As I begin to discuss the treatment for inflammatory bowel disease, an owner admits that she too has a similar affliction. Weird isn't it? But, it happens all the time. This month Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI), released statistics on common medical conditions in pets that can also affect people. I thought you might be interested.

Allergy is the number one disease that affects all of us. I keep a link to the pollen counts on my Blackberry, but I hardly need to. If my allergic clients are sniffling, their pets are itching. I find it interesting that most allergic pets have skin issues while their humans have upper respiratory problems. But the reverse can be true. I also have a whole family, including the dog, who seem to be allergic to wheat! So, obviously food allergies fall into the category of afflictions that can affect humans and animals. Once client is as allergic to the family cat as the dog is. The poor cat has to spend a lot of time on the screened-in porch so the owner can breathe and the dog can stop scratching.

Bladder infection is one most women can relate to. And, dogs and cats are no exception. While female animals are more likely to get a true bacterial cystitis, male and female cats more frequently get sterile cystitis.

These sterile inflammations of the bladder can be associated with crystals or stones or they can simply be idiopathic, meaning we don't know their cause. It turns out idiopathic cystitis is common in people and we use similar medications to help control the discomfort. Stress is a big trigger in pets, and I'll bet the same is true with people.

The dreaded arthritis. All of us can or will be able to relate to the pain of arthritis. Anyone who has experienced the pain of arthritis in the back, knees or hips knows how badly our older pets could be hurting. Fortunately we also have once-a-day medications (NSAIDS) that can provide pain control for pets, but pets cannot take the same NSAIDS that people do, so make sure you don't try to medicate your pet with your own medicine. We do however use the same supplements to try to help control arthritis, so omega fatty acids, glucosamines, chondroitins and the likes might all be helpful for both pets and people. And, nothing beats swimming to keep the joints nimble.

Ooh, diabetes. This is a hot topic right now since the main animal insulin is going into reduced production. So, guess what? Pets will be switching to the same insulins that people use! This is a little unfortunate because the genetic make-up of human insulins differ from the animal versions. This sometimes makes a pet less responsive, but usually they work fine. Cats usually have type II diabetes, very similar to that found in obese and overweight humans.

Dogs tend to have either type I or type II, but the type I dogs resemble the more juvenile onset diabetes found in humans. I find it interesting that skin cancer came up high on the list, but VPI had over 2000 claims for this disease last year. Animals can get all kids of skin cancers, but the one that reminds me of the type people get is the melanoma. We most commonly find this on the tips of a white cat's ears. The lack of pigment makes them more prone to melanoma and if they spend a lot of time in the sun, it is a good idea to keep a powerful sunblock on the ears of a white cat. Just like a blond person.

Ahh, gum disease. If I could just convince my pet owners of the prevalence and discomfort of this disease. Anyone who has had significant periodontal disease, knows how much it can hurt. But, as a society, we still tend to largely ignore this problem in our pets.

Why? It hurts. It predisposes the pet to heart and kidney disease. It really makes their breath smell! I think the fact that gum disease is out-of- sight makes it easier to ignore. But, do your pet the same favor you would do for yourself and have his or her teeth evaluated yearly.

I'll end with acne. Bet you didn't know that animals get acne. Cats tend to get large blackheads on the chins. We treat this affliction by keeping the area clean and dry and using, you guessed it, benzoyl peroxide! Dogs get comedones, which really are just blackheads on the bald areas of the skin, usually the belly. Acne in dogs and cats often is a result of some type of allergy, so you may find your vet trying to figure out what your pet could be allergic to as well as controlling the disease with shampoos and antibiotics.

So, we really have a lot in common with our pets. For better or for worse. But, your pet cannot tell you when something is amiss, so be sure to keep an eye out for symptoms that you recognize. Reporting these to your vet early in the course of the disease can make all the difference.

(Dr. Katherine A. Saenger, DVM, owns Bees Ferry Veterinary Hospital and Boarding Kennel (www.beesferry.com). E-mail her at vetsaenger@bellsouth.net with your questions.)