Vet’s Views
Dr Kaushlendra Kumar
The doctor has been practising in Lucknow for the past 20 years in canine and other pet animal medicine and surgery
Q: My cat Mittens has just been diagnosed with Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). How can I structurally alter her daily diet and hydration set-up to prevent future blockages? — Priya Patel
Lower urinary tract problems are very common in young male cats. This is due to many reasons. But the type and regimen of diet affect it the most. Once your cat is out of an acute condition, wet cat food should be given. Giving only dry food precipitates problems like FLUTD. Maintaining the hydration level in the diet or along with it helps digestion better and also maintains the homeostasis of the body, which helps prevent FLUTD. Meat broth can also be used to maintain hydration.
Q: My dog Bella was recently diagnosed with osteoarthritis. What are the safest long-term pain management options besides traditional NSAIDs to keep her mobile? — Rohit Sharma
Osteoarthritis in dogs these days is a very common ailment. It is mainly due to joint structural wear and tear and is further exacerbated by other aetiologies such as poor diet and body weight. Osteoarthritis is primarily dealt with by managing acute pain with painkillers and some nutraceuticals supplying nutrition to joints for their support, like collagen, glucosamine, etc. Painkillers given for the short term are not very harmful, but any anti-inflammatory drug in the long term will invite systemic failures. These days, there are drugs that are safer and exclusive, such as Firocoxib, PEA, and the latest monoclonal antibodies, which work very well and give good results. Multidrug therapy should be the choice. Omegas also help in reducing inflammation and pain. Natural herbs like curcumin also help a lot. These are some of the safe painkillers. If money is not a problem, I will recommend monoclonal antibodies (Librela) as a monthly injection.
Q: My cat Luna has been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and is losing weight despite a massive appetite. What are the pros and cons of radioactive iodine therapy versus daily medication? — Kabir Malhotra
A cat diagnosed with hyperthyroidism will have all the metabolic activities in the body at very high values. BMR increases, and this leads to increased metabolism and high appetite. Lots of muscle loss is seen despite a good appetite. Treatment is mainly of two types. One is using the most specific radioactive material, I-131, which is relatively costly but most effective to treat this condition. However, monitoring of the patient remains the key to its success, especially in older cats. That's why medical treatment using different salts is given.
Q: My dog Max is showing symptoms of Cushing's disease like excessive thirst and hair loss. What specific diagnostic blood tests do we need to confirm this? — Sneha Reddy
In a dog with Cushing’s disease, clinical symptoms of polydipsia and hair loss are typical in nature. Specifically asked for the diagnosis, one can go for complete blood tests apart from hormonal testing. CBC, LFT, and KFT are very important tests to ascertain the health status of the animal. ACTH tests are specific to diagnose the disease. Your nearest vet with vet pathology will help you better understand which way to go.
Q: My dog Rocky is suffering from severe atopic dermatitis and constantly chews his paws. How can we identify his environmental triggers and what are the best long-term management options? — Ananya Rao
Atopic dermatitis is a very frustrating problem for the pet as well as the pet parent. In spite of all the best medications, nothing really helps in permanent treatment. All the environmental triggers should be known to you, like changes in weather, diet, shampoos and any other health condition. It is a manageable problem that needs proper grooming with suitable shampoos and talc. Spot-on therapies are quite beneficial to strengthen the dermal layer against the allergens. Most recently, very high-quality monoclonal antibodies have become available to be given monthly.
Leave a comment