Expert information on medicine, behavior and health from a worldleader in veterinary medidne ASecond Chance for Newborns 2 APromising New Test for Heart Fail re Volunteers feeding shelter kittens around the clock have saved hundreds of lives. The screening could provide earlier diagnosis ofan What to Expect With Surgery 3 Innovative techniques offer greater underlying condition and help improve and extend life success, but some aspects remain the same. Why Do They Land on Their Feet? 5 ongestive heart failure, character­ sity College of Veterinary Medi­ Cats don't always, but when they do, it's C ized by the accumulation of fluid cine. "There are medications that because they can rotate their supple spines. in the lungs and oth ..r body tissues can decrease congestion in lungs, Ask Elizabeth 8 secondary to heart disease, might ap­ may decrease the likelihood of One domestic shorthair goes crazy for pear to strike suddenly. In many cases, an animal developing blood catnip while the other is unimpressed. however, it results from a progressive clots and can improve oxy­ underlying disease that, if detected genation of the blood." early, can be man­ IN THE NEWS ••• aged to improve Offering Hope. Studies in Anti-cancer Research and extend a several areas, including one Focuses on V'ltamin 812 cat's life. on a promising diagnostic test, Scientists at the Bauer "Very often, Predisposition to an underlying cardiac offer hope for cats with heart disease makes Ragdolls susceptible to CHF Research Foundation in Vero we can help pets," disease, as early diagnosis of Beach, Fla , are evaluating says cardiologist underlying heart conditions is whether a vitamin B12-based Bruce G. Kornreich, DVM, Ph.D., Associate an important component of their management. drug called nitrosylcobalamin Director for Edtiation and Outreach at the Veterinary researchers are evaluating (NO-Cbl) can be used to treat Feline Health Center at the Cornell Univer­ whether and how the concentration of a several types of feline cancer. (continued on page 6) Researchers are testing a theory that NO-Cbl can travel to B12 receptors on the cancer cells and destroy them from within, How to Avoid Those Sharp Feline Bites leaving healthy cells unharmed. No doubt they're painful, but deep puncture wounds Cancer affects 4 million cats annually in the Us.,accounting for pose the greater threat ofserious bacterial infections nearly a third of disease-related feline deaths, says the Winn Feline at bites don't get as much media cover­ College of Veterinary Medicine and diplo­ Foundation, which supports the Cage - or as much scientific attention mate of the American College of Veterinary research. A similar study, funded - as dog bites because they tend to occur Behaviorists. "Fear, predatory aggression, and by the American Kennel Club inside the home. Moreover, people mistak­ pain top the list." Canine Health Foundation, evalu­ enly assume that, because cats are small, ated the potential use of NO-Cbl they can't do much damage. In fact, punc­ Know the Signs. Typically, fear aggres­ against various canine tumors. ture wounds made by sharp feline teeth are sion occurs when a cat feels threatened, The FDA has approved only not only painful, they can lead to serious especially by a situation that feels inescap­ two drugsfor treating cancer in infections. It's important to learn how to able. Sounds, sudden movement or touch animals and they are both for dogs. avoid them. can all be triggers. "In many cases, the cat's Symptoms of cancer can include Although cats sometimes appear to attack hair will stand up and the tail will be all lumps, swelling, diarrhea or vomit­ out of the blue, they always have their rea­ bristly or begin lashing," Dr. Houpt says. "If ing, weight loss, bad breath, sud­ sons, says Katherine A. Houpt, VMD, Ph.D., a cat is excited or fearful, the pupils of his den lameness, and listlessness. •:. emeritus professor at the Cornell University eyes will dilate. You'll see only black instead (continued on bottom ofpage 4) CatWatch SHORT TAKES ASecond Chance EDITOR IN CHIEF Bruce G. Kornreich, DVM, PhD., for Newborn Kittens Dipl AC VIM Volunteers at an animal adoption center EDITOR Betty Liddick in Los Angeles are keeping kittens alive with one simple act of kindness. They're feeding ART DIRECTOR Mary Francis McGavic newborns in two-hour shifts around the ADVISORY BOARD clock. They view their effort as crucial: James A. Flanders, DVM, Dipl Among 13,000 healthy or treatable pets ACVS, Associate Professor, Chnical Sciences euthanized at Los Angeles City shelters last Marc S. Kraus, DVM, Dipl ACVIM, year, more than 6,000 were neonatal - or Senior Lecturer, Clinical Sciences newborn - kittens. Margaret C. McEntee, DVM, The volunteers' work is part of the Best Dlpl ACVIM, DACVR, Volunteers at the Best Friends Animal Society Professor of Oncology Friends Anima l Society Adoption Center's Adoption Center feed kiUens in shifts around No-Kill Los Angeles initiative. The goal is to the clock. William H. Miller, Jr., VMD, ACVD, Professor, Clinical_ciences save 1,800 li ves this year. Nearly 800 kittens Ilona Rodan, DVM, Dipl ABVP and 49 nursing mothers have been spared volunteers, we couldn't save the numbers Wisconsin Cat Care Clinic, so far. Madison, WI we have. They make the place run." The kittens - some weighing only 8Y2 One reason for the growing cat popula­ ounces - are often abandoned or turned tion in Los Angeles and othefcities nation­ into shelters with little hope of thriving and Cornell University wide is the length of the feline pregnancy. It being adopted until the neonatal nursery College of lasts a scant 9 weeks, and cats can become I) Veterinary Medicine opened in February, the society says. With pregnant again in only a month. the help of the No-Kill Los Angeles coalition For inforrn ation on your cal 'Sh ealth, That's why spaying and neutering are visit the Cornell Universi ty College of and Los Angeles Animal Services, "We have crucial, Swartzlander says. The urban legend Veterinary Medicine, Cornell Feline made significant inroads into saving the Health Center website at that two intact cats and their offspring can www.vet.come ••.edu/fhcl. lives of these helpless kittens," says Marc Peralta, Executive Director of Best Friends result in 420,000 cats in seven years was Animal Society Los Angeles. "There just discredited several years ago. New estimates wasn't a safety net in place for these cats put the figure at 500 to 5,000 cats. In any or enough resources to provide round-the­ event, Swartzlander says, surrounded by clock care before." nearly 100 meowing kittens in cages at the COtWalch' (ISSN: 1095-909;» Says Nicole Swartzlander, Neonate neonatal nursery, "If our communities would _ is pu blished monthly Program Coordinator for the center, based make spay/ neuter a priority, we wouldn't fOI S39 per yeilr by :]_ Belvoi r Med i ~ Group, in the city's Mission Hills area, "Without the have all these kit ten s." .:. Lc' BOO Connecticut Belvoir Ave., Norw Ik,CT 06854­ 1631 Robert Engl , nder, Chairman and a o; Timothy H. Cole, THE FELINE HEALTH (ENTER LAUNCHES ITS NEW WEBSITE Execu tive Vice President, Editorial Direc to r; Phili p l.. Penny, Chief Operating Offi cer; Greg King, Executive Cornell's Feline Health Center, devoted to improving the welfare of all cats through Vice PreSident, ilrketlng Director; Ron Goldberg, Chief Financial Officer; Torn research, education and outreach, has launched its new website, complete with CanfretrJ, Vice President, Circulation expanded features designed to provide improved coverage ofthe latest advances 1020\2 Bel VOi r Media Group, LLC in feline medicine and resources for owners, breeders and veterinarians. P05tma~te r : Send address corree ions to CatWatch, PO. Box 8535, Big S ndy, "We are very excited about our new site, and we look forward to continuing to TX 75755-8535 Improve and expand it as a means of connecting with cat lovers worldwide," says For Customer Service Bruce Kornreich, DVM, Ph.D., Associate Director ofthe Center. or Subscription information, ViS it www.catwa tchnewslettercom/cs or call to ll free:800-829-8893. The site, at www.vet.comell.edu/fhc/, features health topics from A (aging) to Z (zoonosis, the transmission of disease from animals to people). You will also find Express wri tte n permission is require d to reproduce, in any lighthearted sections on Fun Feline Facts, such as how fast cats can run, and hear ma nner, the contents of thiS issue. cat songs, including Elton John's "Honky Cat." In addition, you can learn about either in fu ll or 'n par. For more Inform ation, write to Permissions, center-supported research and the Camuti Consultation Service, which provides Ca!Watch, 800 Connecticu t Ave .. answers to individual questions about cats. Norwalk. Connecticut 0685 4-1631 CatWatch OCTO BER 2013 MEDICINE What to Expert Pre- and Post-Surgery Innovative techniques offer greater success today, but some aspects like withholding food remain the same hances are that your cat will face Dr. Flanders also makes sure that Ca surgical procedure at least once owners understand the cost of the ac­ during his lifetime if he hasn't already. tual surgery and testing such as blood Happily, the nature of veterinary sur­ work and imaging; anesthesia, antibi­ gery is changing, which may mean otics and intravenous fluids; and post­ that your cat's next encounter could surgical care such as pain medication Some surgical patients require the speCialized support I hat hospitalization provides. such as differ considerably. and hospitalization. monitoring and intravenous nulds. "Better anesthetic protocols, better postoperative pain relief and innovative Next, Blood Tests.