Tom cat neutering problem

[Jan4a]

Hi

 

A friend has a British Shorthair and when he was neutered there were problems - apparently he had a haematoma (probably spelt completely wrong!). They got him home and he started to bleed a lot so he had to be rushed back to the vets and they sorted it out.

 

Now she has another BS kitten so is very nervous about having him neutered so I said I'd ask if anyone knew why this happens. Is it the vet's fault, one of those things that occasionally happens or a British Shorthair thing?

 

Thanks

Jan

[Undercover-Elsa]

Hi Jan,

It's hard to say without more info, but while it could have been a simple nicked or inadequately sutured blood vessel, it's also possibly due to a bleeding disorder such as haemophilia, which can occur in British Shorthairs.

Was the tom blood tested for this prior to surgery? She needs to discuss the cause with her vet and if in doubt get the other tom tested first, for peace of mind. (especially if he's related, even if it's further down the generations in his pedigree)

I'd personally get the first tom tested too, if he's not been done, to know future risks and for further treatment if needed.

 

Elsa x

[hightail]

I can understand her being nervous about it happening again. Neutering a tom is usually such a simple procedure so you aren't ready for problems. I don't know if BSH are particularly prone to problems and I would imagine that the risk of a blood vessel rupturing are roughly the same across the breeds. It may have looked dramatic but it probably wasn't life threatening.

 

Do you know what age she had the last cat neutered? BSH breeders can recommend waiting longer before neutering males because there was once the idea that neutering would stop bone development and growth. It's been proved to be untrue but old ideas die hard. In general, the younger a cat is, the better it will recover and heal from any procedure.

[hightail]

possibly due to a bleeding disorder such as haemophilia, which can occur in British Shorthairs

 

Wow - didn't now that. Never had anything to do with BSH but they're such a widespread breed I'm surprised it's not more widely known.

[Undercover-Elsa]

Hi Hightail,

It's present in some bloodlines, affecting males, but not widespread nor is it widely advertised by breeders, for obvious reasons...

This from catgenes.org:

HEMOPHILIA A and B: This sex-linked disease is characterized by prolonged bleeding after

injury or surgery, poor blood clotting and hematomas under the skin. Affected cats can survive if

care is taken to prevent injury. The B type is less severe than the A type.

Hemophilia A: Clotting Factor VIII deficiency leads to spontaneous bleeding or prolonged

clotting times. Mainly British Shorthairs are affected, but it has been reported in Siamese,

Persians and Himalayans. Control of bleeding episodes can be accomplished using

transfusions of clotting factors or whole blood from non-affected animals. These animals

should not be used in breeding programs.

Hemophilia B: Clotting Factor IX deficiency leads to spontaneous bleeding or to

prolonged clotting times. It is sex-linked (found on the X chromosome) so females can be

carriers, and males affected. Mainly British Shorthairs are affected, but it has been

reported in Siamese, Persians and Himalayans. Control of bleeding episodes can be

accomplished using transfusions of clotting factors or whole blood from non-affected

animals. These animals should not be used in breeding programs.

Elsa x

[hightail]

but not widespread nor is it widely advertised by breeders, for obvious reasons...

 

That's the annoying bit. I'll bet there are BSH 'breeders' who don't even know. It's a superb example of why breeding isn't just a case of leaving a pair together to mate and hoping for the best because you fancy a litter or two.

[Undercover-Elsa]

Very good point.

In the wild the natural selection process weeds out most health problems and related animals naturally move away to their own territories to avoid inbreeding

Sadly any human intervention by inbreeding to fix type in a breed, be it cats, dogs, birds or sweet peas, will also fix inherant problems along the way.

Responsible breeders do everything they can to avoid those problems by studying pedigrees, not breeding from affected animals or gene carriers and screening.

Hip dysplasia in shepherds (my breed) was rife in the late seventies. It still exists, but we instigated a screening system and many of us refused to breed from non X -Rayed stock, or from X Rayed stock with less than perfect hip scores, which resulted in a rapid improvement.

Anyone contemplating breeding pedigree animals, even if it's just for pets, should research and ask advice from breed clubs and experienced breeders first, especially if they intend to sell on the offspring.

[Jan4a]

Thanks that's interesting, I'll tell her. They are related - same mother. They've visited the breeder a few times and she does seem very good. Their first step should probably be to ring her and have a chat - she would know if its haemophilia, she's been breeding for over 20 years. All her cats are registered etc.

 

I think she's going to change her vet anyway - she says he seems more interested in money than the animals, she just doesn't get a good vibe from him.

 

How young would you say for a neutering? I know my vets do she cats from 4 months but most people think at least 6 months old and that's what I've always done.

 

I think her first cat was older when he was done - maybe 1, I know he'd got to the biting stage so she couldn't put it off any longer.

 

Thanks again

 

Jan

[hightail]

It is possible to neuter/spay from about 14 weeks and perfectly normal to do so in other countries such as USA/Canada/SA/NZ. In this country many British trained vets are entrenched in the 6 month rule. I'd love to be able to neuter kittens at 14 weeks - before they go to their new pet homes but I don't have an enlightened vet It would save the new owners the worry and the kittens suffer a lot less stress if it is done while they are still with their litter mates.

 

Where this particular cat is concerned I would think it needs discussion with a vet and possible testing - if only to set minds at rest.

[Jan4a]

Some vets must do them young - I got my Norwegians at 6 months and they'd already been done, Toms & She's. They didn't have a bald patch, not sure if it'd grown back or they'd been done without shaving.

 

Friend will definately be discussing with vet - she is worried sick, but at least now she knows not to leave it as long as she did with the first one.

[Undercover-Elsa]

I agree with Hightail re testing him anyway. Especially as they're related. The queens can carry it without symptoms but it comes out in the males. The breeder may be a good one but she may not even know, particularly if she's used a stud cat with a new bloodline, or combination of bloodlines not used before. If they tested positive she would certainly need to be informed for the sake of her breeding plans and other litter mates etc.

Hopefully it may not be anything more serious than a a one off slip by a cack handed vet, but better to be safe?

Elsa x