Homecare Information / Owner Info

Instructions for owner of 131i treated pet Your cat has been treated with radioactive 131I. It still contains traces of radioactivity. A little bit of this radioactive substance will be released by the animal daily through the normal elimination pathways; i.e., feces, urine and saliva. The following precautions are recommended to minimize the possibility of radioactive contamination in your home. No special instructions are necessary after 30 days. Until this time has elapsed:

1. Animal isolation/confinement period for one month upon returning home Do not allow direct contact between the animal and children, pregnant women and nursing mothers. Keep the animal out of food preparation and consumption areas. Avoid prolonged closeness with the animal, no more than half an hour per day, and ensure that it sleeps alone. Do not allow the animal to lick people’s faces or hands. If this occurs, wash the skin areas immediately with warm soapy water. Your cat must be confined indoors for the next 30 days.

2. Wear disposable plastic gloves whenever possible Small traces of radioiodine may be transferred from the animal’s saliva to its fur during grooming. Plastic or rubber gloves will protect handlers from becoming contaminated from the animal’s fur and from any of the items the animal uses such as bowls. Gloves must be worn while changing the animal’s litter. After removing the gloves, wash your hands thoroughly. We will provide you with disposable gloves.

3. Move litter pan to a remote location Keep litter pan in a remote part of the home (garage or basement). While wearing disposable gloves clean out the litter pan contents regularly into plastic bags. Use the plastic liners in the litter pan. Store the bags for one month before disposal into normal garbage.

4. If your cat becomes sick and vomits or has diarrhea Contact the veterinarian that referred you to this facility immediately and using plastic gloves, clean up the vomit/stool and enclose it in a tightly sealed plastic bag.

Please do not take any animals into the hospital facility or the Emergency Department.

For MRI/ CT patients please be prepared to stay in London area for 3-4 hours. We realize that some people have traveled a long distance. We will do our best to complete the scan on your pet as quickly as possible so that you can return home at a reasonable hour.

For 131 Iodine patients a time will be set up for you to bring your pet to our facility. Your pet will stay for approximately 10 days but is dependant on what protocol is chosen.

If you are unfamiliar with the area click on the "getting here" for detailed driving directions and a map of the City of London pointing out our location. If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact your referring veterinarian or myself at any time.