This week I was reminded of two of the many reasons that I chose to be a veterinarian.  One is the fact that there is never a dull moment and the second is that you can always learn something new.  I’ll start with the new things you learn.  I have been in practice for over 20 years now and we diagnosed the first case of feline Cytauxzoonsis that I have ever seen.  It is a very rare protozoal disease of cats that is caused by the bite of an infected tick.  The disease has a very rapid course that usually ends in death within days of initial signs of illness.  The signs are usually non-specific and include anorexia, fever and pale mucus membranes.  These cats are usually sick within two weeks of the tick bite.  The infection is uncommon nationwide, but quite common in certain areas of the Midwest and southern United States.  The geographic region may be expanding with cases now being reported along the Atlantic coast.  Because no therapy has been proven effective and the disease is largely fatal, prevention is the take home message to get across.  The only means of transmission seems to be via tick vector so keeping cats indoors and controlling these ectoparasites is an essential form of prevention.

The second and never dull moment concept of my profession is the fact that just as we thought we had weathered the kitten storm this year with flying colors, we were quickly reminded that there will always be a great need for our services.  At one point this year we had well over 200 kittens in all age groups at the Richmond SPCA and in our foster care programs.  We have finally caught up and gotten almost all of those little ones adopted. Thank goodness!  We still have kittens but had started to concentrate on juvenile and adult cats once again.  Then came the call from the City of Richmond Animal Control that they could use some help with their kitten population.  In just one transfer, we moved in 31 new kittens ranging in age from four to seven weeks.  So you see, there is never a boring moment to be had, and my brain will always hopefully stay fresh and challenged.  How much luckier could a gal be? 

Today’s blog was written by Dr. Angela Ivey, director of veterinary medicine at the Richmond SPCA. Dr. Ivey spent many years in private veterinary practice before joining the medical staff at the Richmond SPCA in 2004.

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