The incidence of short-term complications in female cats after sterilization between pre-operative antibiotic only versus pre- and post-operative antibiotic administration groups

Abstract

Consequently, the rabies situation was declared as a global problem. According to Thailand national rabies control activities, a sterilization program to control the dog and cat population was set up in many areas. This study was conducted to determine/investigate the incidence of short-term sterilization complications in cats with/without antibiotic administration after sterilization and to study the association between short-term surgical complications and other relevant factors. 492 Female cats which participated in Chiang Mai municipal birth control activity were included in the study and monitored for short-term surgical complications. Cats were divided into 244 cats in sterilization with pre-operative antibiotic administration group and 248 cats in group sterilization with pre- and post-operative antibiotic administration group. The relevant factors were investigated by using risk ratios (RR) with a 95% confidence level. The result showed that 25 cats (5.08%) had short-term complications. There was not significantly different of the incidence of short-term complications between cats with postoperative antibiotics (4.92%) and without postoperative antibiotics (5.24%). For risk factors finding, cats with external parasites had more chance of 2.35 times more than cats without external parasites in overall cats. Duration in the captive area factor showed that a prolonged cat kept in a cage or indoor area was a protective factor. If 2-day or less in restrict area as a baseline, the risk ratio is equal to 0.38 and 0.18 for 5-day and 7-day in a cage or indoor, respectively. In conclusion, cat sterilization without post-operative antibiotic administration in female cats can be operated under the aseptic concept and pain management sterilization.