Just imagine if your feline friend developed a cat urinary blockage. This condition is aserious complication of feline lower urinary tract disease, also known as FLUTD. It’s often caused by cat bladder stones blocking the urethra so your male cat can’t pass any urine.

Why Does This Happen To Male Cats?

A cat blockage is rarely seen in female cats. This is because the urethra in females is much shorter and broader than it is in males. Although this puts females at greater risk for cat bladder infections, this does protect them somewhat from a feline urinary blockage.

Because male cats have a much smaller urinary opening than females do, it doesn’t take a very big feline bladder stone to cause urinary blockage in cats.

How Your Vet Treats A Urinary Blockage In Cats.

If your cat is unable to pass any urine, or can pass very little, this is an emergency. Your cat’s kidneys stop functioning when the urine has no place to go, which allows toxins to build up in the body very quickly. This toxin build-up causes death within a few days if it’s not treated.

Your vet will insert a catheter to allow the urine to drain out of the bladder. Your cat will probably need to stay at the animal hospital for a few days, as the catheter may be stitched in place. Treatment may include flushing the bladder with fluids to wash out any bladder stones that are present.

Your cat will be given fluids, either by IV or under the skin, to prevent dehydration. He’ll also be assessed for any problems related to the toxic build-up in his system.

Most cats can go home after a few days. But you’ll need to feed your cat a special diet for the rest of his life to prevent bladder stones from forming again.

What If The Blockage Happens Again?

If your cat continues to have problems with a cat urinary blockage, surgery may be the next step. This operation, called a feline perineal urethrostomy, enlarges your cat’s urinary opening to prevent blockages from recurring.

This operation only prevents cat blockage, not FLUTD. A cat who has had this operation is more likely to develop feline bladder infection and bladder stones. He should have urine cultures done three or four times a year to be sure he’s not suffering from a feline lower urinary tract infection.

Prevent Cat Bladder Stones

You can nip this problem in the bud by preventing cat bladder stones in the first place. Cats with very concentrated urine are more prone to developing stones.

The key is to feed your cat canned food instead of dry. Cats are meant to get most of their water from the food they eat. A high quality canned food has a moisture content closer to what a cat in the wild would eat. A cat who is always fed dry food is probably chronically dehydrated.

Be sure your cat always has access to plenty of clean, fresh drinking water.

Herbal and homeopathic remedies for cats are now available. These remedies are especially formulated to treat and prevent cat urinary problems. It’s essential to purchase these safe, effective remedies from a well-known company with a great reputation for manufacturing the highest quality pet products.

Now that you have this information, you can take steps to protect your kitty from ever experiencing a cat urinary blockage.

By: Darlene Norris

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com  

Darlene Norris has combined her long-time interest in natural healing with her experience working at a vet clinic to bring you her new website, Natural Pet Urinary Health. Here you can discover how herbal and homeopathic remedies can help prevent and treat feline bladder infection that can lead to urinary blockage in cats. Find the best place to buy these remedies at naturalpeturinaryhealth.com

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Holistic Dog Health Strategies

Holistic dog health care - a more rounded approach to health care for dogs.

Holistic dog health care is becoming a natural way for pet owners to ensure that their beloved dogs are at their healthiest, living long, happy lives well into old age.

Nutritional needs are perhaps the most important aspect to consider when it comes to a dog’s health, as theirs are somewhat different from ours and will require a certain balance of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to ensure everything from the digestive systems to the bones, joints, and organs as well as the skin and coat are as healthy as possible. A diet of meat, vegetables, and whole grains without any processed foods or unnecessary fillers is usually recommended when following the holistic approach to dog care.

Using a variety of essential oils, plant extracts, herbs and flowering essences, people have treated numerous ailments and conditions over the past thousands of years. As of recently, these ancient healing practices have found their way into pet care and are now becoming increasingly popular as more and more dog owners are looking for safer, healthier, and less invasive alternatives to treating their pets.

Some plants commonly used for treating ailments in dogs include calendula and chamomile. Both help heal wounds, and chamomile is also helpful in treating respiratory issues too.To help your dog to recover from constipation or bowel disorders, you can try crushed flaxseed mixed with lot of water. For dry, itchy skin, oats are as soothing to a dog’s skin as they are to a human’s, and if your pup is having trouble sleeping, smelling some lavender may help them to relax and finally fall soundly asleep.

Be sure to do your homework before using any herbal concoctions on your dog. Some herbs and flowers can be harmful or even toxic to animals or people.Also, ask your veterinarian for their input and recommendations when it comes to holistic dog health and using all-natural remedies for their care.

Today there are an increasing number of veterinarians who are putting great stock in holistic dog health, making it a large part of their practice. A Vet who utilizes holistic pet strategies treats the dog as a whole, rather than looking at a speciic problem and utilizing one type of treatment to treat that specific illness or disease.

As an example, if your dog has suddenly come down with some sort of rash on his skin causing irritation, redness, itching, a possible infection, and some fur loss, a "regular" vet might send you away with an antibiotic to treat the skin infection and then perhaps a topical ointment to deal with the itching.

A holistic veterinarian will place more emphasis on determining the cause of the rash as the source of the infection before prescribing those two remedies.Your pet’s lifestyle, eating habits and his environment are all considered when attempting to treat him holistically.

Holistic Dog Health Treatments

Expert divulges holistic pet treatments for your pet dog covering a wide variety of potential illnesses your dog could encounter.

Holistic Dog Health Q & A

There is also a special Chinese herbal formula that can be found in most holistic health food stores or many online pet supply and care companies.

Holistic Pet Treatments Strategies

Today there are an increasing number of veterinarians who are putting great stock in holistic dog health, making it a large part of their practice.

Dog Health - the Holistic Way

Holistic dog health care is becoming a natural way for pet owners to ensure that their cherished pets are at their healthiest, living long, happy lives to the absolute fullest.

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Parasite Control : Control the Pests that Plague your Dog

Take a look at the common parasites that plague our canine companions. Learn what to look for when your dog has ticks or fleas and discover some very simple and effective ways in which to ease the itch problems.

No matter how healthy your dog is, they face an almost constant assault from both external and internal parasites such as fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, mites, lice, heartworms (spread by infected mosquitoes), tapeworms (often obtained by ingesting an infected flea), roundworms, hookworms, whip worms, and even microscopic protozoa. Just what risk do these insidious pests pose to your canine companion though, other than the obvious itchy skin that can result from the bite of a flea or mosquito? The list of potential diseases and physical symptoms can include, but not be limited to, the following:

Babesiosis
Colorado Tick Fever
Ehrlichiosis
Giardia
Haemobartonellosis
Lyme Disease
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Tick Paralysis
Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever
Tularemia
West Nile Virus
Anemia (i.e. a deficiency of red blood cells and/or hemoglobin which carry oxygen throughout the body)
Decreased lung function
Encephalitis (i.e. inflammation of the brain)
Flea allergy dermatitis
Hair loss
Heart damage and/or failure
Joint swelling and pain
Numerous gastro-intestinal problems including vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite
Skin infections
Suppression of the immune system
Weight loss
Death

When looking at the "big parasite picture" from this angle, it can all seem terribly frightening. However, the healthier your dog is, the better they’ll be able to defend themselves against such attacks and/or to rebound from any symptoms or ailments that they do acquire. Healthier dogs also seem to be "less attractive" to such pests and, therefore, less likely to be attacked by them in the first place.

The other good news is that there are a wide range of weapons to ward off and/or to fight such pests and their associated health risks. Such products often come in the form of medicinal and "natural" collars, dips, foggers, oral drops/pills, powders, shampoos, "spot-ons," and sprays. While many claims and testimonials are made pertaining to the effectiveness of such medicated products, one must take into consideration the potential risks that are associated with their use.

Risks can be minimized by using the least amount needed for the shortest length of time deemed necessary (e.g. spacing medicated flea treatments six weeks apart instead of four and only using them during the "warm season," not year round). Such risks can include, but not be limited to, the following:
Any chemical-based parasite product, whether a flea collar or a pill, can cause an allergic reaction ranging from mild (e.g. skin rashes, hair loss) to deadly (e.g. epileptic seizure).
Chemical-based parasite products can be very harsh on the toxin-filtering kidneys and liver and can lead to their eventual failure.
Chemical-based parasite products can cause a variety of autoimmune disorders whereby the body begins attacking itself instead of the offending organism.
The overuse of any chemical-based parasite product can lead to the offending parasite developing a resistance to such a product.

What’s a dog owner to do then to protect their beloved furry friend from an onslaught of parasites and their associated health risks? How about taking a more natural approach, one that’s generally far safer, much less expensive, often times more effective, and that focuses on also controlling your dog’s environment instead of just "attacking" your dog directly?

These are just a few of the options you have when waging such a holistic-based war:

Ants - allow these "lesser of the environmental evils" to survive as they feed on flea eggs and larvae
Boric acid products - contain a powder that attacks the outer "protective layer" of the offending parasite - most often flea larvae - by drying it out; can be applied to your dog’s "environment" (e.g. bedding, carpeting) and directly on them too, if used cautiously (the dust can be irritating to the lungs)
Diatomaceous earth products - contain a powder made from the hard outer shell of single-celled algae (i.e. diatoms) that generally works in the same manner as boric acid; can also be added to food to help rid your dog of roundworms and other various parasites
Essential oils - including eucalyptus, cedar, and rosemary
Flea combs - should be used daily and any fleas that are found should be "drowned" in soapy water
Flea traps - use light and/or heat to capture fleas in water or on "sticky traps"
Herbal products to be applied topically - including collars, powders, sprays, shampoos, and towelettes that contain such herbs as citronella, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, neem, and penny royal.
Herbal products to be ingested - including powders, pills, and liquid drops (e.g. tinctures that are made much like flower essences but that are extracted using grain alcohol instead of water); contain such herbs as black walnut green hulls, cloves, and wormwood (the combination of those three herbs is said to be effective at killing more than one hundred species of parasites, including all of the various "developmental stages")
Homeopathic remedies - including Chenopodium, Cina, Filix mas, Sulphur, and nosodes for heartworm
Mosquito dunks and/or drops - contain a naturally occurring bacteria that is only toxic to certain insects; can be added directly to bodies of mosquito-laden water (e.g. birdbaths, ponds)
Natural predators - put up purple martin bird houses and bat boxes to aid these parasite-eating predators
Nematode worm products - can be regularly applied to your yard as they feed off of flea larvae and other outdoor pests (e.g. grubs)
Ultrasonic "repelling" devices - including collars and combs
Vitamins and supplements - including B vitamins, brewers yeast, garlic (in moderation), and essential fatty acids
Vacuum your home often and immediately dispose of its contents outside of the home
Wash your pet’s bedding weekly in very hot, soapy water

The use of such "natural" parasite-controlling products and practices will likely have fewer negative side effects on your dog than if you use their chemical-based counterparts. Your own home environment will also likely have less "toxic residue" than if you used chemical products.

Most holistic veterinarians and other holistic practitioners will tell you that they believe the use of chemical-based parasite products will actually weaken your dog’s immune system, thereby doing more harm than good to their overall health and well-being. In such a compromised health condition, they’ll actually be more vulnerable to a parasitic attack. Many holistic practitioners might also tell you that the risk posed by a population of parasites is far less than the risks associated with using "toxic" control products.

Your holistic health care team will instead likely encourage you to focus on providing your dog with the best environment you possibly can - high-quality food, homeopathic and herbal remedies regular exercise, mental stimulation in a stress-free home, and minimal exposure to Western medicines - and to use "natural" products when needed to control parasites. The result just might be that your dog will fend better in the "battle of the bugs" than if they are repeatedly dosed with potentially deadly chemicals.

Whatever method of parasite control you chose for your dog, focus on prevention, plan your attack, and be consistent with implementing such a plan. It’s simply far easier to prevent such things as a flea or worm infestation than it is to get rid of one and to clear up the lingering physical effects on your beloved canine companion.

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