PY094685 Pet Owner Educational Atlas. Essential Health Care for Puppies and Kittens

MY FIRST KITTEN

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ADOPTION ADVICE

33 Basic equipment and

areas in the home

Cats divide their territory into five areas using olfactory and visual markers: rest, feeding, play, litter, and exploration areas. These should be separate or in different rooms if possible.

Litter box

Scratcher ■ ■

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Should be stable.

The higher the scratcher and the more platforms it has the better.

Posts should be wrapped with rope and surfaces covered with soft fabric.

Should be located in the central area of the house, near the rest area, with available sunlight. Close any nearby windows.

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Should be wide (allowing the cat to turn in the box).

Located away from food and water, in a quiet area.

Covered without door or uncovered without removable rim.

Contains agglomerant and unscented sand.

Droppings and urine should be removed daily and the box disinfected with bleach every 2 weeks.

Tip: there are commercialised pheromones and an stimulatory herb called catnip (Nepeta cataria) with which cat scratchers can be impregnated to encourage their use by cats.

Feeder and drinker ■

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Should be sufficiently large and wide (to avoid rubbing of the cat’s whiskers against the edges).

Made of ceramic or glass, to prevent movement.

Located away from the sandbox.

From 6 months of age it is recommended to use interactive feeders (increased activity and weight control).

Bed ■

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Should be located in the central area of the house.

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PET OWNER EDUCATIONAL ATLAS. ESSENTIAL HEALTH CARE FOR PUPPIES AND KITTENS

ADOPTION ADVICE

34 Basic kitten education The socialisation period in cats ranges from 2 weeks (when they start walking) to 2 months.

During this period attachment towards other species develops. It is therefore advisable to accustom kittens to the people (both sexes, different ages) and animals with which they will live.

Self-control The kitten has to learn how to control scratching and biting while playing. This is learned from its mother and siblings: this is why orphaned kittens tend to bite and scratch more.

Our role is to teach the kitten self-control.

Indirect punishment This is the most effective way to avoid undesirable behaviour. A negative stimulus will prevent repetition of the behaviour. However, it is important that the kitten does not associate this stimulus with the owner (e.g. if sprayed with a jet of water, the kitten should not see that this was done by the owner).

Possible negative stimuli: • Water spray (should be a powerful and annoying jet of water).

• A noise that cats find unpleasant (whistle, vacuum cleaner).

• An unpleasant flavour that the animal already dislikes (lemon, orange, pepper).

Positive reinforcement Certain behaviours can also be reinforced using stimuli that the cat finds pleasant: ■ Rewards ■ Their favourite tin of cat food ■ A game

How can a cat be prevented from scratching and biting?

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Always play with objects at a distance (fishing rods, balls, or other toys).

Gently strike the nose or immobilise the cat by its neck, pinning it to the ground, and ignore it.

What are inappropriate ways to play with my cat?

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Using the hands: the cat will view the hands as prey that can be hunted and bitten.

Hide and seek: this encourages hunting, and we become the prey.

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MY FIRST KITTEN

VACCINATION AND DEWORMING

35 Kitten vaccination plan Vaccination is essential for the health and well-being of kittens. Vaccines can be compulsory or noncompulsory (i.e. administered based on the level of risk of each cat). All are administered subcutaneously, except for vaccines against feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and Bordetella, which are administered intranasally.

Vaccines available for cats 1. Trivalent: calicivirus (FCV), panleukopenia (FPV), and herpesvirus (FHV-1). This is the only compulsory vaccine.

2. Leukaemia (FeLV): noncompulsory, administered according to risk.

3. Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP): noncompulsory, requires coronavirus antibody (Ab) titre before administration to be effective.

Age

Vaccine

4. Rabies: compulsory depending on legislation in each country/region.

5. Chlamydia felis: noncompulsory, recommended in shelters with high risk of infection.

6. Bordetella bronchiseptica: noncompulsory, recommended in shelters with high risk of infection.

Risks

Indications

4 weeks (1 month)

• Decreased maternal immunity • 1st dose of trivalent vaccine • Interference in cats that have • Bordetella vaccine (single dose) received colostrum

Cats in environments with high risk of exposure (shelters)

8 weeks (2 months)

• 1st/2nd dose of trivalent vaccine • Inclusion of Chlamydia vaccine for at-risk cats

This should be the age at which vaccination begins in most cats

10 weeks • 1st dose of leukaemia vaccine (2.5 months) 12 weeks (3 months)

• 2nd/3rd dose of trivalent vaccine • 2nd dose of Chlamydia vaccine in at-risk cats

14 weeks • 2nd dose of leukaemia vaccine (3.5 months)

• Weaning • Decrease in maternal Ab levels begins – • Start of production of protective Abs in kitten

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16 weeks (4 months)

• 3rd/4th dose of trivalent vaccine • 1st dose of FIP vaccine • Rabies vaccine (single dose)

• Delay in Ab production by the kitten • Possible interference with maternal Abs in some cats

Dose indicated for all cats, regardless of whether they are considered at-risk or not

20 weeks (5 months)

• 5th dose of trivalent vaccine • 2nd dose of FIP vaccine

• Delay in Ab production by the kitten • Possible interference with maternal Abs in some cats

• Cats that have received colostrum • Cats in environments with high risk of exposure (shelters)

24 weeks (6 months)

• 6th dose of trivalent vaccine

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It is recommended to revaccinate before 1 year of age to avoid risks in cats with inadequate immunity

1 year

• Revaccination with all vaccines

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Revaccination with the trivalent vaccine should be performed annually in high-risk cats and every 3 years in low-risk cats

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MY FIRST DOG

CANINE PHYSIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOUR

5 Newborn (0–2 weeks) If possible, the litter should be examined while still with their mother, no later than 36 hours after delivery.

Examination of the newborn ■

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Care of the mother ■

Nose and mouth: nostrils free of any secretions, palate without defects, pinkish-coloured, non-cyanotic mucosa.

Auscultation: important to detect cardiac murmur and abnormal lung sounds.

Umbilical cord/scar hygiene.

Differentiation between sexes.

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Puppies are born with their eyes and ears closed

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Monitor teat health and puppies’ teat access.

Increase ration by 50 % the first week and double it the second week.

Vaginal discharge should decrease and should never be purulent.

Monitor mother’s behaviour with puppies, especially in cases of young or first-time mothers (rejection, anxiety).

Ensure adequate bed size (1.5 times the size of the mother).

Perform deworming 2–10 days after delivery.

Puppies sleep (90 % of the day) and feed a lot. They crawl around seeking food and heat

By 14 days of age puppies double their birth weight.

Reflex Puppies are born with a body temperature of 35 °C, which increases to 37 °C at 14 days Heart rate: 210–220 bpm Respiratory rate: 15–35 bpm

Flexor reflexes predominate until day 4, after which extensor reflexes begin to appear

Snout reflex Sucking reflex

Examination On approaching the mother the puppy should seek her out and nuzzle her with its nose.

The puppy should suck a finger placed against its lips.

Anogenital reflex

Licking by the mother or contact with a soft, wet object should induce urination and defecation.

Shiver reflex

Appears on day 6. Until then the puppy should be provided with a safe heat source (avoid electric blankets).

Puppies feed every 1–2 hours

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PET OWNER EDUCATIONAL ATLAS. ESSENTIAL HEALTH CARE FOR PUPPIES AND KITTENS

CANINE PHYSIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOUR

6 The puppy

(2–4 weeks of age)

In this phase, puppies should be examined individually. Control of the mother’s nutrition is also very important.

Examination of the puppy ■ ■ ■

Assess occlusal defects.

Check for correct descent of the testicles.

Confirm correct urination and defecation.

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Check for correct posture both while stationary and while walking. Check for symmetry, muscle tone, and mobility in all limbs. Tail movement should be evident.

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Each pup should undergo deworming, and vaccines should be administered if living in a high-risk area.

By 4 weeks of age the puppy will have tripled its birth weight.

The eyes open at 14 days; the iris is bluish-grey initially, and acquires its definitive colour after approximately 1 month

Normal vision is established at 3–4 weeks; sound orientation also appears around this time Suction and snout reflexes disappear and others appear (see table)

By 4 weeks the milk canines and incisors have already emerged

Low frequency of suckling

Body temperature stabilises at 37.8 ° C Heart rate: 150 bpm Puppies begin to walk, explore, and play. Proper contact and handling are very important for socialisation. Puppies are capable of understanding hierarchy

Reflex Startle reflex Pupillary reflex Anogenital reflex Threat reflex

Respiratory rate: 20–36 bpm

Examination An abrupt sound stimulus causes a reaction.

Hearing can be examined.

Light shone directly in the eye causes the pupil to close.

Maintained throughout this period, although puppies can also urinate and defecate on their own.

The eyelids close in response to the rapid approach of an object into the field of view.

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