Cats and Covid-19

There remains no evidence of transmission of Covid-19 to humans from companion animals.

Yesterday some articles were published which suggested that cats should be kept indoors because of Covid-19. This is not correct.

International Cat Care and the International Society for Feline Medicine have put out a joint statement which you can read here. 

In particular, it states:

There remains no evidence of transmission of COVID-19 to humans from pets. Emerging reports of very few animals show potential transmission to dogs and cats from humans with the virus, but more research is needed. Similarly, it is currently unclear if cat to cat transmission is possible in natural infections, with limited data from experimental studies only available.

Therefore, it is not recommended that all cats are kept indoors. Cats used to outdoor access could suffer significant stress due to confinement and several serious health conditions are associated with stress. This confinement may also cause stress for cat owners, again to be avoided at this difficult time. If you are at all worried, do not pat or stroke any pets other than your own.

I would add that decisions to allow cats outdoors, including timing, should take risks to the cat (e.g. cat fights, motor vehicle accidents) as well as risks to wildlife (i.e. predation) into account. Restricted or supervised outdoor access may be a reasonable compromise.

For those of you working from home, you may feel that your cat is genuinely stressed. Some cats are being extremely clingy and demanding, others are avoiding their owners.

International Cat Care has provided a webinar on meeting your cat’s needs and managing feline stress during lockdown (if you have kids, there are some small projects they might like to take on).

Register (free) then view it on demand. https://icatcare.org/event/international-cat-care-webinar-open-access-covid-19/

The puppy and the robotic vacuum cleaner

A stunning hand-made giardia plate given as a gift to an infectious disease colleague.

Robotic vacuum cleaners are all the rage, but they’re not perfect. Perhaps we’ve been living under a rock, but it was only on Saturday night when we learned of the Roomba-induced pooptastrophe that has been making waves on the internet. It serves as a warning to those toilet-training their dogs who wish to use a robotic vacuum cleaner.

The drama unfolded when a family went to bed for the night. During their slumber, their puppy defecated on the rug. Hadn’t ever done it before, but there it was. And the drama would have ended there, but for their automatic vacuum cleaner which kicked off at 1.30am, rolled over the poo, and then systematically distributed it over the entire house.

Fortunately the dog wasn’t infected with giardia or other zoonotic gastrointestinal pathogens (a tenuous link to the image posted above).

The interaction between pets and machines is something we need to increasingly consider, least of all for incidents like this which according to engineers aren’t isolated. It does make you wonder though, when people dream up these things, do they consider the impact on all species living within a household? In many cases, probably not. 

There is also this case of a cat commandeering a robot vacuum cleaner to strike a dog (not something owners should be encouraging) and at least one case of a dog allowing a robot vacuum cleaner to “escape” (none of these are documented in the peer-reviewed literature).

One of the reasons people use robotic vacuum cleaners is that they can be set automatically to do their work when the humans in the house are sleeping. It is less considered that animals are likely to be woken by the activity of a machine like this, and may find it disturbing.

It’s important to observe animals interacting with machinery like this, and ensure that the animals can get out of the way of the vacuum cleaner should they wish to. 

Things I learned about reptile care

Spike observes the world from the roof of his hide.

I’m currently enrolled in the Centre for VeterinaryEducation’s online reptile medicine course under the tutelage of Dr Robert Johnson. Dr Johnson is an experienced exotics veterinarian, former Taronga Zoo Veterinarian and co-owner of South Penrith Veterinary Clinic. He is also currently the President of the Australian Veterinary Association. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe he is the first exotics veterinarian to fill this role.

Anyway, the discussion board has been going off and one of the most interesting activities has been evaluating the husbandry of reptiles. Our tutor or class members post a photo of a snake, reptile or turtle enclosure and we have to comment on whether it is suitable for that species and how it might contribute to disease.

The framework that many of us have been using is the 8 H’s of husbandry, which is a nice framework to structure a husbandry assessment around.

• Heat (and light, including access to UV light and provision of a heat mosaic – including use of themometers and thermostats);
• Hide (somewhere reptiles can get some privacy; also very useful for handling the nippier species);
• Humidity (optimal humidity varies from 40-80 per cent depending on species; to some extent this is controlled by the size of the water bowl);
• Health (of the animals – including behaviour, such as soaking in the water bowl which can be a sign of mites, clinical signs including lesions);
• Hygiene (including ease of cleaning, substrate and the cleanliness of the enclosure, as well as water quality);
• Healthy appetite (anorexia can be a sign of disease but it can also occur because of poor husbandry – not keeping the animal in its preferred optimal temperature zone, stress or offering inappropriate food items);
• Habitat (size does matter – snakes need to be able to stretch to their full body length but very large enclosures make thermoregulation more of a challenge);
• Handling (over-handling is a contributing factor to metabolic disease in lizards as whilst they are being handled they are usually not exposed to UV light; it’s also a common cause of regurgitation in snakes, who take quite a long time to digest their food and should not be handled for at least three days after a good feed).

Analysing husbandry has been the most entertaining homework I’ve had in ages. It’s amazing what you can tell from a few images of an enclosure. If reptiles are not presented in their enclosures (and often this is highly impractical) it is very much worth encouraging the owners to take a few snaps so you can see if the set-up is deficient in any of the above.

There are 8 modules in the course (introduction to reptile medicine, the consultation, common conditions of reptiles, interpretation of diagnostic tests, hospital care, critical care, anaesthesia and surgery) which can be completed over the next four to six weeks, and there is still time to enrol.

On a related note, check out this lovely story about a police station that looks after blue tongue lizards. It’s great to see their community service isn’t limited to humans!

What do dogs really need?

Could you meet this Italian greyhound's needs?

Environmental enrichment is a term often used to describe what we expect zoos to be doing, but the concept applies to companion animals as well. We don't tend to think about companion animals as captive animals, which is one reason why there have been few guidelines on how they should be kept. But the literature around companion animal husbandry is growing.

Enrichment of a captive animal’s environment – be it a zoo, a laboratory or a home – is about improving the animal’s quality of life by making it more rewarding or meaningful(Heath and Wilson, 2014). The aim is to facilitate natural behaviour, provide choices (and a sense of control), enhance mental and physical development of young animals, and maintain welfare of older animals by providing “a complex environment that meets all their behavioural needs”(Heath and Wilson, 2014).

A good toilet spot - or several - is important. It isn't just about saving your carpet - its about making sure your dog's needs are met.

So what does that mean when it comes to dogs? 

• Social activity: The most important factor for dogs is their social environment. There should be plenty of opportunity for physical and mental stimulation and social activity.
• Space: There’s no standard for keeping companion dogs, but according to behaviour vets Sarah Heath and Clare Wilson, dogs should be given access to the largest (safe) area possible, with the ability to choose where they go within that space.
• Company: There’s no standard to determine for how long we can or should leave dogs alone, but Heath and Wilson recommend this should be “the minimum that is realistically achievable”(Heath and Wilson, 2014).
• Play: …with people, other dogs and toys – is very important, even with older dogs although they may not approach the task with as much vigour.
• Food: Dogs evolved alongside humans as scavengers of human scraps. Food enrichment can be provided – as it is in zoos – by scattering food around so dogs have to find it.
• A decent bathroom: House-trained dogs need regular toilet breaks. If they’re used to you being away eight hours a day they may well be used to holding on for this amount of time. But if after-work drinks or overtime extend your day by an hour or two, this can be pretty distressing. Dogs need access to a toilet or area where they feel comfortable toileting.
• Freedom from fear and distress: certain environments, including those associated with unpredictable loud noises such as building sites, human behaviour and even interactions with other animals can lead to fear and distress. Some dogs do suffer from anxiety. These issues should be taken seriously and dealt with as early as possible on a case-by-case basis.
• Training: this provides mental stimulation, social interaction and often exercise. If done appropriately in a suitable environment it can be beneficial to the welfare of dogs.

Time spent alone should be minimised.

If you’re interested in finding out what cats need, check our previous post here.

Reference

HEATH, S. & WILSON, C. 2014. Canine and Feline Enrichment in the Home and Kennel: A Guide for Practitioners. Veterinary Clinics of North America-Small Animal Practice, 44, 427-+.

Do we look after rabbits well?

Are we giving bunnies what they really need?

Do we care for pet rabbits appropriately? It was a question asked by UK researchers who set out to examine the way companion rabbits in England are looked after – and they found some major welfare issues.

Just to put this into context, rabbits are the third most popular mammalian pet in the UK, behind dogs and cats. There are an estimated 1.7 million pet rabbits, kept in 4 per cent of UK households.  I can’t locate any official figures on rabbit ownership in Australia, but the keeping of pet rabbits is illegal in some states (for example, Queensland). Unfortunately, large numbers of rabbits experience stress on a daily basis thanks to their housing, husbandry and handling.

Boris the bunny loves his hay. Every single day.

In Australia at least there seems to be a widespread perception that rabbits are easy to look after, great kid’s pets, not as much trouble as a dog or cat, requiring less time and so on. In fact, this is not the case. Rabbits are complex creatures with similar needs to dogs and cats – companionship, enrichment, exercise, stimulation, and security. As prey animals they mask signs of stress or illness as their survival depends on it.

Unlike dogs and cats, rabbits are usually (but not always) kept in hutches, which gives them little freedom to move, little control over their environment and not a lot of space to express normal behaviours.

There are plenty of guidelines for housing laboratory rabbits in scientific institutions, but when it comes to companion rabbits we tend to assume that as they’re being kept as pets they will be well looked after. But that doesn’t necessarily follow. For example, laboratory guidelines detail the minimum hutch-size for rabbits. But one study from the UK found that one fifth of rabbit hutches for companion rabbits were smaller than the minimum size recommended in laboratories.

A diverse population of 1254 rabbit owners from three different geographical regions in England were surveyed about the husbandry and care of their rabbits. Some people reported that they kept rabbits very well, which is great. But there were a number of issues identified in this study.

While most rabbits had access to exercise areas outside of their hutch, this access was often unpredictable or ill-timed for the rabbits.

Only 41.9% of people kept rabbits with together. Single-housing of rabbits does mean they can’t express social behaviour. One reason for single-housing in rabbits is, of course, aggression. Indeed, in those who kept rabbits with conspecifics, around one quarter fought occasionally, 22 per cent guarded resources like food and 27 per cent outright avoided one another. The authors argue that “it is essential that compatible pairings are selected and introduced appropriately, and adequately-sized and structured living space is provided to allow rabbits to avoid one another if they so choose,” (p11).

Concerningly, the majority of rabbits (61 per cent) did not behave calmly when picked up by owners or other adults (75 per cent). Moreover, 27 per cent of owners weren’t confident holding their own rabbit. This lack of confidence may be something rabbits are aware of, and may exacerbate the stress of handling.

The good news was that the majority of owners fed hay daily, but 10 per cent of rabbit owners did not.

This study proves that there is a need for evidence-based guidelines on basic rabbit husbandry to ensure minimal stress. In addition, some education around the proper care and particularly handling of rabbits could ease stress on the part of rabbits and owners alike.

Reference

Rooney NJ, Blackwell EJ,Mullan SM, Saunders R, Baker PE, Hill JM, Sealey CE, Turner MJ & Held SDE(2014) The current state of welfare, housing and husbandry of the English petrabbit population. BMC Research Notes 7:942

How long do cats live?

Nelson was named after Nelson Mandela.

How long does the average cat live? It’s a question frequently put to me by cat owners and I confess until this week I’ve been basing the answer on experience (i.e. patients I’ve seen, cats I’ve known etc.). Fortunately that’s been vindicated by a recent report published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery(O'Neill et al., 2015).

The paper, based on data collected from just over 4000 cats in the UK, found that the average pet feline lifespan these days is around 14 years. The average cross-breed (moggy, domestic) cat lives longer than a purebred (by about 0.6 of a year, on average), but of course there is huge variation in individual lifespans. Birmans, Burmese, Siamese and Persians lived as long or longer than moggies, while Abyssinians, Bengals, British shorthairs, Maine Coons and Ragdolls had reduced longevity compared to the average.

The study has some very interesting findings. For example, the most common cause of death in cats five years or under was trauma, mostly motor vehicle encounters. These accounted for 47.3% of deaths in this age group.

In cats over five, the most common causes of death were kidney disease (13.6%), non-specific illness (12.6%), cancer (12.3%), and “mass lesion disorder” (11.6%). A mass lesion disorder was identified as a mass for which no diagnosis was made – so a mass might be cancerous, but it might also have been a cyst, inflammatory lesion or abscess. A number of cats with non-specific illness may have had cancer. The authors suggest that it is possible that cancer could account for up to one quarter of deaths in older cats.

Thinner cats lived longer. In cats over 5 years old, those that weighed under 3kg lived 1.7 years longer than cats weighing 4-5kg.

One major limitation of this and any veterinary study into longevity is that euthanasia may be elected by owners, and as such the stats may not reflect the natural lifespan of the cat. What we also can’t conclude is the role of husbandry – for example, whether diet, vaccination, indoor vs outdoor lifestyle or obesity are factors in determining longevity and if so, how influential are they? 

Obviously we know that cats with unrestricted outdoor access are at greater risk of getting hit by a car, and suffering other trauma including dog attacks or cat bite wounds.

It’s also hard to pick which cats will live longer. I’ve met young cats that develop cancer, and elderly cats that just keep on truckin’. The oldest patient I’ve performed surgery on was a 23.5 year old cat, who went on to live for another six months.

Reference

O'NEILL, D. G., CHURCH, D. B., MCGREEVY, P. D., THOMSON, P. C. & BRODBELT, D. C. 2015. Longevity and mortality of cats attending primary care veterinary practices in England. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 17, 125-133.