What's new at Cats at Home?

Digital Radiography - Now at CAH!!

In September 2011, we installed a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly Cuattro Digital X-ray unit in the Cats at Home hospital. The new equipment improves our radiology program with better contrasting radiographs (x-ray images) that are instantly viewable to the Doctor, and allows for electronic transfer of radiographs to our consultants.

Pekoe's Television Debut

Our very own Pekoe has been featured on CMT's  "Pet Heros" in October 2011. The episode tells his life story and talks about his contribution to saving other cats lives through his role as a blood donor.  Also featured is our handsome feline client "Louie", one of the recipients of Pekoe's blood.  

Click here to watch CMT's "Pet Heroes" featuring a story about Pekoe.

Click here to read "Pekoe's Story".

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Maine Coon and Ragdoll Cats

Heart disease is a common problem in cats of all ages.  It usually occurs as a result of cardiomyopathy - a disease affecting heart muscle or endocardiosis - a disease affecting the valves between the upper and lower chambers of the heart.  In both diseases cardiac muscle fibres are stretched.  If a cat has suffered from heart disease for a prolonged period of time it can lead to congestive heart failure, a syndrome in which the heart muscle can no longer pump all the blood required by the body.

In cats, signs of heart disease include exercise intolerance, lethargy, fainting, cold limbs, weakness or paralysis in the hind limbs, and coughing or problems breathing.  As with other medical problems, cats are very good at hiding these clinical signs and consequently heart disease is often not diagnosed until it is in an advanced stage.  It is beneficial to diagnosis heart disease as early as possible in order to apply treatment.  In the past, veterinarians have relied on physical examination and cardiac auscultation, chest x-rays and electrocardiograms (EKG/ECG)  to detect heart disease followed up by an echocardiogram (cardiac ultrasound) to confirm the diagnosis.

For more information please visit Washingston State University's College of Veterinary Medicine web site at:
http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/cliented/hcm.aspx