Kitten Diary: Butterscotch at 7 Weeks
The kittens have had their first vet visit at seven weeks.
They have just come back from their very first visit to the vet, for a well-check and their first vaccinations. Here are the details on their first visit.
I don't think Butterscotch realized that he had anything to fear at all. He played quite comfortably with a new ping-pong ball on the examining table. Wow, a new playing field! He had to stop playing to get his ears checked, though. On a Scottish Fold, it is extremely important that the vet NOT grab the ear and fold it backwards.
The ear must be opened by grasping the skin behind the ear (on the back of the head) and tilting it back, so the inside of the ear is now visible. It is possible to permanently affect the tightness of the fold if handled incorrectly.
Butterscotch also got his teeth checked, and all of his baby teeth were lined up very well. His eyes were clear, with no mucus or watery discharge. His heart and lung sounds were "perfect!" He did take exception to one procedure -- testing for the presence of both testicles -- and wiggled and squirmed and squealed until the vet gave up. Not a sound when he got his vaccination. Butterscotch weighed in at 13.6 oz.
The vaccination that they each received was a 3-way vaccination to prevent them from getting Panleukopenia, Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus.
Panleukopenia is an infection so severe that it was referred to as "Cat Plague" in earlier times when infections would nearly wipe out cat populations in certain geographical areas. It is a highly contagious, severe parvovirus that causes enteric (bowel), immune system and nervous system disease.
Rhinotracheitis (FVR) is the more severe of the two most common upper respiratory viruses, the other being Calici virus. As suggested by the name, it affects the nose ("rhino"), eyes, throat area and sinus areas. The "itis" refers to the inflammation/infection that is happening. It is referred to as an "upper" respiratory virus because it affects the area involved with breathing that is before the lungs and trachea.
Calici is the least severe of the two most common upper respiratory viruses. There are MANY strains of Calici, some of which make cats very ill while others cause only mild illness.
Descriptions from: Winn Feline Health.
They have just come back from their very first visit to the vet, for a well-check and their first vaccinations. Here are the details on their first visit.
I don't think Butterscotch realized that he had anything to fear at all. He played quite comfortably with a new ping-pong ball on the examining table. Wow, a new playing field! He had to stop playing to get his ears checked, though. On a Scottish Fold, it is extremely important that the vet NOT grab the ear and fold it backwards.
The ear must be opened by grasping the skin behind the ear (on the back of the head) and tilting it back, so the inside of the ear is now visible. It is possible to permanently affect the tightness of the fold if handled incorrectly.
Butterscotch also got his teeth checked, and all of his baby teeth were lined up very well. His eyes were clear, with no mucus or watery discharge. His heart and lung sounds were "perfect!" He did take exception to one procedure -- testing for the presence of both testicles -- and wiggled and squirmed and squealed until the vet gave up. Not a sound when he got his vaccination. Butterscotch weighed in at 13.6 oz.
The vaccination that they each received was a 3-way vaccination to prevent them from getting Panleukopenia, Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus.
Panleukopenia is an infection so severe that it was referred to as "Cat Plague" in earlier times when infections would nearly wipe out cat populations in certain geographical areas. It is a highly contagious, severe parvovirus that causes enteric (bowel), immune system and nervous system disease.
Rhinotracheitis (FVR) is the more severe of the two most common upper respiratory viruses, the other being Calici virus. As suggested by the name, it affects the nose ("rhino"), eyes, throat area and sinus areas. The "itis" refers to the inflammation/infection that is happening. It is referred to as an "upper" respiratory virus because it affects the area involved with breathing that is before the lungs and trachea.
Calici is the least severe of the two most common upper respiratory viruses. There are MANY strains of Calici, some of which make cats very ill while others cause only mild illness.
Descriptions from: Winn Feline Health.
