Boots first trip to the vet.

[stevenboots]

Took Boots to his (Yep. Hes a He) first visit with the Vet today.

About five minutes before time to leave I went to get him and put him in the cage. He refused to come to me. And he ran from me when I went to pick him up. "I know what your up to Mister. You ain't takin' me nowhere." Finally cornered him and got him to the cage. Oh yeah. That was fun. He spread his legs. Grabbed hold of the cage with his teeth. All so he could stay outta that cage. I finally got him in. Geeze. What a battle. He looked at me like, "You know I'm gonna hate you for this."

So, we got on the road. Boots talked to me all the way to the vet's office. Wish I could have understood what he was saying.

Vet said he is about eight weeks old. Girl took the stool sample (a little rough if you ask me.)  and when finished Boots just fell over limp. That scared me. The assistant said some do that. He came around in a few seconds screaming his disapproval. Then the Vet came in. While we're talking Vet gave him a shot. Boots screamed at that but settled right down when the needle was pulled out. Boots looked at Vet like, "You, Mister, are about to lose an arm."

Then Vet said he has some kind of worms so he opened Boots mouth and a pill disappeared into my kitten. He didn't like that either.

Boots wasn't so hard to get back into the cage when it came time to leave the exam room. I pay the lady at the desk. We no more that get out the door, Boots sees the truck, and starts talking to me again. Talked to me most of the way home. But started to quiet down some and look like he was going to sleep.

Got home and carried Boots into the house still in the cage. I didn't want to let him out outside for fear he would take off. Went inside and let him out and he just sat there. I sat in my chair and reached over and picked him up. He then went on the attack. I mean he was squealing, kicking and biting. I let him jump out of my lap. He wobbled over to his pillow and plopped down. 

He laid on his pillow over an hour. I was worried. My wife told me not to be so concerned, Boots had had a pretty stressful day. First ride in the noisy truck. First visit to and abuse (just kidding) by the Vet. He just needed to rest. Still I was concerned.

Boots got up off the pillow after more than an hour, stretched and started walking around. He is now back to normal. Running through every room like a wild cat chasing his toys.

He is sort of confused right now. The Vet trimmed his claws (heh-heh). Now when he runs and jumps on my leg he slides right back down to the floor and looks up at me like, "What the heck is going on here?" He just jumped way up the cat tree pole. Aw-ha. Trimmed claws didn't grab the carpet so he could run up the pole. Got a little adjusting to do there kitty cat.

Well. Its time for me to get my beauty rest, and that takes me all night. Gonna pet Boots good nite and head off to bed. Ya'll have a good night.

Steve-N-Boots.

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• stevenboots
• Nov 3, 2015

 

[plan]

I'm glad it went well and mostly without incident. I don't think any cat actually likes going to the vet. Maybe if they had kitty lollipops it would soften the blow...

Anyway, do you leave the cat carrier open? With Bud I left it near his food and water bowls, and I put some blankets in there so it was a nice little hideout where he could chill and take a nap if he wanted some alone time. You know how cats love small spaces...I also randomly put snacks in there for him to find when he went to take naps. Well, thanks to that, I never had a problem getting Bud into his carrier, because he has a positive association with it. When he was a baby I socialized him s hell of a lot as well, so he associates car rides with fun and surprises.

Every cat is different, but maybe you can get Boots to actually like his carrier.

 

[fyllis]

Glad everything went as well as could be expected. Well, let's just say, As well as it did. 

Even though there are many variances in the anatomies of cats and humans, I would suspect that the the 'girl' inadvertently applied pressure to the vagus nerve within the rectal vault which caused Boots to faint. If Boots was laying on the 'wrong side' or improperly positioned when the 'girl' inserted the rod to extract stool, the unwarranted stimulation to the nerve effected his cardiac system (possibly a contraction in the carotid artery which decreased oxygen to the brain temporarily?). Note: This is only my suspicion and not a confirmed reason for his fainting, as I am not a Vet. But, as a retired nurse, I can there IS a strict protocol when doing any type of rectal probe (in humans).

Removal or collection of stool from the rectum is an invasive procedure. There are some procedures that should only be done by a Vet and NOT the assistant or technician! As you said, she was 'a little rough' and that should not have been the case! If your veterinarian allows technicians to perform these procedures, I would question the standards of the vet. 

Realistically, if Boots is only 8 weeks old, he should have been automatically dewormed and no stool sample would have been necessary unless there was a major symptom going on that a specimen was required for diagnosis. That was just another financial charge the Vet collected on the sly! Shame on him/her! You just contributed to his Mercedes payment!

Neither of my cats were ever given a pill for worms; they were given a liquid via an eye-dropper and they loved the taste of it and took it eagerly.

On a first  check-up, the vet should check for  problems with the eyes, teeth, ears and skin (parasites, fleas, ticks, condition of fur and skin). His abdomen should be checked for pain, enlarged organs, or an umbilical hernia (Kricket actually had this - where his diaphram hadn't completely closed up. There was a little bulge that popped in and out randomly. It closed on it's own after a few months with no problems, but I watched him carefully). Then the heart and lungs to detect respiratory complications, heart murmurs or irregular rhythms. Joint range of motion needs to be checked for mobility and loose knee caps. Finally, the physical should include checking the genitals for discharge or abnormal development. 

The vet should have also suggested you set up an appointment for neutering within the next month or so - the sooner the better. My boys were done at 4 months. All though, from what you said, I would look for a different vet to do the surgery if at all possible. Just because someone has a certificate hanging on their wall, it doesn't mean they are good, ethical, or professional at what they do.

If the physical is good, then the vaccinations and deworming should be done and you are good to go until he returns for his next series of vaccinations in a few weeks - and again for his Rabies shot later on. While you are conversing with the vet about the exam results and follow-up vaccinations, you should be calming Boots and preparing him for re-entering the carrier and car/truck.

This might seem a bit detailed, but I was a nurse for 22 years and when I had a new admission, I was required to do a 'head-to-toe' assessment. I expect the same from my veterinarian, so I compiled a list before we went to the appointment and I checked each thing off as it was done. I was very involved physically and verbally during the entire exam. 

Next time you go to the vet, I suggest you spritz a little FeliWay in the corners of his carrier about 15 minutes before you leave the house. This will calm him for the ride in the truck and during the Vet visit. I always keep a towel in the carrier that the boys lay on while at home just for their comfort. And I toss in their favorite little stuffed mouse. I don't let them eat for about 2 hours before we leave so they don't have to poop during the ride and their tummies aren't full while in the car.  I also strap their carrier in the back seat with the seat-belt for safety, keep the radio turned off so not to stress them, and I talk and 'meow' with them. Kricket doesn't mind the car ride, but Keeker gets all worked up and hyperventilates at times - thus, the FeliWay beforehand. 

As Plan, stated... leave the carrier out and open in the house so Boots can become familiar with it. Mine sits under the end table in the living room near their tree by the window and they stash their toys inside and nap in it. And, if Boots fights it the next time, sit it on the floor and put a trail of treats leading into it... let him go in on his own accord. If all else fails, place him in butt first so he isn't looking at the 'cage' you are shoving him in. 

I hope this helped a bit. And while you are waiting for your next appointment for his follow-up shots, I would seriously consider looking for a more ethical Vet.