10 signs your pet is healthy

Knowing what is normal for your pet and making note of their ideal weight, how much they normally eat or drink can prove helpful in identifying issues sooner rather than later. Use this quick 10 point checklist to make a note of your pets health status today. 

1. Their eyes are clear and bright – some pets may be prone to getting ‘crusty’ eyes. Just make sure you wipe these clean regularly.
2. Their coat should be shiny and clean. A dull coat can be a sign of health issues.
3. Their ears should be clean and wax-free.
4. Their nose should be clean and free of discharge.
5. Your pet’s breath may not always be delightful. However, their mouths should be clean and free of plaque or tartar, with salmon pink gums.
6. They should be alert, responsive and active.
7. Their breathing should be easy, with no rasps, coughs or sneezes.
8. Their eating habits and weight are stable. ( See: how to see if my pet is too thin or overweight?)
9. They are drinking as normal. (See: how much should my pet be drinking? )
10. They have no difficulty going to the toilet, (urinating and defecting) and there is no diarrhoea, constipation and they do not strain to wee. 

Please contact your local vet if you suspect your pet is unwell, here is a link to a really useful online pet symptom checker tool. 

How to become a pet size-o-meter guru

It is estimated that up to 45% of all pets are either overweight or obese, yet when surveyed two in three people believe their pet is the correct weight. In another study owners were asked to identify an image of a healthy pet, this proved quite difficult for some, with 36% of cat owners picking an image of an overweight cat! 

How do I tell if my pet is overweight? 

The best way is to make a visual assessment and use a scale known as the Body Condition Score (BCS) or more recently as the Size-O-Meter. This takes into consideration the physical shape of your pet. The scale runs from 1-5. 1 is too thin, 5 is too fat and 3 is just right! Perfecto!

How to assess your pet 

Run your hands down your pet’s side – can you feel the indentation of their ribs, spine and waist under a thin layer of fat? You should also be able to visually see a defined waist if you look down at your pet from above. Some breeds like Greyhounds should be more defined in their shape and have a higher waist, with breeds like Staffordshire Bull terriers being a bit broader. Either way you should still only have a thin layer of fat. A deposit of fat at the base of the tail is also a tell-tale sign that your pet may be carrying some extra weight. Unfortunately, some breeds, like Labradors, Cocker Spaniels and Rottweilers, are more prone to putting on weight. 

It might be a little more difficult if you have a long haired cat to really gauge from looking alone, flatten their hair down as you run your hands along their body and feel for a defined shape. As a general rule when you look from above they should have a figure of eight/ hourglass figure….. no your cat does not have a genetically small head, unfortunately he’s overweight. 







What are the long term implications of my pet being overweight? 

Being overweight seriously affects your pet’s quality of life. It can lead to health problems and a reduced life span, with experts estimating your pet’s life expectancy can be reduced by 2 years. Apart from a reduced active life, overweight pets are also more at risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and arthritis, each condition coming with a myriad of other problems. I have found that overweight pets are also more prone to behavioural issues (usually linked to a lack of exercise and being bored through lack of mental stimulation) and often have cancers undiagnosed as their owners simply didn’t see any growth as their pet’s chunky shape made it difficult to notice and abnormalities.

Become a pet Size-O-Meter guru and asses your pet's shape today, do let me know what score they get.

Find out more : What food should I feed my overweight pet.

Download a large version of the DOG SIZE-O-METER, CAT SIZE-O-METER - produced by the PFMA.
With pet obesity on the rise and the associated health risks, being able to identify an overweight pet is an important skill for pet owners.

Worm your cat whilst keeping your fingers

Anyone with a cat will know the pain of trying to convince your feline friend to take a tablet. Even if you do manage to get a sneaky pill into your kitty's mouth; normally after you have mastered to art of towel swaddling, the delightful souls can often spit them out. Sometimes there is no alternative and a tablet is the only way of getting a certain medication into your cat's system, but it's always best to check. Luckily manufacturers have had the common sense to know that routine worming shouldn't be a struggle and now there are several alternatives that I shall talk about. 

All of the products listed below are known as POMVs ( Prescription Only Medications Veterinary surgeon). You may obtain prescription only medicines category V from your veterinary surgeon or from another veterinary practice or a pharmacy. Your veterinary surgeon however, can only prescribe POMVs for animals under his or her care. This means that they must have physically examine the animal in the last 12 months. Most vets do not charge for a worming or flea prescription check as long as you buy the product from them. Alternatively you can get your vet to write a prescription should you wish to purchase the product online for example. Vets are not permitted to advertise the sale of these products, which can be quite frustrating as they tend to be the strongest and most scientifically proven products. As I'm not regulated by such rules and I only want talk about products I would recommend to a friend, let's go ahead and discuss each one.

Spot on's 

Yes you can get spot on worm treatments too! Personally I find these pretty simple to use and can dab on and then run for cover. Most of the products are absorbed pretty quickly, however if your cat does decide to rub a bit off, the good news is they are just treating their environment too! ( Disclaimer here: Some of the products could potentially mark soft furnishing and leather products... always read the label). It is important to know the weight of your cat and it's age as all the products come in weight categories. Worming of kittens and pregnant queens is a different issue. This article focus on adult cats only. 

Wormer only spot on 

You might be using the wonderful Setesto collar ( I shall be talking about this more and will add a link to my article shortly.) for flea and tick prevention and just need to treat your cat for worms. If this is the case you could use Bayers Profender spot on, it contains exactly the same parasite punching ingredients as the over the counter Drontal tablets but unfortunately it is only available via your vet. I am not really sure why?

Flea, Tick and Wormer all in one

 

Yes it sounds too good to be true, but it does exist. Made by Merial, Broadline is a pretty brand new product and is only available for cats. Personally this is my favourite product out of all of them, its simple and contains just enough anti-parasite protection. They also make Frontline which treats for fleas and ticks only. 

Fleas, Wormer, Demodex and Sarcoptic Mange and ear mites all in one

This product certainly pulls out all the stops. Some cats might not feel the threat of ticks, but are susceptible to the dark black ear parasites Otodectes known as ear mites or have the itchy and sore skin parasites...the contagious mange mites. If this is the case then Bayer's Advocate is the product for your cat.  

WARNING 

Cats are extremely sensitive to a chemical known as permethrin which is present in some dog products.  

Never use a parasite treatment intended for dogs.  

Permethrin cases the cat's central nervous system to go awal, they have terrible seizures and either die or have to be euthanised.  Learn more about permethrin poisoning in cats.   

How to clean up cat urine

There are a number of reasons why your cat might have messed in the house and we shall go into the reasons in another article, your main concern now is to clear it up! Once a cat has used a particular spot it tends to mean they are likely to use that area again as their toilet, so whilst clearing it up you need to stop them using this spot again. 

The recommended cleaning process

• Wipe up/blot out the urine from the area
• Wash the area with a 10% solution of biological washing powder (warm water), try not to oversaturate fabric 
• Rinse the area with cold water and allow the area to dry 
• Once dry, spray the area (use a mister style spray bottle) with surgical spirit, scrub gently and leave to evaporate. You may want to test a small area first as it may discolour fabrics
• Alternatively, use Feliway in place of the surgical spirit 
• Placing a food bowl with a small amount of their dry kibble in is normally helpful (no animal likes to toilet where there's food) 

Carpet is extremely absorbent and urine often penetrates the full thickness of the pile to the flooring underneath. Unfortunately if the area is continuously soiled with urine it may be necessary to cut out the section of carpet and underlay and meaning you need to treat the concrete or floorboards underneath before replacing.

Why should I not use everyday cleaning products?

Cats have a very sensitive nose and could interpret your cleaning product as the marking of a rival cat. The smell could cause your cat to be even more determined to mark that area again!  

What other products could I use?

There are specialist enzymatic cleaners, these can help remove stains and the odour. As many animal shelters, vets etc do not have bio washing powder (to prevent skin allergies/ condition in pets) the main product I have used is Pet Care's Stainaway. 

What is Feliway?

This product is based on a cat's natural pheromone, that they leave when they are feeling contented and comfortable. You'll notice your cat rubbing it's nose against you and the sofa and the chair legs for example, well he is marking his odour onto these objects and you. By spraying or release this pheromone into the environment you can help improve your cat's feeling of wellbeing. This can be useful in a variety of situations that are considered stressful from a cat's point of view.