Cats have allergies too!

An allergy to flea saliva is the most common allergy we see in cats. Cats allergic to fleas groom more than normal and some develop large ulcers on their lips or in their mouths. Some scratch furiously around their head and ears, others develop pimple-like lesions on their rumps and trunks, or red lines on their legs and bellies. Cats are so fastidious with grooming that we frequently find no trace of the fleas.
After a thorough check for other parasites and problems we treat the affected cat, any other pets in the household and the house for fleas before we go on to allergies that are more difficult to treat and diagnose.
As usual cats love to confuse their vets - cats with food or pollen allergies may show all or any of the same signs as flea allergic cats! Food allergies are the least common type of allergy but we prick our ears up if a cat has intermittent vomiting or diarrhoea as well as skin signs. 
We prescribe a special low allergy diet if we suspect food allergy. If the signs go away on the diet then we trial different proteins until we find the one the cat is allergic too.
Atopy, which is the proper name for allergies to pollens, dust mites and other inhaled allergens, is more common than food allergy, but more difficult to diagnose and treat.

Mika well-cared for today

Mika captured the heart of Nurse Kate today while she was in for her desexing surgery. Kate stayed with her until she was fully recovered from her anaesthetic. She then reluctantly left Mika resting in a heated cage with her soft toy whale while she attended the other patients in hospital.

Desexing Max

Here's Max preparing for his big surgery. Although he is only 4 months old Max is a big Siamese and already showing interest in his sister so his carers decided it was time for him to be neutered.
He will have to watch his waistline because his metabolic rate will drop about 30% and unless he reduces his food intake he will soon be a fatty!

Quick recovery

FC has recovered from her desexing surgery at Hall Vet Surgery and is playing with her toy.
Most cats desexed before 6-7 months of age recover very quickly from general anaesthesia and surgery. We have to warn their carers to stop them climbing curtains and trees the day after surgery!

Can Molly come to our Open Day???

Miss Molly wants to know if she can come to our Open Day on Sunday 16th September. Unfortunately, Molly, cats can't come but Dr Kate will be available to discuss health issues and preventative care strategies with concerned carers in this very room.
Dogs (well behaved and on leads) are welcome. A Rally-O course, fancy dress competitions, dog training and Dancing with Dogs displays, and heaps of other fun will keep them busy from 10am - 2pm.
Cats no doubt know it all already, and would be happier keeping the home fires burning I think!

Watching her weight

Beautiful British Blue Tess is looking to the future. She is just entering her more senior years and is trying to get some extra grams off her waist line. She hopes to avoid nasties like diabetes, arthritis and heart disease by getting her weight down.
She still has a fat pad swinging from her belly under that soft thick coat. Another 200gm weight loss should do the trick.
Good luck Tess!

Tiger, Tiger sitting tight

Tiger is just on his way home after having his blood pressure checked. He sat quietly while we wrapped a cuff around his arm. He thought the cold gel we put on his wrist for the Doppler probe was the worst part.
Because a cat's pulse is so small we have to amplify it with the Doppler. We pump the cuff up until we cannot hear the pulse and then slowly let the air out until we hear the pulse. At this point we read his blood pressure from the dial.
Tiger has a heart murmur and kidney problems. Heart disease often lowers the blood pressure but kidney failure increases it. Fortunately Tiger's blood pressure is normal.

Finding Nemo...

We found this Nemo in the peak of health when he came in for his 2 year old check up yesterday. He had a little plaque on his molars and will include some meat strips or Greenies in his diet to stop it building up any more.

We vaccinated him for enteritis and flu, and wormed him with the spot-on Profender before he hopped back in his cage to go home. We'll see him again this time next year.

Skin infection

Missy-Moo has a very unusual bacterial infection in the skin of her belly. Two weeks ago she visited us with lots of 'pepper-pot' draining holes on her belly. The skin was thick and spongey. She hadn't complained to her family about it but they noticed she was spending a lot of time keeping herself clean.
After surgery to remove the worst of the inflamed and infected skin and to take samples to send to the lab she started on antibiotics that we thought might be effective against the most likely causative bacteria.
Two weeks later the lab has found the culprits but hasn't identified them or found the most appropriate antibiotic for her yet.
Today we took Missy-Moo's stitches out and her belly is looking much, much better. Her owner commented that she has been playing more and is getting back to her happy self.
Missy-Moo is not impressed with daily tablets, but will have to continue with them for many weeks yet. If she stops too soon the infection could flare up again.

Love is in the air!

Mika has been trying to find a way out into the wild world for the past 3 days. Her yowling, rolling and over-the-top affection are driving her family crazy.
Although she is only 4 months old she has come into season and could fall pregnant if she found a tomcat outside.
Cats will often start to cycle as the days get longer in August and September, even if they are barely out of kittenhood themselves.
Mika's carers have booked her in for a spey next week. Once cats start cycling they keep it up every 2-3 weeks until they fall pregnant - and Mika's owners don't want their beautiful Burmese to have motley kittens!