Hypocalcaemia Hypocalcaemia is a condition in which the calcium level in the blood is too low. It is also known as eclampsia or milk fever. The condition can occur in any dog or cat but it is most commonly seen in dogs in late pregnancy or nursing a litter of puppies. Smaller breed dogs are thought to be especially prone to hypocalcaemia if they have given birth to a sizeable litter. The condition is generally caused by the increased demands on the body during pregnancy as well as the demands of nursing a litter, which requires a high level of calcium. During pregnancy the mother has to supply calcium in her bloodstream for the bone development of her puppies. Once born, calcium is then also required through her milk for nutrition. As the puppies grow, higher levels of calcium are required. Hypocalcaemia often occurs within the first week after giving birth but may develop at any stage during lactation. Clinical signs Nervousness Panting Shivering Muscle tremors Seizures Death Treatment of hypocalcaemia If you notice any of the above clinical signs it is extremely important that you seek veterinary treatment immediately as it is a medical emergency and can result in death if not treated early. Your veterinary surgeon will take a blood sample to check the level of calcium present. Intravenous calcium will then be administered to correct the level and intravenous fluids may also be required. Repeat blood samples are taken periodically to check that the calcium levels are increasing.
Prevention of hypocalcaemia It is extremely important that towards the end of your dog s pregnancy and during lactation she is fed a high quality puppy food. This is due to the food having a higher level of calcium than a normal adult food. Poor nutrition during pregnancy as well as inappropriate supplementation can also cause hypocalcaemia. A pregnant or nursing dog which is being fed a complete, balanced puppy food will not need any calcium supplementation. It has been shown that giving extra calcium during pregnancy can be counter- productive causing a higher risk of hypocalcaemia. A first time mother may also find that the stress of looking after a litter can reduce her appetite and this in turn causes inadequate intake of calcium. Once a bitch has had hypocalcaemia, it is very likely to reoccur in subsequent pregnancies, often with a much quicker onset of symptoms. It may not always be wise to breed again from these dogs as it is likely to occur during the pregnancy itself. Hyperthyroidism In Cats What is hyperthyroidism? Hyperthyroidism is the most common endocrine (hormonal) disorder of cats. It most commonly affects older cats and is caused by an increase in the production of thyroid hormones from the thyroid glands in the neck. Clinical signs
There may be a combination of clinical signs which can develop gra Weight loss Increased appetite Hyperactivity and restlessness Increased heart rate Increased thirst and urination Slight increase in body temperature Occasional vomiting Increased defecation Panting Coat becomes greasy and unkempt Diagnosis A full clinical examination will be performed by your veterinary surgeon. This will include palpating the thyroid glands. With hyperthyroidism, one or both thyroid lobes are enlarged and can often be felt as a small firm mass in their neck. Occasionally in some cats there is no enlargement of the thyroid as the overactive tissue is present in an unusual site often within the chest cavity. To confirm hyperthyroidism a blood test is performed to measure the level of thyroid hormones in the blood. Other laboratory tests may also be performed as thyroid hormones have effects on virtually all the organs in the body. For example liver enzymes are commonly increased secondary to hyperthyroidism and routine blood and urine tests are usually advised to help rule out any concurrent diseases. Depending on the clinical examination of your cat, a blood pressure reading may also be recommended. In occasional cases, hyperthyroidism may be suspected due to clinical signs, but blood testing may confirm a normal thyroid hormone (T4) concentration. A repeat test may be necessary and additional investigation may be needed to confirm or rule out
hyperthyroidism. Treatment There are four main options for treating hyperthyroidism. Each have advantages and disadvantages and your veterinary surgeon will discuss which option best suits you and your cat. 1. Medical Management This method involves giving daily anti-thyroid drugs in tablet form to reduce the production and release of the hormone from the thyroid gland. This does not cure the condition but provides control of the hyperthyroidism. Once your cat has started on the medication, the thyroid hormone concentrations fall to within normal ranges and the treatment dose is adjusted according to your cat s response. Repeat blood tests are required at recommended intervals to ensure the levels stay within normal ranges. Tablets are required for the rest of your cat s life. 2. Surgical Management-Thyroidectomy Surgical removal of the affected thyroid gland can provide a permanent cure for hyperthyroidism. This is common surgery performed with a good success rate. To reduce anaesthetic and surgical complications we always recommend where possible that your cat is stabilised on the anti-thyroid medication for a few weeks before surgery. Occasionally your cat may require both lobes to be removed. This surgery can affect the parathyroid glands situated very close to the thyroid gland. These have a crucial role in maintaining blood calcium levels. To minimise the risk associated with this surgery, your cat may be hospitalised following a bilateral thyroidectomy to monitor their calcium levels or the surgery may be performed in two stages, removing the most affected lobe first. 3. Radioactive Iodine Therapy Radioactive Iodine therapy is performed at a referral specialist veterinary practice. An injection of radioactive iodine is administered as a single injection under the skin. The iodine is then absorbed by the abnormal thyroid tissue but not by any other tissue. The accumulation of the radioactive iodine destroys the affected tissue without damaging any of the surrounding tissue or parathyroid glands. This is a curative treatment without serious side effects and does not require an
anaesthetic. It does however involve a radioactive substance which while not harmful to your cat, does present risks to people who come in to contact with them. For this reason your cat needs to be hospitalised without visitors until the level of radiation has decreased to acceptable levels. This can be between 3 and 6 weeks. 4. Dietary Management Recently a leading pet food retailer has manufactured a diet which if fed as the sole source of nutrition can support your cat s thyroid health without the need for medication or surgery. The diet restricts the amount of dietary iodine available to your cat s thyroid gland, therefore limiting the necessary ingredient needed to overproduce the thyroid hormone. Regular monitoring and blood tests are still required to check the thyroid levels remain within acceptable limits. If you would like any more information on dietary management or any of the other treatment options available please contact your veterinary surgeon at your local branch of Cinque Ports Vets. For more information please read Vidalta Owner Leaflet. Useful websites: www.cat-hyperthyroidism.co.uk How To Care For Your Blind Cat If your cat is blind or visually impaired, lifestyle changes can be made to help make life easier for them at home. Most cats adjust well to coping with blindness especially if the vision has been lost gradually. If blindness occurs suddenly it may take several weeks for them to adjust. They will learn to rely on their other senses eg. hearing and smell. Your cat should continue to have a good quality of life despite their loss of vision and will grow in
confidence daily. Below are a list of hints and tips which may help to make your visually impaired cat s lifestyle easier: Try to avoid loud noises or sudden movements. If people approach your cat, ask them to talk gently so as not to startle them and take extra care if there are children around. Always keep their food, water and litter trays in the same place. Some cats may find it beneficial to have a drinking water fountain so they can hear the location of their water. Communicate with your cat by calling their name and using words like dinner at meal times. Your voice will help orientate them to where you are. Always speak to your cat and stroke them before you attempt to pick them up so that you do not take them by surprise. If you place them back down again, make sure it is an area near their food or litter tray so they can re orientate themselves. Playtime is still important for your cat. Use noisy, jingly toys so they can easily locate them. Catnip infused toys will help them use their senses to find them. Try not to move your furniture around in the home or leave any obstacles like bags or shoes in their path. Visually impaired cats prefer to stay in their own surroundings so if you are due to go on holiday, try to use house sitters instead of a cattery as the environment will be unfamiliar for them. If your cat usually sleeps on your bed remember that jumping down could be difficult for them. This can cause accidents either urination or defecation on the bed or falling off. Try and supervise them until they are comfortable. Some visually impaired cats still like to explore outside. If your cat is newly blind always go outside with them to ensure that they do not become disorientated. Try to ensure that they are suitably identified either by wearing a collar or having a microchip in case they escape. Scented plants in the garden like mint add interest and your cat will use them for orientation. Useful links: Caring For Your Older Cat Cognitive Dysfunction
Heatstroke When a pet is exposed to high temperatures either by being left in the sun without any shade or being locked in a car on a warm day heatstroke or hyperthermia can occur. If dogs are too hot and are unable to reduce their body temperature by panting, they will develop heatstroke which can kill. This is a very serious condition that requires immediate emergency treatment. Once heat stroke has been diagnosed there is very little time before death can occur. If you see a dog in a hot car displaying any signs of heatstroke, dial 999 immediately as the dog could soon lose consciousness and experience internal organ failure. All pets can suffer from heatstroke but some dogs may be more susceptible such as: Dogs with short snouts Thick coated breeds The very old or the very young Dogs that are overweight Any dogs suffering from respiratory or cardiac disease Signs to look out for include: Heavy panting Tacky or dry mucous membranes (gums/lips) Excessive salivation/drooling Rapid heart rate Very red gums and tongue Lack of coordination leading to eventual collapse What to do if you suspect heatstroke For the best chance of survival, pets suffering from heatstroke urgently need to have their body temperature lowered gradually.
Firstly you must move your pet out of the heat to a cool area Cover your pet with cool (not cold) wet towels and seek veterinary advice immediately Do not use ice cold water as the extreme cold can cause blood vessels to constrict, preventing the body from cooling. In addition over cooling can cause hypothermia and additional problems. Allow them to drink small amounts of cool water Internal damage may have occurred so veterinary treatment is always necessary immediately If you do see a dog suffering from heatstroke in a car on a hot day and there is no one around the advice is to first dial 999. If the situation becomes critical for the dog and the police are too far away or unable to attend, many people s instinct will be to break into the car to free the dog. If you decide to do this, please be aware that without proper justification, this could be classed as criminal damage and, potentially, you may need to defend your actions in court. Make sure you tell the police what you intend to do and why. Take pictures or videos of the dog and the names and numbers of witnesses to the incident. The law states that you have a lawful excuse to commit damage if you believe that the owner of the property that you damage would consent to the damage if they knew the circumstances (section 5(2)(a) Criminal Damage Act 1971). Once removed, if the dog is displaying signs of heatstroke, follow emergency first aid advice available on our website. This could mean the difference between life and death for the dog. If the dog isn t displaying symptoms of heatstroke but you are concerned you must establish how long the dog has been in the car. A pay and display ticket could help if the car is in a car park or if you re at a shop, venue or event ask the staff to make an announcement to alert the owner of the situation. Make a note of the car s registration. If the owner returns, but you still feel the situation was dangerous for the dog, you may still report the incident to the police. If possible, get someone to stay with the dog to monitor their condition. If they begin to display signs of distress or heatstroke, you must be prepared to dial 999 and follow the advice above.
Prevention Make sure your pet always has access to water at all times Do not exercise or walk your dog during the heat of the day. Cooler early mornings and evenings are best. Never leave pets especially dogs, in cars in warm or hot weather. Even on the coolest of days a car can very quickly become hot even if you leave a window open. Have a shallow paddling pool available for your dog to splash in. For small furries pop a plastic drinks bottle full of water in the freezer. Once frozen wrap it in a towel and pop it somewhere they can lie next to to cool down. Offer small furries water bowls as well as bottles as bottles can take effort to use. Never leave your pets or small furries in the conservatory. Garages can be a cool temporary place for your rabbit or guinea pig and kitchen tiles can also be cooling for them to lay on. Sunburn Animals are susceptible to sunburn too especially: White cats, particularly their ears and noses. Over a period of time, exposure to the sun can cause skin cancer and surgery is often required to amputate their ear tips. Hairless dogs
Please be aware it is best to use an animal specific sun cream as some children s ones contain substances poisonous to animals. Giving Your Cat A Tablet Here are some hints and tips for administering a tablet to your cat. It can be helpful to have an extra pair of hands to help hold your pet. Using A Towel Make sure your cat is as calm and relaxed as possible. Use a large towel and place this over your table. Wrap your cat in the towel as shown.
Then your cat is ready for medicating as shown below. Manually Restraining If you prefer to manually restrain your cat make sure they are as calm and relaxed as possible.
Gently and safely hold the forelimbs as shown.hold the jaw firmly with the other hand and tip the head back gently. This is where two people can be helpful!
Hold the tablet and open your cat s mouth. Place the tablet as far back in the mouth as possible.
Release your cat s head and allow them to swallow. Stroking your cat s throat can encourage them to swallow.
Syringe a small amount of water after medicating. If you have any difficulty giving your cat a tablet please let your local branch of Cinque Ports Vets know as they will be happy to help. Veterinary nurses offer free appointments during which they can medicate your cat for you for you. Click on the video below to see how to tablet a cat.
Top Tips For Firework Night What can I do? Is your pet afraid of fireworks? You are not alone recent research suggests that almost half of the pets in the U.K. show some level of fearful response to loud noises. Planning ahead can be helpful. See Fear of Fireworks. On fireworks night: Provide a den or hiding place Animals naturally hide when they are scared and it can help to provide a safe place which they can squeeze into, like an understairs cupboard or an indoor kennel with blankets over the top and inside, leaving the door ajar. An ideal place is somewhere near the centre of the house, or somewhere they have previously hidden. Cats will often hide under the bed and emerge once they feel it is safe. Never try to remove your pet from their safe place as they may be fearful and this could lead to aggression. Muffle the sound of fireworks Close all the curtains, shut outside doors and windows, and have your pet as near to the centre of the house as possible. By closing the curtains you are removing potential additional problems from flashing lights etc. Put on the TV or radio to mask the bangs. Keep them inside Don t let pets outside when fireworks are likely or during a display. Take dogs out for toilet purposes before it gets dark and then keep them in. A firework going off when they are outside can lead to a fear of going out. Make sure your cat is kept in after dark (with access to a litter tray) and ensure all escape routes such as cat flaps are blocked. It is also advisable to have your pets microchipped and ensure their details are up to date in case they do escape and become lost. Feed your pets before the fireworks start This can encourage them to rest and hopefully sleep. Giving your dog a stodgy, high carbohydrate meal before the fireworks for example chicken and pasta can help. This will help your dog feel sleepy and less responsive to the noise. Food filled interactive toys to help distract pets are also useful. Don t over fuss them This can be difficult, but if they rely on you for comfort during scary events, they will be less able to cope when you are not at home and make matters worse in the long term.
Stay calm yourself Most pets can sense when their owners are worried, and this increases their stress. Let them hide in the den or their safe place, and leave them there until the fireworks have finished and they come out. You can give your pet lots of fuss once they emerge. Don t get angry Although your pets behaviour may be annoying, it is happening because they are scared and getting cross will only make them worse. Don t try and take your pet out of its hiding place- this increases their stress and could lead to aggression. Prepare for unusual behaviour Fear can make your pet behave out of character. For example, if they anticipate that going into the garden predicts a loud noise, they may hide or show aggression to avoid going outside. Don t forget your small furries during fireworks If they live outside partially cover cages and pens with blankets to help sound proof them and provide extra bedding for them to burrow into. Talk to your vet We can advise short-term measures which may include products like Nutracalm, Zylkene, Adaptil or Feliway. Thundershirts have also been found to help with mild phobias. They exert a gentle pressure mimicking gentle hugging to calm your pet without you comforting them. Sedative medications may be recommended for more severe phobias, particularly if they don t settle but pace around in distress, shaking and salivating or panting. It is important to help reduce your pets stress during upcoming firework events and help prevent their fears becoming worse. Your veterinary surgeon and veterinary nurse can also advise a long-term preventative approach for once the firework season is over. Fear of fireworks does not get better on its own- in fact they are likely to get worse over time and lead to other behavioural problems. The earlier you seek help the better the outcome is likely to be.
Fear Of Fireworks Why is my pet frightened of fireworks? Every pet is different but broadly speaking pets which are afraid of fireworks fall into one of two groups: those which have had a bad experience with fireworks in the past (for example a rocket going off close to them) and associate the sounds with being frightened- learned behaviour those which are afraid of all sorts of loud noises noise phobia Noise phobic dogs do sometimes require extra behaviour therapy as they often have high levels of anxiety in general. What can be done to solve the problem? As we all know, fireworks make distinctive noises. Many humans find the constant bangs and whistles around bonfire night unsettling, so imagine what it must be like to have the sensitive hearing of a dog. Unfortunately it is impossible to explain to a pet that the fireworks are just noisy and not a threat to them. In the short term what we can do is follow the steps in our Top Tips factsheet to provide a secure area for your pet at home and help manage your pet s stress by using pheromone treatment in the run up to the firework season. In the long term, sound desensitisation has been shown to be very successful for animals with firework phobias. You cannot do this during firework season as it needs to be done when there are no fireworks going off. It is best started around springtime. It is really important to consider long term control as fear of fireworks generally gets worse if left and can lead to fears of other loud noises such as thunder.
Adaptil Adaptil, a dog appeasing pheromone is very useful for helping to calm dogs naturally. They work by releasing appeasing pheromones into the home on a sustained basis. This can be used to good effect to reduce the anxiety provoking effects of fireworks. In mammals, all nursing females release substances called appeasing pheromones, the function of which is to reassure their offspring. Canine appeasing pheromones are secreted by the mum 3 to 5 days after birth enhancing the attachment between the puppy and its mother providing reassurance and comfort. These pheromones have been proved to also provide comfort to adult dogs in times of stress. Adaptil is available in diffusers, sprays, collars and tablets. Feliway Feliway is a synthetic copy of the facial pheromone used by cats to mark their territory as safe and secure. By mimicking this pheromone Feliway creates a state of familiarity and security in the cat s local environment. Feliway can help to comfort and reassure cats while they cope with a challenging situation and help prevent or reduce the amount of stress caused by a change in their environment. It may also help reduce fearful reactions to loud noises and reduce stress due to indoor confinement. Feliway is available in a diffuser or spray form.your local branch of Cinque Ports Vets can provide you with information to help you use the products to their maximum efficacy. Zylkene Zylkene is a product which is derived from a milk protein. It has a similar post prandial calming effect that you would see in a puppy after it has received a milk feed from their mother. It has been shown to help pets manage stressful situations. Unfortunately animals cannot make the milk protein when they stop feeding from their mother but they can still respond to it in the same way. Zylkene is available in a capsule form which needs to be given once a day. The capsules can be given whole or opened and the palatable powder mixed in with food or a treat. Zylkene is suitable for both short and long term use to reduce stress in cats and dogs.
Nutracalm Nutracalm is specifically formulated to naturally calm anxious pets and to help reduce unwanted or unruly behaviour. Nutracalm contains various ingredients involved in helping to reduce stress and anxiety including L-Tryptophan and L-Theanine. It is available in a capsule form which needs to be given once a day. The capsules can be given whole or opened and the palatable powder mixed in with food or a treat. Nutracalm is suitable for both short and long term use to reduce stress in cats and dogs. Please ask your veterinary practice for more information. Adaptil, Feliway. Zylkene and Nutracalm are all available over the counter. Diets Royal Canin manufacture a Calm diet which can be used as a support for behavioural therapy. The diet contains active ingredients alpha-easozepine and l-tryptophan (a serotonin precursor that helps to support a relaxed mood) which are proved to be beneficial in anxiety disorders. Prebiotics are also included to help encourage friendly bacteria in the gut to reduce stress diarrhoea. The food should be used from 10 days before the expected stressful situation and Royal Canin claim that it continues to work two to three months after being consumed. Sedatives Unfortunately some pets do not respond to the natural products as their fear is too severe or they are noise phobic. In this instance sedative drugs may be required for a short period of time. These are available from your veterinary surgeon but they will require your pet to have had a recent health check and you may be asked to bring your pet in for a consultation. This is to ensure there are no underlying health problems which could be exacerbated by the medication. The most common drug used nowadays are Diazepam based medications. This is due to its ability to help reduce anxiety as well as make your pet sleepy. They also have some amnesic properties which can help reduce your pet s memory of the event ensuring the phobia does not worsen. This is not recommended for long term use and desensitisation programs should be discussed with your veterinary surgeon and veterinary nurse. Desensitisation and counter- conditioning programs
Desensitisation is the process where the response to a fear inducing stimulus is reduced by repeated neutral exposure. The program aims to help your pet learn to cope with fireworks by gradually allowing them to become used to the noises associated with fireworks. This will require a lot of time and commitment from you to work through the programme in full to be successful. Even the mildest noise phobia can take several months to treat. SoundTherapy4Pets have created a download available on ITunes designed to recreate the noises associated with fireworks in a random pattern. The program comes with in depth instructions which you must work through in order starting with a low volume and over time gradually increasing as recommended. Remember animals are far more sensitive to sound than people and they will hear at volumes so low that you may not be able to hear it. The program should only be started once the firework season is over. Counter-conditioning is the process where your pet associates the sound with something enjoyable such as feeding or playing. This is carried out after desensitisation with the aim of replacing the fearful feelings with feelings of pleasure. The desensitisation program should be used in conjunction with pheromone therapy and a range of downloads are available from Sounds Scary to help with other phobias such as traffic and children noise. Useful links: www.feliway.co.uk www.adaptil.co.uk www.zylkenepet.co.uk www.nutravet.co.uk www.royalcanin.co.uk/calm Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD)
FLUTD is the name used for a collection of common conditions affecting the cat s bladder and/or urethra. The urethra is the narrow tube which carries urine from the bladder to the outside. Included in this description is cystitis (inflammation of the bladder). The signs shown by cats with FLUTD are often similar regardless of the cause. Clinical signs Difficulty, pain or crying when passing urine Passing urine more frequently Passing only small amounts of urine Passing urine in inappropriate places Straining before, during and after urination Passing bloody urine Behavioural changes and/or aggression Inability to pass urine Increased grooming of the hind end, possibly due to pain in that area Most commonly FLUTD is seen in middle aged and overweight cats although it can occur in cats of any age. Both male and female cats are prone, however neutered cats are more susceptible, with males having a greater risk of complete urinary tract blockage. Causes of FLUTD There are many causes including: Urinary stones or crystals forming in the urine which then irritate the bladder lining Urethral plugs that form in the male cat s urethra causing a blockage Muscle spasm in the wall of the urethra Abnormalities in the structure of the urinary tract Stress and behavioural issues Cancer of the bladder or urethra Disease affecting the nerves controlling the bladder Bacterial or viral infections Certain cheaper varieties of pet foods may increase the chance of developing FLUTD in susceptible cats
Diagnosis We need to investigate all potential causes of FLUTD. This is important to ensure that the most appropriate treatment is provided. In 60-70% of cases seen it is not possible to find an underlying cause and this is called Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC). Your veterinary surgeon will require a thorough history to establish which signs your cat is displaying and when they are occurring. A full examination is then performed, where your cat s bladder and other organs are checked. Bloods are usually taken to check for diseases such as kidney disease and diabetes. A urine sample is then collected to examine its concentration, acidity and the presence of crystals, protein, red and white bloods cells and bacteria (infection). Once the veterinary surgeon has these results, treatment can usually be started but if the clinical signs reoccur or there is no improvement, further investigations will be required. The next step usually involves X-rays or an ultrasound scan to assess the bladder, urethra and kidneys to try and locate the exact site of the problem. Treatment of FLUTD Depending on the underlying cause, treatment can vary considerably. Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC) Once all other potential causes have been excluded a diagnosis of FIC is made. Cats make frequent attempts to urinate, often with blood in their urine due to bladder discomfort unfortunately with no medical cause. It can be a painful condition and once treated, measures should be undertaken to prevent a recurrence once the problem has resolved. Stress is an extremely important flare factor in FIC and can be anything from an environmental change to a new cat moving in to the street. See below for reducing stress and also Feline House Soiling. Veterinary recommended supplements are also available to help repair the lining of the irritated bladder wall and relax your cat. Bacterial infection This will be treated with a course of antibiotics. Usually repeat urine samples will be requested to check that the infection has cleared before stopping the antibiotics. Urinary crystals or stones If these are found to be present in your cat s urine, a change in your cat s diet will be required usually to a prescription diet which will be able to dissolve them. If bladder stones have formed from the crystals joining together, then surgery may be required to
remove them as they may be too large to dissolve. The diet can be fed long term if required to help prevent the problem from recurring again. Muppet presented to us with blood in his urine and a history of straining to urinate. After an investigation which included a urine sample, an X-Ray and an exploratory laparotomy, Muppet was found to have 11 substantial bladder stones. An incision was made into his bladder and the stones removed. He made a full recovery and is maintained on a prescription urinary diet to prevent the problem from recurring again. Urethral obstruction This is a life threatening medical emergency. A blockage of the urethra means the cat is unable to pass urine causing it to back up to the kidneys severely affecting their function. This very quickly leads to collapse and eventually death if left untreated. Once diagnosed, the blockage will be treated immediately usually under anaesthesia and your cat will remain in hospital for several days depending on the severity. Reducing stress Stress is a very important flare factor which owners often overlook in treating a cat with FLUTD or FIC. Changes in diet, environment and weather, for example snow making your cat unwilling to urinate outside with no provision of a tray indoors, overcrowding, bullying, owner stress and new additions to the household are all triggers which can cause a flare up of FLUTD to a cat prone to the disease. Stress associated with urination, for example cat owners who do not allow their cat to have a litter tray in the house, an unsuitable position for the litter tray (ie, in a noisy or busy part of the house) or even unsuitable litter in the tray are all factors that should be considered when caring for your cat. Also competition for the tray itself in a multi cat household should also be considered and more than one litter tray provided. Pheromone treatment can often be helpful. Feliway is a synthetic copy of the facial pheromone used by cats to mark their territory as safe and secure. Feliway creates a state of familiarity and security in the cat s local environment. This pheromone has been proved to provide comfort to adult cats in stressful times.
Zylkene is derived from a milk protein which has a similar post prandial calming effect that you would see in a kitten after it has received a milk feed from its mother. Royal Canin manufacture a Calm diet which can be used as a support for behavioural therapy. The diet contains active ingredients alpha-easozepine and l-tryptophan (a serotonin precursor that helps to support a relaxed mood) which are proved to be beneficial in anxiety disorders. Prebiotics are also included to help encourage friendly bacteria in the gut to reduce stress diarrhoea. Other supplements containing similar nutrients may also be recommended. Your local branch of Cinque Ports Vets can offer advice on how best to reduce your cat s stress so please feel free to ask for any information. Other recommendations Increasing your cat s water consumption to help dilute the urine can help. This can be done by adding in some wet food to the diet and making sure your cat has free access to water. Water fountains can be useful for encouraging your cat to drink as they constantly move and recycle the water making it more appealing to your cat. Some varieties of cheaper pet foods, may increase the chance of developing FLUTD in susceptible cats. Ideally a high quality pet food should be fed which actively promotes urinary tract health by keeping the ph of the urine less acidic. We would recommend the Royal Canin Feline Vetcare range as this food has been developed to have an S/O Index which indicates that the food helps provide an environment unfavourable to the development of struvite and calcium oxalate crystals. Controlled weight loss is also important as well as increasing exercise to help with long term control. Most cats with FLUTD lead a relatively normal life as long as appropriate lifestyle changes and sometimes treatment are implemented. Depending on the individual case your cat may be prone to occasional recurrences. Useful links: www.icatcare.org/advice-centre/cat-health/feline-lower-urinary-tract-disease-flutd-signscauses-and-investigation www.icatcare.org/advice-centre/cat-health/feline-lower-urinary-tract-disease-flutd-treat ment
www.icatcare.org/advice-centre/cat-health/feline-idiopathic-cystitis-fic www.feliway.com www.royalcanin.co.uk www.royalcanin.co.uk/dietary management Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) Feline Leukaemia Virus is a viral infection of cats which is common in stray and unvaccinated cats. The virus infects immune system cells (white blood cells) leaving the cat vulnerable to secondary infections which would not be a problem in normal, healthy cats. Cats which contract the virus are at risk of developing severe illnesses such as anaemia and eventually cancer (lymphoma). There are a wide range of symptoms but they can include a fever, lethargy, weight loss and poor appetite. Although an infected cat may remain healthy for several years, the disease will eventually prove fatal. How is the virus transmitted? The most common way is from the saliva of an infected cat. This can include being bitten by an infected cat or grooming, and sharing food bowls. It can also be passed via contact with the urine or faeces and mating with an infected cat. Another way infection is possible is via a queen to her kittens either when they are in the womb or via milk once they are born. However abortion or resorption of the kittens is common in infected FeLV cats. The disease is not transferable to humans. Diagnosis of FeLV
If your veterinary surgeon suspects FeLV, a blood test will be performed to detect the proteins of the FeLV virus. Sometimes several blood tests are required to determine the result. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is often tested for as well, as many of the clinical signs are similar. Treatment of FeLV There is no cure for FeLV once your cat has become permanently infected. The treatment focuses on symptomatic and supportive treatment to maintain quality of life and manage the effects of the infection such as immunosuppression, anaemia and cancer. If a sick FeLV positive cat is diagnosed then the prognosis is usually very poor and euthanasia is the kindest option. If the cat is healthy at the time of diagnosis, the prognosis is guarded. They will be likely to develop fatal FeLV related diseases but the time frame for this to happen varies from months to years. Prevention of FeLV Vaccines are available to help protect your cat against FeLV infection. This should be routinely included in your cat s vaccination course as a kitten and kept up to date yearly with an annual booster. All cats should be vaccinated against FeLV especially if coming into contact with other cats either in a multicat household or having access to roam outside. Vaccination against FeLV does not interfere with the result of an FeLV blood test. It is unwise to knowingly have an infected cat in the household, mixing with an uninfected cat. Close contact with other cats in the household means they are at a very high risk of contracting the disease from mutual grooming or feeding bowls. An FeLV
infected cat should also be kept indoors to reduce the spread of the infection to other cats in the area. This can be difficult if the cat was previously used to being an outdoor cat and quality of life as well as risks to other cats should be taken into account. It is also advisable to know the FeLV status of a cat if for example you are introducing a new cat to the household. Useful links: Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) www.icatcare.org