My overweight cat needs a new vet. How to make visits less stressful?

Poor Puss! I know vet visits can be a challenge with some anxious kitties. As far as calming aids that you can get over the counter, you could try a calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure along with Feliway spray in the carrier - these are generally quite safe, and can be purchased at pet stores or ordered online without a prescription. Effects are usually pretty mild, though, so if he's extremely fearful this may not be enough to make a difference. If you have a regular vet who has seen Puss before, you could call them to discuss your concerns. There are some great prescription medications like gabapentin or trazodone that can be very effective at calming anxious kitties prior to a vet visit - but you would need a prior veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR) with a vet in order to get prescription meds before the exam. If the visit isn't urgent, you can try placing the carrier out with the door open in an area where Puss spends a lot of time to let him investigate it and get comfortable on his own. By dropping treats in the carrier and letting him go in when he's comfortable, it can be much easier to get him in for his visit. If he needs to be seen right away, then you can use a blanket or towel to put over him, pick him up, and put him in the carrier without being scratched or bitten.

Moving to a new home is stressful, and that could be the cause of Yang's behavior. Keep an eye on him, and if this behavior does continue over the next couple of days, he will have to see a vet. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/ Best of luck.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. You can try a product called Quiet Moments Calm Chews with Melatonin for cats and see if this helps with any anxiety. If this does not work, then you could always speak with the veterinarian about an anti-anxiety medication short term. You can also buy Feliway spray and spray the carrier Kovu will be in to see if this also helps. I hope the move isn't too stressful for you or Kovu! Please let me know if you have any other questions / concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Chloe is gorgeous! I highly recommend taking her to a veterinarian to have evaluated. We want to make sure there is nothing medical going on with her before stating it is stress from you not being around. If she is healthy then I would potentially discuss medication for her to help her in these stressful situations. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

The type of symptoms you are reporting combined with Keaca's age is definitely a cause for concern. While lethargy and anorexia are very non-specific symptoms, there are definitely a couple of conditions that come to mind (particularly in an overweight cat). Some of the things I would think of include liver or kidney issues, pancreatitis, diabetes, and certain types of cancer involving the gastrointestinal tract. I think a good start to find out what may or may not be wrong would be to take Keaca in for a physical exam and to have some baseline blood work obtained. This will provide you with some information to rule out several of the conditions I mentioned above. If they are not able to make any determination from that information, some diagnostic imaging may be indicated (x-rays or ultrasound). Hope this helps and that Keaca is feeling better soon!

Good on you for being concerned about LuLu's weight and wanting to get it down! It sounds like you are doing things right by giving her exercise and measuring out her food. I'm wondering if she is allowed outside or if you have other pets in the home? She could be stealing food from other pets in the home, or she goes outside, she could be visiting other homes for food. I would have her seen by a vet, as she may need a prescription food that will help her get the weight off. While the weight should be lost slowly, I would expect that after three weeks you would see some loss by now. Speak with your vet about a prescription weight loss food for her. I hope this helps!

Hello, sorry to hear about Katy. There are mobile veterinarians that can come to your house so that you don't have to travel or bring your dog to the vet if it stresses her out. However, there is usually a fee associated with the consultation. You can search for local mobile veterinarian in your area and obtain an estimate over the phone in regards to their consultation fee. Hope this helps and best of luck. Mobile Vet Service of Denver (303) 588-3592