Routine Feline Health Care

A practical approach to the feline patient

Julia Beatty BSc(hons) BVetMed PhD FANZCVSc (Feline Med)

Valentine Charlton Cat Centre
Faculty of Veterinary Science
 Lecture outline

• The hospital environment

• Cat-friendly handling tips

 Infectious disease control

Viral upper respiratory Dermatophytosis

tract disease (ringworm)
(FHV1, FCV, ‘flu)
zoonosis

Feline parvovirus
(FPV, panleucopenia/infectious enteritis)
 Infectious disease control

Cat-to-cat Housing

Fomite Cleaning

Environmental
contamination Personnel
Optimise housing
 Optimise housing

IDEAL not always POSSIBLE

House individually

Sneeze barriers

Surfaces readily cleaned

• smooth

• do not trap particles

• do not deteriorate
 Disinfectants
clean surface with detergent first
 Disinfectants

F10 disinfectant Sodium hypochlorite Virkon S

1:100 household bleach Potassium
contact time15 mins peroxymonosulfate
viruses-1:32 dilution of
Not effective against contact time 10 mins
5-6% solution, contact
FCV
time 30 min.

ringworm 1: 10
RINSE with water
 Don’t be a fomite!
Don’t be a fomite!

Australian Veterinary Association

Don’t be a fomite!
Don’t be a fomite!
Train staff
Infectious disease control
VACCINATION DOES
NOT SUBSTITUTE
FOR GOOD
PRACTICE

Induction

Cage cleaning

Bedding
Routine vaccination

• Feline herpesvirus1
• Feline calicivirus
• Feline panleukopenia virus

(RABIES)
WSAVA vaccination guidelines 2015

6-8 w then q 3-4 w 16-20 w 6mo - 1y 1y or 3y

Vaccination: FHV1, FCV, FPV

• Modified live vaccines most effective (not pregnant cats)

• Maternal antibodies can persist until 20 weeks of age
• Vaccinate kittens q 3-4 weeks until 16-20 weeks of age
• Consider bringing booster forward from 1 y to 6 months
• 1y – 3y re-vaccination interval high risk – low risk
Is every cat admitted to your hospital up to date with vaccinations?
isolation facility
The cat ward
Hospitalisation

Clean

Quiet

Calm
ISFM

ISFM
how to make a ‘cubby’
in-patient monitoring

• Physical examination & body weight

at least twice daily (8am/4pm)
• Remove cat from cage
• Record all findings - SOAP protocol
 In-patient monitoring
Data recorded in SOAP 8am and 4pm

SUBJECTIVE DATA:

OBJECTIVE DATA: WEIGHT: PCV: ADDITIONAL NOTES:

TEMPERATURE: TP:
HR: Electrolytes:
PR: FLUIDS: MEDICATIONS GIVEN:
PULSE QUALITY: FOOD INTAKE:
RR: URINATION: PROCEDURES PERFORMED:
MM: DEFECATION:
CRT: WATER CONSUMPTION:

ASSESSMENT:

PLAN:
Handling cats in the veterinary clinic
 this cat is not ‘bad’

its behavior is normal

it is frightened
Respectful handling - reduces stress

Good for cats

Good for staff
Good for owners
Good for business
if you fight with a cat.....

you will lose

Cat’s first experience at your practice
 Handling in thecat
removing consultation
from box

Minimal restraint Remove top of box

Cat stays in bottom
or gently removed
Handling in the consultation
Handling in the consultation

• Cat facing away

less confrontational
safer

• Keep cat close

• Talking, stroking, same tone

• Least stressful procedures first

• Nose to tail
Removing injured cat from cage
blood sample
towel wrap
wrap and roll

If cat resents jugular sample,

• medial saphenous

• cephalic
cephalicIVcatheter
cephalic catheter
cat bag - cephalic
cat bagcat– bag
IM injection
IM
cystocentesis
urine sample with
every blood sample
urine sample
 local anaesthetic cream or spray for
blood sampling/catheter placement

takes time to work

“cling wrap”

works quicker
 for cats that cannot safely be handled
Administered by owner at home 2 hours before appointment
Gabapentin 50 or 100mg orally
calming not sedative
 for cats that cannot safely be handled

In clinic

• Butorphanol 0.3 mg/kg IM 15 mins calming not sedative

• IM tiletamine /zolazepam (‘Zoletil’) 2 mg/kg, maximum effect 20 mins

• IM injection with cat in top-loading box

 Scruffing?
only if necessary
MUST support weight
Very last resort
 the consultation

#
 equipment

4
5
senses
 accurate scales
What’s in the consulting room ?

non-slip surface
Questions
Questions?