Control test and annual health check of cats – 2018

 FIV & FeLV tests

Thai Cattery Viosna*PL is free from Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) – dangerous infectious diseases.

All our breeding cats are also free from genetic disorder which can cause PRA – Progressive Retinal Atrophy – which leads to blindness.

In previous post we explained why we do annual health checks and why we decided  to share it along with results (you can read about it HERE). 

This years FIV and FeLV tests supports cattery status as free from those diseases. Results came back negative for all our cats. If you are interested  how to read the outcomes, I encourage you to check in our previous post HERE.

Control test

Apart from quick blood tests, we also did hemathology and biochemistry panel for each of our cats. Whisper – who is already 9 years old, and Dziabąg – who has some kidney issues (more about it HERE), have this controls done twice a year. Additionaly every cat had abdominal ultrasound examination. Of course they also went through clinical examinantion as well.

Cody

Our youngest one – 2 year old Cody – turned out to be healthy as a horse. What was proven by ultrasound, clinical examination and blood test. We are happy that he is doing so well and is in a good shape 🙂 

Helen

Helen, who was already pregnant while health check – we didn’t find any abnormalities both in clinical examination and blood tests. She was feeling great, was eating more then just for herself, took a lot of rest. But when we used any toy, she would run around after it – no matter if it were feathers or her favourite strings. In ultrasound perfomed back then we could see 3 little hearts and little ones were developing nicely. 

 

Elmirka

Elmirka, who turned 5 this June – had all her blood parameters withing the normal range. In clinical examination we’ve noticed early stage of plaque that needs to be handled. In detailed ultrasound of her reproductive system, we found a small (2mm) cyst on one of her ovaries. In further diagnostics it turned our to be an estrogen cyst. This kind of anomaly can impede getting pregnant and can cause permanent heat. Luckily this particular cyst can be treated pharmacologicaly. Other kinds of cysts usually require surgical apreach. It’s either ovariectomy (taken ovary removal) or regular spay. 
If this problem will be reccuring after treatment, we will have to consider removing her from breeding in order to keep her healthy. 

Dziabąg

For Dziabąga, who is our “special care” cat (more HERE), it was already a second health check this year.  Six months ago he also had cardiological consult by dr Niziołek – who says his heart is doing great. He also had his annual opthalmological check by dr Garncarz, that confirms his eye is stable and not getting worse. Apart from standard biochemistry and hemathology, we have also done renal panel that includes also SDMA. This particular paramether is use in early diagnosis of kidney disease, it’s more sensitive and more reliable than regular creatinine.  

 

Dziabąg’s results all came back within normal range – for renal panel and also other tests. In clinical examination our only concern is his weight. Unfortunately he tends to eat up other cats foor. Especially kittens meals that we leave for the little ones and lactating/pregnant girls. We try to fight it and keep him away from others bowls, but we are not always successful. 

This time we took some extra action. Dziabąg received a special bowl/food labirynth that doesn’t let him eat all at one. He has to take it out one by one. We hope that this will make him feel full before he eats up the last piece. Maybe then he won’t have a need to check up others bowls. Because he shares meals with Whisper in the kitchen, she also got the same gift. We didn’t want to risk that he will take an easy way and just eat her food instead of putting some effort to get his out. For now other cats are fed in different rooms, where Dziabąg has limited access. We also try to make him exercise and run a bit more than he used to. 

In ultrasound check, almost everything is ok with Dziabąg. His liver, urinary bladder, stomach, pancreas, spleen and intestines are all ok. Unfortunaly his troubled kidney, that was our concern few years ago, doesn’t look so good. Comparing it to previous exams we feel like the changes are progressing 🙁 Luckily the other kidney looks perfect and doesn’t give us concerns about its anatomy. If Dziabągs blood results will worse and problematic kidney will tend to change, we may face the necessity of nephrectomy one day. But so far his kidney functional test are all good, he is feeling very good. For now we just need to monitor his condition. 

Whisper

Whisper turned out 9 in April this year which makes her the oldest cat in our cattery. For past year and a half she is retired, spayed and under our special care. She has health check every 6 months – it also includes blood pressure measurement and cardiological consult (at least once a year). She had her last echocardiography in March, performed by dr Niziołek – a specialist when in comes to pets heart. Her results were great and doctor said she has an iron heart 😉 

Previous standard blood test, as well as the latest didn’t show any abnormalities. Both hemathology and biochemistry (geriatric profile) results were within normal range. Blood pressure is also ok.

Ultrasound done 6 months ago didn’t show any abnormalities in abdominal organs except a sligh alteration within her small intestine. Intestinal wall build was kept but one of the layers got a little tickened than before. Back then we did additional tests for digestive abnormalities. Only vitamin B12 level was decreased while other parameters came back normal. Lowelled comalamine (B12) can occur in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Cuase for this condition remains unknown and it is quite often suspected in cats. Siamiese cats are told to be predisposed breed and some of it can also be common for thai cats as they have the same origin. 

Because Whisper didn’t have any symptoms occuring with IBD it was hard to say if that was what we faced. Back then we decided to supplement vitamin B12, which turned out in normal level in control check 3 months later. 

Few weeks before annual health check of all the cats (which is in September), Whisper started to lick her belly very often. Apart from that we didn’t see any changes in her behaviour. Clinical examination didn’t conclude any abnormalities. Standard blood tests came back normal but we still ordered extra panel as before. B12 levels were lowered again. 

In ultrasound intestines were pretty much as they were before. Unfortunately pancreas and spleen were a bit enlarged, as well as abdominal lymphonodes. This image strongly suggested IBD. Even without common symptoms as lack of apetite, diarhea or vomitting (these depends on which part of the intestines is undergoing inflammatory procces). Inflammatory Bowel Disease is confirmed by intestinal biopsy, which also helps to tell it apart from early stage lymphoma. Because Whisper is doing well so far, we decided to start treatment as for IBD. We started from special diet, probiotics and B12 supplementation before we move to other treatment. Depending on the results we will take another steps if necessery. 

As I mentioned before, this is quite common problem in cats. That is also why I decided to share our results of prophilactic health checks (you can read HERE my thoughts about it) – to show it’s role in early diagnostics.