Thinking of a new pup?

Preparing to meet the new pup

How to tablet your cat

This is an excellent video on tableting a cat. Note how the assistant holds those front legs from behind and how the pill giver holds the head vertically. One thing they miss telling us is that it is important that the cat has a drink or food to wash the pill down. I squeeze a wet cotton ball straight into the cat's mouth after dropping the pill in.

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Getting your cat in the carrier...

Does your cat put on the brakes and go all out to avoid the carrier? Try this technique, ably demonstrated by Mike Karg, an American cat vet.

Hayfever season

Thurston

Poor old Thurston has been scratching his face and ears non-stop since the blossoms came out last week.
Like his owner he is allergic to spring pollens. Unlike his owner whose eyes and nose stream in spring, Thurston gets itchy, mainly around his head. He has scratched the hair away above his eyes and made his skin bleed.
Scabs and little sores dot the back of his head and are scattered down his back.
His owners treat him for fleas with a monthly treatment so that fleas and flea allergy don't irritate him, too.
Thurston has gone home on allergy tablets and will feel more comfortable soon.
Next spring  he'll be living in Queensland.  Away from the blossoms he and his owner might enjoy spring more.

Lily toxicity

Day Lily

All species of lilies are toxic to cats. Indoor cats with little choice in plant munching material are most at risk as they will try any cut flower that comes into the house. 

Any part of the plant – flowers, leaves or stems - is dangerous. Even lily pollen licked off the coat destroys cats’ kidney tubules. 

Lilies proven to poison cats include: Easter Lily, Tiger Lily, Day Lily, Glory Lily, Stargazer Lily, Rubrum Lily, Asian Lily and the Japanese Show Lily

If you see your cat with lily on her coat, in her mouth or in her vomit don’t wait for signs of poisoning. The sooner we get it out of her system and start treatment to protect the kidneys the greater her chance of survival.

Affected cats vomit and are depressed within hours of ingesting lily. Some then seem to recover before starting to show signs of severe kidney failure a day or so later. Others continue vomiting, go off their food and get more and more depressed.

If emptying the stomach and medications to prevent absorption of the toxin are effective, the chance of recovery is excellent.

If your cat absorbs enough toxin to cause damage to her kidneys then her outlook is very poor. It is essential to seek emergency care immediately after ingestion of the lily plant.

Behind the scenes at the vet's

Ever wondered what happens behind the scenes at a 'real' vet surgery? Come along to our Open Day on Sunday, 16th September 10am - 2pm and have a sticky beak! We are opening our surgery, lab, procedure, hospital and imaging rooms to our clients. Our nurses and vets will be there to answer your questions and show you around. Share cat queries and stories with Dr Kate in the big consult room.
A sausage sizzle and drinks will fuel the humans and Pup Cakes the dogs. Face painting and balloon twisting will entertain the children (and children at heart). The dogs will be kept out of mischief with fancy dress, tail wagging and talent competitions.
Watch the dogs dance and negotiate Rally-O and find out more about our surgery charity AMRRIC (Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous communities)

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.