Category: Ask The Vet

QUESTION:

My cat has fleas and I have tried a bunch of products to try to get rid of the problem.  Any suggestions?

ANSWER:

First, let’s briefly discuss the flea life cycle.  A single female flea can lay 20-40 eggs per day, and up to 2000 over her lifetime.  So when you see adult fleas, this is just the tip of the iceberg — roughly 5% of the problem!  The rest are eggs, which hatch into larva and then become pupa and finally an adult flea emerges.  When a flea bites your ankle, it has not jumped off your pet to do so.  Generally, the fleas on the pet are going to stay right where they are – on the perfect host.  The bite on your ankles is from the newly hatched flea, looking for a new dog or cat to jump on.

The eggs, larva, and pupa are usually found in highest concentrations in the areas where your pet spends most of its time (sleeping).  They prefer temperature in the range of 65-80 F and humidity of 75-85%.  The developing fleas often live in the carpet fibers of your floor, upholstery, pet beds, and other cracks and crevices in areas where your pet frequents.

In addition to being annoying to you and your pet, fleas can carry tapeworms, which commonly cause infections when the animal ingests fleas during self-grooming.

To get rid of the problem, you must break the life cycle at two points.  Kill the adult fleas (insecticide) and kill the eggs or larva (insect growth regulator or insecticide).  Currently the best products on the market for this are Advantage® (kills the adult fleas and larva),  Frontline Plus® (kills adult fleas and prevents eggs from hatching), Program® (prevents eggs from hatching), Capstar® (kills adult fleas), and Revolution® (kills adult fleas).   The most user-friendly topical products (Frontline Plus®, Advantage®, and Revolution®) tend to work for only about 3 weeks, and therefore need to be re-applied consistently every 3-4 weeks.  You should consult with your vet first before using these products more than once a month (“extra-label” use).

Save your money when it comes to over-the-counter flea collars, dips, powders, most sprays, and pyrethrin based spot-on products.  They just don’t work.  Fleas are very resistant to these products today.  The only exceptions are the insect growth regulator sprays, which do stop the flea eggs from hatching when used according to the label directions.

Advantage®, Revolution®, and Frontline® are vet products and are only guaranteed when purchased from a veterinarian.  There have been reports of counterfeit products and product failures in some instances when purchased from non-vet suppliers.

When undertaking proper flea control, every pet in the vicinity must be treated consistently, even if you don’t see fleas on every pet.  Remember, don’t stop treating when you are no longer seeing adult fleas – we still need to get rid of the eggs, larva and pupa.  Most premise infestations take 5-6 months of consistent treatment to control, and may require life-long measures if your pet goes outside.  In this part of California, fleas are a year-round problem.

 

If you have a veterinary question that you would like to propose for an upcoming edition, please send it to email@catandexoticcare.com with “ask the vet” in the subject line.

Max Conn, DVM is the owner of Cat & Exotic Care of the CentralCoast, a full service veterinary hospital dedicated to the special needs of cats, birds, reptiles and small mammals.  Cat & Exotic Care is located in PismoCoastPlaza, 565 Five Cities Drive, 805-773-0228.  More information can be found at www.catandexoticcare.com.

 

Disclaimer: The informational handouts and website links above are for informational purposes only, they are not intended to replace veterinary care.

QUESTION:

I recently moved to the area and have a dog and a cat.  I have heard a lot of people talking about foxtails.  What are they, and do I need to be concerned?

ANSWER:

Foxtails are the flower or head of a certain type of grass weed.  They primarily exist in western states, especially California, so if you moved from outside the state you probably have never come in contact with them.  Here they are widespread.  Once the weed matures and dries up, the tip which contains the seeds, breaks off and sticks like velcro to just about anything.  This is how the weed spreads.  The danger is that the foxtail has a sharp tip and tends to work its way into things in a one-way direction.   Due to this design it does not readily back up.  Think of it like a fish hook, with one way barbs, that allow it only to travel forwards.  This is bad news if it somehow gets stuck on your pet and works its way into an ear, eye, nasal opening (nare), or pretty much any other body opening.  In some cases they even work through the skin where their was no previous opening, especially between toes.  Probably the most dangerous scenario is when one is swallowed or inhaled and migrates into the chest or abdomen, bringing infection with it.

Prevention requires good weed control, keeping tall grass, weeds and brush cut down regularly and avoiding areas that are known to be populated with foxtails.  Do a good check over on your pet at least once a day and pull out any burs or foxtails that may be stuck in the fur.  Additionally, you can decrease the risk to your long furred pets by grooming them  in the summer.

Needless to say, if your pet is indoors only, it is not at risk.  Cats tend to get foxtails less often than dogs, and dogs that roam freely on property and rummage through tall grass and brush are most at risk.  Additionally, dogs that do a lot of sniffing of weeds and plants are at a higher risk of inhaling a foxtail.  Anytime your pet suffers from  skin swelling, constant sneezing, head shaking, or a swollen eye, you should have the problem checked out as soon as possible by your local veterinarian.  If a foxtail is present, the sooner it is removed the better the chances of an uncomplicated recovery.

 

If you have a veterinary question that you would like to propose for an upcoming edition, please send it to email@catandexoticcare.com with “ask the vet” in the subject line.

Max Conn, DVM is the owner of Cat & Exotic Care of the CentralCoast, a full service veterinary hospital dedicated to the special needs of cats, birds, reptiles and small mammals.  Cat & Exotic Care is located in PismoCoastPlaza, 565 Five Cities Drive, 805-773-0228.  More information can be found at www.catandexoticcare.com.

 

Disclaimer: The informational handouts and website links above are for informational purposes only, they are not intended to replace veterinary care.

QUESTION:

My cat is shedding like crazy and I have been seeing a lot more fur-balls.  Is there anything I can do to help my cat?

ANSWER:

I wish I had a perfect solution to these related problems.

The short answer to the shedding problem is: brush more, bathe more and use a high quality diet that has balanced omega three and six fatty acids for healthy skin (you will find this in such brands as Purina ProPlan, Iams, and Science Diet).  For long-furred cats, I recommend grooming (Lion Clip) during warm weather to cut down on extra fur waste.

There are several commercial nutritional supplement “secret formula” products that claim to help cut down on shedding.   One such product is Shed Stop.  Although there is no scientific evidence to support the manufacturers’ claims that the products actually decrease shedding, the use of these products is probably safe, as the primary ingredients are fatty acids (mostly omega 3 and 6).

The measures that you take to decrease shedding will also help with the fur-ball problem. Additionally, a good maintenance regimen should include the use of a fur-ball remedy once to twice a week to prevent fur accumulation in the stomach and esophagus and subsequent irritation leading to regurgitation and vomiting.  Fur-ball remedies such as Laxatone and Catlax act as lubricants to help the wad of fur pass through the digestive system.  Many of the high quality foods on the market today have similar products built-in for your convenience.  If you are giving your cat one of these types of food as its sole diet, you would not likely need to use a fur-ball remedy as well.  Some treats are even marketed as anti-fur-ball; however, I do not believe there is sufficient active ingredients consumed in the average treat to be adequate to get the job done without additional supplementation.

 

If you have a veterinary question that you would like to propose for an upcoming edition, please send it to email@catandexoticcare.com with “ask the vet” in the subject line.

Max Conn, DVM is the owner of Cat & Exotic Care of the CentralCoast, a full service veterinary hospital dedicated to the special needs of cats, birds, reptiles and small mammals.  Cat & Exotic Care is located in PismoCoastPlaza, 565 Five Cities Drive, 805-773-0228.  More information can be found at www.catandexoticcare.com.

 

Disclaimer: The informational handouts and website links above are for informational purposes only, they are not intended to replace veterinary care.

QUESTION:

My cat is urinating all over the house.  What should I do?

ANSWER:

Far too often cats are abandoned or given up to local humane organizations or adopted from family to family for problems such as this.  You are not alone!  Unfortunately there is not only one cause for this symptom.  To have the best chance at curing or managing this frustrating condition we first have to determine if there is a medical underlying cause or if it is strictly a behavioral problem.  The starting point should be a visit with your vet for a thorough history, physical exam, and urine test.  With this information, your vet can help you decide if the problem is caused by illness or just inappropriate elimination.  Medical causes are numerous (bacterial infection, inflammatory condition, bladder stones, crystals, etc) and each cause is treated differently.

If the problem is behavioral, determining the most likely cause for the behavior is necessary to set up a treatment plan.  These causes include location preferences or avoidance (such as having to cross the path of another household cat or pet, or having to go up stairs for an older cat with arthritis, etc.), a litter box substrate preference (prefers litter deeper/shallower, different litter type, not cleaned thoroughly or often enough, covered/uncovered, etc), or in the case of an un-spayed pet, hormonal stimulation.  If your pet is un-spayed, correct this immediately with surgery.

If you pet has a location preference, put a litter box in the area that it is soiling. (Even if it is on your guest bedroom’s bed!)  Once the box is being used you can inch it back to a desirable location at a rate of 1-2 inches per day.  It is important with any behavioral disorder to use a high quality effective odor eliminator and thoroughly remove the urine scent from the soiled area(s).  If the area is repeatedly marked, consider covering the site with plastic or placing a litter box or, alternatively, the food bowls in that area.

Because cats are not “pack” animals, some stress whether outwardly apparent or not is typically present in most multiple cat households.  Providing plenty of litter box opportunities will help decrease the odds that one of your cats will decide to eliminate inappropriately.  In other words, a good rule of thumb is to provide one more litter box per cat.

There are many other tools to help entice a pet to use the litter box (special cat attracting litters, pheromone sprays to decrease inter-cat anxiety, automatic self-scooping litter boxes).  Sadly, inappropriate elimination is one of the leading causes for healthy cat euthanasia in the U.S.  Cats that are shuffled from one owner to another are likely to have more anxiety and the problem usually gets.  The best solution is to try the above approaches, work closely with your veterinarian, be willing to modify or tailor your plan, and be patient.  Your little friend is not urinating out of the box to make you angry, but being angry at him/her is more likely to add to the anxiety and cause repeated offenses.

 

If you have a veterinary question that you would like to propose for an upcoming edition, please send it to email@catandexoticcare.com with “ask the vet” in the subject line.

Max Conn, DVM is the owner of Cat & Exotic Care of the CentralCoast, a full service veterinary hospital dedicated to the special needs of cats, birds, reptiles and small mammals.  Cat & Exotic Care is located in PismoCoastPlaza, 565 Five Cities Drive, 805-773-0228.  More information can be found at www.catandexoticcare.com.

 

Disclaimer: The informational handouts and website links above are for informational purposes only, they are not intended to replace veterinary care.

QUESTION:

My bird injured his wing and it bled a lot.  Do I need to bring the bird in or is there something I can do at home?

ANSWER:

There are several reasons why a bird’s wing may bleed: (1) a bleeding mass or tumor; (2) trauma to the wing (of any kind, but commonly because the cage is too small and the bird is banging its wings on the cage); (3) a clotting disorder from congenital causes or toxicity; (4) or even an advanced skin infection.  This article will focus on the most common cause of a bleeding wing — damage to an emerging feather.

When a bird is molting or replacing old feathers, the new emerging feathers have a well developed blood supply.  At this stage we say that the feathers are “in blood” or are “blood feathers”.  Once the feather is fully developed the blood supply regresses and the feather eventually becomes similar to a human’s hair (dead material that can be trimmed).  This is the stage at which you can trim your bird’s wings to prevent it from being able to gain elevation (this is a topic for another article as there are good and bad ways to trim the feathers).  While the feathers are in blood they are more prone to injury and, if damaged, can bleed quite heavily.  In fact, if a blood feather is accidentally trimmed or badly injured it could even lead to serious amounts of blood loss.

When a blood feather is actively bleeding the bird should be restrained and direct pressure should be applied to the bleeding site for several minutes.  If a clotting powder (styptic) is available, it should be applied to the site prior to direct pressure.  Alternatively, a blood feather can be pulled (in its entirety) from the wing to hasten clotting.  There is some risk in fracturing the wing if this procedure is done carelessly, so I recommend that all bird owners be trained by an avian veterinarian in the proper technique.  In addition, sometimes the follicle will bleed briefly after feather removal, so direct pressure and styptic powder may still be necessary.

Anytime a bird has lost a significant amount of blood (more than a few drops) it should be examined be an avian veterinarian to ensure that it is stable and does not require further treatments.

 

If you have a veterinary question that you would like to propose for an upcoming edition, please send it to email@catandexoticcare.com with “ask the vet” in the subject line.

Max Conn, DVM is the owner of Cat & Exotic Care of the CentralCoast, a full service veterinary hospital dedicated to the special needs of cats, birds, reptiles and small mammals.  Cat & Exotic Care is located in PismoCoastPlaza, 565 Five Cities Drive, 805-773-0228.  More information can be found at www.catandexoticcare.com.

 

Disclaimer: The informational handouts and website links above are for informational purposes only, they are not intended to replace veterinary care.

QUESTION:

My 18 year old male cockatoo recently starter feather picking and now has several bald areas.  Is this a behavioral problem and what can I do about it?

ANSWER:

Feather picking or over-preening of the feathers to the point of feather destruction and plucking is a common and frustrating disorder in many parrot species.  In particular, many cockatoo species, African grey’s, love birds, and cockatiels are over represented.

There are many medical and behavioral considerations as underlying causes.  We can help many, perhaps even 70% of the birds that pick, but the journey to achieve this is sometimes frustrating, time consuming, and expensive.   In general, a full medical work-up is needed to eliminate the possibility of a medical underlying cause.  This is not a simple task, as some conditions will not show up on routine lab testing.  If a medical condition exists, behavioral therapy alone is doomed to fail.  Only after all medical causes have been ruled out or eliminated can we truly diagnose behavioral feather picking (which by itself has many factors and causes).  In many instances, even if the underlying cause is determined, a complete cure may be impossible

Medical causes of feather picking include: Toxins, other skin irritants, infectious diseases, allergies, hormonal disorders, reproductive disorders, parasites, nutritional deficiencies, metabolic disease (organ diseases), tumors/masses, and skeletal disease.

Common behavioral causes include: anxiety/stress (from humans or other pets), separation anxiety, over bonding with one person/jealousy, boredom/attention seeking behaviors, and fear/phobias

It is the job of your avian vet to sift through the medical and behavioral causes, form a diagnosis, and properly formulate a treatment plan that may include medical therapies as well as behavioral “homework” for you to initiate at home.  The time and dedication often required to manage this syndrome takes a very dedicated owner.  Unfortunately many avian sanctuaries and bird-friendly humane societies end up with many of these pets, or they are bumped from one home to another, all of which can compound the behavioral aspects of the problem.

If you have a veterinary question that you would like to propose for an upcoming edition, please send it to email@catandexoticcare.com with “ask the vet” in the subject line.

 

Disclaimer: The informational handouts and website links above are for informational purposes only, they are not intended to replace veterinary care.

With the Fourth of July upon us, what is your recommendation for managing my anxious dog while the fireworks are going off?

The noise pollution that accompanies this holiday can be tough on several species of pets, especially some dogs.  You may have witnessed the following behaviors from your pet during fireworks: trembling, shaking, bulging eyes, pacing, etc.  It is a very sad sight, and often the poor pooch is inconsolable.

Here are some suggestions for making any anticipated noisy event more tolerable for your pet:

BE CALM

Make sure you are acting calm yourself.  Dogs will often feed off of your emotional state.  If you act calm and talk calmly to your dog you will reinforce the fact that the situation does not call for alarm.

PRAISE AND REASSURANCE

Make negative experiences (fireworks, thunderstorms, etc) a positive experience by reinforcing with tasty treats and lots of praise and reassurance.  This works best when started as a puppy, but can sometimes work even if your dog is already an adult.

PROGRESSIVE DESENSITIZATION

Expose your pet to recordings of thunder or fireworks (or any other noise that triggers a stress response) and start at a volume that is below your dog’s fear threshold.  Over the following day to weeks, slowly increase the volume.  Use the first two tips listed above for positive reinforcement.  This is a lengthy process and needs to be done well in advance of the stressful situation.  It takes careful planning and monitoring in order to work properly.  A veterinary behaviorist can work with you to come up with a plan that is tailored to your pet.

APPLY PRESSURE TO NOSE BRIDGE

Applying pressure on the bridge of a dog’s nose and/or behind their ears can simulate what a female dog does to her puppies to calm them down.  This can be most easily mimicked using a head collar called the “Gentle Leader.”  It fits around the nose and behind the ears.  This collar was designed to be used as a training collar, but it can be of benefit as a comforting device for some dogs during storms or fireworks.

SECURE PET AREA

Provide a hiding area near your pet’s favorite sleeping area.  An unzipped sleeping bag works well by providing a place to burrow and hide.  If the sleeping bag has your scent, it will likely provide even more comfort.

Keep your pet indoors in the quietest, most sound-proof area of the house.  Ensure that the room is injury-proofed and chew-proofed.  Close the curtains and windows to muffle the sounds.  Turning on a TV or radio may also help to cover fear-inducing noises.  Alternatively, consider boarding your pet at a kennel, away from the main commotion.

Finally, consult with a veterinarian about potential medical options to calm your pet.

All of these tips need to planned and employed before the stressful event occurs.  It is much easier to prevent stress than to resolve it once your pet is already wound up.

If you have a veterinary question that you would like to propose for an upcoming edition, please send it to email@catandexoticcare.com with “ask the vet” in the subject line.

Max Conn, DVM is the owner of Cat & Exotic Care of the Central Coast, a full-service veterinary hospital dedicated to the special needs of cats, birds, reptiles and small mammals.  Cat & Exotic Care is located in Pismo Coast Plaza, 565 Five Cities Drive, 805-773-0228.  More information can be found at www.catandexoticcare.com.

Disclaimer: The informational handouts and website links above are for informational purposes only, they are not intended to replace veterinary care.

QUESTION:

I have a 2 year old African Gray Parrot.  I primarily feed it seed but a friend recommended that I try a homemade diet.  What do you recommend?

ANSWER:

Parrot nutrition can be complicated because each parrot type is a different species.  This means that a Congo African Gray and a Blue and Gold Macaw are as different as a dog and a cat.  The list of popular pet bird species is huge!  Although different types of parrots have different nutritional requirements, as a general rule the nutrition found in most high-quality pelleted diets is much more complete and healthy than what is found in a seed diet, seed mix diet, average table food diet, or even a homemade diet.  Manufacturers of high quality formulated diets have taken the most current information on parrot nutritional requirements and designed products that have all of the necessary nutrients blended into each pellet.

A homemade diet is typically inferior because it is nearly impossible to get all of the correct nutrients together, much less have the bird eat the correct proportions of each.  When you give a parrot choices most will go for the sweet and/or high-fat items first.  If offered, seeds are usually devoured while other items (including pellets) are pushed to the side or thrown on the ground.  When pellets are offered exclusively, no matter which pellet is selected and consumed (i.e. the green one vs. the red one), each has complete nutrition.

Seeds are deficient in many vitamins, vitamin precursors, minerals, trace minerals, pigments, amino acids (proteins), fiber, and omega 3 fatty acids.  Feeding your bird a high seed diet is like feeding your child McDonalds’ food every day.  As a consequence many parrots will eventually become ill or run down (and there are many manifestations of this).  Simply adding healthy foods to a seed diet is not enough to make up for the poor nutrition.

I recommend feeding most parrots (and there are exceptions) a high-quality pelleted diet for 75-80% of the bird’s intake, with the remainder consisting of healthy vegetables and, to a lesser extent, healthy fruits.

So now the difficult part– converting your bird to pellets.  Conversion can be stressful and should be handled very carefully, ideally under the supervision of a veterinarian.  For more detailed information on parrot nutrition and tips for safe conversion go to www.catandexoticcare.com, select the references tab and see the downloadable handouts: “parrot nutrition” and “converting your bird to a healthier pelleted diet” under the avian heading.

 

Disclaimer: The informational handouts and website links above are for informational purposes only, they are not intended to replace veterinary care.

QUESTION:

My cat loves to eat grass.  Is there any dietary deficiency that would cause this?  Is it good for her?  She usually vomits shortly afterwards.

ANSWER:

This is a loaded question!  People have been trying it out for years.

First let me summarize some of the popular but largely fictional theories:

1. Cats crave grass because it has certain nutrients that they are not getting from their meat-based commercially prepared diets.  False.
2. Grass contains digestive aids.  False.
3. Cats like the way it tastes.  True for many cats.
4. Grass helps cats purge fur-balls.  It certainly will help cause vomiting, which may in turn purge a fur-ball.  There is a risk, however, that the fur-ball could become lodged in the esophagus on the way out, creating a medical emergency.  This is pretty rare though.
5. Grass helps a cat to vomit when it has eaten something bad.  It will help a cat vomit.
6. In the wild cats eat herbivorous prey (the prey eat mostly grass and other vegetable matter).  The cat often eats the digestive tract of the prey first, which contains the vegetable matter, so in a domesticated situation they still have this craving.  This sounds logical, but is unproven.

The facts are:

1. Many cats seem to like the taste of grass, and will eat it for pleasure.
2. Cats do not have a dietary need for grass.  A cat can live a perfectly healthy  life without ever touching a blade of grass!
3. Grass eating often leads to vomiting.  Many otherwise healthy cats will chose to eat grass but later pay the price.  This is not a benefit for these cats.
4. Some cats with pre-existing stomach or intestinal inflammation or infection seek out grass to self-induce vomiting.  It is difficult to know for sure if this is of any benefit.  In medicine we typically only induce vomiting if certain particular toxins are ingested, in order to reduce the amount of toxin that is absorbed.
5. Vomiting in any species is not a pleasant act.  If grass ingestion causes your pet to vomit unnecessarily, I recommend that you prevent it.  Yes, I am aware that many stores market grass for cats!  This does not validate its use.  Remember, many companies will market a product if it generates money, regardless of whether the product is beneficial or even detrimental.  This is true in all walks of life.
6. Many herbicides used on or around grass are toxic.
7. Occasionally a cat will inhale a piece of grass that will then become lodged in the sinuses, or get a blade trapped in the back of their mouth.  Both will necessitate removal under anesthesia.

If you have a veterinary question that you would like to propose for an upcoming edition, please send it to email@catandexoticcare.com with “ask the vet” in the subject line.

 

Disclaimer: The informational handouts and website links above are for informational purposes only, they are not intended to replace veterinary care.

The holiday season can be a stressful time for a cat.  Here are some tips to keep your feline friend(s) safe and happy:

• Provide solitude.  Visitors and their accompanying noise and traffic can be very stressful to your cat.  Allow your cat access to her favorite place, free from the holiday hubbub, so she can retreat and relax. This is especially important if your cat will be around unfamiliar young kids.  Also, be aware that guests may not be as careful as you at keeping doors and gates closed, so make sure your cat is carefully secured within the house or yard.
• Keep poisonous and dangerous plants away.  Seasonal toxic plants include mistletoe, poinsettias, holly, many types of lilies, pine boughs, and even the water that leaches from your Christmas trees.  Ingested pine needles can cause digestive tract blockage and irritation.  Keeping your pets away from these plants might just save you a trip to the pet emergency clinic.  Additionally, your Christmas tree should be well anchored so that it doesn’t get knocked down, possibly resulting in your cat getting injured or tangled up.
• Many holiday decorations can be enticing to your pet and become problematic when swallowed.  Cats are particularly drawn to ribbons, bows, and tinsel.  If you must use ribbons, avoid types that are long and/or contain wire.  Place tinsel high enough on your tree to prevent your cat from reaching it.  Light cords, when chewed or frayed, can cause severe burns or electrocution.  Similarly, candles can be dangerous and may pose a fire hazard (we have all seen one or two cats with singed whiskers).  Prevent these disasters by keeping decorations out of reach or locked in an inaccessible room.
• Make holiday trips safe and prepare for them well in advance.  Take special precautions when traveling with your cat.  Several days before departing, consult with your veterinarian about how to properly prepare for the type of trip you are planning to make it as easy as possible for your kitty.
• Table scraps aren’t pet snacks. Many holiday foods are loaded with fat and sodium and can cause stomach upset.  Too much rich food can cause serious inflammation of the pancreas and digestive tract, which may be life-threatening.  Table scraps and sweets are commonly ingested by pets and in many cases can lead to an upset stomach or worse.  Remember, chocolate (particularly dark chocolate) is toxic to pets.  It contains theobromine, a potent cardiovascular and central nervous system stimulant that is eliminated very slowly in cats.  Stay disciplined in keeping your cat on its normal maintenance diet.
• For an easy bake cat treat, use your cat’s favorite dry kibble and grind it into flour using a blender.  Add enough water until it is the consistency of dough.  Cut the dough into cookie shapes and bake on a cookie sheet for approximately 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Hopefully a quick review of these items will keep your cat or cats safe and happy for the holiday season.  Happy holidays from the doctors and staff at Cat and Exotic Care!

Max Conn, DVM is the owner of Cat & Exotic Care of the Central Coast, a full-service veterinary hospital dedicated to the special needs of cats, birds, reptiles and small mammals.  Cat & Exotic Care is located in Pismo Coast Plaza, 565 Five Cities Drive, 773-0228, and is open from 8-5:30 Monday through Saturday.  More information can be found at www.catandexoticcare.com.

If you have a veterinary question that you would like to propose for an upcoming edition, please send it to email@catandexoticcare.com with “ask the vet” in the subject line.

 

Disclaimer: The informational handouts and website links above are for informational purposes only, they are not intended to replace veterinary care.