This is the week of going to the vet.

[lagilman]

Today, it was Pandora's turn.

Normally, my sweet ElderCat is merely unhappy and shy at the vet's. Today? Her preferred tech wasn't there; she did not show grace under pressure (or needles). In fact, she was an utter yowling, head-hiding wench, clinging to the side of the exam table, trying to climb into my ribcage during the vaccinations and temperature-taking. When the vet tried to pick her up to take her into the back for the full blood screening, she flipped. After I calmed her down, we tried again, but the vet eventually had to put the mommy scruff-hold moves on her, just to get her from one room to another.

$400 later, we are home. She is still yowling. I need a drink. That $400 was for the exam, 3-year Rabies & FVRCP vaccine boosters, blood count & blood chemistry screen, T4 testing & urinalysis. Ah, the joy of older pets...

Boomer goes in on Friday.


ETA: 2 hours later, Pandora has emerged from hiding, and wants pettins. Also, noms.


(I should dedicate any/all sales of "From Whence You Came" to the ongoing Feline Medical Fund, considering the sea-serpents therein were based on cats...)

Comments

[jperceval.livejournal.com]

You and the cats have my sympathies. Our Xander (in icon) now has to go for chemo -- we're not allowed in with him, but I can't imagine him cooperating for the length of a 30-min iv infusion.

[wolfsilveroak.livejournal.com]

If they'll let you, leave a towel that smells like home with him. Maybe that will help keep him calm.

[jperceval.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'll try that.

[mtlawson.livejournal.com]

Ouch.

That's going to be one long drink.

[lagilman]

Or a short, very expensive one. :-)

[elsceetaria.livejournal.com]

My Ellie is overdue for a trip to the vet.

She hates the vet and bites (anyone whenever she feels like it - not just vets). She takes more techs to control than my sister's 50 pound dog.

::passes the vodka::

[lagilman]

Pandora is usually the easy one. Boomerang, all 20+ pounds of him, can be a sweetie..or he can decide to pull out the teeth and claws and surprising speed for such a big guy.

(two visits ago he bit the tech so hard the guy had to get someone else to stand in for him)


Thankfully, a few hours after we get home, they tend to forgive and forget.

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

Our eldest cat is 19, hyperthyroid for most of her adult life. She has really tough skin and it's always been difficult to draw blood, even if she's sedated. The last time, the vet had to use a general anesthetic. At that point, I said no more blood draws. She was just too old and frail to put through that torture. We did a lot of thinking about how we wanted to support her final days with us. It's been a year and a half since that decision, adjusting her tapazole dose by her heart rate and weight. She's slowly losing ground, but she's comfortable and happy, and might even make it to 20.

[wolfsilveroak.livejournal.com]

19 is an awesome age.

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

Indeed, the vet is amazed at her longevity, considering her chronic thyroid problem (and long-term tapazole is hard on the liver). Says it's her "tortoiseshell attitude" that's kept her going. This is one more reason why, as much as we will miss her, we are willing to let her go when it's time. Cats know - they give you The Look. But so far, she loves curling up in my lap when I'm trying to knit, and she stands on her hind legs for treats. When she went deaf a few years ago, her purring got erratic, but she still does purr.

That's her on my shoulder in the pic of me.

[wolfsilveroak.livejournal.com]

She's adorable}:)

My Max had liver issues a few years back, we almost lost him then and by rights, probably should have. But he's a grumpy, crotchety ol' true chocolate tuxedo who isn't ready to deprive the world of his attitude quite yet. Heh. Here's hoping he gets to the wonderful age of 19+ as well!

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

$400 later,

for a minute, I thought that was going to follow with a discrete visit to a people ER.

[pds-lit.livejournal.com]

We do this with 7 - with only one of them not minding the trip and the overall vet experience. You have my sympathy. At least make it two drinks or a good bottle of wine. You deserve it.

[lagilman]

seven, oy. 2.5 is enough for me...

[pds-lit.livejournal.com]

Cats are cats. Each one is a handful when it comes to the vets office. And I can't tell you how loud the vocal cries of anger in the car get. LOL!

[wolfsilveroak.livejournal.com]

Aries( 13+) panics when he goes to the vet and sheds EVERYWHERE as a result. Morrigan (3+)freaks out and pees herself. Max(also 13+) sits there, yeowls grumpily, growls angrily and endures.

Caena, our Akita, can't WAIT to get out of the carohmygodsisthedooropenyetwhynotIwanttreats! type of can't wait. Yeah.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Poor Pandora!

[princejvstin.livejournal.com]

Ouch, yeah. Cats and Vets are a never ending bout of drama.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

They are such drama queens. Horus behaves as if he's being murdered every single time he has to go.

[smoemeth.livejournal.com]

Last month we took the kittehs to the vet for their annual checkup. The vet reported that Gizmo's bladder was full, and we should show him the litterbox as soon as we got home. Well, the little pisser (literally) let it go in the carrier on the way home. So his traumatic vet visit turned into his first bath. Which went about as well as one would expect. I didn't know felines could make any of those noises. I was expecting the neighbors to call the cops and report a baby being tortured next door.

I hope when his RAM cleared a couple hours later he forgot about it all, or else I'm afraid that all future vet visits are going to be Ordeals. Sigh.