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anthonyqkiernan
anthonyqkiernan
7087 posts

Cat Transplants
Feb 27, 2003, 10:00
There was a report on the radio this morning about how the latest thing in the states - liver transplants etc for pet cats - are coming to the UK. Today the Royal Vet College (or whatever) are meeting to come up with guidelines for handling such things here. Of course, the cat protection folk are - understandably - up in arms at the thought of all the unwanted critters being used as 'spare parts'.

Which is fair enough, but what I want to know is how ethical is it for a vet to patch up an animal and return it to an owner that's already managed to mistreat the poor thing enough to bugger up it's liver one time.

(Donor cards?)
Nat
Nat
1905 posts

Re: Cat Transplants
Feb 27, 2003, 11:37
Cats can suffer from Liver Damage without human intervention!! Just like they can also get flu, aids, heart disease etc. It isn't necessarily down to neglect!

N
Killer
255 posts

Re: Cat Transplants
Feb 27, 2003, 12:26
RSPCA spokesman has just been on BBCLondon, he says that they will be considering prosecution on the grounds that the law states ' it is illegal to cause unnecesarry suffering to an animal ' and as the donor animal will be put through considerable pain / will need drugs for the remainder of its life, as will the recipient they regard this as unecessary.
anthonyqkiernan
anthonyqkiernan
7087 posts

Re: Cat Transplants
Feb 27, 2003, 12:37
Indeed. However, I suspect that if you can afford a transplant, it might not be.
Nat
Nat
1905 posts

Re: Cat Transplants
Feb 27, 2003, 12:55
I have Pet Insurance!

I'm not sure I'd go for this thou, I'd have to ask the cats and see whats best for them... but from what Killer has said below its possibly not happening anyway!

Most people love their pets to pieces and would do anything for them.... we had a £150 bill for our kitten after she swallowed something nasty - like I say we have Insurance so we are lucky....

I would have thought in most cases if the cat was hurt to such an extent by someone purposefully the vet would recommend it is either taken away or put to sleep.
anthonyqkiernan
anthonyqkiernan
7087 posts

Re: Cat Transplants
Feb 27, 2003, 12:57
Watch your insurance premiums soar if this is allowed.
Estelle
89 posts

Re: Cat Transplants
Feb 27, 2003, 15:13
Let's face it, the donor animal has no life expectancy after the 'harvesting' of its organs, any more than a cow has after its muscle tissue is collected.
Cats would be bred for the purpose. It is unlikely that strays would be used as their medical history is unknown, and they would possibly have liver or kidney damage from innapropriate diet.
As a vegetarian cat owner, I'm already a hypocrite. It is impossible for me to obtain catfood that has not been laboritory tested on specially bred lab cats, who are killed to have their organs tested to see the effects of new products.
Its a tricky subject.
Has anyone got a link I could use? I'm going to discuss this with the cat welfare people.
Moon Cat
9577 posts

Re: Cat Transplants
Feb 27, 2003, 20:39
If my liver packs up I want one!
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