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~~~~~~ Top Ten Reasons for Kitty to Visit C.F.C. ~~~~~~
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1. Annual Examination and Booster Vaccinations
2. Vomiting and Diarrhea
3. Sneezing
4. Straining to Urinate or Blood in the Urine
5. Itchy Skin
6. Head Shaking or Ear Scratching
7. Wounds and Abscesses
8. Anorexia (loss of appetite) and Lethargy (listlessness)
9. Increased Water Consumption and Weight Loss
10. Bad Breath and Dental Disease
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Wellness Testing can detect current problems that are not yet evident, allowing your veterinarian to provide treatment before the problem gets more serious. The Wellness Screen can also be used to provide a baseline for comparison in the event of future illness, allowing your veterinarian to quickly identify changes in your cat’s condition which may assist in faster, more accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Blood Screening is used to measure levels of various substances in the blood. Abnormal levels of any substance may indicate infection, endocrine disease, anemia, or organ degeneration. Urinalysis can determine if there is any additional kidney or bladder dysfunction. Testing while an animal is healthy helps establish what is normal for that animal, for comparison if problems arise later.
You will be asked prior to any anesthetic procedure whether you wish Wellness Testing or Blood Screening to be performed on your cat. We also recommend it as your cat reaches a more mature age of 8 years of age and beyond |
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Feline Leukemia (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) are two highly contagious and potentially fatal diseases in cats. Cats most at risk for these diseases are cats that share food and water bowls, go outdoors, fight, or come from multi-cat households. The symptoms of FeLV and FIV are similar and include weight loss, dehydration, oral lesions and fever. However, your cat may be positive for either of these disease and still not show any symptoms. The best way to determine your cat’s FeLV and FIV status is through testing.
We recommend testing any new additions to your household. Kittens less than 6 months of age should be tested for both viruses and re-tested at 5-6 months of age. Cats older than 6 months of age should also be tested for both viruses and cats that have been at risk or recently exposed would be re-tested 1 to 3 months later because of disease incubation. Cats routinely at risk should be considered for re-testing on an annual basis. There is a vaccination available against FeLV for those cats at risk. You may contact our hospital for a list of factors to determine if your cat is at risk for having one of these potentially fatal viruses.
Home Dental Care: Cats use their teeth for grasping, tearing and chewing food. Proper care of your cat’s teeth is just as important as proper care of your own teeth. General health is improved by eliminating tooth infections and related gum disease. Most owners believe that gum disease will not occur until their cat becomes aged. However, this is not true as gum disease has been diagnosed in two year old cats.
Regular dental checkups by a veterinarian are very important. He/she can perform professional teeth cleaning to remove accumulated tartar and plaque and remove any infected teeth. These procedures are performed under anesthesia. After your cat has its teeth professionally cleaned you can provide daily dental care to control the buildup of tartar and plaque. Begin the process by slowly acclimating your cat to being handled around the muzzle and opening its mouth. After your cat completely trusts you, soak a piece of gauze in a dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide or salt water and gently rub its teeth. This should be done daily if possible. Never use toothpastes meant for humans because they cause excessive salivation and if swallowed by result in gastrointestinal upsets. Good Luck - you'll probably need it!
First Aid Kit for Cats: “Be prepared” is the cardinal rule in emergency first aid. Having a well-stocked, easily accessible first aid kit will enable you to react in an emergency and may even save your cat’s life. A first aid kit should contain:
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~~~~~~Materials~~~~~~
Gauze Bandages (1’ and 2”)
Gauze Pads (3’ and 2”)
Porous Adhesive Tape
Triangular Bandage
Tweezers
Cotton Swabs and Balls
Digital Rectal Thermometer
Roll of Cotton
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~~~~~Medications~~~~
Hydrogen Peroxide 3%
Milk of Magnesia Tablets
Activated Charcoal Tablets
Kaolin (kaopectate) Mixture
Antibacterial Ointments
(for Eyes & Skin)
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Growing an Edible Garden for Kitty: If gardening is one of your leisure activities you may want to grow a garden for your kitty to enjoy. Make sure to choose non-toxic plants for your kitty’s garden. Plants such as catnip, dwarf zinnias and grasse are plants that can be sown for your edible garden. However, avoid using grasses from the Graminae species and make sure to only purchase chemically untreated seeds. Chemicals such as Thiram and Captan are transported systemically as the seedling grows and are potentially harmful if kitty consumes them when munching on foliage.
After selecting the plants you will use, draw a planting diagram. This insures that adequate growing space is provided and that plants are arranged attractively. Do not let your cat have access to their garden until it is well established (the garden, that is).
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