NSVH Blog

Category: Cats Are Not Small Dogs

We Declare 2023 the Year of the Cat!' | January 11, 2023

At NSVH, we have declared 2023 to be the Year of the Cat! Did you know that the American Association of Feline Practitioners awarded NSVH Gold Status as a Certified Cat Friendly Practice? Only a small percentage of veterinary hospitals across the US have received this distinction — we have maintained this certification since our doors opened […]

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Sweet Cats: Feline Diabetes' | January 24, 2022

Wait, what? Cats can have diabetes? Yes it’s true! Your cat can develop diabetes, just like humans. After hyperthyroidism, diabetes is the most common endocrine disorder we diagnose in middle aged and senior cats. Diabetes results from either the inability to produce enough insulin (typically called Type 1 diabetes in humans) or the development of […]

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Fear Free and Feline Friendly' | March 27, 2017

In building my dream practice, I had a few very specific goals for Newtown Square Veterinary Hospital. One was to create a personalized, progressive hospital with a family-friendly feel and state of the art medicine. Second was to provide our patients with a calm, welcoming and stress-free environment. Third was to design a hospital that […]

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Easy Rider' | October 3, 2016

I’ve previously written about ways to make your kitty’s trip to the veterinarian less stressful for everyone. Our feline friends sometimes do not receive the medical care they need and deserve, because it may be unpleasant for owners to try and wrangle Fluffy into her cat carrier. There are many strategies that can be implemented to […]

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Cats on the Underground' | September 16, 2016

A marketing group in London has papered the city’s Underground stations with cats! Normally covered in ads of every sort, on September 13th the railway stations were instead decorated with cats of every size, shape and color. The ad takeover was intended to “encourage positive values in society” and also features homeless cats in need […]

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Hunting for Food' | September 14, 2016

We may have domesticated cats in many ways, but we have not successfully domesticated their appetites. “Snarf and barf” is an all-too-common phenomenon, where pets inhale their food, and then regurgitate it moments later. Couple this problem with the fact that many indoor cats lack physical activity, and it’s understandable that there is a feline […]

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Happy Cat Month' | September 9, 2016

My friends at the CATalyst Council have designated September as Happy Cat Month, and for good reason. Despite the fact that there are significantly more pet cats than dogs in America (75 million cats vs. 69 million dogs), dogs come to the vet more than twice as often as cats. Many cats go to the vet […]

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Rat Patrol!' | August 10, 2016

A Chicago cat sanctuary, Tree House Humane Society, has come up with an innovative way to deal with the city’s rat problem and feral cat problem simultaneously. Tree House is putting feral cats to work, doing what cats do best: rodent extermination! I’m certain these cats are happy being “employed” and they find permanent homes […]

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They Hear Us. They Just Don’t Care.' | August 8, 2016

If you’ve owned a cat, you won’t be surprised by this study. Scientists at the University of Tokyo have confirmed what us cat owners have known for years: cats can recognize our voices, yet they often choose to ignore us! To me, this is what makes cats so intriguing. We really have to work to […]

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Midnight Snack Attack?' | July 18, 2016

I recently dealt with several months of hungry cat 4:00am wake-ups thanks to my cat Pudge (pictured at left, helping with an art project). Pudge started waking me up earlier and earlier each morning, demanding food by screaming all around the house, jumping on me while I was sleeping, and knocking items off my bedside table. […]

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Kitty Can Love the Vet!' | July 15, 2016

I saw this photo on Facebook recently: Hysterical right? It’s funny because it’s true. I wish I could help Diane (and her kitty) learn that there’s a better way to take a cat to the vet. I may not be able to help Diane, but I can help you: http://newtownsquarevet.com/bring-your-cat-to-the-vet-in-3-easy-steps/      

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If Kitty could speak…' | July 5, 2016

…what would she say? According to the makers of Catterbox, if Fluffy could speak, she would primarily say “No. No. No.” Anyone who is owned by a cat shouldn’t be surprised to know that, much like a two year old toddler, a cat’s favorite word is “NO!” If I had to guess, my cat Pudge’s favorite […]

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Litter Box No-No’s' | June 25, 2015

I’ve written before about the trials and tribulations of owners with felines who stop using the litter box. Inappropriate urination is an incredibly common problem, and one of the most frequent reasons that cats are relinquished to shelters. A decade of practice in veterinary medicine has brought to my attention a number of litter box […]

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Truth: It’s an Amputation' | January 24, 2015

It is 2015, and yet we still get requests from clients to declaw their cats. Although illegal in most of Europe and Australia, declawing is not (yet) illegal in the United States. There are even a few American veterinary schools that now refuse to teach their students how to perform declaws. When push comes to […]

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Swheat is So Sweet!' | January 20, 2015

I used the same kitty litter for the past 15 years. That same clay-based, clumping litter served me well through four cats and five different homes. I had a healthy relationship with my kitty litter and no desire to change. And then came Pudge. Pudge is the cat who creates a sandstorm of kitty litter […]

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How to Bring Your Cat to the Vet in 3 Easy Steps' | May 13, 2014

In the average week, we see easily three to four times more dogs than cats for appointments, despite the fact that pet cats outnumber dogs in the United States. Why is this the case? A recent study determined that the number of feline visits to veterinarians decreased 14% from 2001 to 2011 despite an increase in […]

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Spring Cleaning for Fido and Fluffy' | April 13, 2014

After the Winter That Wouldn’t Quit, it’s so lovely to see the sun and enjoy some warmer temperatures outside. It’s spring cleaning time, not only for your house, but also for Fido and Fluffy! This is a great time of year to think about protecting Fido and Fluffy from parasites (warmer temperatures mean increased numbers […]

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Keep Fido and Fluffy Healthy in Five Easy Steps' | March 26, 2014

Most of our clients are absolutely, positively devoted to their pets, which makes working at Newtown Square Veterinary Hospital such a pleasure. I’m often asked by clients what specific things can be done to keep Fido and Fluffy happy, healthy and long-lived. The right food, the right accessories and the right haircut may seem important, but […]

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Click It, or Ticket!' | November 12, 2013

Recently, my dog Maeby and I filmed a spot with Rafferty Subaru, discussing the importance of car safety for our pets. With the advent of pet-friendly hotels everywhere, it seems more and more of us are traveling with our pets. Some dog owners like to take Fido everywhere, even while running brief errands around town, […]

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The Burt’s and The Bees' | November 9, 2013

These days, so many clients are seeking natural foods, remedies and supplements for their pets (and for themselves!) I’m on board with this trend, to a degree: the 2-leggers in our house are vegetarians, and we try and eat mostly organic, unprocessed foods. The Dr D pets eat quality foods, with minimal additives and simple […]

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Pain-Free in Dallas!' | September 28, 2013

It’s day two of the AAFP conference, and today was entirely devoted to pain management in cats. All of the lectures I attended today were given by the same speaker, Dr. Robin Downing. The good news is that Dr. Downing is a fantastic lecturer so our eight hours together flew by. The bad news is […]

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Cat-tastic in Texas!' | September 27, 2013

Hello from Dallas! I’m in Texas, attending the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) annual conference, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. I positively love to learn, especially about our particularly unique and challenging feline friends. The AAFP is an amazing organization of devoted, caring veterinarians who care deeply about feline medicine, surgery, […]

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Snarf and Barf' | August 13, 2013

If your Fido or Fluffy inhales meals in record time, then moments later regurgitates a large amount of undigested food…you are in good company. I remind clients frequently that, while we may have domesticated our furry canine and feline friends, we don’t seem to have domesticated their appetites much. Many dogs and cats are food-seeking […]

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Kitten Care 101' | August 9, 2013

It’s been about 13 years since we had a kitten in the Dr. D household, and, with the addition of Mango’s progeny Watermelon (now called Pudge), I am having a refresher course in Kitten 101. I darn near forgot how much energy kittens have! And how they get into everything (electrical cords, closets, toilet paper.) […]

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Is There a Feline Referee for Hire?' | July 8, 2013

As many of you know, I recently brought a foster cat named Mango into the Dr. D household. She’s a three year old, domestic longhair cat who had a litter of kittens in our care about 4 weeks ago. Mango is unbelievably sweet, even allowing my four year old son to carry her around, and […]

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Dogs, Goats and Llamas, Oh My!' | January 20, 2013

My family attended the Philadelphia Pet Expo for the first time this past weekend, and it was such a fun event! There were scads of vendors selling pet supplies, cute dog collars, cat toys and appetizing dog treats.

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The Dreaded Lampshade' | January 12, 2013

So, your cat just had surgery. Or your dog has been licking himself incessantly, creating a hot spot. Your veterinarian emphatically recommends that Fluffy/Fido wear an Elizabethan collar (E-collar) to allow the incision/wound to heal. You think Fluffy will freak out and hide all day with the E-collar on. Or that Fido can’t walk, eat, […]

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Cough It Up' | January 4, 2013

It is a fact of life that cats can have an occasional hairball. Truthfully, our feline friends are well-designed to be able to ingest large quantities of fur without digestive trouble. Cats are meticulous groomers, and some seem to spend the greater portion of most days grooming themselves (when they’re not sleeping of course!) As […]

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Howl You Doin’?' | December 28, 2012

It’s 3am and no one in the house is sleeping. Fluffy, your geriatric cat, has been up howling and screaming for the past hour. Fluffy never used to do this before, but it’s become a nightly ritual. Everyone is exhausted and you’re ready to put Fluffy out on the front porch. What could have prompted […]

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Creaky, Cranky Kitty?' | September 20, 2012

Dogs will hit you over the head with a hammer (or a tennis ball, or frisbee) to let you know they’re out of sorts. Our feline friends are often more subtle when displaying signs of illness or pain than their canine counterparts. Something as simple as a change in sleep patterns, or as obvious as […]

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Fluffy vs. the Medicine Cabinet' | August 19, 2012

From the first day of veterinary school, students are taught that “cats are not small dogs”. I’ve said this phrase before and, undoubtedly, I will say it again. There are many quirks and idiosyncrasies to our feline friends, and their unique physiology. This can make life challenging for veterinarians, especially when it comes to prescribing […]

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Meow Mix' | July 30, 2012

Well, my time has come. Somehow, even after working in this profession for a decade, I’ve not had the opportunity to foster a litter of kittens. That all changed this week, when a good samaritan client brought in three kittens she had found in her neighborhood. One of our technicians quickly volunteered to hand-raise the […]

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Who Ya Gonna Call?' | July 8, 2012

Most parents know to call the poison control hotline if their child accidentally ingests medication or a household cleaner. Most pet owners might not know that there is also a poison control hotline specifically for pets. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is an amazing resource for pet owners and veterinarians alike. The hotline is […]

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No Littering Please' | June 1, 2012

Litter box issues are one of the most common, and frustrating, problems cat lovers encounter. Anyone who has ever been owned by a cat knows that there is nothing worse than the smell of cat urine on the carpet (or sofa, or comforter, or laundry…the list goes on.) The question: why is Kitty urinating outside […]

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