Answer: In treatment of many feline conditions it is usually not necessary to hospitalize
the animal. But there are circumstances in which hospitalization of a cat is describe to
ensure sufficient diagnosis and therapy, and in some situation it is essential to increase
the animal’s chance of survival.
A critically ill animal, suffering from such condition as massive blood loss, sever shock,
difficulty in breathing or maintaining normal heart action, unconsciousness, extensive
injuries or acute pain, is obviously best hospitalized because of it is need for continuing
expert treatment and nursing. This may involve blood transfusion or intravenous fluid
therapy, the administration of oxygen, the use of special heating device and heart
monitors, and of course the injection of drugs including pain killers. This type of
intensive care simply could not be provided at home.
It is also imperative for animals receiving general an aesthesia to be hospitalized
until they are sufficiently recovered to be allowed home. Animals requiring general
an aesthesia prior to radiography or the performance of some comparatively straight
forward procedure can often be discharged latter the same day, or on the fallowing day.
Those that have undergone major surgical operations should stay in hospital until they
are sufficiently improved and this period can very from a few days up-wards, depending
upon the animal’s response.
Hospitalization may also be required for the performance of specialized diagnostic
tests. Were the owner has difficulty in collecting routine urine or motion samples,
again it may be preferable to hospitalize the cat to obtain them. Certain types of
treatment are difficult for owner to deal with, such as stabilization of a diabetic cat, the
administration of an enema or at times even the combine out of a cat that is difficult to
handle.
Finally, hospitalization may be advisable so that the veterinary surgeon can observe
the animal for a period, particularly where neurological disturbance or behavioral
problems are suspected.
In all instance where admission to hospital is advise, owner will naturally be upset
at being separated from there pet. In fact, in most cases the owners are probably more
upset then the cats, most are women are adapt very quickly to there surroundings.
Owners can rest assured that a veterinary surgeon will not want to prolong the period
of hospitalization unnecessarily but on the other hand there is no sense in discharging
the cat before diagnosis or treatment is completed or, the following an emergency
admission, before recovery is assured.
