- Dental CareIn recent years, we have come to know that dental health maintenance is one of the most important things that we as veterinarians and you as cat owners can do to prolong your cat’s life. Unlike humans, cats do not have the benefit of daily brushing and flossing to rid the mouth of harmful debris and bacteria. Because of this, dental cleaning and evaluation at a veterinarian’s office on a regular basis is the best way to obtain the benefits of a healthy mouth.
- VaccinationAt Albuquerque Cat Clinic, we use ONLY non-adjuvanted vaccinations when vaccinating your cat. What does this mean for your cat? Adjuvants are irritating chemicals that are typically found in vaccinations. In recent years, questions have been raised about tumors in cats, called fibrosarcomas, that may have been induced by vaccination. These tumors are a very rare occurrence. The non-adjuvanted vaccinations we use are a little more expensive than the adjuvanted versions, but we strongly believe in providing only the best quality of care for our patients. If you are concerned about these risks, we urge you to visit the AAFP website and read the current Vaccine Protocol Recommendations under Practice Guidelines. We will work hard with you to develop a vaccine program for your cat that provides the greatest opportunity for a long, healthy life.
- Behavioral CounselingCats, although lower maintenance than their canine counterparts, still require care on a daily basis. They need food, water, a clean litter box and, most importantly, attention from you. Although it is possible to leave cats on their own for a couple of days, with adequate food and water, of course, routine neglect of their social needs may result in behavioral problems such as play aggression, scratching destructively and even urine or fecal marking. These problems are much easier to prevent than to solve.
- Nutritional CounselingCats have very specific nutritional requirements. They are the closest to being pure carnivores of any domestic animal. In general, any high quality commercial cat food will meet your cat’s needs. We do not recommend feeding an all-meat diet, as this leads to calcium deficiency and brittle bones. Dog food is also inadequate, as cats require special amino acids as well as a much higher protein content. Obesity is a very prevalent problem in the pet cat population and can lead to serious health problems. If you notice your cat gaining weight, contact us for weight control options. If you have an obese cat that suddenly stops eating, contact us immediately, as this can be a sign of a serious medical problem. Other than obesity your cat may have special kidney, dental or urinary requirements. At times, we at Albuquerque Cat Clinic may recommend a prescription diet as an integral part of a comprehensive treatment plan. We carry Hill’s and Royal Canin Prescription diets, and can provide trial bags with these options for a small fee to assist you in finding an appropriate diet that your cat enjoys eating.. It is very important that dietary recommendations be followed. If you have questions or would like options to your current food, please ask us.
- Comprehensive ExaminationAs your cat ages, annual examinations become even more important to the maintenance of his or her comfort and well-being. After your cat reaches the age of seven years, we will recommend bi-annual or more frequent exams to stay on top of existing or impending health problems.
- Parasites Treatment and ControlEven if your cat is an indoor only cat, they are not immune to contracting internal parasites, fleas and ticks. We have several ways to prevent and help you if your cat does contract an unwanted flea, tick, parasite or worm.
- Pain ManagementPain management is not optional at Albuquerque Cat Clinic. All of our patients undergoing procedures believed to cause discomfort will receive, both at the clinic and at home, adequate medication to control the discomfort. We use a multi-modal pain management approach that assures your pet the most comfortable recovery possible. This includes preemptive pain medication in the anesthetic protocol, pain medication in the IV fluid drip, local anesthetics when appropriate, and easy-to-administer oral medications in the post-operative period.
- Vomiting Treatment
- Diarrhea Treatment
- Bacterial and Viral Infection TreatmentSpay – Spaying your female cat has many benefits and can help not only your cat, but you as an owner. The procedure will prevent your female cat from becoming pregnant and can help your cat live a healthier life. Spaying can help prevent bacterial infections, reproductive tract diseases and even some forms of cancer. You can prevent many problems by spaying your cat, including the crying and pacing that happen when your cat goes into heat.
- Urinary Tract Infection TreatmentUrinalysis: This can provide clues to the presence of a urinary tract infection, information about kidney function and reveal the presence of urinary crystals.
- Diabetes TreatmentEarly diagnosis and treatment of geriatric diseases is the cornerstone of senior care. For this reason, we at Albuquerque Cat Clinic strongly advise annual blood and urine tests for cats over the age of seven years to aid in the early detection of common feline diseases such as diabetes mellitus, renal disease and hyperthyroidism. All of these diseases are manageable if discovered early.
- Thyroid Disease Treatment
- Heart Disease TreatmentAn ultrasound is a non-invasive procedure used to evaluate your cat’s internal organs. The ultrasound machine sends sound waves into your pet’s body, listens for the echoes, and the echoes form a picture of what’s going on inside your pet. Ultrasound examinations can be used to examine the abdominal organs, heart, and reproductive organs in cats. An ultrasound may be advised if your cat is vomiting, has diarrhea, is having difficulty urinating, or is suspected of having heart disease. During an exam, the Doctor will feel your cat’s abdomen and may recommend an ultrasound if they feel a lump or mass, or if your cat’s bloodwork comes back abnormal.
- Kidney Disease TreatmentThere are several reasons why dental care is so important to your cat. The first, of course, is that unhealthy teeth and gums can be very uncomfortable to your pet, even leading to loss of appetite and weight loss in severe cases. Also, when not regularly cleaned, the teeth and gums build up large numbers of bacteria in the form of tartar. It has been discovered that these bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause serious damage to heart valves, liver and kidneys. We believe this explains many cases of heart and kidney disease previously just chalked up to “old age.”
- Periodontal Disease Treatment• The teeth and gumline are probed to detect any evidence of tooth resorption, fractures, periodontal disease, or other problems. A diagnostic and treatment plan is formed specifically for your cat.
- Wound and Fracture CareThe virus is spread in the saliva and nasal secretions of infected cats; infection is transmitted through prolonged contact with infected cats, bite wounds, and from an infected mother cat to her kittens. Its suppresses the cat’s immune system, making that cat more susceptible to other kinds of infection and disease. We recommend a series of two feline leukemia vaccinations 1 month apart for all cats under 1 year of age, as this is when they are most vulnerable to infection. In cats over 1 year of age, we will work with you to determine if your cat’s lifestyle puts them at risk, and whether or not this vaccination is appropriate. The experts at the Albuquerque Cat Clinic will discuss vaccinating your cat against Feline Leukemia and give you advice if your cat is already infected. For more information, please visit catvets.com
- Veterinary Surgery
- Declawing
- Spaying and NeuteringNeuter – Neutering your male cat has many benefits and can help not only your cat, but you as an owner. Neutering can help reduce behaviors that you might not want in your cat. Male cats who are neutered are less likely to roam, fight, and spray.
- Laboratory ServicesIn order to arrive at a diagnosis in the shortest amount of time possible, Albuquerque Cat Clinic is equipped with state-of-the-art hematology and blood chemistry analyzers, as well as other diagnostic laboratory equipment. The following tests can be performed in-house on the same day as your cat’s examination. There may be times when the tests that need to be performed cannot be done in our in-house lab, or when it is more cost-effective to run tests at an outside lab, particularly when getting the results is not urgent.
- X-Ray
- Dental RadiologyA dental radiograph is very similar to you getting dental X-rays taken at your dentist. As part of our dental process we will take radiographs of your cat’s teeth. We do this for every dental patient we see to ensure we are providing the best care. These radiographs can help the Veterinarian determine the best treatment for your cat. If your cat has a broken tooth or disease below the gum line the radiograph will show this. A radiograph cannot be done without anesthesia. Once we know what is going on inside your cat’s mouth, we can make decisions about the best way to care for your cat. We will not do any additional work without your acknowledgment and we ask that the day of your cat’s dental procedure, you be available by phone to discuss what is found on the radiographs and your options.
- MicrochippingMicrochipping your cat is the best way to ensure your cat gets home safely if they are ever lost. Let Albuquerque Cat Clinic take all the worry and work out of the process. We will microchip your cat and send the paperwork in for you! If you are unsure if your cat is microchipped, we can help you with that also. Schedule an exam and we will scan your cat and find out.
- BoardingBoarding services are available for Albuquerque Cat Clinic clients and space goes fast! If you are interested in boarding your cat with us, please call for available space. Our kitty condos offer spacious accommodations for the comfort of your pet. Two adjacent cages are connected, giving your pet a litter box area and a separate area to sleep and eat. We provide your cat with Hill’s Science Diet food appropriate to his or her stage of life. If your cat requires a special diet, please bring adequate food for the duration of the stay. All cats boarded at Albuquerque Cat Clinic must be accompanied by proof of current vaccinations, including rabies, panleukopenia, calicivirus and feline viral rhinotracheitis. Feline leukemia vaccination is recommended depending on your cat’s lifestyle. Parasite control will be instituted if necessary at the time of drop-off at the owner’s expense. Owners will be asked to fill out paperwork at the time they drop off their cat or you can download the paperwork from the website and bring the paperwork in with you.
- GroomingGrooming services are offered to Albuquerque Cat Clinic clients whose cats require sedation for clipping. Cats who will be sedated may require bloodwork depending on age. For more information regarding our sedation process please see our Anesthesia section. Sedation and anesthesia for grooming will be subject to the same requirements for bloodwork as surgical procedures. Due to the time requirements of these services, they are offered as a convenience only to clients who obtain their medical services from Albuquerque Cat Clinic. If you would like to transfer care of your cat to us, and no medical services are necessary at the time, we would be happy to groom your cat after performing a complete physical examination to ensure that no health problem is overlooked. Rabies and upper respiratory vaccinations must be up-to-date for your cat to obtain grooming services at Albuquerque Cat Clinic.
- Senior Pet Care