Cats
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Cats

In an “After-Hours” emergency, to whom do you direct the person to?

There are two veterinary emergency hospitals in Hillsborough County. If you are having a life or death emergency with your pet, finding the closest to your home is a good idea. Florida Veterinary Specialists and Blue Pearl Service accept emergencies and are...

I’m assuming my cat has a ‘tooth decay’ because of his breath and unable to eat hard food. What is the treatment? Would pulling out his teeth be the only way or is there an alternative?

Sorry to hear that your kitty is having difficulty eating hard kibble. Unfortunately, halitosis (bad breath) and a decreased or picky appetite can be due to a number of underlying medical conditions. As you have pointed out, dental disease is...

What breed specific care does my cat need?

Certain breeds have genetic predisposition to certain diseases, and we recommend early screening for these conditions so that anything out of the norm can be addressed. The most common breed-specific disease that we see in cats is Polycystic Kidney Disease. Occurring...

What veterinary healthcare should my senior cat (7 and up) receive?

Senior Cat Care and Early Detection Screening Comprehensive Physical Examination By the Veterinarian This Comprehensive Physical Examination is the most important part of any preventative health care plan. The veterinarian will examine your cat from head to toe evaluating every...

What veterinary healthcare should my kitten (up to 1 year) receive?

Part 1 (6-8 weeks old): Comprehensive Examination FVRCP Vaccine Fecal Exam 3 weeks later… Part 2 (9-11 weeks old): Comprehensive Examination FVRCP Vaccine FeLV and FIV Tests* Feline Leukemia Vaccine Fecal Exam 3 weeks later… Part 3 (12-14 weeks old)...

I’ve been hearing a lot about FIP recently. I know it’s a virus that causes upper respiratory infections but what is it exactly? Can cats be vaccinated for it? How can we prevent our furbabies from getting it?

FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis) is a virus that originates in the cat’s intestines as a Coronavirus (a essentially benign virus that most cats carry). For reasons we have yet to understand a particular Coronavirus particle in a particular cat can...