My Pet World: Noisy parrot may have been lovesick!
Early diagnosis can allow you and your veterinarian to get ahead of the progression of the kidney disease, potentially slowing it down significantly. Talk to your veterinarian about the stage of the disease. A great resource for further information is the International Renal Interest Society (IRIS): http://www.iris-kidney.com
IRIS is led by an international board of 15 independent veterinarians with expertise in nephrology. Its mission is to help veterinary practitioners and pet owners better diagnose, understand and treat renal disease in cats and dogs. The group investigates ways to accurately diagnose early signs of chronic renal disease. One of IRIS's primary objectives is to establish an internationally recognized set of guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of renal disease in small animals. For more info, check http://www.iris-kidney.com.
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Q: My 8-year-old cat has been diagnosed with lymphoma, but the veterinarian is optimistic. My father died of lymphoma, so I'm quite skeptical. What are the odds my cat will survive? Please be honest. -- G.K., Hartford, CT
A: We can be honest, but not absolutely authoritative in a newspaper column.
"So much depends on your individual cat, and even more on the type of lymphoma it is," says feline veterinarian Dr. Susan Little, editor and co-author of "The Cat: Clinical Medicine and Management" (Elsevier/Saunders Publishing, Philadelphia, PA, 2011; $180).
"Small cell intestinal lymphoma is the most common in cats, and generally offers the best prognosis. With drugs, we can prolong life and maintain quality of life, often for some time, months or years. Lymphoma of the liver or kidneys doesn't offer anywhere near that optimistic of a prognosis, and may not even be treatable," she notes.
Little, of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, adds that while there's no cure for lymphoma in cats, at least for those with small cell intestinal lymphoma there is some cause for optimism.
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Q: Gabby, my 12-year-old German Shepherd, has been on Rimadyl for two months. She's developed lumps on different places on her body. Could this be a side-effect of the drug? -- A.S., via cyberspace
A: "Those lumps are unlikely to be an adverse response to any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (like Rimadyl)," says Dr. Daryl Millis, a board-certified veterinary surgeon and boarded in veterinary sports medicine and rehabilitation, at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville. "In older dogs, lumps are common, and often benign, but might also be more serious, so do see your veterinarian," Millis, says.
As for adverse reactions to NSAID drugs in dogs, the most common among the rare side effects are diarrhea, vomiting and loss of appetite. Far more rare, but sometimes associated with Rimadyl, in particular, is liver disease. Kidney disease can also occur. As with any dog on medication, paying attention to any changes in behavior is always suggested, and so is periodic blood work.
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