How to do an ultrasound of a pregnant cat

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Ultrasound of a pregnant cat allows you to identify possible deviations during pregnancy and ascertain the he alth of future offspring. But many cat owners are skeptical about such a study, believing that even without it, the animal will give birth to good and he althy kittens. To date, ultrasound of a pregnant cat is the only way to track possible pathologies in the development of the fetus, as well as to identify possible failures in the vital organs of the expectant mother herself. This procedure is simple and inexpensive, so a person with any financial means can afford the study.

Indications for research

The negative impact of ultrasound of a pregnant cat on her he alth and the he alth of her offspring has not been proven, and many veterinarians advise this procedure. But, despite this, it is still not worth abusing without special evidence.research.

An ultrasound should only be done if the condition of the animal is of concern to the veterinarian.

A pregnant cat is given an ultrasound if needed. Indications for the procedure include:

• the presence of chronic diseases in a cat;
• first pregnancy;
• violation of the work of any body;
• the age of the animal is more than 5 years old, and less than 1.5 years old;
• heavy gestation;
• pathologies in the cat itself or in its partner;
• There were complications during a previous pregnancy or childbirth.

How to choose a specialist

Before sending a pregnant cat for an ultrasound, you need to take care not only about choosing a trusted clinic, but also make sure the specialist who will perform the procedure is highly qualified.

It is better to choose a clinic, rather than trust the he alth of your pet and her future offspring to a private doctor, and there are reasons for this:

1. Clinics are equipped with modern research equipment, and not every private veterinarian can boast of the same.
2. In the clinic it is much easier to find out about the professionalism of a specialist.
3. Not all private doctors have a confirmed qualification, and many of them do not have one at all. In the clinic, the owner of the pet can get all the necessary documents confirming the qualifications of a specialist.

But there are also professionals among private veterinarians. If aacquaintances or friends were satisfied with the services received, then there is no point in neglecting his work and paying more at the clinic.

How to choose a clinic

When choosing a clinic where your animal will be examined and treated, pay attention to the following points:

• attendance should be as high as possible;
• look at the reviews of all the nearest clinics on the Internet, choose the one with the least negative ones;
• visit the clinic and see for yourself the environment, sanitary conditions;
• ask for feedback through social networks, or ask your friends about the quality of services provided.

Also look at the staff, they shouldn't be rude.

If something didn’t suit the clinic itself (there was an unpleasant smell, repairs had not been done for a long time, and so on), and the reviews about the specialist are only the most trustworthy, then ask if there is a service for the arrival of a veterinarian with equipment at home.

How to prepare for the procedure

When the clinic is chosen and the date of the examination is set, it is necessary to prepare the pregnant cat for the ultrasound. To do this, you need to follow a few simple rules:

1. The day before the procedure, exclude all flour products from the pet's menu, including pasta, dairy products and raw vegetables. Six hours before the study, you can’t feed the expectant mother at all, this is necessary to prevent flatulence on the doctor’s table.
2. A full bladder may be required during the examination. If everything is with womensimply, the cat cannot be forced to drink a lot of water before the procedure, and even suffer later. Take a veterinarian-approved diuretic for the ultrasound and give it to the cat if needed.
3. Many specialists shave the study area already in the clinic. But some may ask that the cat be brought already prepared. Find out the area to be shaved, and remove the hair from the area with a clipper without a trimmer.
4. Cats, especially pregnant ones, do not tolerate the touch of strangers. To avoid injury to the veterinarian's hands, trim and file the pet's claws.

How the procedure itself is carried out

A photo of an ultrasound of a pregnant cat is in the article, but you can’t understand the whole point from the image alone.

The procedure does not cause pain and harm to the cat itself and its future offspring, the specialist may suffer. It is for this reason that the owner must be present at the study to help hold the pet, and, if necessary, pacify it.

1. First of all, the animal is placed on a disposable diaper, belly up. This is where maximum help is needed, a rare cat will lie quietly in this position.
2. The veterinarian shaves off a patch of hair. If the animal was brought already prepared, then the place of study is smeared with a special gel.
3. The veterinarian runs a machine over the cat's stomach, performs the procedure, and reports the results to the owner.
4. The gel from the belly of the animal is carefully removed using special cleansing wipes. This step needs to be carefully monitoredthe cat may later lick off the remnants of the product, and it will not bring benefits for sure.
5. At the request, the owner of the animal can receive a video from the study or a photo.

Ultrasound of a pregnant cat by week

The veterinarian may schedule an examination at any of the 9 weeks of the animal's pregnancy. To understand what a specialist can see on the monitor, you need to know the course of the entire pregnancy of the pet.

1. In the first week, the egg is fertilized, morulae are formed - this is a small mass of blastomeres in a transparent shell.
2. In the second week, the morula should descend into the uterine cavity, as a result of division, blastocytes are formed.
3. An ultrasound of a pregnant cat at 3 weeks can show that the blastocytes have "hatched" and have successfully passed into the embryonic stage.
4. At a period of 4 and 5 weeks, the tissue of future babies is formed, the placenta is formed, the fetal membranes of the offspring are laid.
5. The next three weeks (6, 7 and 8) are the final stage in the formation of kittens' organs, mass growth and development of offspring. An ultrasound of a pregnant cat at 6 weeks can show whether the organs are formed and developed correctly and without pathologies, whether there are any violations, whether the pregnancy is proceeding well.
6. At the end of the 9th week, the cat should give birth.

Possible pathologies

A he althy animal tolerates pregnancy and childbirth well. But there are problems with the physiology of the cat itself, whichdoes not allow to bear kittens normally. During pregnancy, all organs of the animal experience stress, and in addition to future babies, the liver, kidneys, heart, lungs and intestines of the expectant mother are examined for ultrasound.

During pregnancy, a cat may experience the following pathologies that endanger not only the life of offspring, but also cats:

• Uterine hernia in the groin area.
• Placental abruption - this is clearly visible on ultrasound. If measures are not taken in time, the cat will begin to uterine bleeding, which threatens her life.
• Polyhydramnios - noticeable in recent weeks.
• If the animal fell, jumped from a height for a decent period, then an ultrasound is simply necessary to exclude possible twisting of the uterus.
• Intrauterine fetal death. Unfortunately, many purebred cats cannot expel dead fetuses from the uterus on their own, and a rotting mass in utero can kill a cat. If you notice something wrong in the behavior or condition of the animal, urgently take it to the veterinarian for an ultrasound.

Conclusion

An ultrasound of a pregnant cat, like a woman, needs to be done. The procedure will take a little time, even less money. But on the other hand, the owner will be confident in the he alth of the pet, and if necessary, the cat will be provided with the first necessary aid to avoid complications.