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Pleasant veterinary visits

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How to help your cat have pleasant veterinary visits

From the American Association of Feline Practitioners.

Fear is the primary cause of misbehavior. Knowing this can help prevent problematic veterinary visits.

GETTING THE CAT INTO THE CARRIER – Keep the carrier out in the home. Put treats inside. Train cats to view the carrier as a safe haven and “home away from home.” A quick response is crucial in case of disaster or emergency. Carriers that have both a top and a front opening are best. Top-loading carriers allow for stress-free placement and removal of the cat. A removable carrier top enables cats to be examined while remaining in the bottom half of the carrier. Do not “dump” a cat out of the carrier.

ADJUSTING TO CAR RIDES – Always put the cat in a carrier or other safe container. Take the cat for regular car rides, beginning with very short ones, to places other than the veterinary hospital. To prevent car sickness, do not feed before traveling. Reward verbally, with positive attention, and with treats.

PLEASANT VETERINARY VISITS – Bring along the cat’s favorite treats, toys, and blanket. Perform regular home maintenance procedures, including grooming, nail trimming, teeth brushing. “Play vet” procedures that mimic temperature taking, ear cleaning, and pilling can help cats better adjust to the veterinary hospital and to future home care when necessary. Regular trips to the veterinary hospital for “fun” visits involving no examinations or procedures provide owners and staff with the opportunity to reward the cat with praise and food treats.

Olive’s Brave Battle with Hyperthyroidism

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Olive – her brave story of hyperthyroidism

 

Many of you who know me have heard the story of the acquisition of our second cat Olive. My husband will swear that this story has undergone some serious literary privileges over the last thirteen years or that it has been victim of my Irish ability to spin a yarn, however I ascertain that this is the God’s honest truth.

My husband, fiance at the time, and I had discussed getting another kitten for our cat Finn. We already had a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, a rabbit and Finn. I felt that our small family was complete especially as we were just about to get married and still living in a rental. Therefore, my recollection of the conversation went something like this.Ollie smiling

My husband: “Do you think that Finn would like to have another cat as a friend?”

Me: “No.”

A short time later… and this is where I will admit to not remembering how long after that fateful conversation this next incident occurred. I received a voice mail from my husband that sounded something like this….

 

“Hey, it’s me. I’m driving home now. Remember a while back we talked about getting a kitten friend for Finn? (meeeeeoooooooow – in the background) Well, I think (meeeeeoooow, meeeooow) I may have found one. So, I guess (meeeooooowww) we can talk about it (meeeoooowwwwww!) when you get home tonight. (meeoow) Ok, see ya.”

Since then she has wormed her way into my heart but not without some trials and tribulations. Oh and by the way, it turns out Finn did not in fact want a friend.

Ollie in the canOver the last two years, Olive had begun to show some signs of hyperthyroidism. She was overly playful for her age, she began frantically searching for food, her weight declined despite being hungry and eating. However it wasn’t until recently that her blood work actually agreed that she was indeed suffering from hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid gland.

Cornell University Information on Hyperthyroidism in Cats

Hyperthyroidism is a common disorder in cats as they age. It results from an overproduction of thyroxine the thyroid hormone from overactive cells of the thyroid gland most likely a result of a non-cancerous tumor of the thyroid gland called an adenoma.

The thyroid hormone controls many of the body’s functions including metabolism, blood pressure, and heart rate. That’s why untreated thyroid disease can cause so many other diseases some of them life threatening. Luckily thyroid disease is a very simple disease to treat.

Signs of hyperthyroidism can include:     

  • weight loss
  • increased appetite
  • increased activity and restlessness
  • aggressive or “cranky” behavior
  • a poor hair coat
  • a fast heart rate
  • increased water drinking
  • increased urination
  • periodic vomiting
  • increased amount of stool or diarrhea
  • occasionally difficulty breathing
  • occasionally weakness
  • occasionally depression

Hyperthyroidism Information from Washington State University Veterinary School

Traditional treatment involves Methimazole, an antithyroid medication that controls the symptoms of the disease. Most cats tolerate this medication well and the medicine can be made into all sorts of formulations. Although some cats can have some gastrointestinal signs while getting used to the medication, this resolves in the first few weeks of treatment. A small percentage of cats have a more severe reaction to the medication which resolves when the medication is withdrawn. That’s why we check bloodwork after taking the medication for several week and also to make sure the dose is correct.

Well, poor little Olive did not react well to the medication. She began vomiting uncontrollably even while hospitalized with medications to alleviate the nausea.

So Olive will undergo Radioactive Iodine Treatment to irradiate her thyroid until it behaves. This is a more permanent treatment. Most cats are cured with just one subcutaneous treatment. The injection of iodine is taken up by the most overactive cells as the thyroid gland uses iodine to make thyroid hormone. These overactive cells are then killed with the radiation leaving most cats with a normally functioning thyroid gland.

There are other options available. Hills Prescription Y/D is iodine restricted food. Remember the thyroid gland uses iodine to make thyroid hormone. So if there isn’t any iodine they cannot overproduce thyroid hormone. That works for many households that can restrict any other diets for that patient. It wouldn’t work in our house that is now up to 3 cats and a dog.

Surgical removal of the gland can also be considered. However, this requires general anesthesia and usually ends up with the removal of the important parathyroid gland which is necessary for control of calcium in the bones. So it is not my favorite choice.

Hyperthyroidism in catsSo, Olive sits patiently waiting for her appointment at VCA South Shore Animal Hospital for Radioactive Iodine Treatment. Don’t tell her but unfortunately it is not for another week. Although she is very sweet, she is not always the brightest bulb! We will get back to you with her results after her treatment.

 

VCA Radioactive Iodine Treatment

 

Cassandra Kelley DVM

Cat Clinic of Plymouth

What is a Microchip?

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Happy Chip Your Pet Month!

By Cassandra Kelley DVM

 

What?!? Well the Cat Clinic is happy to participate in “Chip Your Pet Month” this May. Having your pet microchipped might be the best chance for reuniting if they were to become lost.

I want to let you know how important I think microchipping our pets can be to ensuring that lifelong bond. All of my indoor cats are microchipped. Of course, I have one favorite black and white boy cat that will try to escape once in a while, but he never gets far.

Finn - black and white boy cat
Finn – black and white boy cat

The remainder of my cats is content to stay away from the doors. But I learned a great lesson from the tragedy of Katrina as well as other recent disasters. Sometimes you have to leave a pet behind in a disaster and sometimes they get lost during a household tragedy. Therefore I took every precaution that I could to ensure my babies are safe and stay together for a lifetime. And it’s easy, safe and affordable!

Actually implanting a microchip is simple and well tolerated. Even that black and white boy cat put up with it. It is much like receiving a vaccine and is done without sedation. The microchip can be implanted under your cat’s skin between the shoulder blades. The doctor or technician can implant the device during a routine wellness exam or as a special appointment with a technician just for installing the microchip. Here at the Cat Clinic of Plymouth, we use microchips and database called HomeAgain. Visit www.HomeAgain.com for more information.

A Microchip is a small circuit smaller than a grain of rice that transmits a unique identification number that can be read by a microchip scanner. HomeAgain has ensured the safety of the chip and even has invented an “anti-migration surface” to keep the chip in place. All shelters and animal hospitals have universal scanners in order to “read” the unique number that identifies your pet no matter what company produced the chip. Once your microchip is registered with a national database, the database can be contacted to report a lost or found pet. The database will attempt to reach the owners on file, therefore it is imperative to update your information routinely. All too often, we have kitties with microchips that are brought in by a good Samaritan but is not reunited with their parents because the information was obsolete!

For $19.99, the Cat Clinic of Plymouth can register your chip – no matter when it was implanted or by whom – with HomeAgain. This ensures that your information is up to date and also comes with a year of ..

Personalized Lost Pet Posters

24/7 Lost Pet Specialists

Rapid Lost Pet Alerts

Lost Pet Recovery Network

Travel Assistance for Found Pets

24/7 Emergency Medical Hotline

These great benefits can be renewed at the end of the year, but your information will never be erased from the database. Your information can be updated at any time for no additional fee.

 

To celebrate May as “Happy Chip You Pet Month,” the Cat Clinic of Plymouth is offering microchip implantation and registration for $39.99.

 

Make your appointment today by calling 508-746-8580, emailing info@catclinicplymouth.com, or through your Petwise account. Once implanted, the Cat Clinic of Plymouth staff will register your current information with the HomeAgain database.

 

Sincerely, Dr. Cassandra Kelley