hydration for pets

Cat’s Drool—Dogs Rule or Visas Versa???

Diane Weinmann Animal Health , , , ,

By Dr. Becker and Diane Weinmanncat drool

One of the most memorable quotes from the 1993 movie “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey” is spoken by Sassy the cat, who tells Chance the Bulldog, “Cats rule and dogs drool.”

When Chance brushes off such a notion, Sassy explains, “But it’s true. Cats are smarter than dogs, and more attractive … and we don’t drink from the toilet!” Someone needs to tell Miss Sassy that in fact, members of her species do drool (and some even drink from the toilet) and some even use the toilet to eliminate!

If you have a feline dribbler on your hands, you’re not alone. Kitties drool for a variety of reasons. However, there are only a few truly benign causes of drooling in a cat.

Some kitties drool when they’re purring and feeling very content. Others drool when they “make biscuits” (knead). Many cats drool while enjoying a bit of catnip.

A cat who drools at any other time, or a lot of the time, warrants a visit to the veterinarian. Potential serious causes of excessive salivation include:

  • Dental or oral disease
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Poisoning
  • Trauma or foreign body
  • Motion sickness/nausea

Dental or Oral Disease

A mouth problem is by far the most likely cause of kitty’s excessive drooling. He could have a buildup of plaque and tartar. His gums could be inflamed or infected (gingivitis). Or his dental disease could be so advanced that he’s experiencing bone loss.

Another problem called tooth resorption can also cause drooling. Tooth resorption is the gradual destruction of a tooth or teeth caused by cells called odontoclasts.

Often an affected cat will drool, bleed from the mouth, and/or have difficulty eating. Occasionally there can also be vomiting of unchewed food, behavior changes, and bad breath.

Another oral disease with similar symptoms, including drooling, is feline stomatitis, a very painful and chronic condition that is thought to be autoimmune in nature. An affected cat’s immune system seems to overreact to dental plaque around the teeth, which triggers inflammation in the tissues of the mouth.

Stomatitis can also occur at the back of the throat at the oral pharynx, and underlying bone in the mouth can become inflamed or infected. The inflammation appears as angry, red, and swollen tissue in the cat’s mouth.

Another mouth problem that can cause drooling, especially in older kitties, is an oral tumor, which can be either benign or cancerous.

Chronic Kidney Diseasecat drool 2

If your cat has chronic kidney disease (CKD), it means the kidneys have been gradually and irreversibly deteriorating over a period of months or years. Sadly, CKD is extremely common in older domestic cats and is a leading cause of death in kitties. In fact, I lost my cat, Milo to this awful disease, although my cat did not drool.

 

Symptoms of failing kidneys can include increased thirst and urination, leaking urine (especially at night), vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, weight loss, depression, anemia, and overall body weakness.

Other signs of kidney disease can be fractures resulting from weakened bones, high blood pressure that can lead to sudden blindness, itchy skin, bleeding into the stomach, bruising of the skin, and painful sores on the tongue and gums that cause excessive salivation and drooling. Just remember that your cat does not have to have all of the symptoms to have kidney disease.

Cats with kidney failure are also often dehydrated, which causes drooling. If you suspect your kitty is having kidney problems, it’s important to make an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible.

If your pet’s kidney disease is the result of irreversible kidney damage, in many cases renal function will stabilize for weeks or even months at a time. The disease will continue to progress and kidney function will continue to deteriorate, but your cat’s symptoms can be minimized with supportive treatment.

Fluid therapy is the cornerstone of treatment for animals with kidney failure, primarily to prevent dehydration. Subcutaneous (under the skin) fluid delivery may be necessary, and many pet owners can learn to do this at home.

Poisons

Almost any type of toxin your cat is exposed to can make her drool. A short list of examples:

✓ Lawn fertilizers and pesticides ✓ Antifreeze
✓ Nicotine products ✓ Human drugs, especially topical medications
✓ Certain plants containing insoluble calcium oxalate crystals (e.g., Peace Lilies and Schefflera) ✓ Liquid potpourri
✓ Laundry detergent pods ✓ Household cleaners

If you suspect your cat has ingested a poisonous substance, immediately call your veterinarian, a local emergency animal hospital, and/or a poison control hotline such as the ASPCA’s Poison Control Center at 1-888-426-4435. The hotline is answered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Trauma or a Foreign Body

Cats allowed outdoors unsupervised are especially at risk for many threats to their safety and health. If a kitty roaming freely outdoors experiences head trauma as the result of being hit by a car or attacked by a dog, injuries to the jaw or temporomandibular joint that prevent the mouth from closing can cause heavy drooling.

Another serious situation that can cause a cat to drool is the presence of a foreign object lodged in the tongue, soft or hard palate, or the back of the throat. Kitties aren’t indiscriminate eaters like many dogs are, however, there are certain strange objects that seem to entice them, for example, Christmas tree decorations, glow sticks and jewelry, and sewing needles attached to thread.

The best way to protect your cat from these types of injuries is to allow her outside only for walks with you on a harness and leash, or inside a safe feline-friendly enclosure. It’s also important to keep all indoor choking hazards out of reach of your kitty.

Motion Sickness/Nausea

It’s the very rare kitty who enjoys a car ride, and it’s not unusual for a cat who’s not used to traveling to develop motion sickness. It may not even be the movement of the vehicle that triggers nausea in your cat — it could just as easily be the stress she’s experiencing. My Milo hated the car- in fact all my cats hated traveling in a car.

 

Cats prefer to stick close to home and feel threatened by unfamiliar places, sights, sounds, and smells. They like to feel in control wherever they are, which is why being held hostage inside your car as it zips down the highway is so stress-inducing for kitty. One of the first signs your cat is feeling nauseous is excessive drooling. Other symptoms include loud crying, fear-induced immobility, urinating or defecating, and of course, vomiting or regurgitation.

Bach Flower essences, including Rescue Remedy can be beneficial in helping to calm a frightened or stressed-out cat. Administer 4-5 drops directly in your cat’s mouth about 10 minutes before you need to put them in the car. If they are still stressed out you can give another 4-5 drops more as you cannot overdose them and the drops do not interact with any other medications your cat may be taking; therefore, they are safe. In addition, Feliway is a calming pheromone product that you can spray in the cat carrier 15 minutes before you put your kitty in it for travel.

 

If your cat is having episodes of drooling at home, combined with a reduced appetite or vomiting it’s important to find out why by making an appointment with your vet. I wish I would of taken my cat sooner to the vet. Maybe the eventual outcome would have been different.

 

Water, Water Everywhere!

Diane Weinmann Animal Health , , ,

By Dr. Becker and Diane Weinmanngood til the last drop

Pets are like their owners in many ways, and for dogs and cats this includes their need for plenty of pure, fresh water.

Dogs and cats are made up of mostly water, which is required for maintaining crucial body processes like regulating body temperature, flushing out waste, cushioning the brain, and transporting nutrients through the bloodstream.

How much water your pet requires to stay healthy depends on a number of factors, including her size, diet, age, activity level and environment. Hot weather will increase your pet’s water requirements, for instance, as will eating a primarily dry-food diet.

It can also be difficult to determine how much water your pet is drinking each day, especially if you have multiple pets sharing the same water bowl. Keeping an eye out for signs of potential dehydration is therefore incredibly important, as is making an effort to increase your pet’s water intake if you discover any.

Signs Your Pet May Be Dehydrated

One of the simplest ways to determine if your pet needs to drink more water is to lift some skin at the back of her neck, then let it go. In a well-hydrated animal, the skin will quickly fall back into place. If your pet is dehydrated, however, the skin will fall slower and may stay in a tent formation.

You can also check your pet’s gums; they should be moist and slick. If your pet’s gums are dry or sticky, she probably needs more water. Also, if you press on your pet’s gums, they should turn white and then quickly turn back to pink when you remove your finger.

If the gums take awhile to regain their pink color, your pet may be dehydrated. Other signs of dehydration include:

  • Fatigue
  • Loss of appetite
  • Panting (dogs)
  • Sunken or dry eyes, dry nose and gums
  • Constipation

Signs of severe dehydration include weakness and difficulty walking. If your pet is severely dehydrated, get to an emergency veterinary center right away, as your pet will need to be given fluids intravenously or subcutaneously.

How Much Water Does Your Pet Need?

A healthy dog should drink, on average, between one-half and 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight each day. A typical cat may require from 5 to 10 ounces of water daily.

Puppies and kittens, as well as senior pets, need more water than adult dogs, and toy dog breeds are also especially prone to dehydration. Pets with certain health conditions, including kidney disease and diabetes, may also require more water than average.

If your cat or dog lived in the wild, her natural diet (prey) would be around 70 percent water. A nutritionally balanced, fresh, species-appropriate diet will also be about 70to 80 percent water, as will high-quality canned food. On the contrary, dry food is only 5to 10 percent water.

If your pet is eating moisture-rich food, some of her water requirements will be met during her meals. However, if you’re feeding mostly dry food, which I don’t recommend, she may need more water than average to compensate for the dry diet.

Feeding cats or dogs a dry-food diet actually puts incredible stress on the kidneys because of its lack of moisture.

How to Get Your Pet to Drink More Water

As mentioned, one of the easiest ways to increase your pet’s daily fluid intake is to feed a moisture-rich, fresh, species-appropriate diet or, alternatively, high-quality canned food. If your pet’s water intake is still an issue, be sure to offer her fresh, filtered water (in a clean bowl) daily. As an animal communicator many pets tell me there prefer very cold water or ice in their bowls. Obviously, many of us prefer our drinks cold even in the winter so please indulge your pets and provide COLD water for them.

Many cats enjoy drinking from a pet water fountain, and you can also give your pet bone broth (and even bone broth popsicles in the summer) to increase her fluid intake. Be sure to also offer your pet extra water when the weather is hot or when she’s been very active.  My cat, Milo, would sit outside the bathroom and look at me and look at the bathroom. This was my hint that he wanted me to turn the sink faucet on so he could drink the cold running water. Naturally, I would always accommodate his request!

 

If your dog is still resisting his water bowl, try offering plenty of praise and a treat whenever you catch him taking a drink. It will help reinforce this positive behavior. If you’re not sure how much water your pet tends to drink in a day, try to keep a close eye on it so you can gauge what’s normal and what’s not.

If your pet suddenly starts drinking more or less water than normal, it can be a sign of an underlying health condition that you should have checked out by your veterinarian.

Dogs with pancreatitis, parvovirus, or leptospirosis tend not to drink much water, for instance, while a bladder infection, other types of infection, or a metabolic problem such as Cushing’s disease or diabetes can cause excessive thirst and water consumption.

One of my favorite ways to support animals struggling to maintain their hydration status is to provide homeopathic tissue salts (I use Bioplasma®). I have found these all-natural pellets to be invaluable in re-establishing electrolyte balance in my injured and orphaned wildlife patients, as well as debilitated companion animals.

Does Your Pet Drink Too Much Water?

Some pets, dogs in particular, may drink more water than they need, leading to a potentially deadly condition known as water intoxication or hyponatremia. If too much water is ingested, it can throw off the body’s electrolyte balance, leading to dangerously low sodium levels.

 

Signs of water intoxication include bloating, lethargy, pale gums, vomiting and excessive drooling. In severe cases, it can lead to loss of consciousness, seizures, coma and death. Dogs that spend a lot of time in the water are most at risk, as they may lap up water while they’re swimming, or diving to retrieve toys.

Dogs that love to play with the spray from a hose or sprinkler are also at risk. If your dog has recently spent time in water and displays any sign of water intoxication, get her to an emergency veterinary center immediately.

In summary, if you are thirsty, chances are so is your pet. Give them something to drink—it’s nice to have a drinking buddy (ha ha ha)!