Posts Tagged ‘Appetite’

Signs of Cocaine Use

Comments: 0June 21st, 2010 by admin



You may be wondering if there even are signs of cocaine use or common symptoms that people display when they are using this drug. The fact of the matter is that there are many signs of cocaine abuse that, if you are aware of them, can be very useful in determining if someone is using cocaine.

The first thing that you need to aware of is that there is no 100% certain way to determine if a person is abusing drugs other than confronting them with a drug test. However, as I have said, if you know the signs of the addictive behavior, you will have a leg up on determining this question.

So, what are the common signs of cocaine use? There are several and I’d like to discuss the top three.

1. Loss of weight. Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that will limit a person’s appetite. Because of this people who are regular cocaine users do not consume enough calories to maintain their weight. As a result when a person starts using cocaine they can lose a significant amount of weight. If you suspect a person of using cocaine and they are quickly losing weight, that is not a good sign.

2. Staying out at night. Cocaine is a drug that is most often consumed at night. What this means is that a person using cocaine will often disappear for many hours at night and come back home very late or be gone for several days. When a cocaine user is using their drug they will lose all concepts of time and they will continue to use well after the point when they should call it a night. Therefore if someone is out until 4 AM frequently, they may be abusing cocaine.

3. Nose problems. Most people who use powder cocaine consume it through their nasal tissue, meaning that they inhale it. Because most cocaine addicts will use large amounts of the this drug, damage to the mucus membrane of the nose is sure to follow. Cocaine users often report having nose bleeds or runny and stuffy noses for days after their last using binge. So, pay attention to a person’s nose if you suspect them of using cocaine. However, you should be aware that if the person you suspect is injecting or smoking their cocaine (in the form of crack cocaine) then this sign will not apply.

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Posted in Alcohol

What is Cat Renal Failure? How Do You Treat it?

Comments: 0July 27th, 2009 by admin

Cat renal failure is most commonly known as kidney failure in our furry little friends. It is a very common condition that affects older cats. To give you an idea of how common it is, one out of every five cats over the age of fifteen will suffer from it.

Cat renal failure is characterized by the decrease in the kidney’s ability to purify blood in order to remove waste products from it. It is often a slow going, and gradually degenerating problem which is often irreversible.

Some of the symptoms you should look for are weight loss, depression, loss of energy or appetite, excessive thirst and urination, elevated blood pressure, poor coat and anemia. The diagnosis can be reached by visiting a veterinarian to have blood analysis done, as well as a urine test.

The first treatment often used is to give the cat fluids intravenously in order to balance their electrolytes. Sometimes this is just a hydration packet inserted under your cat’s skin. Other times it is a full blown IV drip. In some cases, cat parents learn how to give an IV to their cat. Then they do the IV treatment at home.

Cat renal failure can be controlled through diet. You should decrease the amount of protein in your cat’s diet, because protein is most responsible for the accumulation of waste products in the blood once the kidneys have stopped working properly. However, it is important that the diet is regulated with care because if you feed your pet too little protein, the condition can actually get much worse.

Additionally, lowering the phosphate content in the food appears to help prevent further damage to the kidneys. It is highly recommended that you purchase a special diet food that has been designed specifically for cat renal failure. To help your cat adjust, you can start by mixing it in with their old foods.

Ensuring your cat gets adequate intake of water is important, because cats who suffer from this disease often become dehydrated. If you find your cat is not drinking the water on its own, you can try flavoring it with tuna or chicken to make it more appetizing.

Visiting your veterinarian is the first step to diagnosing and treating cat renal failure. It is important that you get treatment started right away, as it will help prolong the life of your precious pet. We all want what is best for our furry little friends. A kidney transplant is another option, but this can easily cost anywhere from five to eight thousand dollars.

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Posted in anemia