13264 Pond Springs Road

Austin, Texas 78729

(512) 258-2024 - Voice

The Cat’s Meow

Cat Hospital Of Austin's

February 2007 Newsletter  

Hospital Happenings

I am back from maternity leave and The Cat’s Meow is back from its long hiatus.  My son, Logan Edward, is now 6 months old and I am finally getting enough extra time to start the newsletter up again.  I have posted several pictures of Logan up in the reception area at the Cat Hospital of Austin, so feel free to stop by and say hi and take a look.  I have been enjoying being back at work and seeing all the friendly faces since my return from maternity leave.  Thank you all for being so supportive while I was gone.

This Month is Pet Dental Health Month

February has long been honored as National Dental Health Month and Pet Dental Health Month.  I thought this would be a great time to mention the actual procedure for a dental cleaning for your cat.  Normally, when a cat visits us for a cleaning, there are several steps involved in providing kitty with the best dental care.  First, the cat is examined and possibly has bloodwork performed to make sure that the cat can appropriately handle anesthesia.  Next, the cat is sedated and prepared for the treatment.  An I.V. catheter is placed and fluids are administered during the cleaning to make sure that there is adequate blood circulation throughout the body during the dental cleaning.  Dental Xrays(radiographs) are highly recommended at this time.  The radiographs are taken to allow full evaluation of all teeth.  Without radiographs, only half of the teeth are evaluated.  The teeth are cleaned in the same manner that our dental hygienist uses to clean our teeth.  Then, an instrument is used to measure any gum recession or movement of the tooth.  This is charted and a copy of the chart is sent home with kitty.  Any necessary treatments can be performed and then the final portion of the dental includes polishing the teeth with a fluoride treatment.  Since a very safe gas anesthesia is used for this procedure, the anesthesia is stopped at the end of the cleaning and kitty is awake within 5 minutes or so.  Typically, kitty will stay in the hospital a few hours after waking so that we can observe for any possible side effects from the treatment.  Most patients do get to return home on the same day as the cleaning. 

Kitty Doesn’t Need a Spring Fling

Feline breeding season is upon us.  Cats are very effective breeders and a single cat and her offspring can produce 20,976 homeless kittens.  In addition, this time of year leads to cat fights (due to it being breeding season) and large numbers of cat bite abscesses that are treated here at the Cat Hospital.  To prevent pet overpopulation and to keep our feline friends safe, please have your cat spayed or neutered.  Now is the best time. 

Is Your Feline Friend at Risk for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus?

A discussion about cat bites is an excellent time to bring up this virus.  Feline Immunodeficiency Virus is a contagious virus that is easily transmitted from one cat to another through bite wounds.  This is a prime time for transmission to occur.  The virus causes an AIDS-like syndrome that can cause extreme immune compromise and can be fatal.  Indoor only cats are at the lowest risk for this disease, while non-neutered male roaming cats tend to be at the greatest risk.  Prevention of this virus is key.  I recommend all cats that spend time outside unsupervised be tested for this virus and consider vaccination for more at-risk kitties.  The vaccination has been available for only a short period of time but is a very important tool in preventing illness.  Please contact us for more information on this virus. 

Contribute to the Cat’s Meow

Do you have a funny cat joke or cute cat short story that you would like to share?  I typically like to include a short bit of fun at the end of every newsletter and might be able to include your joke or story next time.  Please email me at kpercival@cathospitalofaustin.com if you would like to contribute. 

List of Services

The Cat Hospital of Austin is a full-service veterinary facility.  We perform vaccinations, a variety of in-hospital blood testing, Xrays, surgery, and preventative health care maintenance.  We also carry a wide selection of cat toys that have been feline-tested and approved.  Flea control products and a high quality cat food selection are also available. 

We hope you’ve enjoyed this issue of The Cat’s Meow Newsletter. Our convenient hours are Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday 7:30 a.m. – Noon.  We now close from 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm every Wednesday for a client service meeting to learn how to provide you with the best possible service and information.  We are closed the last Saturday of every month.  If you have a particular topic that you would like to read about in our next Newsletter, please email Dr. Percival at kpercival@CatHospitalOfAustin.com