he Pack
MEET TOP DOG KITTLE
BUT SOLENSIA IS CHANGING THEIR LIVES CATS HIDE PAIN WELL
As long as the others do what I say, we get along well. Every day, we greet Ma at the door when she comes home from work. We each bring her a special toy as a present. She’s nice to all of us, but I can tell she always likes my gift the best. One of my other favorite things is going to day care at Pawsitively Perfect. Even the car ride is a lot of fun, and I like to tell Ma how excited I am the whole way there. It’s good to burn off some energy and spend time with other dogs — even though my younger siblings come, too. Ma has a roommate named Tina, and she’s one of my favorite humans. She’s so friendly and thinks it’s funny when we get
Cats are sneaky. They silently stalk prey, hide like champions when they don’t want to be found, and steal things they’re not supposed to have before you know what hit you. Unfortunately, they’re also masters at hiding when they’re in pain. Sometimes, they can suffer for years without showing any obvious signs something is wrong. Arthritis is common among cats and can subtly change their behavior. They don’t jump as high or far and become less active. We assume our cats are lying around
the zoomies. But my No. 1 job is to protect Ma. I make sure to let strangers know I mean business. It can be tough to be in charge of so many other dogs, but I make do. At night, I like to snuggle up with Ma under the cover. It’s just what I need after a long day, and it makes all my hard work worth it.
all day because they’re lazy, but often, they’re sore. Historically, there haven’t been many great options to treat this problem in felines, but a new drug called Solensia is changing the game. Solensia is a once-monthly injectable monoclonal antibody treatment that prevents osteoarthritis pain from reaching cats’ brains. A study found that 77% of cat owners noticed positive changes in their cats after use. Since Dr. Clark started administering Solensia at the Animal Clinic of Kalispell, he has seen radical changes. “You give them this drug, and suddenly they turn into a new cat,” he says. There are many signs your cat may need help with arthritis pain, and we often don’t know to look for them. Excessive scratching or licking can be an indication, as can any changing habits. Less activity is a telltale sign of pain, as is aggression. Dr. Clark says that some people report their cats “looking mad,” carrying their heads low and keeping their ears down. “They’re really nonspecific changes,” Dr. Clark explains. For that reason, he has begun using Solensia on some cats as a diagnostic tool. “If we try it and they start acting completely different, we can say they’re probably in pain, and sometimes we can find the source,” he explains. “But even when we can’t find it, by resolving their neuropathic pain, we can change these cats’ lives.”
nd Jam Frozen Treats
Ingredients
• • •
1 cup strawberries
is a sweetener sometimes found in peanut butter that is toxic to dogs.)
1/4 cup water
A few dollops of xylitol- free peanut butter (Xylitol
Directions 1. Wash strawberries thoroughly and slice off the tops. 2. To a blender, add strawberries and water and purée until smooth. 3. Pour the liquid into an ice cube tray or mold until each slot is 3/4 full. 4. Using a spoon, top each ice cube slot with a small amount of peanut butter. 5. Pop the tray into the freezer and leave until completely frozen. 6. Serve treats straight out of the freezer, and watch your pup enjoy!
If you think your cat may be suffering from arthritis, we’d love to discuss this monthly in-office injectable and how it might impact your cat’s well-being. We’re also excited to note that a version of this drug designed for dogs is expected to hit the market soon. “I always tell people, old age is not a disease,” Dr. Clark says. “But arthritis is. If we can fix the cat’s clinical signs of disease, sometimes they’re not ‘old’ anymore, and they’re back to being themselves.”
– Dr. Jevon Clark
406.755.6886
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