SimplyCats Vet Clinic Blog

Our clients may find this weblink useful if they have a diabetic cat. It offers help and advice on everything relating to diabetes.

http://www.cats.org.uk/cat-care-diabetic

Here at SimplyCats we would like to encourage new kitten owners to give their furry friends the best start in life. As a result we have two new kitten packages on offer here at the surgery.

The first package is “Kitten Indoor Package” at £65.00

This package is recommended for kittens who will remain as indoor cats. This consists of:
* Vaccination course – flu and enteritis
* Microchip
* Worming tablet
* Flea treatment

The second package is “Kitten Outdoor Adventurer Package” at £78.00

This package is recommended for kittens who will explore the outdoors. This consists of:
* Vaccination course – flu, enteritis and leukaemia
* Microchip
* Worming tablet
* Flea treatment

Both kitten packages have the benefits of :

* 4 weeks free insurance with Petplan
* Full clinical examination and health check
* Weight check
* Advice on neutering and more
* Information pack to take home
* Photo taken for our ‘Young Ones’ monthly competition to be in with a chance of winning a £10 voucher to spend on any product or service here at the surgery

Don’t forget…we are still continuing our half price kitten vaccination course offer

Telephone the surgery on 0191 385 9696 to arrange your appointment and quote ‘kitten indoor’ or ‘kitten outdoor’ package offer. See you soon !

Travelling   Pets…..

Do you take your pet abroad?   Are you bringing back more than you think?

Top tips to protect your pet and family at home…and away

Management of parasites is an important consideration for all responsible pet owners. If you travel with your pet outside the UK then you could be exposing your pet and yourself to some parasites that we don’t currently have in the UK.
In particular, Echinococcus multilocularis, the Dangerous Tapeworm, is found across much of central Europe including Eastern France, Switzerland and Germany.
Ticks are a problem across many parts of the continent, especially because of the infections and diseases which they can transmit, and the same is the case for mosquitoes and sandflies, predominantly from France southwards and in the Mediterranean, respectively.
Protection involves more than the mandatory tick and tapeworm treatment so we strongly recommend that you ask your vet about how best to protect your pet whilst you are away.

Top tips to protect your pet and family……

at home…

* Wash your hands after stroking your pet, and after any exposure to soil (gardening), sandpits, raw meat or litter trays
* Clean out litter trays daily
* Don’t allow infants to eat dirt or food that has fallen on the floor or the ground
* Dispose of animal faeces safely and considerately
* Cover sandpits and play areas
* Take your pet to the vet and discuss your pet’s lifestyle to ensure adequate protection all year round, especially if travelling abroad with your pet

…and away

As well as following the general advice on keeping your pet and family safe at home, you should also consult your vet and prepare your pet’s treatment and prevention plan, which should be based on the ESCCAP Guidelines.
Items to discuss include:
* Where and when you are planning to travel
* Whether your pet has to travel with you
* How long you will be away for
* How you plan to manage your pet – for example will it be kept indoors, be able to roam freely, will it be outdoors at dusk and at night?
* Ensuring that you comply with the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS)

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 What you need to know if your pet is having surgery……. 

Frequently asked questions:
 
 WHY SHOULD MY PET BE TESTED ON THE SAME DAY AS THE SURGERY?

- If your pet is having dental work or surgery, it is important to run same-day blood work prior to anaesthesia primarily to ensure your pet can properly process and eliminate the drugs given to induce and maintain anaesthesia. It is especially recommended in animals over the age of 7 years, as they are more likely to have problems.

- Pre-anaesthetic testing helps us understand whether your pet’s vital organs are functioning properly and alerts us to potential underlying diseases, which can help us create an individualized anaesthetic plan for your pet and avoid potential complications during surgery.
- Regardless of why your pet is being anaesthetised, pre-anaesthetic testing establishes a baseline for their individual health, which is helpful for future reference.

WHAT INFORMATION WILL THE RESULTS OF MY PET’S BLOOD WORK SHOW?
 
- The blood sample is collected from a vein in the foreleg or neck and is used to check your pet’s blood cells (haematology part ), liver and kidneys as well as for diabetes (biochemistry part).

- Haematology is the check on the blood cells. Anaemia is where the red blood cells are low and this could be a worry if the operation is likely to cause a lot of blood loss. If the red blood cell level is high this is most likely a sign of dehydration so your pet is likely to need to go on a drip. A high white blood cell count is usually a sign of infection so your pet may be put on antibiotics.

- As anaesthetic drugs are mainly removed from your pet’s body by the liver and kidneys it is important to know how they are functioning.

- The liver is checked by measuring two enzymes in the blood, which are normally at very low levels. Any damage to the liver cells causes a release of these enzymes into the blood and can indicate an underlying problem that will need investigating.

- Urea and creatinine are removed from the blood by the kidneys so if the kidneys are not working properly levels rise.

- It is important to also check a urine sample to see how concentrated it is when looking at kidney function.

- Glucose is measured to ensure your pet is not diabetic (a urine sample will be required to interpret the result) and to make sure they have enough energy for the duration of the operation.

WHAT CAN I DO TO PREPARE MY PET FOR SURGERY?
 
- Make sure your pet has not eaten anything (fasted) at least 12 hours before surgery. Fasted samples ensure more accurate testing and interpretation of results.

- Bring any medication your pet is taking and consider taking along a favorite toy. The comforts of home can be a great help to your pet during recovery

- Ask questions if you don’t understand what is being done or why. Surgery can be complicated, so it is important to know all you can about your pet’s health.