Introduction Hyperaldosteronemia in cats, sometimes called Conn’s syndrome or primary hyperaldosteronism, is a condition where a cat’s adrenal glands produce too much of the hormone aldosterone. While this disease is relatively uncommon, veterinarians are recognizing it more often as feline diagnostics advance. Excess aldosterone leads to low potassium (hypokalemia), high…
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Bedside Tests in Veterinary Emergency Rooms
When you to go the emergency room, your medical team performs some non-invasive tests to help assess your clinical condition. Some of these bedside tests are similarly performed in cats and dogs who are presented to veterinary emergency rooms. So, this week I wanted to share some information about these…
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Urethral Obstruction in Cats – When Your Cat Can’t Pee
One of the most common patients seen in veterinary emergency rooms around the world is that of a cat who can’t urinate. These painful critters are frequently called “blocked” cats, and absolutely require immediate veterinary care. This week I wanted to spend some time discussing urethral obstructions in cats, so I…
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Rescue Inhaler Intoxication – Don’t Let Your Pet Inhale!
I’ve just returned from a week in Cartagena, Colombia where I had the privilege of presenting several lectures at the 41st World Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress. As I was hurriedly maneuvering through the airport, I saw a young woman use an inhaler after she had clearly run to her…
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Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison’s Disease): A Great Pretender
One of my favorite diseases to diagnose and treat is Addison’s disease. The medical name for this disease is hypoadrenocorticism, an adrenal gland disorder that predominantly affects dogs and rarely cats. The opposite of Cushing’s disease, this disease can manifest in a myriad of ways. This week I spend some…