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Hairball Awareness by Sherri S . Cokefair , VMD , Calico Creek Vet Clinic
It seems these days , there is a National Holiday for just about anything you can think of . April 26th is National Hairball Awareness Day . Dr . Blake Hawley of Hills Pet Nutrition came up with the idea for this unique holiday , and in 2006 , The National Museum Of Health and Medicine made it official . If you ' ve ever had the pleasure of being owned by a cat , you ' re probably familiar with hairballs . If you have not seen a hairball , they are a cigar-shaped wad of hair , combined with digestive juices , and sometimes food . It ' s not enjoyable to watch your cat bring up a hairball , but it is completely normal . Cats have been coughing up hairballs for more than 6 million years !
Cats have tiny barbs on their tongues called papillae and when they groom themselves , those barbs collect hair that ends up getting swallowed by the cat . Hair is made up of a tough protein substance called keratin , which is indigestible . For cats with healthy digestive systems , the hair will make its way through the stomach and intestines and get passed through their stool . If the hair does not pass , it will accumulate in the stomach and form a hairball . Your cat will vomit to remove the hairball . In rare cases , the hairball does not pass , causing a blockage , which is a serious health issue . Contact your veterinarian if your cat is dry heaving , vomiting frequently , producing hairballs more than 1-2 times per week , acting lethargic , experiencing constipation , having diarrhea , drooling , has a decreased appetite or weight loss . These symptoms could be hairball-related or indicate another underlying health problem .
There are simple measures you can take to reduce hairballs . Brush your cat regularly to remove lose hair ; even short-haired cats benefit from getting brushed . Administer flea prevention monthly ; this includes indoor cats . Parasites will cause your cat to over-groom . Reduce stress and anxiety by providing an enriched environment for your cat . Anxious and bored cats will often over-groom themselves . If your cat struggles with hairballs you can talk to your veterinarian about medication to help the issue . There are also prescription diets you can feed to help reduce hairballs .
Interesting Hairball Facts : Trichobezoar is the scientific term for a hairball • The largest recorded hairball weighed 7.5 oz . and was 4.9 " wide • Cows , rabbits , deer , and ferrets also get hairballs • Humans can get hairballs • The average cat ingests about 173 grams of hair annually .
Pawsitively Pets -- April
Around The Hydrant :
News You Can Use
Recalls :
Stratford Care USA , Inc : Recalling multiple brands of Omega-3 supplements due to potentially elevated levels of vitamin A , which can cause health problems and vitamin A toxicity if too much is ingested over a long period of time . The FDA recommends immediately discarding any remainder of this product in a way that no wildlife or other animals can get to it . Info : 877- 498-2002 . ( 3 / 13 / 23 )
Nestlé Purina PetCare Company : Expanding its voluntary recall of Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EL Elemental ( PPVD EL ) prescription dry dog food to two additional product lots , which precede the production dates of the previously recalled lots . Info : 1-800-345-5678 . ( 3 / 10 / 23 )
Nestlé Purina PetCare Company : Recalling a limited amount of Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EL Elemental ( PPVD EL ) prescription dry dog food due to potentially elevated levels of vitamin D . This is a prescription-only product . Info : 800-345-5678 . ( 2 / 8 / 23 )
Nestlé Purina PetCare Company : Recalling a limited amount of Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric Low Fat prescription wet dog food due to a labeling error . It is safe to feed , but it is not the intended formula for dogs requiring a prescription low fat diet or who may have sensitivities to traditional diets or difficulty digesting fat . Info : 800-579-7733 . ( 12 / 2 / 22 )
Source : dogfoodadvisor . com , amva . org
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