Calming meds or ideas for vet visit?

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Rachel & Chyna (GA)

Rachel & Chyna (GA)

Member Since 2012
Good morning! I'm just wondering if anyone can help me with some ideas. I need to schedule bloodwork next week and I'd like to have a checkup on my cat while I'm there. Chyna turns from sweet quiet kitty into scared, hissing, growling, biting kitty at the vet :shock: . She's fine in the carrier and the trip there and back, and even before the vet or vet tech comes in the room. Then she starts growling etc. Even if I hold her for them...

So I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions on something calming to give her or to do that works for them! A collar, a spray, a treat, a pill the vet gives you beforehand? She has so many allergies (some scents and foods)...and she's never worn a collar. They had to sedate her to check her teeth last appointment, and not only can I not afford that I don't like having to do that either...any suggestions welcome :smile: . Thanks :-D
 
Rachel,

I was at Petsmart today and they have a Thundershirt for cats. Now I am not sure if you would get tore up getting it on her but it is supposed to calm them. It said on the package, for anxiety, vet visits, etc.
Its a thought.

Terri
 
I bought a $14 cat muzzle from amazon for my beast - they can't check her teeth with it on but surprisingly she calms down it is on her and they can do all the blood work with no problem (she doesn't get the muzzle put on until right before they work on her). She has a very "I've been violated" look on her when it is taken off but everyone has all their fingers accounted for :lol:
 
Thanks Terri and taffymom, I'll look at both of those. Although I'm not sure if I can do the muzzle and get that look :lol: . Have a good night!
 
You might try some active play earlier in the day to tire her out a bit.

Feliway spritzed in the carrier a bit before, so the alcohol can dissipate.
 
Milo & I completely recommend a Thundershirt. The effect is immediate & brilliant, but is instantly reversed when you remove it again!
Milo gets used to his after a couple of hours & just goes nuts again, but if the stress is going to last less than an hour, the thundershirt is your friend.

During his last visit to the vets, I took the Tundershirt with us. He was due a chest X-ray, but I didn't want him to be anaesthetised. They managed to keep him still enough for a couple of X-rays in his Thundershirt, without using any sedatives at all. He flipped out completely once they took it off him again, though!

Make sure you measure your cat properly if you order one. The sizing seems to be a bit weird. Milo is a large cat (Maine Coon crossbreed), but wears a Medium-sized shirt (they need to be tight, a little like a kitty-corset).

Good luck!

Juliet

cat_pet_icon
 
Thanks again for the suggestions :-D . I'm going to Petsmart today to check some of these out, hopefully they have some in stock :razz: .
 
Hmm . ask the vet about dramamine

Tiggy is the same. The vet has a muzzle just for him. We leave him in the carrier as long as we need to. Then the vet comes in with big rubber gloves, muzzle, assistant and a towel. And its still yowl stratch hiss yowl fight. And tiggy is a big boy at 17lbs. With all his claws.

This is him at the vets.

8162236274_8769653678_n.jpg


Wendy
 
Oh my gosh, poor Tiggy! I guess we have to do whatever it takes to get them examined :shock: . Chyna doesn't bite hard or have front claws...I think she's just loud and scared...poor little things. I'll ask about the dramamine, thanks:) Petsmart didn't have felliway or the thundershirt in this particular store anyways even though I saw the thundershirt online, just a collar (scented) and a calming herbal spray or liquid. I'll have to look at the other pet stores but I'm running out of time, lol.
 
Yep thats my boy. DH thought it would be funny to take a photo. Right after this shot, he started fighting again and the vet jumped back and his stethoscope hit me in the face!
 
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