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Old 11-02-2011, 01:12 PM
 
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Tang (18 yo orange tabby) has a great vet, but he hates going to her. I assume most cats hate going to the vet, but Tang is worse than most (there are videos online of "bad cats at the vet" and he is just like that---biting, hissing, etc.). He rebels against even being put on the scale or having a scope placed on his chest. A rectal thermometer is way beyond his comfort level. The vet is only five minutes away, but he cries when in his carrier in the car.

I have heard about a mobile vet who will come to our home. I spoke to him on the phone. He sounds fine. Do you think I should switch vets so that Tang will be a little less traumatized? I'm afraid that he will have a heart attack going to the regular vet at his advanced age. Then again, he doesn't love strangers, either, who come to our home.

The regular vet just insists on a once a year visit for his maintenance meds (steroids for inflammatory bowel disease). The mobile vet would just give us a six month prescription, so Tang would be faced with seeing him again in six months (if he lives that long---he is doing fine, but he is very old).

Thanks for your advice.
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Old 11-02-2011, 01:28 PM
 
Location: Ohio
15,701 posts, read 17,001,975 times
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If it was me, I think I would stick with the regular vet.....although your cat gets upstet.....at least the experience is familiar and only once a year.....instead of introducing a new, unfamiliar situation.....and having to get stressed out twice a year instead of once.

{I am assuming the vet that comes to your house would require you to take your cat into his mobile van}
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Old 11-02-2011, 01:29 PM
 
Location: North Western NJ
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personally before switching vets (because it sounds like you persoanly are quite happy with her) id try a little desentiization work instead....

sounds to me its not the VET tang doesnt like but the process...

try keeping his vet carrier in the house with a fleece blanket inside (cats LOVE fleecs) and sprinkle some catnip in there too...leave it open and let him go in as he wants..cats like small dark places usually (thats why there obsessed with boxes)...you could even feed him treats or caned food in there...make it a GOOD place
once he seems to be comfortable with the carrier, when he goes in, close the door, toss a treat in (a bit of chicken or his favorite kitty snak, then imediatly open the door back up...again teach him that the door closed is a good thing..increase the time the dor is closed little by little but try to open it back up again before he starts more than a confused meow...you dont want to spook him. cats are smart, if theres a fave food involved they tend to catch on quickly.

once hes a little more comfortable in the closed carrier take him on short trips, start by simply walking him in the carrier to the car then back in te house...
then into the car then back in the house, eventually working up to short car rides...
once again the diea is to get him back home and comfortable before he starts panicing.

once you get so far as comfortable start taking him to the vet...not nessicarily to see the vet, just to the vet and home, then to the vet to the door then home, ect. all the while lots of calm praise and plenty of treats. once you get into the clinic have the receptionists and the techs give him treats ect...start associating the entire experience with good things.

now in terms of IN the vet...ive found MANY cats have a huge problem with the vet tables, they HATE them...try taking the top off his carrier and having the vet examin him while hes sat in the bottom half of the carrier on his blanket...and make sure the vet gives him lots of calm praise and treats too.


if hes realy stressed about the situation you might also want to try a kitty harness instead of the carrier...or a small wire dog crate, some cats feel alot more comfortable instrange situations when they dont feel trapped and can see all around them...so this might be another option...

and one more thing i HIGHLY reccomend is bachs rescue remedy...its a herbal tincture, (kind of sweet) just a few drops into the mouth, its a VERY VERY MILD sedative, not enough to knock him out but enough to take the edge off and its 100% safe. i use it myself for my anxiety issues and when i made the move 1100 miles i gave it to my macaw, the parakeets and both cats, niether of which were happy about being in a crate for 2 days...i was expecting total insanity (as i also have 2 dogs lol) but the trip was alot calmer and quieter than i thought it would be...and i do htink the rescue remidyplayed a big part in that!

some other things you might try, if hes more comfortable with YOU, and you have somone who can help you...it might be easier to take his temp BEFORE you go to the vet...its not hard, id buy a childs digital thremometer (preferably the flexible neck kind) and its one less thing the vet has to do that can be very stressfull...

good luck, its stressful on us to when they are unhappy, but i dont think you realy NEED to change vets at this point unless you realy want to...

you might try this mobile vet as a one off and see what happens...some animals do better in their own home...some are actually worse because now theres a stranger on thier turf...
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Old 11-02-2011, 01:32 PM
 
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It might be less stressful, but there's no way of knowing. And if an exam turned up something that needed further testing, you might have to take him in anyway.
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Old 11-02-2011, 01:48 PM
 
Location: Metromess
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If you like the vet, don't change. I doubt that the cat would like a different one any more than the one you've got. I've never had a cat who liked going to the vet.
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Old 11-02-2011, 03:45 PM
 
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Thanks, all. You've just about convinced me to continue with the regular vet. Foxy, you must be incredibly skilled with cats---you know so much and gave such good advice about helping Tang.

I've been afraid that he could have a heart attack getting stressed out there---but I've been reading that cats don't really have them, especially just from stress. I will say that when Tang gets home from the vet, all is forgiven and he seems purrfectly happy again (it's me who almost collapses after the visit!).
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Old 11-02-2011, 07:41 PM
 
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I would suggest against a sedative like ace if your vet suggests it. In my experience with a senior cat who had anxiety issues. ace was so disorientating that it just upset her more

I second the idea of opening the top of the crate and letting him stay there. We used to see a very difficult to handle cat named Precious. She had to come in twice weekly for fluid treatment and no one else in the hospital could safely handle this cat. I didn't do anything special...I just opened the top of the crate and didn't try to force her out. We were both much happier for it.

I would skip the temp- if he's acting normal, he's not likely to have an elevated temp. You can get a general gauge by feeling his ears, much like a parent with their child's forehead. Just remember that cats run hotter than people. If you do that once a day, you'll get an idea what is normal for him, and if he ever does run a fever you'll know it.

If the vet has to use a muzzle, I would suggest getting a cone muzzle of your own to bring in. Most vets use a cloth muzzle that tends to shift around and block their breathing, and it can be very upsetting for the cat. With a cone muzzle, the airway stays open. http://www.campbellpet.com/product.aspx?func=view&prodID=95 (broken link)

It looks scary, but it really does work so much better and is so much easier on the cat.
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Old 11-02-2011, 07:50 PM
 
Location: 112 Ocean Avenue
5,706 posts, read 9,603,077 times
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I take it the only time he goes for a ride in the car is to the Vet's. He knows where he's going and what will probably take place.

His behavior is normal and not unlike many many dogs and cats that don't enjoy leaving the comforts of home.
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Old 11-02-2011, 08:36 PM
 
Location: Virginia
575 posts, read 1,990,313 times
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My Grace is not "bad" really when I have to take her to the vet but she is EXTREMELY anxious and shy. When she goes into the carrier she panics as well. Our vet really couldn't give her an exam because Grace was so uncooperative In the car rides I was also afraid she would just flake out and either have some kind of stroke or heart attack or something! She would lay on her side and pant and wail and get all glazed over looking.

So my vet has me give her a mild sedative - it's like valium- you can't just give one dose right before you walk out the door. That's not how these drugs work and why most "bad dogs" don't do well on them. It's a 12 hour dose - so I figure out when Grace's appointment it say it's a 2pm, I want the medication to be in full swing at that time. So I back up and I give her one 9am that morning, at 9pm the night before as well so she's got plenty on board and a "blood level" of the medication.

Grace is never "out of it" or spacy. She's a bit woozy the evening before but she gets rowdy when she sees the carrier come out She's easier to catch - LOL And she does cry in the car however there is no panic attack at all. I would say she acts like a normal cat who is just unhappy to be in a car. She also gets a full exam just like a regular cat - no fussing or cowering and we don't worry she will bolt out of the vets office if someone looks away for a spit second!

I definitely am not an advocate for drugging up your animals but I certainly understand sometimes the benefit outweighs any risk two or three pretty safe pills once a year so that he can get a good exam is beneficial in my book if it works. You may have to play with the dose a bit to find one that works best for you.

Good luck, but I would stick with the vet you know and trust.
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Old 11-02-2011, 09:23 PM
 
Location: North Western NJ
6,591 posts, read 24,816,802 times
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lol, thanks. ive worked with animals in one way shape or form since i was a little kid, its pretty much the ONLY feild i know and know well...i have trouble reatining information in many other feilds so i decided to just focus on the one that felt right lol.

I would 100% suggest trying desensitization and rescue remidy before trying anykind of none herbal sedatives...ive found in many cases there are many options that dont require the heavy duty sedatives and most vets are reluctant to give them to seniors anyway.

the table definatly always seemed to be the biggest upset during vet visits for cats, we found for the cats that came in in kennel cabs lettin them stay in the bottom half made even the worst cats ALOT more comofrtable. i dont know if its the temperature or simply not being able to get a grip on the table...but that change alone often made a world of difference.

honestly i think the whole thing is more stressful fo the human than the cat no matter how much of a fuss the cat puts up...and remember, you vet has seen worse...(belive me, our tabby cat was one of those "worse" cases, muliple stitches for the vet and 2 techs and they had to re-drywall the examinationrom because he literally scaled the walls tearing chunks out of the place as a 6 mth old kitten...even after all that our vet never turned us away (he has calmed down since...) remember no matter how bad your cat is...your vet has seen worse!

half of me thinks these animals put up such a fuss just to make us feel bad LOL!
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