Pradofloxacin for Feline Infectious Anemia

Dowers, K. L., S. Tasker, et al. (2009). "Use of pradofloxacin to treat experimentally induced Mycoplasma hemofelis infection in cats." Am J Vet Res 70(1): 105-11.

Mycoplasma hemofelis, formerly known as Hemobartonella felis, is the causative agent of feline infectious anemia. The bacterium is spread through flea bites and causes hemolytic anemia that may result in the death of infected cats. It is believed that most infected cats do not clear the organisms even with appropriate antimicrobial treatment, which most commonly is doxycycline. Pradofloxacin is a new fluoroquinolone antibiotic for veterinary use that appears to have increased effectiveness against many bacteria. In this study, treatment of cats infected with M. hemofelis with doxycycline was compared to low and high doses of pradofloxacin. All treatment regimens were equally effective in improving the clinical condition and blood parameters of infected cats. When assessed by molecular detection for clearance of the organism, both low and high dose pradofloxacin were effective, while none of the doxycycline-treated animals completely cleared detectable organisms. The authors concluded that pradofloxacin not only had anti-M. hemofelis effects, it may be more effective at long term M. hemofelis organism clearance than doxycycline.
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Related articles:
Willi, B., F. S. Boretti, et al. (2007). "From Haemobartonella to hemoplasma: Molecular methods provide new insights." Vet Microbiol 125(3-4): 197-209.
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Ishak, A. M., K. L. Dowers, et al. (2008). "Marbofloxacin for the treatment of experimentally induced Mycoplasma haemofelis infection in cats." J Vet Intern Med 22(2): 288-92.
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More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Pathogenicity of Feline Cytauxzoonosis

Brown, H. M., R. D. Berghaus, et al. (2009). "Genetic variability of Cytauxzoon felis from 88 infected domestic cats in Arkansas and Georgia." J Vet Diagn Invest 21(1): 59-63.

Cytauxzoonosis is a highly fatal tick-borne disease of cats, both exotic and domestic. The causative organism, Cytauxzoon felis, is a relatively new pathogen to the USA. It occurs in the south-central, southeastern, and mid-Atlantic regions. Bobcats are believed to be the natural reservoir, and when domestic cats become infected, a rapid disease course ending in death usually occurs. Recently, cases of survival have been documented in domestic cats. This may be due to different strains of the organism. To investigate this possibility, genetic analysis was done on a total of 88 C. felis isolates from cats in Arkansas and Georgia, 44 of which were from cats that survived infection. This analysis identified three unique parasite genotypes, one of which was associated with survival, referred to as genotype ITSA. Thus, there were genetic differences identified that were associated with outcome of infection.
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Related articles:
Brown, H. M., K. S. Latimer, et al. (2008). "Detection of persistent Cytauxzoon felis infection by polymerase chain reaction in three asymptomatic domestic cats." J Vet Diagn Invest 20(4): 485-8.
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Haber, M. D., M. D. Tucker, et al. (2007). "The detection of Cytauxzoon felis in apparently healthy free-roaming cats in the USA." Vet Parasitol 146(3-4): 316-20.
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More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

My cat never grooms itself. He is not overweight and I give him a bath once a month and I…

If your cat has always been this way than it likely is nothing to worry about. There are some cats that just do not groom well...I think of them like "Pigpen" in the Peanuts cartoons. If this is a recent change though, it could indicate a medical condition and should be explored more thoroughly.

We have a male, neutered indoor cat. We have had him for two years. He was 3 months old…

Because this is a new behavior for your guy, I would have it checked out. I would be concerned about urinary disease (spasming due to discomfort), skeletal injury, or a condition called hyperesthesia (causes random twitching) to just name a few. Certainly allergies could be a possibility if it's causing itching but we typically start to see changes in their skin. I would not suspect this is related to playing. Hopefully, his exam is normal but if it is you'll have peace of mind.

My 4 month old kitten was diagnosed with a level 4 heart murmur last week. She was given…

Hopefully, by the time you get the answer to this, you will also have the result from your kitten's echocardiogram. A murmur can be caused by many different things. In a young kitten we think of congenital issues in the heart, heart disease (it's rare but it can happen), or sometimes we can have abnormal motion of one of the valves of the heart. In some cases a murmur can be innocent meaning there's no underlying changes in the heart to cause it. I am sure this was done but it's also important to be sure the murmur is not due to anemia (a low red blood cell count). The outcome is usually directly dependent on what is seen on the ultrasound so I try to not speculate until we have echo done. Average cost for the test can vary but I would suspect in most places around the country you are going to be looking at several hundred dollars. Good for you for doing the echocardiogram in your little kitten. I will be thinking good thoughts for you and hoping it's nothing to worry about.

My 4 year old cat has had to have several teeth removed. She doesn’t chew her food so she…

Dental disease is so very common in our cats and unfortunately can start at a very young age. I would not encourage a dog bone as it could be too hard for your cat and cause damage. One option is to try the Purina Veterinary Dental Diet called DH. This diet is made specifically to help with plaque and tartar buildup. I've had some great luck with it. You could also consider regular tooth brushing as this can be extremely helpful in reducing plaque and tartar. Your veterinarian or their staff can demonstrate how to do this and most will carry dental supplies. It is also important to note that in cats, dental disease can come from inside the teeth. The "cavities" that cats can get are an actual breakdown of the tooth and will often occur even in cats that eat dry food or have their teeth brushed regularly. Good for you for taking your cat's dental health seriously! It's very important.

My one year old cat, Bella, has very crusty skin on her front paw pads. It’s only on the…

Great question! Usually for very dry paw pads, I try vitamin E oil. You can buy the oil in a small bottle or prick one of the vitamins and squeeze the oil out. Use the oil sparingly. If it continues, you may want to have it re-examined to be sure it's not anything else except dry skin. Some cat's can have a condition called pododermatitis, which is an inflammation of the paw pad, often allergy related. Hope this helps and her paws are back to normal in no time.

Can you tell me how “Naturals Plus Vitamins & Minerals” Cat Chow affects urinary pH? Is…

All Purina Cat Chow brand dry cat foods are formulated to yield a urine pH (6.3-6.6) in the range that has been shown to be helpful in promoting a healthy urinary tract. Although diet plays an important role in urinary tract health, it should be noted many other causes of urinary tract problems have been identified that have no connection to diet. These include things like infections (either bacterial or viral), trauma, stress, obesity, and even congenital abnormalities. Even certain types of cats are more prone to urinary tract problems. Urinary tract problems are very common in neutered male cats between the ages of 1 and 6 years of age. These cats are usually indoor cats that are fairly inactive and overweight. So although diet is one of the factors involved in promoting a healthy urinary tract, many other factors are involved that have nothing to do with diet. If you are concerned about the health of your cat when feeding a particular diet, it is recommended you speak with your veterinarian to discuss alternative dietary options.

I have an indoor cat and five outdoor cats. During the winter months I feed both my…

Feeding Purina Cat Chow Indoor Formula dry cat would be a good option to add some garden greens to your cat’s diets. Not only does Cat Chow Indoor contain garden greens, it also contains a special fiber blend that can help in the management of hairballs, a common problem in cats. For the outdoor cats it will be important to monitor their body condition during the winter months if you decide to feed Cat Chow Indoor Formula. The Indoor formula is formulated to contain lower levels of fat and calories for the indoor cat that is usually more sedentary. An outdoor cat in the winter will require more calories in order to maintain a good body condition. Your idea to mix in Indoor Formula with the Purina ONE Chicken & Rice is a good option to ensure your outdoor cats get the required nutrients as well as meet their energy needs during the colder months.

My calico cat, Pepper, for some reason is scared of going outside and in the garage. And…

Oh, the poor calico girl. I can’t know for sure why she’s scared. But I suspect she’s leery of the pet door because she can’t tell if another cat (or other animal) might be waiting on the other side when she pushes through the opening. She may have been attacked or frightened. She’s acting in a perfectly normal cat fashion by being cautious. Anytime a cat’s surroundings are changed, you run the risk of creating a frightening space that the cat then must learn to accept all over again.

I’m sure your parents want the cats to behave in a way that’s most convenient for them. But sometimes we must put ourselves in the other creatures’ position to understand what’s happening. Just because one or more of the other cats accept the pet door doesn’t mean ALL cats would accept the door--and it can take quite some time for many cats to accept change. You can try helping this kitty to accept the door by rubbing catnip on the opening to encourage her to head-bump the flap, and so push through. Very tasty treats (something smelly like tuna or smoked turkey sandwich meat) can be used to reward her. And be sure that with these cats, they have several litter boxes so they don’t have to share. Some cats guard the toilet and keep others away with glares and stares (we humans might not even notice). Good luck!