ALL cat owners please be aware there has been a food recall for several types of cat food after a link has been made with a serious disease called pancytopenia; these foods include certain types of Applaws food, Sainsbury’s own foods and AVA foods. If you go onto the Food Standards Agency website, there is a full list of the foods affected.

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) noticed a huge upsurge in numbers of pancytopenia cases in the last couple of months and then made the link to some of the above foods.

Pancytopenia is a condition that affects blood cells and can be life threatening; this week we diagnosed our first case here at the practice. As yet, researchers do not know what exactly it is in the foods that is causing the blood cell depression, or indeed how to cure these cats except with supportive treatment and diet alteration.

Cats may present with no clinical signs at all (the case we had in yesterday was well in herself but was diagnosed by a blood test before a neutering operation – the owner being extra aware of the situation as they feed one of the above diets). In other cases, cats have shown various symptoms from being off colour through to major bleeding issues. The RVC has a lot more information about the condition on their website and useful links to the food manufacturers. If in doubt, contact your vets and they can tell you what to do if you are worried your cat may have been affected.

*Alice Moore is a vet at Castle Veterinary Clinic, Dorchester and Weymouth. Tel 01305 267083