Fluffy the cat had a few years shaved off his customary nine after his owners used dog medicine to treat a flea problem.
According to veterinary surgeon Dr Graeme Harman at the Casterbridge Veterinary Hospital, this is a problem that occurs often. “Do you know how often people would go to general stores and buy medicine for pets over the counter? This is a huge problem and on top of this, if they don’t find medication for cats, they think that used for small dogs will suffice.”
Fluffy’s owners reportedly noticed that the cat had fleas and went to look for a treatment at their local supermarket. When they couldn’t find anything for cats, they bought pour-on treatment for small dogs.
After applying it to the feline’s neck, he started having seizures. First they thought it was due to the extreme heat but when it didn’t stop by the next afternoon, they took Fluffy to the vet.
There, Harman quickly identified the problem and 48 hours of intensive treatment followed.
“I had to shave the spot where the flea medication had been put on to prevent more absorption. We also induced Fluffy into a coma, to stop the seizures. They only stopped two days later.”
Fluffy was kept under anesthetic for the two days, and every time it lifted, the seizures continued.
This is not the first time the vets at Casterbridge have experienced something like this, but Fluffy was lucky, the other vet, Dr Reynier Oelofsen, remarked.
“The public should remember that being an owner of a dog or a cat, doesn’t make them the pets’ doctor. It is so easy to administer the wrong medication or the wrong dose and it can be fatal.”
Residents are urged to seek the advice of a vet if they suspect there is something wrong with their pet, instead of turning to over-the-counter medicines. When using such, thoroughly read the enclosed leaflet and carefully follow the instructions, making sure that it is suitable for your pet and can correctly treat the problem.
