Veterinary Practice - Cat Vet.

VET’S  'CATTITUDE'

I am not talking about an attitude of a vet. It is something about a veterinarian’s aptitude towards cats. Cats are different kind of patients. They are wild and very nervous when they come into the clinic.

Cats are not small dogs and cannot be treated as such. They tend to get nervous very easily and do much better in a dog-free environment. Every case would be a challenge. When there is a need of surgery, vet will insist on the animal being brought down the previous day so that a complete physical examination is performed. Cats are more prone to post-anesthetic complications and they need to be very sure before performing a surgery. Cats are deeply sensitive creatures that have a tendency to retreat into themselves when they are upset. Having too many dogs around is very distressing for them and a terrified cat is much harder to treat.

A cat that is suffering from a blocked urethra, who has a threat to acute renal failure and death, can be mistaken by an inexperienced vet as a simple case of indigestion. A good cat-vet knows how to touch a cat as petting can cause static electricity that may be painful for cats, triggering an aggressive response, apart from some medical reason. Inflammatory polyps, arthritis, dental issues, hip dysplasia, or parasites such as ear mites that might make them sensitive to touch.
Even some drugs act differently on cats. Example, sleep inducing Morphine should be used with extreme caution in cats. The enzyme that helps metabolize morphine is deficient in cats, which results in potential brain and spinal cord stimulation and not sleep.

A vet has to put his whole heart into this patient and, for to be a successful cat-vet he or she should really feel for the animal.