.
Maybe you do want to train your cat to jump through a hoop, maybe you just want him to stop climbing the drapes. Whatever the case, remember that cats learn best through the use of rewards, praise and positive reinforcement.
Set kitty up to succeed. Set yourself up to succeed with your cat. It works. And it's a lot more fun that way for both of you.
http://www.eliminatecatodour.com
About The Author
Anita Hampton http://www.eliminatecatodour.com
How To Give Medicine To Your Cat
Author: Jules Henderson
If you own a cat, you already know how hard it is to get the little beggar to do anything he or she doesn't want to, and that includes taking medicine! Pills and capsules are a particular problem - it's almost impossible to get a cat to swallow a pill, so your only option is to crush it to powder and hide it in the cat's food. Cats have a good sense of smell, so you may have to hide it in a stinky treat, like salmon, for example.
If your cat is too smart for you, you could try getting your vet to prepare the medicine in a liquid form that the cat can't detect. Never forget that you can never count on a cat getting hungry - most cats have several houses in the street to 'stock up on' if the main home food dispensary starts playing up! Why only the other day, Woohoo brought home this fine cat - how could I possibly not feed him too?!
I'm against the use of plastic tubes to force the medicine down your cat's throat. You can traumatize the little fella if you do this - he almost certainly won't want to be your friend for days afterwards! No matter how sophisticated the tube (and some have 'launch mechanisms' etc), your cat will struggle, and this won't be fun.
In an absolute emergency (for example, when you know your cat has eaten something poisonous, and there is no time to call the vet) there is one guaranteed technique that could save your cat's life. I repeat, NEVER use this technique except in dire emergencies. Pick your cat up by the scruff of the neck and angle the cat's head backwards making his mouth face upwards. This is how mummy cats pick up kittens, and they have a reflex to temporary immobility in this position. You can then drop the medication straight down the cat's throat. The cat's usual reaction will be to swallow, although watch out for the cat breathing in - you don't want to pour it down his airways! Once swallowed, you can gently let the cat down. Remember to give her lots of strokes and treats after this kind of thing, because it is kind of traumatic for the cat (and the owner!).
If you have enjoyed this article, why not sign up for http://www.petmillions.com ? You can support your favorite cat charity, and get a chance to win a million! You can even vote for Woohoo while you are there! vote for Woohoo! . Just enter his pet id (3151) and away you go! Ta! Jules.
About The Author
Mr. Jules Henderson is the owner of several animals including Woohoo, a tabby cat with a real hatred of medicine! Woohoo is entered in the http://www.petmillions.com contest - please vote for him!
If you own a cat, you already know how hard it is to get the little beggar to do anything he or she doesn't want to, and that includes taking medicine! Pills and capsules are a particular problem - it's almost impossible to get a cat to swallow a pill, so your only option is to crush it to powder and hide it in the cat's food. Cats have a good sense of smell, so you may have to hide it in a stinky treat, like salmon, for example.
If your cat is too smart for you, you could try getting your vet to prepare the medicine in a liquid form that the cat can't detect. Never forget that you can never count on a cat getting hungry - most cats have several houses in the street to 'stock up on' if the main home food dispensary starts playing up! Why only the other day, Woohoo brought home this fine cat - how could I possibly not feed him too?!
I'm against the use of plastic tubes to force the medicine down your cat's throat. You can traumatize the little fella if you do this - he almost certainly won't want to be your friend for days afterwards! No matter how sophisticated the tube (and some have 'launch mechanisms' etc), your cat will struggle, and this won't be fun.
In an absolute emergency (for example, when you know your cat has eaten something poisonous, and there is no time to call the vet) there is one guaranteed technique that could save your cat's life. I repeat, NEVER use this technique except in dire emergencies. Pick your cat up by the scruff of the neck and angle the cat's head backwards making his mouth face upwards. This is how mummy cats pick up kittens, and they have a reflex to temporary immobility in this position. You can then drop the medication straight down the cat's throat. The cat's usual reaction will be to swallow, although watch out for the cat breathing in - you don't want to pour it down his airways! Once swallowed, you can gently let the cat down. Remember to give her lots of strokes and treats after this kind of thing, because it is kind of traumatic for the cat (and the owner!).
If you have enjoyed this article, why not sign up for http://www.petmillions.com ? You can support your favorite cat charity, and get a chance to win a million! You can even vote for Woohoo while you are there! vote for Woohoo! . Just enter his pet id (3151) and away you go! Ta! Jules.
About The Author
Mr. Jules Henderson is the owner of several animals including Woohoo, a tabby cat with a real hatred of medicine! Woohoo is entered in the http://www.petmillions.com contest - please vote for him!
Cat Dandruff And Pet Shampoos
Author: Anita Hampton
The last thing you expect from your furry little friend is a blizzard of flaky skin. Dog dandruff.
Cat dandruff.....Now what should a caring pet owner do?
"Pet dandruff looks like a really bad case of people dandruff - you can easily see it with most animals," says Nancy Scanlan, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in California.
While occasionally dog dandruff and cat dandruff can indicate a serious health problem, like allergies, parasites, or skin infections, more often it occurs when skin cells naturally proliferate -- They form, die and then flake off -- at an accelerated rate.
Scott Weldy, D.V.M. says, "Since pet dandruff is a sign of flaky skin, giving your pet regular baths will help wash the flakes away before they accumulate. Bathing your pet once a month in winter and twice a month in summer may clear up the problem for good."
* To bathe your pet, use warm water, Not hot water.
* Use a mild shampoo and massage it well into your pet's skin.
* Then rinse thoroughly and dry your pet well.
* Don't use medicated shampoos made for humans because they can be harmful for pets.
* Check the label carefully! Products that may be safe for dogs, may not necessarily be safe for cats.
* To prevent making dandruff worse, avoid using shampoos that include an insecticide.
* Most flea shampoos are very drying to the skin, thus creating more dandruff problems.
Regular brushing and grooming your pet will help distribute natural oils evenly over dry skin, which will help keep dandruff down.
Choose a brush that's not too harsh. You can tell by rubbing the brush against the back of your hand to see if it will hurt. Something you would use on your own head will be excellent for your pet.
"If you've tried shampoos, regular brushing and new foods and it still looks like winter on your pet's coat, you're probably going to need professional help," says Jan A. Hall, D.V.M.
"While dandruff is usually nothing more than flaky skin, in some cases it can indicate serious problems. Warning signs to watch for, besides the flakes, include scabs, crusting or itching."
"Problems with the skin can be an indication of internal disease. After a month or so, if there is no improvement, you should take your pet to the vet."
According to Mollyann Holland, D.V.M., "Sometimes we'll see dandruff when animals aren't getting enough fat in their diets. Giving your pet fish oil supplements will help improve the metabolism of fats in skin tissue. Some generic and supermarket brand foods do not provide the full range of vitamins and minerals your pet needs to maintain a healthy skin. Many pets have been taken off generic foods and put on a high quality food and the cases of dandruff have disappeared."
http://www.eliminatecatodour.com
About The Author
Anita Hampton http://www.eliminatecatodour.com
The last thing you expect from your furry little friend is a blizzard of flaky skin. Dog dandruff.
Cat dandruff.....Now what should a caring pet owner do?
"Pet dandruff looks like a really bad case of people dandruff - you can easily see it with most animals," says Nancy Scanlan, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in California.
While occasionally dog dandruff and cat dandruff can indicate a serious health problem, like allergies, parasites, or skin infections, more often it occurs when skin cells naturally proliferate -- They form, die and then flake off -- at an accelerated rate.
Scott Weldy, D.V.M. says, "Since pet dandruff is a sign of flaky skin, giving your pet regular baths will help wash the flakes away before they accumulate. Bathing your pet once a month in winter and twice a month in summer may clear up the problem for good."
* To bathe your pet, use warm water, Not hot water.
* Use a mild shampoo and massage it well into your pet's skin.
* Then rinse thoroughly and dry your pet well.
* Don't use medicated shampoos made for humans because they can be harmful for pets.
* Check the label carefully! Products that may be safe for dogs, may not necessarily be safe for cats.
* To prevent making dandruff worse, avoid using shampoos that include an insecticide.
* Most flea shampoos are very drying to the skin, thus creating more dandruff problems.
Regular brushing and grooming your pet will help distribute natural oils evenly over dry skin, which will help keep dandruff down.
Choose a brush that's not too harsh. You can tell by rubbing the brush against the back of your hand to see if it will hurt. Something you would use on your own head will be excellent for your pet.
"If you've tried shampoos, regular brushing and new foods and it still looks like winter on your pet's coat, you're probably going to need professional help," says Jan A. Hall, D.V.M.
"While dandruff is usually nothing more than flaky skin, in some cases it can indicate serious problems. Warning signs to watch for, besides the flakes, include scabs, crusting or itching."
"Problems with the skin can be an indication of internal disease. After a month or so, if there is no improvement, you should take your pet to the vet."
According to Mollyann Holland, D.V.M., "Sometimes we'll see dandruff when animals aren't getting enough fat in their diets. Giving your pet fish oil supplements will help improve the metabolism of fats in skin tissue. Some generic and supermarket brand foods do not provide the full range of vitamins and minerals your pet needs to maintain a healthy skin. Many pets have been taken off generic foods and put on a high quality food and the cases of dandruff have disappeared."
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Anita Hampton http://www.eliminatecatodour.com