Dr KG Umesh (MVSc, MSc (UK)) is a Postgraduate in Clinical Medicine. He is working for WALTHAM as Regional Associate for South Asia.
Q: My cats are two and three years old. What is the best age to neuter and are there any side effects in terms of health?
– Ayush, Delhi
Dr K G Umesh: Spaying/castration is an irreversible means by which a cat is rendered sterile. Spaying at a young age prevents mammary cancer and neutering at any age prevents unwanted kittens, noisy heat cycles, roaming, fighting and possibly even urine marking in the house. The procedure entails complete removal of the uterus and ovaries in females and testicles in males. Surgery is preceded by a fasting period and requires general anaesthesia and hospitalisation. However, most hospitals/clinics discharge cats the same day as surgery. Complications are unusual/rare but may include post surgical haemorrhage or infection. Postoperative care includes restriction of exercise for a week, protection of the incision from contaminants, and daily monitoring of the incision for inflammation or discharge. The incision must stay dry and suture removal is usually performed 7-10 days after surgery. There are also hospitals/clinics, which conduct spaying with Keyhole or Laparoscopy methods, with minimum invasive surgery and on out-patient basis. Your veterinarian will be able to advise you on what exactly is involved with the operation and also on the best time for it to be performed. The traditional age for spaying is six months. However, the last few years has brought us a great deal of research into ‘early’ spaying and we now know that there is no problem with spaying as early as eight weeks of age.
Q: Can you advice me about Toxoplasmosis in cats? Also what is the prevention/ cure for cats and people around them?
– Rajesh Talreja, Mumbai
A: Dr KG Umesh: Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii. Toxoplasmosis is usually transmitted from ingestion of undercooked meat, sporulated oocysts (eggs), paratenic hosts, and it can be congenital. Acute toxoplasmosis in pregnant women leads to serious disease and/or defects in the fetus. Disease in cats may cause brain disease, liver disease, pancreatitis, respiratory disease and eye disorders. Cats with symptomatic toxoplasmosis are often immunosuppressed. Prevention: Do not feed raw or undercooked meat to cats, keep cats inside and do not let them hunt. Washing hands with soap and water after handling a cat or contacting any urine, feces or other bodily secretions is one of the simplest and most important means of infectious disease control. Pregnant women should avoid contact with cats and cat feces, which are more than 24 hours old. Do not let the cat lick the person in question, particularly on the face, nor should they handle the cat. Practice good hygiene (wash after handling uncooked meat, wear gloves while gardening, cover sandboxes, clean litter boxes daily. Freeze meat to -20oC (-4oF) for two days or cook meat to 160°F and thoroughly clean areas where raw meat is prepared, wash fruits and vegetables prior to consumption). Keep the cat in good health by having regular examinations by a veterinarian, as well as up-to-date vaccinations and regular fecal exams to check for parasites. Feed a high-quality commercial cat food that does not contain any raw ingredients.