Happy New Year

We have a guest blogger today: Maria, one of our technicians.
Happy New Year! Time for Resolutions!
By Maria Glencer, LVT
　
January 1st brings thoughts of New Year resolutions. One popular resolution for many people is weight loss. What about our cats? Recent estimates indicate as many as 50-60% of cats are overweight and 40% are obese. The cause is simple – too many calories and carbohydrates and not enough exercise.
Before you and your cat go on a diet or out to the gym together, be sure to have your cat’s overall health assessed. All weight management programs should be closely monitored to ensure weight loss occurs in a gradual and safe timeframe. Rapid weight loss can lead to a life-threatening condition called fatty liver disease.
All cats (overweight or not) should be fed a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. As carnivores, cats use protein for energy but convert carbohydrates to fat.
Weight management guidelines:
*Feed more wet food (higher in protein) and reduce/eliminate dry food (higher in carbs).
*Feed on a schedule with measured-out portions instead of leaving food out all day.
*Feed multiple cats in separate rooms to prevent food stealing.
*Make one person responsible for feeding to prevent duplicate meals.
*Substitute extra food and treats with calorie-free rewards such as catnip, love, or petting.
*Schedule playtimes; include toys that make use your cat’s natural hunting skills.
Once we evaluate your cat’s ideal weight and specific needs, we can calculate a diet plan.
Let us help your cat live healthier by keeping it slim and trim, starting this New Year!

Those Holiday Hazards

A friendly reminder to all: Many of us are decorating for Christmas. For our cats this “its the most wonderful time of the year.” (Can you hear the song?) Unfortunately it also means Holiday Hazards. The ribbon you tie packages with they can chew on, and sometimes become stuck inside the intestines. This means surgical removal.

The plants all wrapped up in red foil: toxic, they could cause vomiting, diarrhea, and sometimes kidney failure. As far as the tree, that is Disney Land for cats. I can’t tell you the last time I had ornaments on the bottom half of my tree. The lights, every year Ute (my eldest) must chew through at least 2 sets, he always finds a spot I don’t have protected. Don’t forget cats cannot eat all those treats either, chocolate can be toxic, and just as us people, we cannot load up on extra calories. Extra weight gain is not healthy; it could also lead to vomiting and diarrhea.

A little bit of turkey or other meat is fine, just don’t over do it.

Clink the link for more information.

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/FHC/news/HolidayHaz.htm

Have a fun and safe Holiday and New Year.

Fun Gifts, support local artist.

Many of you have noticed when you come into our practice we have quite a bit of art -work on the walls. We love to support out local artists. Of course it has to be cat themed.

One of our favorites is Laurie Eisenhardt. She is having an Open Studio event this Wednesday the 15th, Thursday & Friday from 10-5 or by Appointment. She is located in Royal Oak, 413 S Pleasant.

Feel free to stop by and take a look.

248-544-1006.

She has many cute & unique gifts and ornaments.

Wanted a Foster Home

I am calling on all of you cat loving people out there to help rescue these two kitties.

They were abandoned in October in our parking lot. We are just not set up to socializing them here. We are set up to take care of sick patients, boarding cats and to see outpatients. There needs to be a someone who can take the time to work with these cats, Where as our staff needs to put their energy toward the sick kitties here.

We really needs someone who can bring them into their home, in a large cat crate & work with socializing them. We just are not able to work with these kittens. I took them to my tiny little home, a studio. I never saw them. So that did not work out as planned. I know these kittens could be great pets, they just need someone to foster them until they are good & trusting around people. Unfortunately who ever placed these cats on our doorstep did them a terrible disservice. The better thing to have done would have been: trapped and released these boys. Now they have been in a cage for 2 months scared all the time.

Please: if anyone can or knows someone who can house these precious boys and work on socializing them, it would be wonderful. We would take them back after they are socialized and find homes for them.

They are current on vaccines, neutered, and tested for FELV/FIV. No fleas.

Sparrow's Surgery

See here for all of the pictures!

Dr. John Gumbs graciously donated his time to this special cause, as well as our LVT Laura, and Margey. We cannot thank them enough for helping this little kitty out, preventing her from a life full of pain.

Laura started Sparrow’s surgery out by sedating her with Isoflurane gas & oxygen. She placed an endotracheal tube down her throat, so Sparrow could breathe in the gas. This is what allows her be sedated through the surgical procedure. She had an IV catheter placed in her leg, this helps keep her hydrated during her surgery, as well as keeps her blood pressure up, and helps provide a safe anesthesia experience. We also had placed fentanyl, (a pain medication) in the IV bag, as it provides a slow steady amount of pain medication throughout her surgery.

She also has monitors attached to her that measures her heart rate, What her oxygen level is,(the black object attached to her tongue) her Blood pressure and her temperature.

The leg was then shaved of her fur, and sterilized using betadine & alcohol.

Dr Gumbs made the incision; he had to use large retractors to hold open the incision and to see the ball joint (the top of the femur) he needed to remove.

The neck of femur came out in pieces from the previous injury. But he was able to remove it all, and the operation was a huge success.

Dr. Gumbs then sutured her tissue and skin together. Laura recovered her.

She still had her IV in, giving her pain medication throughout the day.

To all the volunteers, thank you for your kindness.

Later that evening, Sparrow was eating, and standing on her leg!!

See our Facebook page for pictures of this surgery, along with video.

Sparrow Chapter Two

Sparrow is thriving now, she is eating much better, and now weights over three pounds! She loves to purr, and lets us hold her and talk to her. She is playful; she loves to chase balls in her small cage. She is not able to be out of confinement due to her injury. She is still taking her pain medication, as we do not want her to have any pain.

As stated last week she needs a femoral head and Neck Ostectomy (FHO for short) To repair her broken hip.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Femoral_head_ostectomy

This has to be done for her comfort, or she will suffer chronic pain and have troubles with her hip for the rest of her life.

Dr. John Gumbs is going to perform the procedure on Friday, December 10^th.

We need her to get a little bit bigger before we feel she can safely have this surgery performed.

She still does not have “parents” but we are hoping we will be able to find her a special home, for such a special girl who is a survivor. Can you imagine such a tiny kitten being ran over by a car & having to avoid others coming at her? She is so grateful for the people who saved her.

I will post an update once her surgery has been performed.

Good luck Sparrow.

200 Cat Adoption Event

The Cat Practice is helping The Oakland Pet Adoption Center to find homes for many of the homeless pets they have in the shelter. There will be over 200 cats at the Pet Supplies Plus in White Lake, 6845 Highland Rd, December, 10-12. All these cats have been spayed or neutered & vaccinated. There will be specials on pet supplies, gifts, free refreshments, and pictures with Santa on December 12^th.

Please open your heart and home to give one of these special animals a second chance. Please let everyone you know about this event, We really want to find almost all of them homes in time for The New Year, what a special way to bring in 2011.

If you feel you do not have room for one more kitty come to the event anyway, and take a look, buy your current kitties a new toy or bed. Plus who knows, you could fall in love.

Call 248-889-4131 for more information. Or see Caren's blogg from the Oakland Press

http://opcatchat.blogspot.com/2010/12/oakland-pet-adoption-center-in-auburn.html

On a personal note, I was researching this article, and went to see some of the pets on line.

I have three boys, but really want another Tortie. A precious little girl like my beloved Cisco who passed away 7 years ago. I went to petfinder.com, and there are over 355,000 cats looking for homes!!! That is staggering to me. I wanted to cry. I am going to keep my open for a special new one. That is only one site, how many are really out there.

The Cat Practice hopes to see you out in White Lake next weekend. We are offering free exams to anyone who adopts one of these cats.