Complete Care for Your Aging Cat - Amy Shojai [58]
Hemodialysis is also extremely beneficial and becoming more available, says Larry Cowgill, DVM, an internist at University of California-Davis. Acutely damaged kidneys may have the ability to regain function, if given enough time to heal, and dialysis gives them that time. Dialysis temporarily takes the place of the kidneys and cleanses the blood of toxins. Dr. Cowgill began the pet dialysis program in the early 1990s, and today they are able to treat any pet bigger than two kilograms. “The program has grown and grown,” he says. “We now have a second unit opening in San Diego at the University of California veterinary medical center.” Other programs are available across the country, including one at the Animal Medical Center in New York and Tufts University in Massachusetts.
Other senior cat care advances include surgeries to treat chronic constipation problems (megacolon); cancer surgeries that remove brain tumors; orthopedic procedures that restore function to arthritic joints; and cataract surgery that can restore vision to cats. Cutting-edge heart treatments such as open-heart surgery are available in only a handful of veterinary teaching institutions, such as Colorado State and University of Pennsylvania.
Experimental and cutting-edge treatments can be hard to find and are often expensive. If your veterinarian doesn’t offer alternatives, it’s up to you to ask. “We should not be afraid to offer the best care,” says Jeff Johnson, DVM, a general practitioner with Four Paws Animal Hospital in Eagle River, Alaska. “It depends on what the client wants to do.” It’s important for the owner to understand the pros and cons, and what home care may be required before making these care decisions.
Research into feline longevity and health care is still very new. Studies of age-related disorders in other animals, including humans, stand to benefit our cats as well. In the best of all outcomes, both humans and their special cats will enjoy longer, healthier lives—together.
Golden Moments: Zepp’s Last Chance
Five years ago, attorney Marc M. Gorelnik, from El Cerrito, California, decided he wanted to adopt a cat. While visiting the San Francisco SPCA, he fell in love with a 12-year-old longhaired feline. “He weighed about 18 pounds, and had very light fur with darker on top—a cameo color,” says Marc. “He was really sweet, crawled up in my lap and purred and purred. He was very mellow and affectionate.”
The cat’s original name—“Peach Pie”—didn’t seem to fit, so Marc settled on Zeppelin or Zepp for short, because of the cat’s size. Zepp’s heart was as big as his furry outside, and he constantly wanted to be held and petted. “He’d follow you from room to room, wanted to be in your lap, and was all over you when you were on the phone,” says Marc. “He was almost a nuisance at times he was so affectionate.”
The first four years together, Zepp had no health problems. “He was a very low-maintenance cat,” says Marc. When the cat’s weight crept up to 20 pounds, it was easily managed with a reduced-calorie food until he slimmed down to a svelte 16 to 17 pounds.
When he was 16, though, Marc saw a change. “He’d always had a great appetite. I noticed he wasn’t finishing his food, was lying around and keeping his distance. He just didn’t seem to feel comfortable.” The veterinarian ran blood tests on Zepp, but they were from the low to high normal ranges, nothing that convinced the doctor that treatment was necessary. She suspected he might be hyperthyroid, and recommended periodic rechecks to monitor the situation.
Meanwhile, Marc decided to get Zepp a pal—a Maine Coon kitten. He contacted various breeders in January, interviewed and decided on one, and made arrangements to choose a kitten.
Zepp continued to have good days and bad days, and Marc grew more and more concerned. “He’d never had any health issues at all, and he very obviously