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The most common cause of sudden blindness in cats is high blood pressure. Some cats with high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, may appear to have headaches. They keep to themselves, are a bit crabby or stare into space. Older cats, especially if they have kidney disease or hyperthyroidism, may develop high blood pressure. If hypertension is not controlled the blood vessels at the back of the eye may burst causing instant blindness. More insidiously any existing heart or kidney disease worsens, and vascular dementia develops. We routinely check the blood pressure of cats older than 10 years of age with a machine that amplifies the sound of their pulse, but is otherwise very similar to the device used on humans. Most cats are like the old chum above, happy and reasonably relaxed - as long as their person is close by. Treatment is relatively simple and effective. Many cats even regain their sight.

Our cats don't give us much warning when they are not healthy. They hide arthritis until they can barely move. Kidney, gut and liver disease creep up on them. Hypertension is a silent killer, just as in humans. As our cats age they need more frequent assessments and a deeper probe into their health. We have a package for cats older than 10 years which picks up the major and most common disease threats. Canberra Cat Vet is offering NEW CLIENTS with a cat 10 years or older, and clients with cats who have just reached 10 years of age $15 OFF your next bag of Hills dry cat food! This offer is available until the end of June 2017 when you book in a Senior Health Check for your senior feline companion. A Senior Health Check for your cat may include, but is not limited to the following: full clinical examination, vaccination review, dental assessment, diet assessment, medication review, blood testing, urine examination, blood pressure and mobility assessments. Your cats health and happiness depend on regular veterinary assessments. Call us on 6251 1444 or make an online appointment on the "Request an Appointment" button above.

Since the 1970’s, vigilant use of feline core vaccines has resulted in strong herd immunity against feline enteritis (FPV), also known as panleukopaenia, caused by a parvovirus. Cases of the virus, which causes fevers, vomiting and dreadful diarrhoea, were almost unheard of. However, there has been a re-emergence of the potentially fatal enteritis over the last few years, with three outbreaks in Victoria between 2013 and 2015 claiming the lives of around 200 cats. Over the last month, shelter-based outbreaks of the disease have been reported in both New South Wales and Queensland, including Blacktown Pound in Sydney’s west. At another shelter the infection claimed the lives of five out of seven cats in one litter, before the virus was identified, enabling appropriate treatment of the other two kittens. The most common form of FPV is the acute form, which presents as a three to four day history of fever, depression and anorexia, progressing to vomiting and diarrhoea. Severe clinical illness leading to mortality is much more common in young, inadequately vaccinated kittens three to five months of age. The key to disease control is still mass vaccination. “Disease in cats is caused by parvoviruses, small DNA viruses. The main one is feline panleucopenia virus but parvoviruses that infect dogs can also cause the disease in cats” Professor Vanessa Barrs, Specialist in Feline Medicine told media publications. When less than 70 per cent of the population is vaccinated, the situation is perfect for the emergence of a disease epidemic, she said. The current outbreak is a timely reminder that maintaining immunity in populations of animals where effective vaccines are available is essential. If you are unsure of your cats' vaccination status please phone us on 6251 1444 and we will check our records for you. Cats less than 12 months of age are most vulnerable and must have had an F3 booster after 12 weeks of age to be fully protected.