Female Care

I know you love your pet, and who wouldn’t? He is a loyal, trustworthy and a great companion. But did you know that your pet can make you sick? Yes, if you are allergic to pet dander, you can develop serious allergies and even asthma.

Most people believe that an animal’s fur is what causes allergies, when in reality it is the pet’s dander. Glands in an animal’s skin secrete proteins, which are the dander, and this is what people who have pet allergies react to. Allergens can also be contained in a pet’s saliva and urine. These are the things that make pet owners sick.

Pet allergies can range from mild to very severe. They can also cause asthma. The most common symptoms are sneezing, stuffy nose, watery eyes and difficulty breathing. More severe symptoms can be itchy, dry skin and nasty red rashes that burn, itch or both. Continue reading »

What is cystitis?

Cystitis is an inflammation of the bladder (the sac that stores urine) and is the most common type of urinary tract infection.  It usually occurs when bacteria that normally live in the bowel travel up the short tube (urethra) that connects the bladder to the outside. Once inside the bladder, these bacteria quickly grow.

Cystitis is common in women of all ages. Around 30-50 per cent of women will have cystitis at some time in their lives. A woman is most likely to get cystitis when sexually active, while pregnant and after menopause. The infection cannot be passed to others during sex. Women get cystitis more often than men because women have a shorter urethra. The urethral, vaginal and anal openings are also very close, making it easy for bacteria to be spread from one to the other.

What are the symptoms?

• Stinging or burning when you pass urine.
• Passing only small amounts of urine.
• An urge to pass urine more often.
• Feeling that the bladder is still full after passing urine.
• Smelly, cloudy, dark or bloody urine.
• Pain low down in the abdomen.
• Feeling unwell with nausea and fever.

Continue reading »