Library
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Enzymes are involved in speeding up biochemical reactions (acting as catalysts) involved in virtually every function in the body, from digestion to tissue repair, and from hormone function to energy production. Vets may prescribe enzymes when they feel a particular body process needs to be supported.
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Disinfection is the selective elimination of certain undesirable micro-organisms in order to prevent their transmission. In terms of the home with pet cats, disinfection is necessary to prevent the spread of infectious diseases from one cat to another, or, in a few cases, to humans.
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Systematic desensitisation is a behavioural modification method used to reduce an animal's emotional response to a given object or situation.
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Infections of the external ear canal (outer ear) by bacteria or yeast are common in dogs but not very common in cats. This type of infection is called otitis externa. A cat with an ear infection is uncomfortable and its ear canals are sensitive. The vet may examine the ear canal with an otoscope. The results of the otoscopic examination and cytology tell the vet what to do.
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Herbal remedies made from the Echinacea plant are very popular and used to support the immune system. It is advisable to use a blend of Echinacea, containing E. purpurea herb and E. angustifolia root since the combination improves availability of the important active ingredients.
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The herb Ephedra, known in Chinese medicine as Ma Huang, comes from the plant species Ephedra sinica and Ephedra equisetina.
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Euthanasia allows your cat to die in peace with dignity and without further suffering. It can be a very hard decision to make but it is one of the kindest things that an owner can do for a suffering cat.
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Eyebright (Euphrasia rostkoviana formerly officinalis) has been used for centuries for the treatment of conjunctivitis and mild eye irritation in people, hence the name. It has mild antimicrobial (antiseptic), anti-inflammatory and astringent (tightening) properties.
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Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) is a potentially life threatening viral infection of cats. Fortunately because of attempts to control transmission and with the availability of good vaccines to protect against FeLV, the disease is much less common. As its name implies, FeLV is able to cause neoplasia (cancer) of the white blood cells (leukaemia), but in addition the virus may also cause the development of solid tumours (lymphomas) at various sites in the body. There is currently no specific treatment for FeLV infected cats (i.e., no treatment that is able to eliminate the virus from the body).
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Ultrasound consists of very high-pitched sound waves. Humans hear up to 20 thousand hertz (vibrations/second), whereas the ultrasound frequencies that we use in cats are usually around 7-10 million hertz.
