Advice On Dealing With Vet And What To Expect On Regular Check Ups

[hypatia]

I live in a small city in southern India and the veterinary care here, mainly for cats, is mostly sub par. I've tried different vets in my city and it's usually the same and I don't have much hope on finding a good vet. The one we currently consult seems like the best option and he does house calls. Which is a huge deal for me because my cat gets really stressed with a ride to the vet.

But the problem is that they barely even look at my cat and only treat her when she has a specific problem. But I want her to have routine check ups at least annually because she might be getting on in age (we adopted her as an adult so we don't know her correct age. But she was a pet for a different family until they abandoned her at the shelter where she spent some time. Then she came to live with us and it's been 2 years since).

So I was wondering what a good thorough annual check up usually consists of. What do I ask the vet to look for/check. I already have a list of things I want him to look at, like her teeth and chin acne. I'm wondering if she should have comprehensive blood and urine tests done because she hasn't had any since she's been with us. What specific tests should I ask the vet to do. And any advice on how to go about making these suggestions without offending the vet would also be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[daftcat75]

If you think she's getting up there in years, a twice-a-year checkup is recommended for senior cats. Blood, urine, and a general physical condition screen (eyes, ears, mouth, heart, lungs, etc) should be good enough. Once a year, she should have a dental examination, mouth x-rays, and cleaning under anesthesia. A sedation-free cleaning is not enough as a lot of problems happen below the gum line. If she's one of the unfortunate older cats who has or will develop stomatitis or resorptive lesions, a painful condition where the body resorbs or eats the teeth from the inside, you may need more than once a year dentals. Watch for changes in how much she eats or if she develops texture preferences she didn't used to have.

If your cat is otherwise healthy, eating well, peeing and pooping well, and not presenting other symptoms, that should be enough. Screening doesn't prevent disease from happening. It just helps you catch it quicker. But keeping an eye open for changes in input, output, behavior, and temperment and taking her in to the vet when you notice changes will catch things faster than relying on screenings alone.

 

[hypatia]

If she's one of the unfortunate older cats who has or will develop stomatitis or resorptive lesions, a painful condition where the body resorbs or eats the teeth from the inside, you may need more than once a year dentals. Watch for changes in how much she eats or if she develops texture preferences she didn't used to have.

If your cat is otherwise healthy, eating well, peeing and pooping well, and not presenting other symptoms, that should be enough.

Dental check-ups are the trickiest because it doesn't look like we have enough equipment/experience where I live to deal with dental problems or even cleaning. This worries me the most because my cat does seem to have poor teeth and bad breath. I will talk to the vet about it, see if there's anything to be done.

She eats, plays, pees and poops well. Her current major health concern's a chronic upper respiratory infection (I'm guessing) that's given her watery nose and eyes and occasional bouts of sneezing. Other than that there's her chin acne and teeth. But she does have food preferences, though they are not new. It's a chore to get her to eat wet food - and I've tried all the brands available that aren't too out of budget because not much is available locally and I have to order online - but she does gobble up dry food nicely. So I've been hoping it's just her being a picky eater and not related to her teeth.

Thanks for the input.