Aspergillosis in Cats

Aspergillosis is a fungal infection in cats. Aspergillosis is an opportunistic fungal infection caused by the Aspergillus, a species of common mold found throughout the environment, including dust, straw, grass clippings, and hay. An opportunistic infection occurs when an organism which does not generally cause disease becomes an infectious agent once it has entered into an animals body. In the case of Aspergillosis, it becomes an infectious agent when the body's immune system is weakened from some other disease or illness.

There are two types of acquired Aspergillus infection: nasal and disseminated. Both types can affect cats, and while no particular breed is more prone than another, Persians show a slightly higher incidence.

Symptoms and Types

There are two types of Aspergillus infections. The first is the nasal form, where the infection is localized in the nasal passages and front sinuses. It is believed that this develops from direct nasal contact with the fungus. For example, if a cat is outside and around dust and grass clippings, the fungus may enter via the moist lining of the nose. The most commonly associated symptoms are nasal discharge and noisy breathing during inhaling.

The second type of Aspergillus infection is disseminated, meaning it is more widespread in the body, not only in the nasal area. It is not certain how this form enters the body. Disseminated aspergillosis is most commonly associated with nonspecific signs, such as lethargy, depression, vomiting, and diarrhea. Other symptoms may include protruding eyeballs.

Our Kiki was diagnosed with this disease by two different vets last year. They ran the necessary blood tests and performed a sinus endoscopy so they could get a biopsy sample to be sure and they also cleaned her sinus passages out as well. 

While there is no cure for this type of infection, the only thing we can give her is some meds on a daily basis to help make her comfortable. She has been eating good and as long as she is doing so and showing no other problematic symptoms, we will help her to fight this issue.

Oh, the horror! (re-post from my other blog)

What a hard week hubby and I have had! It all began when we noticed a lot of little "uncooked rice-like" non-moving "things" left on the blankets and comforters of every place our cat Leo had laid. I called up our vet and they told us to bring them a fecal sample from him to have analyzed at their out-sourced lab. In the meantime, I researched the issue via the pet vet sites (and people I know who also have cats) and everything pointed to tapeworms! How? I honestly do not know since all of our cats are completely and strictly indoor cats only!

A day later, the vet called us and said that he had isospora which is supposedly an intestinal parasite similar to giardia. Now, when I dropped off Leo's fecal, I also bagged up the samples of the "rice-like" dead tapeworms for them to look at as well. I asked them about it and they said he doesn't have tapeworm, just isospora and that they did not "know" what the rice-like things were. Well, turns out they may have been right about the isospora, but they were completely wrong about the tapeworms!

Because these parasites are so contagious, we have to treat all five cats for both issues. So, yesterday morning I called up the vet to let them know that hubby was going to pick up the cats meds and they said they will have them dosed and ready for us. Then when my husband showed up at the vets office to pick them up, he was told some BS about our one cat Midnight had not been seen in the last six months so they couldn't give us his portion. WHAT? How useless is that? Why would we treat only four of our cats and not all as seriously contagious as the problem is? They told us that since we already have an appointment set for this Monday night anyhow to have Midnight seen for three wart-like things on his tail, we should be able to pick up all the meds then ... (sigh)

 

(What the tapeworms actually look like. They break off in segments via the cats anus. Although they come out live, they do not live very long outside the host cat's body ~ that is when they dry up and die looking like uncooked rice.)

 

Last night, we left Leo out by himself in the cat's room to stretch his legs a bit as we have had to keep him in a cage and separated from the other cats until the problem is resolved. Two hours later, I went in the room to put him to bed and back in his cage and what did I see? EEKK!! A live, moving, disgusting tapeworm which had apparently just slithered out of his butt! That was it! I had had enough of the vet's BS and first thing this morning hubby and I drove over to the vet and demanded help! That is when they told us that he also had tapeworms as well as the isopora! Gimme a break, will ya? I was so upset and livid at that point that Dr. Heather had decided to take a break from a surgery she was working on to come out and straighten out their mess!

She maintained that she could lose her license if she dispensed meds to Midnight without the "six month check up." She also said that the tapeworms were more than likely from fleas ~ either ingested by one of the cats or caused by feces in the litter boxes. Now, our cats do not have fleas, but after further thought, hubby told me that he remembered seeing one on Fancy Pants (the idiot neighbor lady's Siamese cat) the last time we watched her for her owner. AH HA!!! Made logical sense at that point and, lesson learned! We will never take another stray cat in for any reason, temporarily or otherwise, that way ever again. I absolutely refuse to go through this nightmare again! Everything, including the water and food bowls, cats boxes, blankets, rugs, etc.) had to be completely washed and decontaminated as best we could.. On top of that, we had to treat all of the cats for fleas.

Dr. Heather must have felt sorry for us and had decided to dispense the isospora meds after all so long as we still agreed to bring Midnight to his scheduled appointment on Monday night. For some ridiculous reason unknown to us; however, she did not give us tapeworm meds, only the meds the cats were supposed to get before their office screwed up.

And so we had to stop off at our local PetSmart and pick up tapeworm meds to give to all of the cats as well as giving them their isospora dosage. It isn't exactly over yet as only time will tell if the treatments worked, and we are keeping our fingers triple-crossed! All of this because we tried to do the right thing thinking that we were helping to save a nice, sweet cat. As the saying goes, "No good deed goes unpunished" ... how true!

Odds 'n' Ends ...

Well, yesterday was "National Cat Day" here in the States. So, here is (albeit a day late) to the celebration of cats everywhere!!!

Speaking of cats, just a little update on our little Kiki since our vet, Dr. Heather, gave us her new meds. For the past month she has been getting her medications twice a day and has been doing rather well. Her sneezing fits have pretty much ceased. As of today, we are to cut back on her prednisone from two dosages per day to just one. If that works, then we will gradually continue to wean her off of that medication all together. We are keeping our fingers crossed! ...

 

The Wheel of the Year has turned and tomorrow is Samhain to us Wiccan/Pagans and Halloween to pretty much the rest of Americans. I am planning on celebrating with my sister and twin soul, Rhiannon all day Saturday. We have some special things planned for this year's ritual and I am very excited. Although, this will be my first Samhain celebration/ritual since my beloved dad's passing this past February and, for me at least, it will be a bit of a tough one, but with the love and support of my family and friends I know it will be okay.

 

And so, my dear friends, I wish each and every one of you a very blessed holiday filled with lots of love and many wonderful surprises!

"Samhain Night" ~ Loreena McKennitt

https://youtu.be/5tDFHm1y_QA

Trip to New Hope, PA

Greetings, my friends! Yesterday my hubby, my sister Aurora Skye, her husband, and I took a lovely trip to one of our favorite places ~ New Hope, PA. This was Aurora's hubby's first time visiting there and we enjoyed such a beautiful fall day!

New Hope is located in Bucks County, just shy of the New Jersey border. In fact, there is a bridge right off of Main Street in New Hope village which takes you directly into Jersey.

It is filled with dozens of independently owned shops and food establishments which range from the usual to the more unusual. We always love to check out what's new at the awesome witch shops of "Gypsy Heaven" ...

A cool candy dish

 

A gorgeous Green Man pendant

 

and Celestial pendant

And, "Mystickal Tymes" where we always have the pleasure of spending some time with "Morganna," the owner Eric's beloved kitty and favorite long-time store mascot who is an amazing 20 years old!

While shopping there, I also came across some wonderful purchases ...

Candle Holder

Mermaid Chalice

 

Mermaid votive candle holder

 

Mermaid Statue

'The Gang' posing outside of "Gypsy Heaven"

As well as great shops and delicious food, New Hope offers a variety of fun and interesting things to do such as ...

New Hope & Ivyland Rail Road tours

 

and The Bucks County Playhouse

 

Christmas Past

 

 

I decided to pick up a healing candle for our cat, Kiki, while we were in "Gypsy Heaven" to aid in my Pet Protection Spell I plan on performing for her in conjunction with her meds we have been giving her from our vet to help her get well again.

 

Our Kiki
 

 

After a really beautiful day of family, friends and shopping, it was time to get back to reality. Tomorrow, it's back to work again already.
 

 

HAVE A GREAT WEEK EVERYONE!!

Our New "Old" Cat Carrier

A few years ago, I bought a cat carrier that was put together by using metal screws. It was easy take off the top part if necessary and it was VERY sturdy! I loved it and still use it to this day.

Well, about a month or so ago, I went looking for another one like it, but to no avail. The only kind I could find at the pet stores (Petsmart, Petco, Pet Max, etc.) were the clip together carriers. I wasn't too crazy about them at all because:

A. They were way too expensive! and;
B. The whole entire idea of holding your cat or dog safely inside a carrier box by only a couple of "clips" did not sound like a very good or sound idea to me!

Turns out, I was definitely right (especially about B.) and I will tell you all why. We used it once (and only once!) to take our cat, Kiki to her vet appointment. After we arrived back home with her, my hubby grabbed the handle on the carrier to get her out of the car and in the house. The clips did not hold together well enough and suddenly the bottom dropped out from under her! Which left me terrified that she would run off scared and we would never see her again and her in such shock she just stood in the middle of our our driveway paralyzed for a few seconds and then, thankfully, ran in front of the garage door as if she was trying to get back into the house! Hubby slowly walked toward her and gently picked her up and took her inside. Close call! And I have never used that horribly unsafe carrier since then. Nor will I advise anyone else to purchase one for their beloved pet!

So, Thursday afternoon I searched on-line and found another carrier very similar to our old one and made just as sturdy ...

 Petmate Sky Kennel Pet Carrier

 

 

These carriers are extremely good and last a long time. With five cats, we use our carriers pretty hard and our old one is still serving us well after all these years! LOVE THESE and would definitely recommend them to anyone!

This and That ...

Greetings, my dear friends and Happy Sunday to you!! Just a little update on our male cat, Leo. As you all know, our vet prescribed amitriptyline, a medication to help with his stress and aggression issues. This medication is not like volume and does not "knock the cat out" as in putting them to sleep so that you do not need to deal with their problems or anything of the like. They may; however, become a bit less playful and/or tad listless if over prescribed.

At first, Leo was "under prescribed" and so Dr. Heather upped his dosage from a half a pill a day to 1/2 in the morning and a whole at night before bed time.  So far, we have seen a huge improvement in his behavior. He is not picking on the other cats near as much as he had been and he is a happier kitty all around. And, quite frankly speaking, so are the rest of us! LOL!

Haley, Midnight and Lady Tabitha sharing a window view.

 

Mr. Midnight 'n' Kiki cuddling together on the couch.

 

 

That being said, here is this weeks' Sunday Cat Selection and another one of the cats' Disney favorites ... till next time!!!

 

"I Wanna Be Like You" ~ from Jungle Book

https://youtu.be/FOTZJ8EFgpk

For Leo's Sake

As some of you may already be aware, we had scheduled our youngest kitty, Leo, for an appointment with our family vet. After a long, in depth consultation with Dr. Hoy, she agreed to allow us to try giving him 10 mg of Amitripyline. Amitripyline is a prescription drug used by many vets to aid in calming down indoor cats who suffer from severe anxiety issues and/or excessive hyper-activity/aggression. Some cat guardians also use this medication when they must travel with their cats, thus reducing the kitty’s stress level.

 

 

Unlike some other prescription drugs for pets, this one takes time to build up in the animals system and therefore usually takes a few days or so to see any type of affect or improvement. At this time, we are instructed to give Leo a ½ a pill once per day. Since we are always home in the evenings, we have decided to begin giving him his dosage before bedtime as to get him on a set schedule. Though they are rare, there may be possible side effects to look out for such as vomiting, dry mouth, etc. I, personally, know of a few people who have given their cats this particular medication and their cats have had no problems or medical issues with it what-so-ever. I am told that the only thing about Amitripyline is that you must be sure to be diligent when administering it and not to miss even one days’ dosage. If you do, you must begin the cycle all over again as this medication takes time to accumulate in the cat’s system enough to actually help them. And, as with any medication, the dosage/mg is determined by the cat’s body weight and so on.

 

As I have said many times in the past, we always try the homeopathic methods first before even thinking about putting any of our cats on any type of medication unnecessarily. And, we are hoping that this option will only be a temporary solution in the long run. In the interim, we will still have his blood work checked periodically for as long as he is taking his medication in order to monitor his liver and kidney levels ~  just to be on the safe side.

 

In addition to the medication, our vet had also given us the links to some different website address we can utilize:

 

https://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats

http://doctorsophiayin.com

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/behavioral-medications-cats

 

 ... So far, so good.

Meet Sir Leo!

Happy Sunday everyone! We may have a new addition to our cat family and his name is Leo. One of many, he is a stray whom he have been feeding daily for about a month and a half now. 

He has been coming into the enclosed porch, which we have now turned into a catio, to eat on a nightly basis ... until last night. At around 1:15AM, hubby woke me up from my slumber to tell me that he had gotten Leo inside at last. Since we never allow our other cats to be exposed to any stray until they have been thoroughly examined by our vet at Eagle's Peak Animal Clinic, he is currently being held in our huge dog cage which fits a litter box, food, water, comfy blanket and even toys.

He is understandably scared, but very, very sweet! When hubby picked him up to bring him downstairs, he never even drew his claws, hissed, or tried to bite. He had a fresh wound above his right eye and so I cleaned it up with a cotton pad and some hydrogen peroxide. He also has a fairly large scab on the left side of his neck from what appears to have been a rather bad fight.  

We will get him into see our vet, weather permitting, this week. When I think of what this poor kitty must have been through, it makes me so sad and also relieved that we were finally able to rescue him from this winter's relentless bone-chilling cold temperatures and very harsh weather conditions. Now safe and sound in our home, here's to you, Leo. We pray you will check out fine and be a part of our family for a long, long time!

Our own little Cat Pharmacy ...

Two nights ago, we noticed a huge chuck of fur missing from the back of Tabitha's neck. We thought that it either fell out or was pulled out by one of our other cats while playing a bit too rough. We found her patch of fur on the bed with pieces of claw stuck in it. Her skin was bare, so hubby had rubbed a little fish oil on her neck in order to help her skin not get too dry. Unfortunately, this only served to make her lick at her bare spot even more and by the end of the night, her skin was red and irritated.

Worried that, among other things, her skin would develop an infection or worse, I called the vet the next morning and we took her to see Dr. Heather Westfall at Eagle's Peak Animal Clinic that evening. Dr. Heather examined the area where her fur was missing, and told us that this definitely was not due to a cat fight or rough play. Instead, she said that she believes it is the result of a type of skin disease which some cats tend to get sometimes, but she had to perform some further tests to know for sure. In the meantime, she clipped Tabitha's back claws so that she could not scratch at herself so much and she gave her an antibiotic injection called "convenia" which is a wonderful alternative to pills. The shot is effective for up to about two weeks' time.

 She also had us drop off a fecal sample to be analyzed. If her skin gets worse, she suggested steroids as the next step, or we could have a biopsy done as well. She said to see what happens after the convenia takes hold in her system and then we will go from there. We have been using our humidifier in the house as well in an attempt to help moisten the air which is so horribly dry this time of the year.

As for our other kitties, we decided that while we were at the vet, we would pick up something called "Dasuquin for Cats" for Mr. Midnight's arthritis. These are capsules made with all natural ingredients and formulated especially for a cat's biological make-up and metabolism.  The main ingredient is Glucosamine Hydrochloride which aids in cartilage production, while ASU also acts synergistically with glucosamine. The capsules come apart very easily and contain the powdered ingredients to be added and mixed in with your cats food. Mr. Midnight's is natural chicken and tuna flavored as well.

We also refilled Kiki's allergy medication, Hydroxyzine, which so far has been working rather well for her. 

                        (Mr. Midnight, hubby, Haley, & Kiki)

The Best of Both Worlds?

For as long as I can remember, cats and women have been pretty much synonymous. But, the truth is that with cats being the most popular pets in America, atleast half of those cat guardians are men.

Yup, according to an article in the latest issue of "Cat Fancy" Magazine written by published writer and Grammy-nominated musician Rick Allen, not only do men love cats too, but there are also a few benefits to having a male partner, friend or spouse who shares their life with cats. For example, men who love and adore cats are known to be "generally nicer guys" and have "higher IQ's." After all, if distinguished and well-respected men of history such as Albert Einstein could be devoted to his cat "Tiger" and Winston Churchill his beloved cat "Jock," then surely there must be something to this!

"I simply can't resist a cat, particularly a purring one. They are the cleanest, cunningest, and most intelligent things I know." ~ Mark Twain

Winter Pet Safety Tips!

With the winter months upon us, I always worry about the poor little critters out there who do not have a permanent home or loving family to look after them, most especially at this time of the year.  Of course, my personal feeling on the matter is IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, KEEP PETS LIVING INDOORS ALL YEAR ROUND!

However, I do realize that it is not always an option for some folks and so I have posted a few tips for those who either can not bring their pets inside, or are taking care of a stray but can not have them as pets themselves for some reason. Here is an article I found called, "Winter Weather Woes" and it lists tips to help ensure animals safety outdoors during the cold, life-threatening winter months:

1) Antifreeze (Ethylene Glycol)

Antifreeze is highly toxic - it is rapidly absorbed (initial signs appear approximately one hour post-ingestion), and there is a high mortality rate. Other sources of this deadly chemical are: heat exchange fluids (sometimes used in solar collectors), some brake and transmissions fluids as well as diethylene glycol used in color film processing.

Acute cases (within 12 hours of ingestion) often present as if the animal was intoxicated with alcohol: stumbling, vomiting and depression are common signs. The kidneys are most severely affected, and even if the animal seems to improve initially with treatment, they may succumb shortly after to kidney failure. The kidneys shut down, and the animal is unable to produce urine. This type of kidney failure usually happens 12-24 hours after ingestion in cats, and 36-72 hours post ingestion in dogs. Success of treatment is dependent upon quick treatment. If you suspect that your animal has come into contact with antifreeze, contact your veterinarian immediately.

2) Arthritis and Winter

Cold, damp weather aggravates arthritis in dogs and cats. Arthritis can appear in young pets, but is most common in the middle age and geriatric pets. A fracture can also make the bone susceptible to arthritis after the injury is healed. Overweight pets suffer from arthritis more than their normal-weight counterparts.
If your pet is having trouble getting up or laying down, navigating the stairs, or has started to snap or cry when picked up, a visit to the veterinarian is in order. Many new arthritis treatments are available, both natural and medicinal.
NEVER medicate your dog with human prescription or over-the-counter medications without consulting your veterinarian first! One Tylenol™ tablet can be fatal to a cat.

3) Outdoor Pets Need Shelter

I feel that if it is too cold outside for me, it is too cold for my dogs and cats. Some pets however, do live outside in wintry climates. Extra care must be taken to ensure your pet survives the low temperatures, wind chills, and moisture (rain, sleet, snow) of winter.
If your pet is housed outside, make sure that adequate shelter is provided -- to shield from wind, moisture, and cold. Position the shelter so the opening is not in the face of the prevailing winds. A drape or door also helps. Take extra care to ensure that your pet is comfortable and can get into and out of their housing easily.
Several pet and feed stores carry safe heated floor mats or non-electric warm bedding. Deeply bedded straw is another good insulator.
Do not use a heat lamp or other type of home heater - this is dangerous, and is the cause of many fires.

4) Pets need to have fresh water at all times

#1 Tip - Water: Make sure the water is not frozen during this time of year. Contrary to what some people think, animals do not know how to break the ice. (OK, some may have learned this trick, but they are in the minority). Heated pet bowls are a solution for frigid temperatures. These bowls are very handy to have during the cold winter months, and are available in stainless steel or plastic. You can find them at most pet supply vendors and feed stores.
#2 Tip - Caloric Intake: Pets that live outdoors may need additional food (calories) to sustain body temperature as well. Please check with your veterinarian to decide if your pet needs additional nutritional intake.

5) Staying Fit

As always, exercise is important. If there is snow on the ground, check your pet's paws for ice balls or injuries. Rinse feet off if your pet has walked where deicers have been used. Some deicers are toxic when ingested (when pet licks paws). If your pet is having difficulty exercising due to depth of snow, slick icy surfaces, or appears to be winded, shorten the usual exercise times and monitor for any unusual signs.

Top 6 Winter Items for Pets:

Heated Water Bowl

 Heated Pet Bed

Dog Sweaters and Jackets

Pet Boots

Pet ID Tags

Pet Safe Ice Melt and Antifreeze

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