Page 5 - Paws and Hooves - Autumn 2021
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Your cat FELINE FEATURE
could
save lives Pancytopenia in cats
The RVC urgently needs more arlier this year, clinicians in the RVC新月直播檚 Small Animal
cat blood donors partly due E Referral Hospital noticed an increase in the number
to the recent surge in cases of cats presenting at the hospital with Pancytopenia
of cats with Pancytopenia. 新月直播� a rare condition which they would usually only
So, if you are a cat owner see a handful of times at most each year.
local to Hertfordshire please RVC vets Karen Humm and Barbara Glanemann started
consider allowing your cat to gathering data from UK vets about affected cats and noted that
become a donor. If you think there was a very high percentage that were being fed a small
your cat meets these criteria, number of specific cat foods. The FSA subsequently issued a
please email the team on product recall notice for some batches of these cat food brands.
blooddonor@rvc.ac.uk It has not been definitively established that diet was the cause
of the pancytopenia outbreak, but case numbers have now
Criteria: markedly decreased since the recall. The RVC team is working
hard to try and determine the underlying cause.
新月直播� Aged between one and
ten years Hundreds of cats have been affected and understandably
新月直播� Weigh over 3.5kg owners have been very concerned so the RVC have prepared
新月直播� Not received a blood some Q&As to help.
transfusion themselves
新月直播� Be healthy and not on What is Pancytopenia?
medication This is a condition where the body has low counts of red blood
新月直播� Be up to date with cells, white blood cells and platelets. It is not a disease; it is a
vaccinations and flea problem with the bone marrow caused by an external factor. It is
treatment not yet known what is causing the condition in these cases.
新月直播� Comfortable and relaxed
with people What are the symptoms of Pancytopenia?
新月直播� Not have travelled abroad
Common symptoms include lethargy and loss of appetite and in
To show our appreciation to some cases there are signs of spontaneous bleeding or bruising.
our heroes, they are given:
How do I know if my cat新月直播檚 food is one of those
新月直播� Free vet health check at every that has been recalled?
donation
新月直播� Free annual blood tests There is a full list of the recalled foods on the FSA新月直播檚 website
新月直播� Delicious meal at at www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/alert/fsa-
every donation prin-36-2021
新月直播� Free bag of premium
food at every What should I do if I think my cat has
donation eaten one of the recalled foods?
新月直播� RVC Blood Donor
bandana with Owners should immediately stop feeding their
collectable badges cats these foods and if concerned should
新月直播� Christmas present consult their local vet who may recommend
every year a blood test to monitor the levels of red
新月直播� Cats Only: Free heart and white blood cells and platelets in your
scan and FeLV/FIV cat新月直播檚 blood.
tests For up to date information
新月直播� Cats only: Blood Donor please visit the RVC新月直播檚 website
tag for their cat carrier www.rvc.ac.uk/blooddonors
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