Category Archive

© Pelaqita Persians Conjunctivitis is an inflammation or infection of the conjunctiva (the tissue lining the eyelids and attaching to the eyeball near the cornea). This area becomes irritated due to allergies induced by pollens, grasses, etc. or from infections caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi. If the white portion of the eye is also inflamed, this is sometimes referred … Read More

© Pelaqita Persians Authored By: ANIMAL EYE SPECIALISTS, INC. Matthew J. Chavkin, DVM, MS – Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists Tanja Nuhsbaum, DVM, MS – Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists What Is A Corneal Sequestrum? The condition is unique to cats and is characterized by an area of corneal degeneration with brown pigmentation. Are Certain Breeds More Likely … Read More

© Pelaqita Persians There are a variety of names that have been used to describe Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) in recent years. FLUTED is now most commonly called “Feline Idiopathic Cystitis” or “FIC”. “Cystitis” is a general term used to describe inflammation of the bladder. “Idiopathic” means the cause is unknown. FIC affects the cat’s bladder and sometimes … Read More

The article below was written by one of my kitten buyers who purchased two littermates in 2016. As it turned out, the male, Ellison, was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Up until Ellison, I had never heard of hip dysplasia in cats.  I did not know it was even a possibility in cats. When I wrote the article for last month’s … Read More

Authored By – ANIMAL EYE SPECIALISTS, INC. Matthew J. Chavkin, DVM, MS – Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists Tanja Nuhsbaum, DVM, MS – Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists What is the Feline Herpes Virus (FHV)? The feline herpes virus most commonly infects kittens and causes sneezing, ocular and nasal discharge, and a reluctance to eat and play. With good … Read More

© Adobe Stock Images Recently, I have heard from another breeder that several of their kittens or cats had tested FALSE-positive for FeLV/FIV using a “SNAP” test.  SNAP is a test that a veterinarian can perform “in-office” using a small amount of blood from the cat or kitten. However, these tests can produce “false-positive” results. Cause of False-Positive Result The … Read More

Moochi at four weeks old © Pelaqita Persians Feline upper respiratory infection is a condition that affects a cat’s sinuses, throat, and nose. It can be caused by a variety of different bacteria and viruses and is similar to the common cold in humans. However, cats do not “catch colds”. Viruses and bacteria associated with upper respiratory infection (“URI”) are … Read More

Gastrointestinal issues in cats and kittens can unexpectedly occur, usually because of a change in diet, stress, etc. A while back one of our kitten buyers sent me an email about their cat who had suddenly started vomiting. Outlined below is Ziggy’s story – Ziggy starting vomiting and vomited about 30 times between Wednesday evening and Friday morning with no … Read More

© Pelaqita Persians Feline Infectious Peritonitis commonly referred to as “FIP” is: a disease that is infectious but not contagious; has a 100% death rate; has no real diagnostic test to confirm FIP; and there is no effective treatment. What is FIP? The virus which causes FIP is “feline coronavirus” (FCoV). Feline coronavirus is very common among cats living in … Read More

© Pelaqita Persians Being a cat owner is a lot like being a parent. When our human children get sick or hurt oftentimes, we treat them at home with medications and other items we have on hand. The same can be said about treating our feline children. Nowadays, in most communities, there are 24-hour care veterinarian hospitals and emergency clinics. … Read More