Teeth and tartar

A healthy mouth equals a happy, healthy cat.  In nature cats hide pain so that predators and rivals cannot better them. 
In our homes this is a huge disadvantage.  We don't often look in our cats' mouths so we don't realise that they are hiding holes in their teeth, loose teeth, tartar or gum disease.
Cat's teeth are prone to decay at the gumline.  Rough teeth gather plaque and tartar which rub against the gums and cause inflammation and infection, resulting in loose teeth.
Cat owners are often surprised when we recommend dental work for their cats  They are even more surprised - and delighted! - at how happy and playful their cats are after bad teeth are removed and the remainder scaled and polished.
A good Australian pet dentistry site is:
Sydney Pet Dentistry

The staff at Hall Vet Surgery are happy to talk teeth any time.

A Kitten in the Family

Looking for a new kitten?  Time spent meeting and playing with a prospective new kitten is time well spent.  After all, your kitten will be part of your family for up to 20 years.
Kittens are optimally socialised if they are left with their mother and siblings in a cat-friendly family for at least the first 8 weeks of life.  In the rough and tumble of litter life they learn to temper their play  responses so that they are much less prone to aggressive play with people later on.
 Suki's kittens, pictured on the right, have been well-handled by a variety of people including children and men.  A big labrador dog loves to 'mother' them and they are gradually meeting other species such as horses as well.  With this broad spectrum of experience in the impressionable first 8 weeks of life they will no doubt fit into any family situation.
Because they have a more uniform genetic makeup pedigreed kittens are more likely to take after their parents.  However, any calm, laid-back parents will usually produce calm and confident kittens.
Steer away from shy kittens because shyness in cats is partly genetic in origin and may never be overcome no matter how much you work on it.
Avoid feral kittens or kittens that have not been handled by humans in the first 3 months.  They have a far greater chance of remaining pathologically anxious for life.
Above all talk to the family that has raised the kittens.  They will know the budding personality of each kitten and you can choose one that will fit best into your home.

Calm cats

When cats feel safe and happy they rub their faces against the furniture, walls and other objects. They are depositing a scent known as a pheromone that makes them feel at home and relaxed.

Researchers have developed a cat facial pheromone look-a-like for stressed cats that capitalises on this calming effect. It is available as a spray or in a diffuser known as Feliway.

A couple of squirts of Feliway spray in the carrier before a visit to the vet or a trip in the car helps relax a tense puss. Many boarding catteries spray their accommodation to help the cats settle in and start eating more quickly. If you take your cat with you on holidays then Feliway spray around the holiday cottage will relax him.

We leave a Feliway diffuser on in the cat ward at the surgery to calm nervous patients.

Feliway diffusers are also great for chronically stressed cats. These cats use other marking behaviours that are less acceptable to their owners. Urine marking, aggression toward other cats or people, house soiling and cystitis are signs of stress.

Feliway diffusers left on continuously in cats’ favoured areas help restore their balance and create a feeling of well-being. Together with modifications of the environment and sometimes medications we can lower stress levels and minimise unsociable habits. 

George's spectacular appetite

My cat George was always hungry.  When he was young we called him Fat George.  As he aged he became thinner and thinner.  When he was 12 years old I noticed that his activity levels as well as his appetite were reaching record levels.
At first I thought he'd reverted to kittenhood but soon found that one of the thyroid glands on the lower part of his neck was as big as a lima bean.  A blood test confirmed the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism.
I surgically removed the gland and he was normal for a few years before I noticed his appetite rocket again.  This time I medicated him with an anti-thyroid drug that worked very well.  I gave him a tablet twice a day until he became too cunning for me. I switched to applying a medicated gel to the inside of his ears and won the battle.
Like most old cats George eventually developed kidney disease.  I had to ease off the antithyroid medication and nurse his old kidneys along.
This candid shot is of George not long before he died.  Even when his kidneys were about to collapse his overactive thyroid drove his appetite to spectacular heights (depths?!)

Twins Big Day Out

Twin tortis Pepper and Kimba had a big day yesterday.  They came into hospital for desexing before breakfast and were home in time for a much deserved tea!

Kimba has her premedication - a tranquilliser and pain relief injection - to help her relax and to minimise any discomfort from the surgery






This Feliway diffuser in the cat ward helps keep the twins calm before surgery.  It diffuses the natural pheromone that cats rub over their homes
and so makes them feel more relaxed and at home.

 Kimba in surgery.  The anaesthetic machine and monitoring equipment are at Dr Kate's right.  Dr Kate will remove her ovaries and uterus so that she won't come into season, get pregnant or develop problems of the uterus later on.

 Kimba and Pepper on their way home after their big day out at Hall Vet Surgery.  Because their metabolic rate will be slower now that they have been desexed, they will have to cut back on the amount that they eat each day so that they don't become tubby.

Good news!

The pathologist says that Oscar's lump is an apocrine cyst.  It is benign and we managed to cut it all out so that there is no chance of it recurring.
Oscar is recovering well and both he and his family are very happy that the lump is benign.

Oscar has a lump off

Oscar is a beautifully mannered senior Russian Blue who has graciously allowed us to publish the photographs of his journey through Hall Vet Surgery today.We removed a lump from the side of his neck because lumps in cats' skin are often tumours with the potential to spread or at least cause considerable local discomfort. 

Oscar has the hair clipped over his jugular vein so that we can take a sample of his blood.  We tested his blood to make sure his vital organs would handle the anaesthetic. 

Nurse Elissa tests Oscar's blood in our laboratory

Oscar under general anaesthetic with the hair clipped from his neck and the lump clearly visible

Oscar in surgery with Nurse Suzanne monitoring his vital signs

The surgical site after the lump was removed

Oscar recovering from his surgery