SimplyCats Vet Clinic Blog

Thanks to the generosity of local companies and some of our clients,we have amassed a great selection of prizes for the ongoing Autumn Raffle! All proceeds are going to help the local Durham branch of Cats Protection. If you can, please pop down to the surgery and help the cause by purchasing your tickets, priced at £1.00 per strip.
Many thanks.

At this point, there is no closing date for the raffle – we will keep it going until as many tickets as possible have been sold, in order to help as many needy cats as we can.

The Young ones competition is held every month here at SimplyCats. Every kitten who comes into the surgery to start its course of vaccinations has their photo taken and is entered into the draw to win a voucher for £10.00 to spend on any product or service here at SimplyCats. The entrants so far are pictured above.

Dubby has been naughty again….Caroline’s son had his 9th birthday tea. Luckily only family members were present to see him jump on the table via the chair and steal a ham sandwich and take it to his lair underneath the chair. He would not part with it and hid further under the table as Caroline tried to reach him. He is pictured above re-emerging from underneath the table as he licks his lips after finishing his tasty snack !!! We’ll hold off for a weigh in at the moment as he finished off with part of a slice of battenburg cake stolen about 20 minutes later

A few days ago we held a client evening in Durham, aiming to educate our client owners of older or geriatric cats on the best nutrition and healthcare for them.

It was a very informative evening with a talk first by Louise from Royal Canin to discuss the nutritional requirements for the older cat. This was then followed by a presentation from our resident vet, Sarah Middleton on health problems associated generally with the older cat. A lot of the symptoms described by Sarah rang true with some clients…some having ongoing problems such as renal failure or diabetes and they were able to ask further questions that they may have forgotten to ask during a consultation. They in particular found the evening very informative and it made aware the need to monitor their pet’s progress by regular check ups with the vet.

We had a ‘buffet break’ which was kindly sponsored by one of our drug reps – Mick from Novartis.

This was then followed by our Registered Veterinary Nurse, Penny Dyer who introduced her new nurse clinics aimed specifically at the geriatric patient.
As with all our client evenings it is a great opportunity for like-minded people to congregate in an informal manner and we would welcome suggestions from our clients for future topics that they would like to see covered in evenings such as this.

From 4th April 2011 we are introducing free geriatric nurse clinics here at SimplyCats for our feline clients aged 7 or over.
This will include a weight check and complete a ‘well cat’ questionnaire which will help to highlight any areas of concern.
We will also perform a free urinalysis and give advice on correct diet for the mature cat.
To book your appointment please call the surgery 0191 385 9696.

As you can see from the picture, Caroline’s fat cat – Dubby had a great Christmas dinner. After a couple of glasses of wine and his willpower dulled, Caroline’s husband fell victim to the ‘feed me’ face and threw down a yorkshire pudding onto the floor. Dubby immediately leapt onto the pudding, steadying it with his paw.

He actually looked rather funny as he tore off strips, much like a lion on the savannah eating its kill !

To follow he ate a sprout in one lick….needless to say Caroline had a few sharp words to say to her husband as she looked in the litter tray later on…..ewww

The moral of the story is “if your cat is on a special diet, don’t feed him extras, such as yorkshire pudding and sprouts as

a) he will put on weight and
b) you would not like to see / smell the litter tray afterwards, and
c) cats are not meant to eat human food”

We had an unusual customer the other day in the back yard at SimplyCats – a very hypothermic snow cat. It remains in quite a critical, frozen state, but will hopefully make a full melted recovery if we ever get a thaw!!

Caroline’s youngest cat, Maisey enjoys ruining a game of ‘pop up pirate’ by patting the dice and playing pieces away from the board with her paw – but the question is – is it really Maisey or some strange alien cat in disguise???

As we all probably know, cats can be quite particular about what is in their food bowl. Most cats will have a favourite food, texture or flavour and will often turn their nose up at anything different.

Remember – fussy eaters are made not born.

Bad habits are easier prevented than cured.

By swapping and changing your cat’s routine or by tempting them with titbits if they reject a food in their bowl. They will quickly learn how to manipulate you into feeding them the tastier food rather than a healthy and balanced diet.

Think about it from your cat’s point of view, if you were rewarded with a treat every time you didn’t eat, what would you do?

To avoid fussy cats, it is best to stick to a routine.

Is your cat really being fussy?

Sometimes, fussiness is more down to the way you serve food rather than the food itself.

Cats generally prefer to eat in private and don’t appreciate an audience. Try and provide some privacy for your cat at meal times.

- Ensure your cat’s bowl is clean. Several cats will not eat out of a bowl that has some old food in it. Try and get into the habit of washing the food and water bowls after every use.

- If your cat usually eats dry food but has become fussy, you may have to replace the food. Dry food absorbs moisture and therefore becomes stale, particularly in warm weather.

- If your cat usually eats wet (tinned/pouched food) it may be because it is cold. Cold wet food doesn’t have much smell, and cats often won’t eat what they cant smell. Wet food can be made more appealing by warming it up until warm to “mouse temperature” (warm to the touch) this releases the aroma and therefore stimulates the cats appetite.

- If your cat has access to outside, he/she may be having an unscheduled snack on the other side of the cat flap and come dinnertime he/she just may not be hungry.

- Cat’s don’t have psychological eating disorders and unless there is an underlying reason for a lack of appetite, your cat will most likely eat when they get really hungry. When your cat does eventually eat, offer lots of praise and affection as soon as they have finished eating.

 - If your cat continues to be fussy try an alternative high quality cat food, often a change in recipe will prompt your cat into eating again.

Some questions to ask yourself when thinking about your cat’s eating habits.

- Where is your cat’s food is positioned, is it near a busy thoroughfare or next to the washing machine? 

- Does your cat get bullied when eating by other cats/dog/children?

- Is the food on a raised level and is there an easy way for arthritic cats to get to their food?

- What type of material is your cat’s bowl made out of? Cats do not appreciate plastic bowls as they can taste the residue, they prefer ceramic, glass or even metal bowls. The larger surface area the better.

- Is your cat’s food bowl next to the water bowl? Food and water should always be placed in seperate areas, and do not feed from a “double diner” as your cat can be put off the food by the presence of water and will drink more water if food is not near by. In the wild if a cat catches food in the wild near a water supply, the act of killing and dismembering the food will lead to contamination of the water, so cat’s will always seek out another water source.

 

It is important to remember that if your cat refuses to eat for 24 hours or more, contact us at SimplyCats for an urgent appointment. Refusal or reluctance to eat can indicate a serious complaint and dental problems.

 

If you notice your cat’s gums are red or swollen, or if the breath is unpleasant please ask us at SimplyCats for a dental examination.

 Claire

 

 

I’m off to pastures new…so to speak.

I’m joining a multi-discipline veterinary referral practice, to expand my nursing knowledge and skills. I will be working at a practice we often use for our out of hours cover if Sarah and Paul are unavailable.

I will still be working at SimplyCats a couple of days a month. So I’ll still be at SimplyCats just not as much as usual. You can’t get rid of me that easily.

I’ll still use my SimplyCats e-mail daily as usual, even on my days off so please feel free to still e-mail me and bend my ear if you have any queries as I’ll still be available as usual for all of you.

 

Claire

Claire

I start at 8.30am Monday – Friday although I’m usually here before this time so I can tackle my work e-mails and get sorted before we open for the day.

We start admitting patients from 8.30am, this usually involves a consultation with myself (registered veterinary nurse) to explain the consent form, answer any queries, weigh and check the animal over before admitting, the vet checks them over when she comes in as well.

Once we have admitted a patient they are transferred to the cattery, into a warm padded kennel usually with a nice warm heat pad in also, our hospitalisation areas contain Feliway diffusers emitting a pheremone to help ease your cat and make their stay that little bit more relaxing.

The key to a good anaesthetic is to keep the patient calm and stress free. So getting patients quickly settled in their own space and out of the cramp cat carrier will let them relax a bit before we start the morning.

 

Another of the first, but most important, jobs is to give animals that have been in-patients during the previous night some TLC! Their kennels arecleaned out, drugs and feeds given, as appropriate, temperatures, heart rates, respirations are monitored, then Sarah (the vet) checks them over when she comes in as well.

Between 9 and 11 am consultations take place. They can be anything from boosters to blood tests, or emergency appointments. I may have to help by holding the animals, helping them to remain calm when they are nervous or scared.

Normally, Sarah (our vet) starts operations at 11 am, but of course it can run over if consultations take longer or there has been an emergency case to deal with.

I ensure that the operating theatre is prepared: drapes, robes, instruments for each surgical procedure and sterilising equipment is checked and anaesthetic machines switched on

Each operation requires a specific set of instruments – it can be what’s called a ‘basic’ kit – that may consist of two pairs of forceps, a pair of surgical scissors, a scalpel handle, four towel clips and a pair of needle holders. We add to that as required – the vet may need some small artery forceps, a different type of scissors, some specialist instruments and so on. An experienced nurse should be able to anticipate what the vet will need for each operation, or at least have items quickly available. All of our surgical instruments are sterilised and stored in special packs that don’t let in any germs. They are carefully labelled and stored in their own place in the instrument cupboards.

Equipment and surfaces have to be cleaned up and kept sterile throughout and animals monitored. Notes and records are updated on the computer for each animal before the afternoon consultations begin.

 

Next, pre-meds and other medications are calculated and drawn up.

General anaesthetic can be divided into 4 phases:

Premed - is the first part of an anaesthetic. It is usually an injection under the skin of a drug which calms the patient down and makes them sleepy. It allows a smooth easy transition into the unconscious state. This phase usually takes anything from 10min to 30min depending on the individual patient.

Induction – this is when we take the patient from a sleepy state of premed into a managed state of unconsciousness. The vet will usually administer this as an injection into the vein of the front leg, which is clipped before hand to prevent the introduction of infection into the vein when injecting. A tube is placed into her throat and connected to the anaesthetic machine. From now until she is fully awake again the patient will be under constant observation from the veterinary nurse with regular heart rate, respiratory rate, anaesthesia depth and blood oxygen monitoring. This phase takes just a few minutes.

Maintenance - The patient is connected to the anaesthetic machine and a mixture of oxygen and anaesthetic gas is administered through the tube in the throat to the lungs. This allows us to keep the patient in a state of carefully managed unconsciousness so we can perform her surgery. All surgeons like to be efficient with their operations but care and precision are never sacrificed for speed during a procedure.

Recovery – Time to wake up! Surgery over and all is well, the anaesthetic gas is turned off and The patient continues to have oxygen delivered via the tube in the throat. As patients starts to come round from a state of unconsciousness to sleepiness the last of a painkiller injections are usually given, the tube is removed from the throat and the patient is returned to the kennel. As the patient is awake now and holding their head up we can leave them to recover from their anaesthetic, but the vet and nurse in charge of kennels always keep a quiet eye on all recovering patients.

Recovery time is hugely variable on the individual and procedure involved sometimes taking minutes, sometimes a lot longer. We always aim for a quiet steady recovery back to normal, much like waking up from a long deep sleep. This can be helped a lot by keeping the recovering patient in a warm, quiet, dimly lit area, with as little fuss as possible. Some pets can have quite dramatic responses during their recovery from an anaesthetic.

As many of the drugs we use have a similar affect as alcohol has on human behaviour, on occasion, we may see staggering about the kennels, seeing imaginary objects or vocalising (“singing”) from some patients, sometimes called “the happy drunk recovery”!

After patients have recovered, I offer the patients a small meal as they will have been starved overnight so they are probably very hungry by now

I then clean, package and resterilise surgical instruments, we use an autoclave in practice to sterilise our instruments using steam sterilisation. I then ensure all surfaces etc. are clean and ready for use, re-stock supplies, syringes, needles etc.

In-patients are monitored constantly throughout the day as most of my work is undertaken in the room directly next to the cattery, and if the door is closed there is a large window so I can keep a close eye on all the in-patients.

Post operative instructions are then completed ready for discharge. I ensure that all clinical notes are up to date and the account is ready for the discharge appointment. We ask owners to normally call around 2pm for an update and find out what time their cat is ready to go home.

I then arrange a discharge appointment for owners to collect their cats and I can explain post operative care and answer any questions they may have. In all cases we like to keep all patients in for as long as possible post anaesthetic to make sure there are no problems with the surgery and to monitor for signs of pain or discomfort. This care has to continue for the first night at home so we always advise to make provisions for a familiar warm and quiet place to let your pet sleep off the effects of their anaesthetic. In most cases after the first 12hrs they are back to normal, but in some cases it can take a bit longer.

Then, there’s more tidying and cleaning ensuring that everything has been cleaned thoroughly and all equipment has been put away correctly and is ready for use next time.

There’s a lot of time spent tidying up! More importantly, though, there’s a lot of time spent with the animals-they can be a bit groggy after the anaesthetic and need reassurance. When the owners come to collect them, we like to spend some time with them, to talk about their pet’s operation and after care and make sure they are OK too!” That is one of the main attractions of a small veterinary practice; we know our patients and clients by name. We are aware of pets’ backgrounds and health-often caring for them from birth to death

There is a great misconception about qualified veterinary nurses and student veterinary nurses. On average it is thought we cuddle animals all day and clean up after them. I have put up some of the goings on to clear up the misconception but decided to put up a bit more information on exams.

Inpatients need temperatures, pulses, respirations checked, kennel’s cleaned, body functions monitored, medications given.

Veterinary nurses are the anaesthetists for the vet and at times scrub in as assistants usually to hold pull or do whatever is required by the vet. We carry out lab work, and basic vein puncture for various tests or to place intravenous catheters.

If we are on nurse clinics that means discharges, post op checks, pre op admits, geriatric clinics, dental checks, general cat care, diet clinics, anal gland express, nail clips etc.

In smaller veterinary practices we are also cleaners and receptionists, so you will often see me ‘manning the fort’ on the reception desk at SimplyCats.

 
Being a qualified Veterinary Nurse is not a role to be taken lightly.

 

Here is a basic outline of some of the modules I studied to become a veterinary nurse.

Year one

- Relationships and accountability in veterinary nursing practice

- Health and Safety in veterinary nursing practice

- Anatomy and physiology

- Maintaining animal health

- Essential veterinary nursing skills

- Nursing support in the provision of veterinary services

- and last but by no means least 2 written exams papers

 

Year two

- Application of veterinary nursing care

- Practice and principles of diagnostics

- Laboratory practice

- Diagnostic imaging

- Pharmacology and pharmacy support

- Surgical theatre practice

- Anaesthesia

- and last but by no means least more written exam papers and practical exams.

 

I also had to complete portfolio of case studies in each year of my studies. On all areas of veterinary care including; surgical, medical, behavioural, exotics, health and safety, pharmacology, client care etc.

A registered veterinary nurse (RVN) is required to complete mininmum of 45hrs CPD (continuing professional development) over 3 years.

Badge presented to all qualifed veterinary nurses. (I don’t wear mine due to having no lapels on my uniform)

Claire York RVN

“VN Week has become an important date in the calendar, helping to push nurses into the heart of their community, to promote pet ownership issues and, of course, the role of the nurse themselves,” says Dot Creighton, RCVS VN Council member.

“Listed and Registered Veterinary Nurses may specialise, for example, in intensive care, and can legally undertake minor surgery and give medical treatment under the direction of a veterinary surgeon. During VN Week, the profession has the opportunity to join together and widely promote this vital role in practice.”

Listed nurses are fully qualified, and may have advanced professional qualifications. In addition, those listed nurses who are also registered commit to keeping their skills and knowledge up to date, and to work within the tenets of the Guide to Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses.

What is Veterinary Nursing?

Veterinary nursing is the supportive care of animals receiving treatment within a veterinary practice. A veterinary nurse works as a member of the veterinary team, providing expert nursing care for sick animals.

Veterinary nurses also play a significant role in the education of owners about maintaining the health and welfare of their pets. They carry out technical work and are skilled in undertaking a range of diagnostic tests, medical treatments and minor surgical procedures, under veterinary direction.

 

Claire

Grub will be 5 weeks old on Monday (where has the time gone?!) He’s growing by the minute and doing fantastically.

For those of you have been following Grub’s progress and have met Grub and seen him grow here is a brief summary of a kitten’s progress through the weeks.

Hand rearing a kitten is an extremely intensive and demanding time condensed into a short period of your life. The rewards of my labours far exceed my sleepless nights.

He been a fantastic lesson for some of the visitors to the surgery, as many of you have seen him taking his bottle and many people have never seen a kitten so small.

Kittens hand reared in isolation from other cats is at risk of developing psychological abnormalities, including nervousness, aggression and a reduced ability to cope with strange surroundings, people or animals. Kittens hand reared in the presence of other cats are less likely to be affected, since they can develop by watching the other cats.

Socialisation is extremely important for well adjusted kittens. Introduce the kittens to other animals as soon as possible.

Grub has been introduced to my three other cats at home (Zippy, Boris & Mable) who despite an initial scared look on their face, have taken to him well. Grub has also been introduced to my two dogs (Jack & Millie) who love him. My dogs have been brought up with cats and are used to cats and small kittens (as I’ve hand reared kittens and puppies several times before).

There are several basic functions to be addressed when hand rearing kittens. These include the provision of a clean, warm environment, a strict feeding regimen, attention to urination and defecation (emptying of the bowels), and attention to general health.

Total dedication and commitment is required by the carer at all times.

0-2 weeks
Kittens’ responses are limited and revolve around thermal stimuli, tactile stimuli and sense of smell. They are relatively immobile but can use a slow paddling movement to travel very short distances. During this time and up until three weeks of age the kitten is totally dependent on the mother’s milk for nutrition, nursing is initiated entirely by the mother. Eyes will open at any time between two and sixteen days but usually between seven and ten days. Teeth start to erupt at about two weeks of age.

3-4 weeks
Vision starts to play a role in guiding the kitten towards its mother. Basic walking appears during the third week and by four weeks of age kittens can move a reasonable distance. The body-righting reaction is fully developed by four weeks. Kittens normally start to eat solid food at four weeks old.

5-6 weeks
By the five week kittens show brief episodes of running. By five weeks of age kittens may start to kill mice. Kittens are no longer dependent on their mother to stimulate urination.

7-8 weeks
Kittens have begun to show adult-like responses to threatening social stimuli, both visual and smell. Weaning is usually complete by seven weeks after birth. By this time a kitten’s ability to maintain body temperature is the same as an adult.
Complex movement, such as walking along and turning around on a narrow fence may not develop fully until ten to eleven weeks after birth. Sexual maturity can occur from six months of age (occasionally earlier) and social maturity (adulthood) at any time between eighteen months and four years of age.

 

Claire