Ask a Vet

Pet ownership isn’t always easy — but we’re here to help. Noticed a behavior change in your animal recently? Not sure if you need to bring them in for a visit, or just wait it out? Send us your questions.

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Q. What do I do if my pet has a medical emergency?

Our own Dr. Alison Adler answers the question in this video:

Q. My cat has ongoing ear problems. He now has clusters of black bumps in his ears. He shakes his head like a horse and scratches at his ears, so I know they hurt him. He is lethargic and has bad breath. He is fixed and 5 years old.

Hello, Although an exam is definitely recommended to fully evaluate your cat, a chronic ear infection will lead to small black bumps/cysts that develop in and around the ear. Once these cysts develop it is difficult to remove them (laser … Continue reading →

Q. I recently adopted a female kitty and she’s been getting these patches on her skin and she keeps itching around her neck and in the back of her ears. I am really concerned that this could be contagious or harmful because I also have another kitty and puppy and do not want them all to get sick. I would really appreciate some insight on this so I can at least go towards the right direction.

Skin disease in cats and dogs is a common occurrence and there are multiple potential causes for what you are describing. Contagious causes of hair loss and/or itching can include mites (demodex, scabies) and ringworm (which is actually a fungus … Continue reading →

Q. I am one of Dr. Borderiouxs’ clients at Pebble Creek. My friend has a rescue cat from her neighborhood in Tampa Heights that was diagnosed as FIV positive when she took her in 2 years ago. The cat is around 3 years old now and has lost appetite, energy and weight and developed jaundice. She has taken the cat to her vet and bloodwork was done and the cat was diagnosed with liver failure due to FIV “kicking in” was the phrase the vet used. The cat has always been plagued with skin irritations (little scabs like an allergy and missing fur in some spots since she was young, however has no scab now). The cat is primarily an indoor only cat. My friends vet said that she could try an appetite stimulant to generate appetite and if that did not work that she could bring her in for a vitamin B shot but did not recommend anything else. My friend is syringe feeding her cat right now several times daily and her cat is accepting the food but not eating on her own. Do you have any additional recommendations? My friends vet did say that a liver biopsy could be performed to make a further determination, however she is hesitant due to the initial diagnoses of liver failure and the cats weakened state. Please let me know your thoughts.

Liver disease is certainly a serious condition. Supportive care such as IV fluids or fluids under the skin to help re-hydrate sick kitties, anti-nausea medications, anti-oxidants to slow down liver cell damage can all be of benefit. Making sure that … Continue reading →

Q. I am about to get a kitten who is about 13 weeks old. Her front paws/arms are bent oddly. She was born that way. She can walk just fine and without pain, but I’m wondering if the fact that her paws are odd will affect declawing and recovering from it. She also doesn’t use the litter box, though all her siblings do. She’s a bit slow, mentally it seems.

Hello, Congratulations on finding a new baby to love. Although I would recommend an exam to finalize my belief, if she gets around well and both front legs are symmetrical, we should expect no negative effect from a declaw procedure. Good … Continue reading →

Q. I recently got a kitten from a friend who found it in the woods by her house. My kitten seems fine except she keeps coughing and throwing up now and then and seems to have a bloated belly and bad smelling gas. Any ideas what may be her problem?

Thanks for your question. Congratulations on your new kitten! There are several things that can cause gastrointestinal upset in kittens resulting in bloating and gas. Intestinal parasites are very common in young pets. These are easily diagnosed from microscopic analysis … Continue reading →

Q. I had my cats in for vaccinations on the 19th. Both were vaccinated for kennel cough, my female is fine but my male has been sneezing for 3 days. No discharge from his eyes, he is still eating, he isn’t coughing but he appears to be running a fever today. Does he need to be seen or is this a reaction to the vaccine?

Hello, It is possible the sneezing is secondary to the vaccine, which is usually not a problem. However, if they are running a fever, not acting like themselves, or have changes with their nose or eyes, they must be evaluated. … Continue reading →

Q. My senior cat is having a hard time breathing, is not eating much, and has lost a lot of weight. Is it time to put him to sleep?

I am very sorry to hear that your cat is having such a hard time. 14 is getting up there in age, but many cats live to be nearly 18-20 years old these days. Difficulty breathing or labored breathing can be from … Continue reading →

Q. A neighborhood cat’s stomach has gotten hard and swollen over the last few weeks. What can I do?

Thank you for watching our for our homeless pet population. Without seeing the cat, it would be difficult to say what is going on. In general, when we see a swollen or enlarged abdomen we think about things like pregnancy, … Continue reading →

Q. Why should I have an antibody titer performed on my cat instead of just vaccinating him/her?

The short answer is ‘for your cat’s safety’. Vaccines are considered to be like medicine. If your pet does not ‘need’ it, then we should not give it. Antibody titer blood work enables us to look inside of your pet … Continue reading →