Recommendations for new cat owners Cats are fun, playful, loving, independent, smart, curious and entertaining. They are easy to maintain especially when you learn the basics such as feeding, grooming, general health, safety tips and litter management. However, cats are not as easy to train as dogs and require patience to have them fully domesticated. Building kittens confidence Many kittens tend to be shy and reserved and may hide under furniture until they are sure they can trust you. They can cover up sickness leading to delayed medical attention. Simple reward based techniques are helpful in strengthening your bond with the cat. The aim of training cats is to allow them to choose how and when they interact with humans and other pets in your home. This makes their interactions safe and predictable for those around them. Cats are playful and they need toys and attention which they crave from their owners and family. They need space to express their joyful spirit and therefore your home environment should be safe. Cats love high places to climb and hide such as shelves, boxes or covered furniture. They shy away from the noisy, hustle and bustle of human activity. A scared cat with dilated pupils crouched in a corner are some of the things that indicate that your cat is frightened. Cats are territorial and introduction of a new pet or many visitors are some of the things that can create anxiety and stress. This should be done in careful manner and always pay attention to your cat’s body language and behavior to different interactions such as muscle relaxation or forward movement of the ears. Feeding CatsCats are meat eaters and this makes them true carnivores. They depend upon the nutrients present in meat to sustain their dietary needs.Domesticated cats will love freshly killed meat from rodents, rabbits, amphibians, birds, reptiles and fish, but cats are also opportunistic feeders and will readily take cooked food as well as dried cat food when offered, as long as the food is palatable.The natural diet of cats therefore does not include any vegetable matter, although cats have been known to eat certain plants and grasses occasionally, usually as an emetic or to help them vomit.Cats cannot synthesize some essential nutrients required for survival, including the amino acids like taurine and arginine, so these nutrients must be sourced from fresh meat in the natural diet.Cats lack the specific physiology to extract nutrients efficiently from plant-based materials, and require a high protein diet, which is why high-energy meat is the optimal food.Vegetarian cat food must be fortified with nutrients such as taurine and arachidonic acid that cats cannot synthesize from plant materials.Kittens need optimal calcium to phosphorus ratios for proper bone growth. Fractures and weak bones in kittens are mostly associated with poor diet. Nursing mother cats will have a higher need for calcium in their diet as they breast feed their kitties.Several dietary nutrients have a role in the overall health especially skin and hair. Both Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are important for good hair and skin. Unkempt hair and some of the allergies may be caused by poor diet.Male cats tend to get bladder stones which may caused mainly by nutritionally imbalanced diet.Most good commercial foods have the necessary nutritional ingredients that support optimal health in cats. It is important that cats’ nutritional needs are met when giving wet and /or dry foods. Read the labels careful just to make sure that the nutritional support needed by your cats is available in the food before buying.Vaccinations and dewormingSome of the kitties are born already infected by worms as some of them cross the placenta while in utero. Therefore deworming of the pregnant queen is essential for the health of the kitties when they are born. Kittens need to be dewormed every two weeks once they are born, kept in a clean and warm environment. Vaccinations against cat flu and feline pan leucopenia virus commence at 6 to 8 weeks. Sneezing, coughing and diarrhea caused by these viruses are very difficult to treat and weigh down on both the patient and the owner finances from the medical bills. Rabies vaccinations are done at 12 weeks and a booster repeated in 4 weeks time. These vaccinations are important for cats and preventable zoonotic disease like rabies in human.Litter box training and useCats naturally like relieving themselves in a sandy area which makes it easier to introduce the litter box. Consider dust-free litter as dust may create an allergy like feline asthma. It is also important to be consistent with the litter you provide as cats get used to specific brand and may not appreciate frequent changes. Provide privacy by placing the litter box in a less trafficked location to avoid sudden noises that would distract or frighten kittens. Avoid moving the box often from a room to another as it may confuse kittens and cause accidents in your home. You may need to place kittens in the litter box after meals, when they wake up or when you see them squatting in others places until they understand the purpose of the box. Avoid disciplining a kitten when she is inside the litter box lest they associate it with punishment or distress and hence develop an aversion to it. Before the kittens are fully litter-trained, consider confining them in a small area to ensure easy access to the litter boxes and minimize accident areas.  If accidents occur, clean them thoroughly to remove any traces of urine or feaces. This prevents them from soiling the same areas in future. Feeding kittens during the same time of the day helps with predicting when they will need to use the litter box as they feel the urge to have bowel movement approximately twenty minutes after meals.It is essential to have a litter box or two for each of your cats. The boxes should be large enough for your cat to sit, move and dig around comfortably. The walls should

Tick borne infections and control Ticks are ecto parasites that are fairly common in dogs. The severity of tick infestation depends in the region that the dog lives in and how often is the use of tick control medication. In a study done by Tsai-jung and et al found out that 63.7 % of dogs had history of tick infestation. Dogs that never had tick control were more likely to be infested by ticks. Dogs that were treated for tick control, those living indoors and those that had less than once a week walk, were less likely to be infested by ticks. Ticks attach to your dog by inserting their mouth parts onto the skin. Other may produce a sticky, glue-like substance that helps them stay attached on to the skin of the host. They are big enough to spot and feel like small bumps when the owner run their hands over the dog’s body, especially around the neck, ears, head and feet. They feed on the dog’s blood, transmitting a number of diseases and fall off when they have had enough. Pretty much these are parasites scavenges on your dog, causing depredation of otherwise good health. Signs your dog has ticks If you see a tick in your home, most probably your dog must have brought it in and there may be more that are still stuck on their skin. A dog may show varying degree of symptoms that include fever that can last anytime from 24 hrs to weeks. Check out for general weakness or lethargy, loss of appetite, in activity, unusual panting, weight loss, pain and joint stiffness. Dogs tend to lick the bitten area or shake their head constantly if the tick is burrowed in the ear canal. These symptoms call for dog to be rushed to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Diseases caused by ticks There are a number of diseases caused by ticks and they can be life threatening if left untreated. The common tick borne diseases in this region are babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, tick paralysis and haemobartonellosis. How to safely remove ticks It is essential to remove ticks as soon as you spot them as they can transmit tick borne infections. Ticks may fall off when you brush your dog. The best way to remove a tick is to twist it off carefully. It is quite difficult to prevent your dog from exposure of ticks since they enjoy outdoor activities like walks and hikes. Make it a routine to thoroughly inspect your dog for any ticks or signs of bites such as redness and irritation. There are a number of products that can be used for tick control in dogs. Regular use of tick control products like spot-on treatments and tablets to repel or kill ticks is essential. Spot on are effective for about 4 weeks in keeping the ticks and fleas away. Recently there has been introduction of oral tablets that are effective in tick control for up to 3 months. Use of these products and control of ticks in the environment effectively helps to eliminate tick infestation from our lovely pets. You can always call our clinic to seek advice from a doctor.

Diabetes in Dogs Overview November is a pet diabetes month, which provides an opportunity to understand the manifestation of diabetes in dogs.  Diabetes is generally a disorder of carbohydrates, fat and protein metabolism caused by absolute or relative insulin deficiency. Diabetes is among the common endocrine diseases in middle-aged and senior dogs. At least 70% of the patients older than 7 years may manifest the symptoms by the time of diagnosis. The prevalence is between 1:400 and 1:500 with female dogs being predominantly affected. The breeds that are likely to suffer from diabetes mellitus are Golden Retriever, Carn terrier and Tibetan terrier. Working with your veterinarian regularly is advisable so that you be able to comprehend when to seek prompt care for your dog. Types of Diabetes in Your Dog Diabetes in dogs occurs in two distinct forms: Type 1, Insulin-deficiency diabetes – This occurs when your dog is not producing sufficient insulin due to damage or pancreas that is not functioning. Insulin-deficiency diabetes is one of the common diabetes affecting in dogs. Type 2, Insulin-resistance diabetes – occurs when your dog’s pancreas produces insulin, but the body fails to utilize it accordingly. As a result, the body fails to process glucose in the blood and circulating it to the cells. Obese or older dogs are likely to develop insulin-resistance diabetes mellitus.  In addition, female dogs develop temporary insulin resistance when they are on heat or pregnant. Signs and Symptoms –           Dogs with excessive a lot of water or increased thirsty or lick empty water bowls –           Increased urination (Polyuria) due to the incessant need to get rid of the excess sugars –           Sudden weight loss despite the dog normal food portions because of inefficient conversion –           Onset of acute blindness that leads to cataracts –           Progressive lethargy, depression and vomiting –             In addition, the health of your dog could deteriorate due to possible kidney failure, enlarged    liver, and ketoacidosis. Treatment for Diabetes Diet – The diabetic dog should eat quality proteins and fiber-ridden carbohydrates. There are commercially available dog food that are specific for certain breeds or help tackle certain medical conditions. Exercise –It is recommended that moderate and consistent exercise routines should reduce sudden rise or drops in glucose levels. This is especially important in dogs that are kept in small spaces or compound. Injections – Your diabetic dog will require insulin injection everyday under the skin. It is recommended that you visit your veterinarian for treatment of your dog and for advice or further recommendation.

Cats living in high rise apartments Cats are quite inquisitive in nature and like exploring the areas around them. They have been known to be distracted by birds flying by their windows or balconies and they leap in anticipation of a good hunt. Sometimes this comes with a price of them accidentally falling, especially if they are living in high rise buildings. When cats fall from high rise buildings, they tend to land with their legs spread out causing severe injuries. Some get away with minor soft tissue injuries, others are not so lucky. Having life threatening injuries like fractures of the head, spine, pelvis and limbs. While others with the rupture of the diaphragm or bladder. We call these incidences as High rise syndrome and these accidents need to be attended by the veterinarian as soon as possible regardless of the time they happened. There is a very good chance of your cat surviving if they receive immediate and proper medical attention. These accidents can be avoided if the cat environment is well protected. Cat living spaces should be safe and protected from the accidental falls. These living spaces should be purpose-built having a house designed with the basic needs of cats in mind. The housing should improve the exploratory experience of cats living at home.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Introduction The recent novel coronavirus disease has placed the world in mortal terror and consternation. There has been a few cases that have been reported in Kenya causing public fear and anxiety. Doubt is fuel for fear and this can be more harmful than the actual COVID-19. This article will give you a general overview of COVID-19 so that you are armed and avoid being a victim of public misinformation. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease that is caused by a severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-coV-2). This disease as it is now famously known, COVID-19, is thought to have started in December, 2019 in Wuhan province, China. This has spread across the world causing unprecedented public health pandemic. Transimission of COVID-19 from Animal to Human (Zoonosis). There are many coronaviruses that affect many species and are classified as positive-sense RNA viruses, of which can cause respiratory, gastrointestinal, hepatic, and neurological diseases in their hosts. In wild life, bats are natural reservoir host of a large diversity of coronaviruses and recent researches have attributed the emergence of novel coronaviruses as being of public health and veterinary importance. Three such viruses emerged in the last 17 years, they include: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus in 2002, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus in 2012, and the Swine acute diarrhoea syndrome (SADS) coronavirus in 2017. With the emergence of SARS, MERS and SADS, it is now widely accepted that coronaviruses are capable of readily adapting to new hosts. Coronaviruses were also detected as potential pathogens in Malayan pangolins, and which has showed a complex genetic relationship with SARS coronavirus. A study by Ping and et al concluded that the increased number of deaths of Malayan pangolins that were smuggled into China was caused by different types of SARS-CoV virus that were isolated from them. The spread of virus from animals to human is suspected to have started in a fish and wildlife market in Wuhan City, China. This was through handling of wild life animals like the pangolins and not necessarily from eating them. Spread of COVID-19 from persons to person. The transmission of COVID-19 virus has been largely between person to person through touching or inhaling of nasal or oral droplets from an infected person or surfaces. An infected person may not necessarily show any symptoms of the disease during the incubation period. To curb this virus, we have to take personal responsibilty and change our social traditions of shaking hands, hugging or pecking our loved ones. Does COVID-19 affect pets? Dogs contract certain types of coronaviruses, such as the canine respiratory coronavirus which in many cases are mild and therefore not considered to be a threat. In addition, there is no current evidence that has shown pet animals can be a source of infection of COVID-19. Recent reports in Hong Kong mentioned of a 17 year old pomeranian whose owner had COVID-19, tested positive but had not shown any symptoms of the disease after being quarantined. Professor James Wood from the university of cambrige intimated that finding low level of virus in a dog exposed to a confirmed human case is not particularly surprising. It is notable that none of the dogs whose owners were ill from COVID-19 have come down with the virus. Therefore, dogs do not need face masks to be protected or passing the virus to their owners. However, it is recommended that people who have tested positive of COVID-19 to limit contact with their pets until more scientific information is available to the public. How does the pet owner protect themselves and their pets from COVID-19 ? There are no vaccinations that are available for COVID-19 for pets and human at the moment. Since the virus has not been known to affect pets, there are no specific measures that pet owners can take to protect their pets except, maintaining good hygienic measures to avoid any parasite or infection that can be transmitted to them. However, pet owners can take the following measures to protect themselves: References. Ping liu, Wu Chen and Jin-Ping chen (2019): Viral Metagenomics Revealed Sendai Virus and Coronavirus Infection of Malayan Pangolins (Manis javanica) Viruses 11(11), 979. Markotter, W., Geldenhuys,M., Jansen van Vuren,P., Kemp, A., Mudakikwa, A., Nel,L., Nziza,J., Paweska,J and Weyer,j.(2019); Paramyxo- and Corovirunes in Rwanda bats. Trop Med Infect Dis.4(3):99 Shi-Yan,R., Rong-Ding, G., and Ye-Lin,C. (2020): Fear can be more harmful than the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in controlling the corona virus disease 2019 epidemic. World J Clin Cases. 8 (4): 652-657. Science media center.org/expert reactions to media reports of a dog in hong kong being tested weak positive for corona virus.