Prioritize Your Cat’s Health in December during National Cat Lovers' Month

One of the most important acts of love you can give your cat is taking them to the vet for a thorough checkup. This is the perfect time to make sure your cat is in top shape and to catch any potential health issues before they become serious.

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Why Vet Checkups Are Essential

Cats are notorious for hiding signs of illness. For pet owners, this can make it harder to spot when something is wrong. This is why regular vet checkups are crucial. A yearly visit (or more frequent visits for senior cats or those with health issues) allows your vet to perform important screenings, monitor any changes in your cat’s health, and detect illnesses early.

Perhaps the most critical aspect of preventative care is early detection. Many common feline diseases, including cancer, don’t show obvious symptoms until they’ve progressed to later stages. Early detection not only increases the chances of successful treatment, but also helps reduce the cost and stress of care down the road.

For example, lymphoma — a type of cancer that is unfortunately common in cats — can be difficult to spot early because it often doesn’t show noticeable symptoms right away.

However, with regular checkups, your vet can perform tests that might catch lymphoma in its early stages, giving your cat the best chance for successful treatment.

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Quick And Accurate Results Are Key

One of the best tools for determining feline lymphoma and leukemia subtypes is ImpriMed’s Flow Cytometry report. Flow cytometry provides cell-sizing information and analyzes different proteins found on and within tumor cells that denotes immunophenotype. This test provides prognostic information for leukemia and lymphoma.

“Our Flow Cytometry service is a powerful technique for analyzing cell phenotype,” says Mary Ocnean, Vice President of Commercial Operations of ImpriMed. “Using this advanced technology, we can identify, isolate, and quantify different cell types in a heterogeneous sample, providing quick and accurate results within 3-4 days from the receipt of the sample in the lab.”

ImpriMed also offers effective detection for cancer clone cells and neoplasia — the abnormal growth of cells within a cat’s body — with PCR for Antigen Receptor Rearrangement (PARR), which is particularly useful when cytology is ambiguous. Neoplasia can affect cats of all ages and breeds, but it is most seen in older cats. This growth of cells can lead to malignant or benign tumors.

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Protect Your Pet

National Cat Lovers’ Month is a wonderful time to celebrate the deep bond you share with your feline companion. But it’s also an important reminder that taking proactive steps toward your cat’s health is one of the best ways to show your love. A simple vet checkup could make all the difference in detecting potential health problems early and ensuring your cat has a long, happy and healthy life.