Cat Health

Peritonitis in Cats   The abdominal cavity is lined with a thin, watery membrane, called the peritoneum. When the cat's abdominal cavity, also called the peritoneal cavity, is injured, the peritoneum becomes inflamed. The severity of the inflammation depends on the type of injury the peritoneal cavity has undergone. Peritonitis is frequently a painful condition, and the cat will respond when it is touched on its abdomen.   Peritonitis can affect both dogs and cats.

Entropion   Entropion is a genetic condition in which a portion of the eyelid is inverted or folded inward against the eyeball. This results in irritation and scratches to the cornea -- the front surface of the eye -- leading to corneal ulceration, or corneal perforation. It can also leave dark-colored scar tissue to build up over the wound (pigmentary keratitis). These factors may cause a loss or decrease in vision.   Generally, only brachycephalic breeds of cats, such as Persians, are at risk.

Oronasal Fistula in Cats   A fistula is characterized as an abnormal passageway between two openings, hollow organs, or cavities. They occur as a result of injury, infection, or disease. A communicating, vertical passageway between the mouth and nasal cavity is called an oronasal fistula. Oronasal fistulas are rare in cats, but they do occur.   These types of fistulas are caused by the diseased condition of any tooth in the upper jaw. The most common location for an oronasal fistula is where the root of the fourth premolar on the upper jaw enters the palate.

Renomegaly in Cats   Renomegaly is a condition in which one or both kidneys are abnormally large, confirmed by abdominal palpation, ultrasounds, or X-rays. The cat's respiratory, nervous, hormonal, urinary and digestive systems are all affected by this condition.   In addition, renomegaly is not exclusive to cats, dogs can suffer from it, too.

Pneumothorax in Cats   Pneumothorax is the medical term for an accumulation of air in the area between the cat's chest wall and lungs (the pleural space). It may be categorized as traumatic or spontaneous, and closed or open.   Both dogs and cats are susceptible to pneumothorax.

Acute Hepatic Failure   Hepatic failure, or acute liver failure, is a condition characterized by the sudden loss of 70 percent or more of the liver's function.

  Cats are small, and often become the target of other animals, making them vulnerable to all kinds of dangers. Anyone who owns a cat understands that it needs protection, especially from dangers that can be encountered outside of the house. This vulnerability accounts for the built-in aggression response cats have when they perceive a threat. Aggression can also come from fear, a health condition, genetic predisposition, an environmental change, or to protect its territory.

Adenocarcinoma in Cats   While anal gland/sac cancer (adenocarcinoma) is not common, it is an invasive disease that does not generally have a positive outlook. Usually seen as a rectal growth (mass) on a cat, it is also common to find the disease in the lymph nodes. Due to the type of disease, it is typically cancerous (malignant) and can spread quickly into other areas of the cat's body.

Anemia, Megaloblastic   In this disease, red blood cells fail to divide and become abnormally large. These cells are also deficient in necessary DNA material. These giant cells with underdeveloped nuclei are called megaloblasts, or "big cells." Red blood cells are mainly affected, but white blood cells and platelets can also go through changes.   This abnormality occurs in both dogs and cats. However, giant schnauzers seem to have an inherited tendency to have this kind of anemia. In dogs, it is generally mild, and is left treated.