CATS ARE NOT SMALL DOGS BY DUGIE GEMMILL- VETERINARY SURGEON OF MEDIVET WIRRAL
Veterinary education today is of an exceptionally high standard, producing graduates who are not only well-trained but deeply committed to their profession. At our Medivet practice, Hayley, Marissa, Amalia and Holly exemplify this- bright, driven and enthusiastic. Over the years, younger vets have occasionally sought my advice, but more often I find myself learning from their fresh perspectives and knowledge.
When I studied at Glasgow, veterinary medicine was evolving into veterinary science, and our lecturers were a colourful mix of characters, including some veterinary legends, who shared pearls of wisdom that have stayed with me. Phrases like“ common things are common” or“ age is not a disease” sounded obvious, yet they became guiding principles. Almost every specialist warned against the easy trap of assuming one species is like another – goats are not small cows, donkeys are not small horses, and the more colourful lecturers had equally colourful axioms hilariously memorable but probably unprintable. Those lessons, simple yet profound, still echo in my mind today.
One of my personal favourites was always, cats are not small dogs. It sounds obvious, and socially it certainly rings true – our feline friends often act as if they rule the roost and bestow upon their humans the occasional favour. While dogs generally accept that those who pay the bills deserve at least a nod of respect. After all, who has had to detach a small dog from the top of a Christmas tree?
Physiologically, the differences are even more striking. Cats are obligate carnivores, relying on protein as a primary energy source and needing higher levels of essential amino acids than dogs. These distinctions matter in medicine too, particularly in fields like oncology( the study and treatment of cancers). Take thyroid disease: in cats, hyperthyroidism is common and usually caused by a benign tumour producing excess hormone. In dogs, thyroid tumours are far rarer, typically malignant, and almost never lead to hormone overproduction. These contrasts underline why species-specific knowledge is vital – and why that simple phrase still holds true. We recently treated a lovely and brave little cat called Dotty. Her caring and vigilant owner had felt she was becoming less active and then noticed a swelling around her knee so immediately arranged to bring her in. Hayley examined Dotty and decided the swelling was a little suspicious and suggested we should x-ray her leg. We were concerned the swelling might be a tumour, so arranged to see Dotty the next day. Here again, species differences play a crucial role. In dogs, a bone tumour such as osteosarcoma is sadly notorious for spreading rapidly throughout the body. In cats, the same tumour is still aggressive, but its progression is far slower. This distinction can make all the difference – offering the chance for supportive treatment in cats that would rarely succeed in dogs.
Dotty’ s x-rays confirmed our suspicions of an osteosarcoma in her femur, but happily further radiographs showed no current evidence of spread to her lungs. Armed with a diagnosis and sound veterinary science, Dotty’ s mum agreed to immediate surgery. Unfortunately for her, that meant I had to amputate Dotty’ s leg. You will all be incredibly pleased to know that despite her age she has made a superb recovery, and while she is unlikely to be scaling the tree this Christmas, she is currently very mobile, surprisingly nimble and enjoying her life to the full.
We live in a world where, as people we are increasingly defined by the things that separate us, but sometimes it is the things we are not, or the differences between us all, that make all the difference.
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