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  • One particularly dangerous type of foreign body in cats is a linear foreign body: a long, thin object such as string, yarn, or tinsel. If one end of the linear foreign body becomes lodged in the gastrointestinal tract, intestinal perforation may occur due to bunching up of the intestines. The most common signs of a linear foreign body include vomiting, anorexia (refusal to eat), dehydration, and lethargy. If your veterinarian suspects a linear foreign body, your cat will need an exploratory laparotomy (abdominal surgery).

  • Linezolid is an antibiotic used to treat multi-drug-resistant, gram-positive bacterial infections in cats and dogs. Its use is limited to susceptible infections with documented resistance to other antimicrobials. Its use is off label in veterinary medicine. Linezolid comes in tablet and powder forms that may be compounded into liquid.

  • LinkSkin® Spray is a topical solution designed to support the skin barrier in dogs and cats by restoring the balance of microflora on the skin. It contains heat-killed lactobacilli and can help prevent skin infections caused by bacteria and yeast.

  • Generally, the following screening tests are recommended when liver disease is suspected: a complete blood count (CBC), a serum biochemical profile, and a urinalysis.

  • The liver is an important organ necessary for controlling many different body functions. Signs of liver disease in cats include increased drinking and urination, abdominal swelling, jaundice, digestive upset, and weight loss. Signs, diagnostics, and treatments are discussed.

  • Platynosomiasis is a disease caused by a parasitic worm called a liver fluke. It affects cats in tropical and subtropical regions. The lifecycle is complex and involves several hosts. Cats can become infected by ingesting lizards or amphibians that have the larval stages of the fluke. The flukes live in the bile ducts and gall bladder of affected cats, causing symptoms of liver disease.

  • It is important to recognize that multiple tumors in the liver are not always cancers.

  • The liver has a massive blood supply so many cancer cells from elsewhere arrive within it and start to grow. In dogs, metastatic tumors are three times as common as primary tumors and over 30% of malignant cancer may metastasize to the liver.

  • Cats can have hearing loss due to increasing age or chronic ear infections, or they may be born with a defect. Deafness in cats can present some challenges, but overall they can have healthy, normal lives. It is possible to teach your cat household routines by using hand signals and body language. It is important to take their deafness into account when considering their safety, and they must remain indoors or in outdoor enclosures.

  • Lomustine is used to treat lymphoma and tumors of the central nervous system in cats. It may be used to treat other forms of cancer as well.