Beach Park Animal Clinic

Importance of preventative medicine - cat vet hospital in Tampa / South Tampa

by Alex Weber, DVM on 09/06/13

We all know how important preventative medicine is for ourselves, but did you know that it is even more important for our cat friends? Cat's are incredible at hiding disease symptoms, a genetic trait that they have inherited from their big cat relatives, therefore regular exams are essential for keeping your pet as healthy as possible.

At The Cat Clinic of Beach Park, our cat friendly veterinarians recommend yearly exams for patients under 7 and twice yearly exams for patients over 7. At these visits, the vets perform a thorough exam and then will make recommendations about further preventative care (vaccinations, parasite protection, etc) and screening / preventative lab work. Since cats are good at hiding disease, these lab tests are needed to try and catch diseases early when they are generally easier to control.

If you have any questions about this topic, or any other cat related issues, please call us at 813-289-3925 or email us at bpac1@verizon.net

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Heartworms in cats

by Alex Weber, DVM on 06/08/13

Outdoor cats need heartworm prevention just like their canine cousins. Exposure to mosquito bites is how cats get infected with heartworms. Unlike dogs, cats usually present to our cat veterinary hospital with coughs or other respiratory symptoms similar to asthma.

If your cat is coughing or looks like it is having a hard time breathing, immediately contact your veterinarian and get them examined.

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Need for regular visits for indoor cats

by Alex Weber, DVM on 05/06/13

We at Cat Clinic of Beach Park, a feline vet clinic in Tampa FL, are often asked "why should I bring my cat in since they are indoors and aren't sick." The short and simple answer is: cat's are very good at hiding illness.

As part of their survival mechanism, cat's generally do not show outward symptoms of illness until late in the disease process. A great example is kidney disease. They will not show symptoms until 75% of their kidney function is gone. This is why it is so important to perform regular exams and routine screening blood work to try and identify any abnormalities early when it is easier to treat and possibly prevent further damage.

Our veterinarians recommend that cat's 7 years and younger be seen once a year for physical exam and appropriate vaccinations. Cat's older that 7 should be seen twice a year for exams, and blood work at least once a year. This will help us catch any problems early making them easier to treat. Proper parasite prevention should always be used as well.

Remember, 1 year to a cat is approximately 5-7 years to us. A lot of changes can occur in that amount of time so make sure your vet is helping you keep your pet happy and healthy.

Contact Cat Clinic of Beach Park, cat veterinarian in Tampa FL, at 813-289-3925 if you have any questions about this or any other pet topic.

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Parasite control

by Alex Weber, DVM on 04/15/13

Did you know that cat's can get heartworms? Living in Tampa FL, where the moquitos are plentiful, it is very important that your cat be considered for heartworm prevention. Our recommendation at Cat Clinic of Beach Park is to have all outdoor cats on a heartworm prevention. We currently recommend Revolution, a once a month topical that also protects against fleas and intestinal parasites.

Heartworms in cats do not present in the same way that they do in dogs. Our feline patients generally develop a cough initially, very similar to asthmatics. This is due to inflammation of the lungs from the microfilaria (baby heartworms). Unlike dogs, there is no treatment for the adult heartworms so it is extremely important to use a preventative such as Revolution to control the microfilaria and therefore limit the amount of damage to the lungs.

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