Pulmonary Edema in Cats

Benigni L, Morgan N, Lamb CR. Radiographic appearance of cardiogenic pulmonary oedema in 23 cats. Journal of Small Animal Practice. 2009;50(1):9-14.

Congestive heart failure commonly results in pulmonary edema. Thoracic radiographs are useful for the diagnosis of congestive heart failure because it enables assessment of the pulmonary veins and detection of pulmonary edema. It also helps distinguish pulmonary edema from other conditions causing similar clinical signs, such as bronchopneumonia. In dogs with heart failure, pulmonary edema typically appears as a symmetrical alveolar pattern that is most apparent in the caudodorsal lung field, although it can become generalized. The radiographic appearance of pulmonary edema is thought to be more variable in cats than in dogs. The purpose of this study was to describe in detail the radiographic appearance of pulmonary edema in cats with heart failure. Thoracic radiographs of 23 cats presenting with signs of heart failure were reviewed. Pulmonary edema in these cats was associated with a range of patterns and variable distribution. All cats had a reticular or granular interstitial pattern. This occurred in combination with an alveolar pattern (83%), with increased diameter of pulmonary vessels (71%), and with a bronchial pattern (61%). The distribution of pulmonary edema was diffuse/non-uniform in 61% of cats, diffuse/uniform in 17%, multi-focal in 17% and focal in 4%. The researchers conclude that feline cardiogenic pulmonary edema has a highly variable radiographic appearance that may complicate diagnosis.
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Herndon WE, Rishniw M, Schrope D, Sammarco CD, Boddy KN, Sleeper MM. Assessment of plasma cardiac troponin I concentration as a means to differentiate cardiac and noncardiac causes of dyspnea in cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 2008;233(8):1261-1264.
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Convenia for Cat Bite Wounds

Six R, Cleaver DM, Lindeman CJ, et al. Effectiveness and safety of cefovecin sodium, an extended-spectrum injectable cephalosporin, in the treatment of cats with abscesses and infected wounds. J Am Vet Med Assoc. Jan 1 2009;234(1):81-87.

Abscesses and infected bite or scratch wounds are very common problems in feline medicine. The most common pathogen involved is Pasteurella multocida. Treatment of infected wounds is accomplished by drainage and debridement, and antibiotic therapy. Antibiotics typically recommended for first line treatment include penicillins, cephalosporins, and clindamycin. These drugs require once or twice daily dosing, and treatment must be continued for 7 to 14 days. Cefovecin (Convenia, Pfizer Animal Health) is a new extended-spectrum bactericidal cephalosporin. The manufacturer recommends a one-time subcutaneous injection at a dose of 8 mg/kg. Therapeutic concentrations of the drug against P. multocida are maintained for approximately 7 days. This multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, controlled clinical trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of cefovecin in the treatment of cats with abscesses and infected wounds. Cats were randomly allocated to one of two groups. One group received a single dose of cefovecin followed by placebo drops orally once daily for 14 days. The second group received one subcutaneous placebo injection followed by cefadroxil once daily for 14 days. The effectiveness of cefovecin was similar to that of cefadroxil. At day 28, 97% of cefovecin-treated cats and 91% of cefadroxil-treated cats were considered treatment successes. There were no serious adverse effects reports.
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Related articles:
Stegemann MR, Sherington J, Passmore C. The efficacy and safety of cefovecin in the treatment of feline abscesses and infected wounds. J Small Anim Pract. Dec 2007;48(12):683-689.
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Stegemann MR, Sherington J, Coati N, Brown SA, Blanchflower S. Pharmacokinetics of cefovecin in cats. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. Dec 2006;29(6):513-524.
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Cats and Arthritis

Robertson, S. A. (2008). "Osteoarthritis in cats: What we now know about recognition and treatment." Vet Med 103(11): 611-616.

Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, is a common cause of chronic pain in middle-aged and older cats. It is now known to be much more common in cats than previously thought. Clinical signs include unwillingness to jump, stiff gait, decreased grooming, house soiling, irritability, and hiding. Unlike dogs, lameness is not necessarily a common clinical sign of osteoarthritis in cats. Elbows and hips are most commonly affected, and many cats have disease in more than one joint. Pathologic changes, many detectable on radiographs, include deterioration of articular cartilage, osteophyte formation, bone remodeling, soft tissue changes, and low-grade nonpurulent inflammation. Treatment includes weight reduction if applicable, and environmental changes such as making the litter box more accessible. Medical therapy may include nutraceuticals, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and analgesics. Non-pharmacological interventions include passive range of motion exercises and acupuncture.
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Gunew, M. N., V. H. Menrath, et al. (2008). "Long-term safety, efficacy and palatability of oral meloxicam at 0.01-0.03 mg/kg for treatment of osteoarthritic pain in cats." Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 10(3): 235-241.
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Lascelles, B. D., B. D. Hansen, et al. (2007). "Evaluation of client-specific outcome measures and activity monitoring to measure pain relief in cats with osteoarthritis." J Vet Intern Med 21(3): 410-6.
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Blood Pressure in Cats

Slingerland, L. I., J. H. Robben, et al. (2008). "Response of cats to familiar and unfamiliar human contact using continuous direct arterial blood pressure measurement." Res Vet Sci 85(3): 575-82.

Blood pressure is an important measure of cardiovascular function that can be affected by both physical and pathological conditions. In cats, diseases such as chronic renal disease and hyperthyroidism may be associated with hypertension. Indirect measurement of blood pressure in cats can be determined in the practice setting using either Doppler or oscillometric machines. Only a few studies have evaluated normal ranges for feline blood pressure, and there are conflicting opinions on criteria for diagnosing hypertension. In this study, continuous direct measurement of arterial blood pressure (ABP) was carried out in 21 healthy cats via catheterization of the common carotid artery. The ABP was measured during rest, alertness, and activity and the response to be petted by familiar and unfamiliar people was also assessed. The mean blood pressure (MBP) in resting cats (114 mm Hg) was lower than in alert cats (123 mm Hg) and active cats (137 mm Hg). The MBP when being petted by a familiar person (145 mm Hg) was higher than during petting by an unfamiliar person (139 mm Hg).
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Related articles:
Jepson, R., V. Hartley, et al. (2005). "A comparison of CAT Doppler and oscillometric Memoprint machines for non-invasive blood pressure measurement in conscious cats." J Fel Med Surg 7: 147-152.
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More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library