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When it comes to caring for your cat, I have some simple recommendations:

• Maintain a safe environment (keep it inside)
• Feed a high quality food (for example, a meat -based protein)
• Think about preventive care (for example, an annual physical exam, laboratory tests and appropriate vaccines)
• Provide a lot of affection and exercise

Following these basic tips, you can help keep your four -legged feline friends healthy, potentially for decades! But like Gat Guardians, you must also meet five “silent” murderers in cats. Knowing what are the most common silent murderers, you can know what clinical signs to look for. With most of these diseases, as soon as possible the clinical signs are recognized, as soon as possible we can treat veterinarians.

1. Chronic renal disease
One of the best silent killers of cats is Chronic kidney disease (ERC) (This is sometimes called chronic renal failure or chronic renal lesion). All these terms are semantically the same, and basically mean that 75% of the two kidneys are ineffective and do not work. CRD clinical signs include:

• Excessive drink
• Excessive urinity
• Larger groups in the sand box
• Weight loss
• Bad breath (due to toxins that accumulate in the blood and cause ulcers in the mouth, esophagus and stomach)
• Lethargy
• Concealment

Fortunately, with appropriate management, cats can live with ERC for years (unlike dogs where ERC usually progresses more quickly). Chronic handling can include a low protein diet, frequent blood analysis, increased water intake (for example, with a water source or feeding an exhausted canned food), medications and even liquids under the skin (which many pet tutors do at home, once properly trained).

2. Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is an endocrine disease where the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. This is observed in median geriatric cats, and can lead to clinical signs very similar to chronic kidney disease that include:

• Excessive thirst
• Increased water/urination consumption
• Vomiting/diarrhea
• Weight loss

However, as hyperthyroidism increases the metabolism of cats, it causes a defining sign: a voracious appetite despite weight loss. It can also result in:

• A career heart rate
• Severe hypertension (resulting in loss of acute blood, neurological signs or even a clot or stroke)
• Secondary organ injury (for example, a heart breath or kidney changes)

Fortunately, treatment for hyperthyroidism is very effective and includes a medication (called Metimazole, surgical elimination of the thyroid glands (less commonly made), a special recipe diet called and/D® Feely Tyroid Health) or Radio Radio Therapy I131. With hyperthyroidism, the sooner you treat it, less potential side effects or organ damage will occur in your cat.

3. Diabetes mellitus
Another silent and expensive murderer that affects cats is diabetes mellitus (DM). As many of our cats are often overweight to obese, they have a higher risk of DM. With diabetes, the pancreas does not secret adequate amounts of insulin (DM type I) or there is insulin resistance (DM type II). Insulin is a natural hormone that drives sugar (that is, blood glucose) in cells. As a result of cells that die of glucose hunger, the body manufactures more and more glucose, causing hyperglycemia (that is, a high level of blood sugar) and many of the clinical signs observed with DM. Common clinical signs for DM are similar to those of chronic renal disease and hyperthyroidism and include:

• Excessive and thirst urine
• Larger groups in the sand box
• A overweight or obesity body condition with muscle wear (especially on the column or back) or weight loss
• A decreased or hungry appetite
• Lethargy or weakness
• Vomiting
• Abnormal breathing (for example, acetone breath)
• Walk abnormally (for example, lower than the ground)

DM treatment can be expensive, since it requires insulin injections twice a day that must be given under the skin. It also requires diet changes (a high protein diet, carbohydrate low), frequent blood glucose monitoring and frequent veterinary visits. With chronic support and management care, cats can do so reasonably well; However, once diabetic complications are developed (eg, diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar, hyperglycemic syndrome), DM can be threatening in life.

4. Heart disease
Heart disease is very frustrating for both cat and veterinarians. This is because, while dogs almost always have a strong cardiac murmur (that is, one that we can listen to with our stethoscope) indicative of heart disease, cats often do not have a cardiac breath present. In fact, it is estimated that 50% of cats with heart disease do not have an auscular heart breath. Clinical signs of heart disease include:

• A breath of the heart
• An abnormal heart rate (for example, an abnormal rhythm and a rhythm)
• A career heart rate
• Collapse
• Faint (for example, syncope)
• Increased respiratory rate
• Difficulty breathing
• Blue gums
• Open mouth breathing
• Acute and sudden paralysis (for example, typically of the posterior limbs)
• Cold and painful rear limbs
• Sudden pain
• Sudden limp
• Sudden death

Once heart disease is diagnosed (usually depending on the physical examination, chest radiographsCardiopet® PROBNP test and an ultrasound of the heart called “echocardiogram”), the treatment can include emergency care for oxygenapia, diuretics, support for blood pressure and heart medications. The long -term forecast is poor, since heart medication does not cure heart disease; Prevents heart disease will get worse. The exception is when heart disease is caused by hyperthyroidism, which often improves once hyperthyroidism is treated!

5. Cancer
As dogs and cats live more, we, as veterinarians, are seeing more cases of cancer. The most common type of cancer in cats is gastrointestinal cancer, often due to lymphosarcoma. Cancer clinical signs include:

• Weight loss
• Do not eat
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Difficulty breathing
• Abdominal distension or swelling
• Weakness
• Lethargy
• Concealment
• Fever
• Generalized discomfort

Once diagnosed, the prognosis for cancer is poor. For this reason, as soon as possible, notice the clinical signs, the diagnosis and treatment can be initiated before.

(Obtain more information about cancer and cats).

Keep in mind that there are other common emergencies that can cause death in cats, such as trauma, urinary obstructions, poisoning and more. In case of doubt, to keep your cat safe, follow these 5 simple tips:

1. Keep your cat inside to avoid any trauma (for example, be hit by a car, attacked by a dog, accidentally poisoned, etc.)
2. Be sure to keep your cat under the weight of your cat: this can help prevent expensive problems due to obesity, such as diabetes in the future.
3. Be sure to schedule your annual visit with your veterinarian. This is especially important since we can capture physical abnormalities before. Keep in mind that even if your cat is inside, you still need an annual exam; It is possible that you can omit some of the vaccines (and program them in each third year), but do not skip the exam!
4. Keep the sand box clean. While this sounds simple, frequent and daily cleaning of the box is essential. This will not only alert it to emergencies that threaten life as feline urethral obstructions, but will make you aware if your cat is urinating more or less than usual, and help you collect medical problems before!
5. Look for veterinary attention as soon as you notice any clinical sign, no months after your cat has been urinating and drinking excessively!