What is a geriatric cat? Veterinarians usually consider geriatric cats to be over 12 years of age. Many factors can cause a cat to appear geriatric sooner. The first big one is obesity. We have a huge problem in our indoor cat population with obesity. The Garfield concept which began in 1978 was embraced and many thought it was cute to have these big overweight cats. This is far from the truth. Obese cats can start showing geriatric signs as young as 5 years of age related to joint problems, diabetes, heart conditions, respiratory issues, etc. A fat cat does not equal a happy cat. Do not let marketing tell you anything different.

Nutrition is responsible for obesity only in that many people free feed their cats. This is not a good idea.  How would you look if every day you were presented with an all-you-can-eat buffet. Can some cats stay skinny being free fed? Maybe a small percentage but usually there is another health reason why they eat less. They may have gingivitis. They may have an aversion to something in the food they eat. All cats should be offered just a certain amount of food each day. If you have multiple cats, then just make certain to only put out a certain amount of food daily and when it is gone there is no more. I encourage people to feed at night so they will not wake you in the early morning expecting their food. Also consider using automatic feeders. This has helped many of my clients avoid being harassed by their cats as they get close to feeding time. 

Kittens eat double what an adult cat eats. Senior cats often eat less so we need to consider senior foods that give the proper nutrients for that age group. It is challenging when you have cats of different ages.  Realize that if you are feeding a kitten adult cat food they will not have proper muscle and bone development which could lead to other health issues when older. Clients comment that their parents had lots of cats outside and they all ate the same thing and did just fine. I respond by saying did they live 15-20 years? The average life span of a cat in the 1970’s was 7-9 years.  Let’s not go backwards with our aging felines. What can we do to help them live longer and be healthier during those senior years. 

My basic recommendation is ½ cup of dry cat food per adult cat per day. This is a starting point. If your adult cat is in and out and playing all day with the dog, then we need to adjust the volume as needed.  Most cats leave food at each meal. Stop adding the extra volume and only give what they eat in a day. If you change to a different cat food that can alter your volume of food. You must keep track of kilocalories/cup of each diet that you are feeding so you know what they need in a day. If you notice they are getting thicker over the rib cage and losing the waistline behind the ribs, it is time to adjust. They should feel the same as an adult cat as they do as a kitten over the ribs. If you notice your cat is leaving food for more than 24 hours and usually, they eat it all, do not delay in seeking veterinary care. Often people wait and cats can start to turn their liver cells to fat cells when not eating for 2-3 days. This is called Hepatic Lipidosis and can be challenging to treat. Cats are good at hiding their illnesses. Instinctively they do not want to show they are ill. They will avoid interaction with other pets. They will sleep more. They will not groom themselves. They will sit hunched up or move slowly. They will eat less or not eat at all. They will drink more water and pee larger volumes of urine in the box. This is not a good thing. Changes like this need to be addressed. We have many ways to help with the different geriatric diseases we see in senior cats.

The most common diseases are diabetes mellitus in obese cats that gradually get skinny. Many will drink more and pee more as well. Usually have a great appetite but may be vomiting food more frequently.  Hyperthyroidism in senior cats comes with a great appetite. They never miss a meal. They drink lots of water and have large urine clumps in the litter box. They continue to lose weight even though they eat all the time. Renal (kidney) disease shows weight loss, drinking lots of water and larger amounts of urine like the other two diseases mentioned. The difference is kidney cats will have days they eat well and days that they don’t eat. They have an on and off appetite. Some will vomit bile or food or both. This shows another reason not to free feed cats. You never know who is eating and how much to monitor their health issues.

In 2022 a new product was introduced to help our senior cats with osteoarthritis (OA).  We have been limited in the past with OA medications for cats. Many products for dogs cause health issues when given to cats at lower dosages or for extended periods. This injection is like the dog Librela injection, but it is only for cats. It is called Solecia. It is given monthly for OA pain relief in cats. We have used it in many aging felines and people have seen a dramatic improvement in their activity when given monthly.  It is a commitment to come to the clinic each month for the injection, but I assure you your cat will thank you.

Royal Canin has a Feline Senior +12 diet for cats that has helped many elderly cats. Never underestimate the improvement that can be seen just by improving the quality of the diet. If you are wondering whether to change diets on your already finicky cat, certainly reach out to your veterinarian. Do not trust online sources with this information. Our cats need as much veterinary care as dogs do. Unfortunately, many families do not bring their cats for routine exams and immunizations. We see the cats when a crisis happens. Often treating them during and after that event can be difficult. Please have your cat seen each year so weight and health can be monitored year after year. This will allow some health conditions to be caught earlier and hopefully treated more successfully.

Oral care is another geriatric concern. Since cats do not eat a lot of food and are not fond of having their teeth brushed we see tarter and staining of adult teeth. We have broken teeth on occasion. It is difficult to get a cat to chew on hard surfaces to protect their teeth and gums. You can brush a cat’s teeth with cat toothpaste. It must start when they are small kittens. We encourage the same thing with nail trimming to let them understand this is a part of life. I am amazed at how good their teeth look if someone is committed to brushing their teeth at least 3-4 times a week. We can do oral cleaning and polishing under sedation for any cat that is having issues with their teeth.

Some things to consider if you have a senior cat in your home. They struggle grooming themselves for a variety of reasons as they get older.  Be certain to brush them more frequently to help remove excess hair and dander. Consider locations of litter boxes and whether the stairs are an obstacle for them to use the boxes easily. Consider use of canned food to give more calories and moisture in their daily diet.  Many senior cats are losing weight and so they can get cold easily. Find ways to keep them warm. Vision and hearing are often impaired as they age. Be aware they may not be able to move out of your way like they did before so watch for them before stepping backwards  

Hoping that you can use these helpful hints to get your cat to live a longer healthier life. Don’t ignore symptoms of weight loss, increase drinking or increase peeing. Those 3 things are a flag that something is happening. We would love to see them before it becomes a crisis. Cats need veterinarians too. Get an annual check up so when things start to change for your cat, your veterinarian can assist you in a plan that is best for your cat’s long-term health. The oldest cat I have seen was 24 years of age. Maybe your cat could break that record.

Yes, you read that correctly. Winterset Veterinary Center now has an new injectable product that gives your dog a full year of flea and tick prevention. Merck released this product a few years ago in Australia after extensive testing and clinic trials. It has now been released within the USA for dogs only. This is a game changer. No longer will you need to apply a topical solution or have your dog wear a collar or eat a pill that you have smothered in cheese or peanut butter for flea/tick prevention. IT IS NOT FOR CATS! Maybe someday we will have something like this for cats but today we are offering this to any dogs 6 months or older.

Please make certain your pet is ready for their next dosage of flea and tick prevention when you set the appointment for this revolutionary product. I marvel that when I began practice in 1988, we had to give dogs a chewable tablet every day for heartworm prevention. We had powders and sprays that we used to apply to a dog’s skin for flea/tick prevention. No one remembered those pills and clients and pets hated the flea/tick preventions that were being applied. Today we can offer complete year-round protection with 2 injectable products that will prevent disease. This takes human error out of the equation. I am a veterinarian, and I still would forget to give these preventions.

This product has been given at the same time as vaccinations, Proheart injections, patients under anesthesia, patients with allergies or lameness injections, etc. They have done drug trials at five times the dosage and every 4 months and found no long-term side effects. Bravecto Quantum contains the same trusted, proven active ingredient found in all Bravecto products. The only thing that changed is now it is ONE simple injection for safe, effective protection all year.

I have been recommending year-round flea/tick prevention for the last 2 years. The reasons are many but most importantly we do not have the same climate we had years ago. Ticks are active whenever temperatures are above freezing. We have many days above freezing between November and March now. Another change that has allowed our tick numbers to increase is that we have less days below 10 F.  Without prolonged periods of extremely low temperatures (under 10F) the tick population can remain high even during the winter months in Iowa. Snow stops ticks from moving and we have very little of that here in Madison County. We are seeing more cases of Lyme disease and Ehrlichiosis which are both transmitted by ticks. These diseases have clinical signs of fever, lethargy, joint pain, loss of appetite, etc. The sad situation is that just like with humans once you get these tick-borne diseases it is impossible to completely clear your body of the organism. Often the patient will have long term issues with joints, kidneys, and/or heart. We now have a simple way to prevent this with Bravecto Quantum.  

Many clients travel with their pets to warmer climates during Iowa’s winter months. Those climates have fleas year-round. Iowa’s flea season is often over outside after a good solid frost closer to Thanksgiving.  The difficulty is that the fleas can remain inside and create issues for our pets and their owners. Fleas can lay dormant for many months and only hatch when the conditions are right. A great survival skill for sure. I have always recommended if a pet has fleas that all pets in that household are treated for a full year. This is to ensure we have stopped the flea cycle in your home. Bravecto Quantum is going to make that an easier reality for our dogs. 

If a dog has been using Bravecto without any complications, that dog is great candidate for the new Bravecto Quantum. This new technology will help our pets be flea/tick free and give us peace of mind for our families too. For more information, please contact your veterinarian to find out when you can start Bravecto Quantum. Are you are ready to simplify your life? Bravecto Quantum will cover fleas and ticks for a full year. Proheart 12 will cover for the mosquitoes for a full year. Now you can go into nature 365 days a year with your canine friend and your only concern is for your safety against the fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes.

Earlier this month I had a conversation with a client who was upset that his dog had seizures related to the Rabies vaccination we administered a few days earlier. He wanted to blame the vaccine for the seizures. He was online and found plenty of data to back up his diagnosis. This dog has had reactions to the Distemper vaccinations in the past and they no longer allow her to be vaccinated for those infections. They have her sister from the same litter, and she has had no issues with vaccinations. I requested to see his sources to understand more where this connection is coming from. As of today, he has not sent me any additional information. I contacted the Zoetis company and asked if any changes had been made to their current Rabies vaccination since this dog has been vaccinated with this same vaccine three times. They created a case number since that is their protocol with any claims made against the vaccines. This vaccine has been in production in its current form since before I started practice in 1988. 

On our exam room wall we have this framed print. We framed it for a good laugh with clients. Yet in situations like this I feel there are lots of reasons to question the information given to  clients by google.  Google can be a great source for many different things. When looking at cause and effect situations it can be a disaster. I have talked many clients off the edge during late-night phone calls because of what google said. Don’t get me wrong, I use google. It has been a great source for many “interesting minds want to know” situations. For medical advice and diagnosis, it can lead to assumptions and undue stress for clients.  

In this current era there are numerous questions surrounding vaccinations. Most humans have definite opinions about vaccinations. As veterinarians we do place a high emphasis on keeping pets updated on not only vaccinations but also preventives. I want to discuss the reasons for my recommendations. Keep in mind this is one veterinarian’s opinion. I base my opinions on where I currently practice. I do not want anyone to assume that this is a one size fits all situations. I have a rural location that I practice in. I see racoon poop on my deck many mornings. I have deer in my flower beds, hay field, and by the apple tree all the time. Coyotes howl every evening in the grove below my home. Skunk smell is often in the breeze as I walk in the morning. I have bat houses to control the mosquito population around my home. I live in the country, and I love it. A majority of the clients we see at WVC either live in the country or spend numerous hours exploring the natural wonders around us. There are daily encounters of our furry friends having close associations with wildlife and external parasites. No one should ignore the risk our pets have when it comes to the “real world” experiences.

The Distemper vaccination or DHPPL as it is abbreviated at WVC covers 5 different infections our dogs can encounter. Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) is a paramyxovirus and is the letter “D” in our vaccine.  This virus can attack the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and/or the nervous system of our dogs. It is highly contagious.

Infectious Canine Hepatitis is the “H” in our vaccination. It is caused by the canine adenovirus -1 (CAV-1). This virus cannot infect humans and that is important to note since we have our own version of hepatitis.

Canine parvovirus is caused by canine parvovirus -2 (CPV-2). This is one of the “Ps” in our abbreviation of DHPPL. This is highly contagious between dogs, especially in the young dogs that have been unvaccinated. It attacks the gastrointestinal system (gut) and causes severe vomiting and diarrhea. The puppies get dehydrated quickly and, in some cases, it can attack their heart causing sudden death. Most people have heard about this infection, and many have personal experiences with it. It Is one of the most common infections of puppies and has a high percentage of death associated with it.

The second “P” in the vaccinations stands for Parainfluenza virus which is highly contagious between dogs. It can cause cough, nasal discharge, and lethargy. It is most commonly spread through airborne particles at boarding and grooming facilities. Direct contact is also possible, but most people know not to bring their dogs somewhere when they are coughing.

Leptospirosis is the “L” in our vaccination. This is a bacterial organism not a viral agent. This means that you must immunize your dog every year for this agent. It has a number of different strains and is a zoological disease. That means humans can get this from their animals. It is possible for dogs to get this condition from stagnant water or walking in the woods and encountering wildlife waste. Cattle and pigs are also susceptible to strains of Leptospirosis.

Our Rabies vaccinations are given to puppies for 1 year and for adults, that have a current rabies vaccination, for 3 years. Winterset Veterinary Center has been using Zoetis for its vaccinations since I started working here in 2007. These vaccinations have not  been altered from their original composition. They are tested and protective in preventing devastating diseases our pets can encounter in their daily lives.

Heartworms are alive and well in Madison County. We have coyotes and foxes that carry heartworms. The same mosquitoes bite dogs that bite our wildlife. That is how this disease is transmitted. People want to say there are no mosquitoes at their place. Doubt after all this rain people are saying that now. There is standing water everywhere and that is perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes. We are fortunate to have clients who recognize the serious nature of this disease. These worms live in the heart. They are not like an intestinal worm that we can give a pill and the worms are gone. These require intensive and expensive treatment to be killed. The recovery stage is difficult related to needing to keep your pet quiet and inactive while the heartworms are dying and the body is trying to remove them from the blood stream. Why would you put your dog at risk for this disease if we have easy and simple preventives. 

What about cat vaccines. Where are their risks, especially when they spend most of their days indoors.  Our cat vaccines are also from the same company. The formulas have not changed, and we have used the same vaccines since I started here in 2007. The PRCC vaccine that we give to all cats covers 3 respiratory conditions called Calicivirus(C), Rhinotracheitis(R), and chlamydia(C). All 3 cause respiratory issues like sneezing, nasal discharge, weepy eyes, fever may or may not be a problem. They can be airborne in transmission or contact with food and water bowls. Also, direct cat to cat contact can spread these diseases. They appear to be species specific. That means only cats are impacted by these infections.  Indoor cats sit by open windows, screen doors, on patios, outside on leashes, etc.  Any of those can allow an indoor cat to come down with these respiratory infections. The chlamydia is a bacterin and must be given every year.  It is the most common infection people see in young immature kittens. The eyes are closed over with mucus. The nose may have discharge or just sneezing present. Usually, the infected cats will eat and drink but they look terrible. This infection responds nicely to antibiotics and eye medications. The other two have more serious clinical symptoms and often require hospitalization. 

Panleukopenia(P) of the cat vaccine is seen in raccoon and foxes so any outdoor cats exploring their environment can be infected easily. This condition causes severe digestive issues like vomiting, diarrhea, fever, lethargy, and even death. It could be said it is like the parvovirus in dogs. It is prevalent in any environment, so any young kittens, immune compromised cats, or unvaccinated cats are at risk.

Again, why would we not vaccinate our kittens/cats to give them protection from these diseases? It is economical and effective when given routinely. Kittens born to mother cats that are vaccinated get maternal antibodies that protect the kitten from these infections at a young age. By the time they are 6-8 weeks of age they should have their first vaccination from a veterinarian. We then do a series of shots up until they are 4 months of age. This gives them a fighting chance of surviving their first year of life.

Rabies vaccinations are extremely important to all dogs and cats. From the chart that is posted you can see how many animals carry rabies. It is a zoological disease since humans can contract it from all these animals as well. There is no treatment for Rabies. Once clinical signs appear the disease is 100% fatal. If someone is bitten and rabies is diagnosed, then that person must undergo immunizations to prevent rabies from developing. They do have success with these postexposure treatments, but time is of essence. If someone you know is bitten and the rabies status of that animal is unknown it is recommended for them to undergo postexposure treatments just in case. The discomfort associated with the treatment is better than dying a death from rabies infection.

Probably more information than you wanted to know. So why did my client’s dog have a seizure? I cannot answer that. I can say that heat and storms can trigger seizures. Related to the stress that some dogs undergo during those environmental changes. I have clients that tell me their dogs will have seizures when they have changes in their routines or company that visits, or people leave home to go to college. Years ago, when a dog had a seizure, we said it was idiopathic and started them on medications to prevent the seizures. We never cure the seizures with the medications. Today we can do MRI’s and CT scans to diagnose many causes of seizures. Yet as with humans, sometimes we cannot get answers for why things happen when they do. I realize the frustration with that. I wish I had answers for a lot of “whys” that I get asked. What I do know is that the vaccinations that we administer do protect our furry friends and allows them to live longer and healthier lives. Are there side effects? Of course. Does that mean that we stop doing vaccinations? No! The most common side effects are vomiting and facial swelling within 5 hours after a vaccination. Treatment is usually Benadryl or epinephrine or both. Owners should contact their veterinarian and inform them of the reaction. Most clinics make note of the reaction and then discuss options for immunizations in the future. Just because they had a reaction does not mean they can never be vaccinated again.

A few points to make to wrap this up. Be careful what you read on any internet site. People want to blame someone or something for any and all issues that their pet may be experiencing. There are numerous reasons for every clinical symptom we see as veterinarians. Just because your friend’s dog had the same symptoms does not mean that the diagnosis will be the same. It is okay to share your concerns but then let us do what we were trained to do. That is putting all the pieces of the puzzle together and hopefully making the best decisions for you and your pet. Also, if you are antivaccine for any reason, remember that many of these infections can be deadly. Nothing is more tragic than being faced with a sick pet that if it had been vaccinated it would have prevented the disease. We strive to prevent disease, so we do not have to say an early goodbye to our patients. DO YOUR PART AND PREVENT DISEASES WITH PROPER VETERINARY CARE.