Cat Vet in Wesley Chapel, FL
Angels with fur. Cats fill our lives with joy. Here, they only get the best.
Crazy About Cats
We have been cat lovers our entire lives. And we know how different our feline friends are. That is why we have a feline specific exam room on the opposite side of the hospital as the dogs. Here, cats are royalty. And we are going to help your cat live a longer, happier life by your side. Through reducing pain, to gold-standard medicine, and everything in between, here, your cat will only get the best. So give us a call, and we’ll roll out the red carpet for your feline.
Preventive Care
Cats are masters at hiding illness and pain. This is an instinct that helps keep them safe in the wild. Although most of our cats have been domesticated, and spend their days safely perched in a window or curled up on the couch, that innate behavior remains. This is why routine exams are so important for our feline patients. We strive to keep them healthy through preventive care, including vaccinations, routine blood and fecal testing, parasite prevention and more.
The physical exam - this is the most important diagnostic we will ever perform on your cat. It helps us to detect disease and pain and intervene as early as possible. Healthy indoor cats can live upwards of 14-16 years, and we recommend a thorough physical exam every 6 months.
At Villa Rosa Veterinary Hospital, we exclusively use Purevax vaccines in our feline patients. These are the only fully adjuvant-free vaccines, which have shown to be safer than adjuvant containing alternatives.
Not all cats require the same vaccines and we believe in creating a vaccine plan that is individualized to your cat’s lifestyle. We follow the AAHA vaccine recommendations and also offer titer testing. A titer test measures the concentration of antibodies in the blood and helps to determine if your cat has developed a strong cell-mediated response to prior vaccines. This helps us decide if your cat needs a booster vaccine. Although vaccines are generally very safe, titer testing is useful for pets that have an immune mediated disease, cancer, or history of adverse vaccine reactions.
Although rare in cats, heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease. There is also no treatment for cats, which is why we recommend prevention for all of our patients. This is made easy by once a month topical flea prevention that also contains heartworm preventative. We would be happy to discuss which option is best for your feline!
Diagnostics and Imaging
Villa Rosa Veterinary Hospital offers high quality laboratory and radiology services. Whether your cat is sick and needs immediate test results with our in-house lab equipment, or has a chronic disease requiring more specialized testing, we are here to help.
Cat Surgery
We believe in high quality anesthetic and surgical care for your cat. We perform a thorough physical exam and pre-anesthetic bloodwork to help determine your cat’s health status and the appropriate medications and therapy.We recommend spaying or neutering your cat for the multiple health benefits and to reduce the incidence of behavioral issues. These procedures also prevent unwanted litters and the contribution to overpopulation.
Dental disease often goes unnoticed in cats. We perform an oral exam as part of all feline wellness exams to look for signs of pain, infection, and disease. All dental prophylaxis procedures include general anesthesia, a full oral exam, scaling and polishing, and dental radiographs. Dental radiographs are especially important for cats because significant dental disease often occurs under the gumline. If we determine that there are diseased teeth present, we will discuss therapy options including extractions and periodontal fillers. For more complicated extractions and procedures, we may refer your cat to the dentistry specialists at The Pet Dentist of Tampa Bay.
Cat Pain Management and Geriatric Care
Cats experience pain much in the same way people do, especially as they age. Older cats, or those with certain health issues, may develop painful conditions such as arthritis and other inflammatory diseases that make normal day-to-day activities like jumping, walking, running, scratching, and playing, especially difficult. Pain management is central to quality veterinary care and is very important to us.
Although cats are often masters at hiding their pain, our medical team is expertly trained to recognize the signs and common ways that pain manifests in cats. We identify and help manage their pain using therapies and medications aimed at maintaining their quality of life.
Hospice and Euthanasia
Humane euthanasia is a practice that we hold the utmost respect for. It is close to our hearts, because we have all gone through this difficult process. We strive to provide a peaceful end of life experience. Whether you just want to discuss quality of life, or need help making this difficult decision, we are here for you.
Cat Dental Care
Did you know that one of the toughest issues to spot in your cat is dental disease? As every person with a feline companion knows, inspecting their mouth to see if there are any issues can be challenging at best, which is why Villa Rosa Veterinary Hospital puts feline dental care front and center. We include an oral exam for periodontal (gum) disease, infection, and pain as part of your cat's wellness exam.
Dental cleanings are recommended at the first sign of tartar buildup to reduce your cat's risk for further complications with their teeth and mouth, usually around three to four years old. Our advanced dental technology includes radiographs, which are particularly important for cats because significant dental disease can occur under the gumline. All of our preventative dental procedures include:
- General anesthesia
- A comprehensive oral exam
- Scaling and polishing of teeth
- Dental radiographs
- Discussion of findings with the veterinarian
- Options for continued care
Sometimes we find that your cat has dental disease that requires additional treatment, such as extractions or periodontal fillers. We perform some of these advanced therapies here at our veterinary center, and our caring team of animal lovers have also partnered with the specialists at The Pet Dentist of Tampa Bay to provide you with an expert referral for more complicated dentistry procedures.
Cat Microchipping
Kittens and cats are notorious wanderers, especially if they decide that their territory extends beyond your front and backyard. One of the best ways to ensure your peace of mind and keep your cat safe and secure is to have them microchipped. It's a fast and easy procedure that's similar to receiving a shot, with the chip placed between your cat's shoulder blades. It will transmit a safe, light radio signal and can be read at most vet offices, shelters, and pet stores with a scanner.
We'll give you all the instructions to register your cat and their microchip ID number online after the procedure. In the event that they ever go missing and are found by someone else, one of the aforementioned locations can scan your cat to obtain their microchip ID with registration site, and your contact information.
Cat End of Life Care and Cremation
Compassion for you and your cat's journey together is part of our nature at Villa Rosa Veterinary Hospital. We know that your cat is your treasured family member, and the decision to continue care or gently and humanely let them go is not an easy one to make. We've all been there. We're here to listen and talk with you about quality of life, or just offer an ear through this difficult process. We can also provide in-home or on-site hospice care to make the last days and weeks of your cat's life as comfortable as possible by helping with physical, nutritional, and emotional support.
When you decide it's time to say goodbye, you can choose to bring your cat into our hospital or stay at home to spend your final moments together. We strive to provide a peaceful end of life experience for your cat, and we're here to comfort you. Your memories with your cat are precious, and we offer both private and communal cremation.
You can contact us anytime to talk. We're here to help you through this process and support you.