PetMeds^® Blog

Colitis literally means inflammation of the colon.  The symptoms of colitis in our pets include loose and bloody stool in dogs and cats, mucousy stool or feces, painful or straining at bowel movements, as well as increased stool accidents in the house or outside of the litter box. Colitis, also known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can have many possible causes from intestinal parasites like parasites like whipworms, hookworms and Giardia, foreign body ingestion or dietary indiscretion, dietary allergies or hypersensitivity, as well as metabolic problems like inflammation of the pancreas or liver.

On occasion polyps and tumors of the colon can appear, particularly in older pets. Any pet with chronic signs of colitis should have a full medical workup, including stool samples for parasites, as well as a complete CBC/chemistry blood profile and urine analysis. Sometimes additional imaging of the colon is needed through ultrasound and the use of endoscopes as is done in human medicine. Many pets that don’t respond to symptomatic therapy and develop chronic signs of colitis, sometimes have a disease called inflammatory bowel disease of the colon. This condition needs a surgical or endoscopic biopsy for appropriate diagnosis and treatment if symptomatic and dietary therapy fail.

As veterinarians we often use prescription drugs and antibiotics like Metronidazole, Tylan Powder, or Sulfasalazine to try and control symptoms of colitis, in addition to dietary changes or adding fiber using such products as Vetasyl. Recently we have been having great success using probiotics and enzymes to help restore health and digestive tract function, especially when antibiotics are used. Fast Balance is a wonderful product that can often quickly control acute cases of colitis and diarrhea by giving our pets a quick and bioavailable source of healthy bacteria to bring symptoms under control more quickly. Long term, excellent probiotics such as NaturVet Probiotics and Enzymes can often be added to meals, not only in treatment, but also in preventing future colitis flare-ups.

On occasion polyps and tumors of the colon can appear, particularly in older pets. Any pet with chronic signs of colitis should have a full medical workup, including stool samples for parasites, as well as a complete CBC/chemistry blood profile and urine analysis. Sometimes additional imaging of the colon is needed through ultrasound and the use of endoscopes as is done in human medicine. Many pets that don’t respond to symptomatic therapy and develop chronic signs of colitis, sometimes have a disease called inflammatory bowel disease of the colon. This condition needs a surgical or endoscopic biopsy for appropriate diagnosis and treatment if symptomatic and dietary therapy fail.

As veterinarians we often use prescription drugs and antibiotics like Metronidazole, Tylan Powder, or Sulfasalazine to try and control symptoms of colitis, in addition to dietary changes or adding fiber using such products as Vetasyl. Recently we have been having great success using probiotics and enzymes to help restore health and digestive tract function, especially when antibiotics are used.  Fast Balance is a wonderful product that can often quickly control acute cases of colitis and diarrhea by giving our pets a quick and bioavailable source of healthy bacteria to bring symptoms under control more quickly.   Long term, excellent probiotics such as NaturVet Probiotics and Enzymes can often be added to meals, not only in treatment, but also in preventing future colitis flare-ups.

While there is a growing epidemic of human asthma cases in recent decades in younger people, as well as adult-onset asthma, we are also seeing increasing numbers of asthma in cats, also known as feline bronchial disease (feline asthma). Symptoms include cats experiencing difficulty breathing, wheezing, and coughing, which is often misdiagnosed by both feline guardians and even veterinarians as often hairballs.

Some of the expected triggering agents include seasonal allergens, dust and irritants in the environment, including secondhand smoke and certain dusty litters, as well as even potentially injected or ingested allergens such as over vaccination and even food allergies. Diagnosis is usually made by a combination of x-rays, blood work, and stool checks to rule out other causes of coughing/wheezing, including intestinal parasites, feline heartworm disease, and other infectious and cardiopulmonary diseases of the chest cavity and heart. While we often try and look for underlying causes and/or minimize the above potential triggers, most of the time we don’t find out the cause of feline asthma, except to say that it goes under the category of another autoimmune disease, which is where the cats own immune system is over-reacting to its own body, in this case resulting in constriction and inflammation of the airways.

As with other autoimmune diseases, treatments include often immune suppressive medication, including most commonly prescription injectable steroids in cats, the most common one being used by veterinarians known as Depo-Medrol. And while occasional injections of this long acting steroid often offers dramatic relief, repetitive use of this drug long term can lead to other complications in cats, including diabetes, as well as secondary bacterial infections. Other prescription medications such as the bronchodilator Theophylline, which can help dilate the airways in some cats, as well as the prescription drug Terbutaline offer variable results as alternatives or as add on drugs. Most recently in severely affected cats, veterinary specialists are now using at home inhalers, in a similar way as with people.

Feline guardians can learn more about this safer alternative to repetitive injectable cortisone at www.aerocat.com. Other preventative measures feline guardians can take include minimizing emotional, physical and toxic stress on asthmatic cats.  Using air purifiers in the home with HEPA filters such as those approved for human asthmatics can sometimes help.  Natural calming agents such as rescue remedy or Be Serene, Quiet Moments, or Composure Liquid can help ease emotional anxiety in some cats.   Feeding a natural diet with the help of a holistic veterinarian, as well as avoiding over vaccination of especially indoor cats is also important in minimizing the frequency of asthmatic attacks. Supplements such as Proanthozone and Vetri-DMG liquid from can help modulate the immune response, and I have sometimes found these neutraceuticals helpful in minimizing the amount of cortisone needed in asthmatic cats.

One of the most difficult decisions for feline guardians to make is whether they should declaw their cats, and if they do are there any long term complications or side effects to this commonly done procedure? Declawing cats in essence involves removing the last bone of each digit (like removing the end of your finger from the cuticle of your nail on up), so that the germinal layer where the nail grows does not grow back.

This procedure, although simple to perform by most veterinarians, has come under much controversy at times, even so much so that in a few areas of the country, declawing was even banned for a while. Of course some of the bigger reasons why cats are declawed are either to cut down on those unwanted scratching behaviors that can certainly cause damage to human skin, including infections such as cat scratch disease, as well as cats scratching furniture, beds or carpeting, that is so valuable in the human home.

My own feelings are that declawing should be avoided if at all possible in cats, as while conventional veterinary experts continue to say that a properly done declawing procedure poses no long term risks or side effects to our beloved felines, I personally have seen both long term emotional as well as physical complications, including even regrowth of nails through the pads years later (if done incorrectly) from these procedures. A certain amount of scratching objects in the home is normal in domestic felines, however, behavior modification techniques such as scratching posts provided with cat nip sprinkled on them, as well as shaking a coffee can full of coins when cats start to scratch an unwanted area, can both provide alternatives, and teach the cat not to scratch those valuable items in our home.

There is an excellent book called “How to Get Your Cat to Do What You Want” by well-known animal behaviorist Warren Eckstein, which offers wonderful behavioral techniques to help a feline guardian avoid putting their feline through the declawing procedure.  There are also other alternatives such as Soft Paws, which can be easily applied to most cats’ nails, and literally act as nail caps, again preventing unwanted scratching of both people and furniture.  Natural calming agents such as the Bach Flower Remedy as well as Be Serene, can again be helpful in some cases. Comfort Zone with Feliway “plug-in” diffuser and spray can also help deter unwanted scratching of certain furniture or areas.

If these suggestions here don’t work, and the feline guardian absolutely finds it necessary to declaw their kitty, I would suggest only doing the front feet (which is what cats scratch these items the most with), as well as consider some other alternatives to traditional declawing such as tendonectomies, which are less painful to cats and where I have seen cats recover faster, as well as newer laser surgeries now available for the declaw procedure.

No matter which procedure is done, proper pain control, especially in the post operative period with either prescription medications from your veterinarian,  such as Metacam or the recent use of the human drug Buprenex should be used as directed and prescribed.  Homeopathic medications such as the homeopathic remedies Arnica and Hypericum in 30c potency, (available from health food stores) can also help with post operative declaw pain as well.

One of the more urgent common phone calls to veterinary offices and emergency clinics across the country is when a dog or cat suddenly starts drooling excessively without warning.  Sometimes the saliva can be so thick and profuse, that both dogs and cats experience difficulty/heavy breathing. There can be many possible causes of a cat or dog heavy salivating. The first one to always consider is whether the pet potentially was recently exposed to a toxin or pesticide in the environment outside or inside the home. Even certain topical pesticides, including topical Frontline Plus and Advantage, can cause drooling in sensitive pets, especially if the product is inappropriately applied, or in an area where the pet can lick it off.

Electric cord injuries and burns, especially seen in puppies and kittens, can cause difficulty breathing as well as excessive drooling, and such pets should get immediate emergency care. Allergic reactions to common household cleaning agents, and pesticides on the lawn or inside the home are also common causes of drooling. Even certain prescription and bitter tasting medications, such as the commonly prescribed drug Metronidazole can cause heavy drooling particularly in cats.

Many dogs and especially cats will drool to varying degrees, often accompanying nausea and vomiting seen in so many acute and chronic conditions and diseases. When drooling is more chronic, especially if the drool has a foul odor, one of the first category of diseases to consider is periodontal disease in both dogs and especially cats. Our feline friends sometimes can develop severe painful gum inflammation known as feline gingivitis/stomatitis syndrome, which can often make it difficult for them to eat.

All such pets should have an immediate veterinary exam with thorough evaluation of the oral cavity for any dental/gum disease, ulceration of the tongue, as well as a check for any foreign bodies, gum growths or tumors in the mouth or throat. Upper respiratory infections such as feline calicivirus can not only cause sneezing and nasal congestion, but also oral ulcers that can lead to heavy drooling. If the drooling persists and no known causes can be found, a full baseline workup at the veterinarian, including blood work, urine analysis, and x-rays are needed.

In a recent blog post I touched on many of the more common diseases potentially transmitted from animals to people, otherwise known as zoonotic diseases. In the recent veterinary literature, I have been reading even more articles on the role fleas play, especially in indoor/outdoor cats and certain potential wild life reservoirs such as opossums can play in recently recognized diseases in people.

While one often thinks of ticks and the role they can play in transmission of Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever to dogs and people, cat fleas may also act as an important vector and vehicle of transmission of other, what are known as Rickettsial diseases in people. In addition to these diseases, fleas have been well known to play an important role in transmitting Bartonella to cats, the causative agent of cat scratch disease in people and other Bartonella induced diseases in humans. Fleas also carry various species of mycoplasma organisms, which can cause varying degrees of illness in cats including anemia and other systemic signs of illness. It is therefore recommended to implement rigorous flea control with either conventional flea products such as Advantage, Frontline Plus, or natural products for those so inclined, to help prevent infection with the above infectious agents to cats and their human guardians. Limiting exposure of cats to wild life such as opossums is also important in preventing transmission of these diseases.