Search Results for: blog caring for a senior cat

Hyperthyroid Disease in Cats

At the cats-only boarding facility, I see a lot of guests who are taking a medication called methimazole — enough that I looked up the medication to see what it treats! Hyperthyroidism is relatively common in older cats, and owners have a variety of treatment options available. The thyroid is a gland in the neck that helps regulate the body’s metabolism. When the thyroid overproduces hormones, the entire body can be affected. The heart may beat (and pump blood) faster, eventually causing high blood pressure and other problems. The cat may have an insatiable appetite, yet still lose weight. Digestive … Continue reading →

Alzheimer’s Medication: Aricept

One of the more popular medications used for Alzheimer’s disease is called Aricept (generic name: donepezil). The drug has been in use in the United States since 1996 for the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease; it was also approved in 2006 for use in patients with severe dementia. In people who respond well to the drug, the progression of Alzheimer’s disease is delayed by six months to a year. Aricept is a cholinesterase inhibitor. This type of drug delays the breakdown of a neurotransmitter known as acetylcholine, which aids in the communication between nerve cells. This neurotransmitter is very important … Continue reading →

Visit Monsters University Online

Are you interested in applying to Monsters University? Would you like to learn more about receiving a higher education in professional scaring techniques? Then head over to the newly-launched Monsters University website, for details on the country’s top scaring university. Some of the clever folks at Pixar have created a website to promote next summer’s sequel to “Monster’s Inc.,” “Monsters University.” But the website isn’t about the movie, at least not directly. It’s a viral site designed to replicate university websites, and I’ve got to tell you, it looks like it could be real. There’s so much more to it … Continue reading →

When Your Church Lets You Down (1)

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This is not an article about the place of religion in the treatment of mental health, it is merely a collection of anecdotal tales that are rather surprising given that churches are renowned for being in the business of helping people through difficult times. Of course, churches are run by fallible humans and we must expect problems from time to time. But it is a shame when a minister or senior church representative fails to offer even the most basic human care to a person suffering from an emotional problem. Let’s have a look at the case of Susan. Susan … Continue reading →

Dementia and the Flu

Seems like an odd combination, no? Dementia and the flu. Researchers from the Tufts University School of Medicine found that there may indeed be a connection between dementia and the flu… and it’s not a good one. Seniors with dementia seem to be diagnosed with the flu less often. They have shorter hospital stays if they are diagnosed with the flu, and are more likely to die from the flu or complications of the flu than seniors without dementia. The research team looked at five years of data from the U.S. Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. That data included … Continue reading →

Boarding an Older Pet

At the cats-only boarding facility, we see guests of all ages from playful kittens to sedate seniors. But if you own a senior pet, you may have more prep work before you board your cat or dog. Older pets often have more health issues than a young or adult (non-senior) pet. Your senior pup or kitty may not have the energy for long walks or hours of play. Your pet may have a health condition that requires daily medication, or a special diet. Some pets only need medication when they exhibit certain symptoms. Here are a few things you may … Continue reading →

It Takes an Office to Raise a Child

. It used to be that if you had a baby, you stayed home. Or you put the child in day care. Or you hired a nanny. You did not however, bring the baby to work. All of that is changing now in recent years. In the late 80’s and early 90’s, we began to see a rise in corporate day care facilities. It became the best of both worlds where mom (or dad) would bring the baby to work and drop their baby off at the company day care. But now there is a new trend on the horizon: … Continue reading →

Angry and Helpless as My Mom Loses It

As I wrote in a recent article, my mom is beginning to battle Old Timer’s (a.k.a. Dementia or Alzheimer’s) like her mother did, which makes me angry. But I’m not angry at the disease. I’m angry about a lot of other things. Angry at Losing Her Now As I commented on one of Aimee’s articles about this issue I had to stand by and lose my grandma to this disease before she actually passed. Now it’s happening with my mom. I’m angry about that. Angry at My Mom I’m angry at my mom because she refuses to take steps to … Continue reading →

Here We Go Again…Another Woman in My Family Battles Old-Timer’s

Aimee’s Watching a Loved One Lose Time article really struck a chord with me. In addition to leaving a comment on her article, I also PM’d her to tell her how much it hit home and why. She encouraged me to share my story here, so…I took her up on it. My Grandma My grandma started showing signs of Old Timer’s (a.k.a. Dementia or Alzheimer’s) in 1992. Unlike Aimee did with her grandma, I never lived with mine but I did help with her care as best as I could. You see, at that time I was still going to … Continue reading →

National Pet Cancer Awareness Month: What You Should Know

November is National Pet Cancer Awareness Month, which is a subject near and dear to my heart because Budly had cancer. In his case, we detected it far too late to even attempt treatments. (By the time we did find it he was suffering pretty badly and the most humane thing to do was immediately put him to sleep.) But if I could prevent Murphy, Kitty, or Tabby –or any of your pets– from experiencing the abrupt and heart wrenching goodbye we were forced to endure with Budly, I’m all for it. So I did a little research to find … Continue reading →