Hi everyone,
I’m a very happy new cat mom! I got my 3 year old tortie from the animal shelter I volunteer at about a month and a half ago. She is still building trust with me. I received her underweight and have worked through most of her bad food aggression. I’m hoping to harness and leash train her soon so we can go outside if she so chooses... but I’m concerned about heartworms. I live in Georgia and I’ve seen many dogs come down with heartworms at the shelter. Problem is, in the US I have to take her to a vet to get a rx. My kitty is scared of her carrier and although I’ve been carrier training her, when I walk out the door of my apartment she starts freaking out. Last time she broke her claw and got very loud. She has a clean bill of health from the vet at the shelter and is up to date on all vaccines. But to go through the trauma for a vet visit for a heartworm medication? It just seems like it will do more harm than good at this point and will ruin all the trust I have built up with her. (This has seriously taken some patience and work.) I’m reading that heartworms in cats aren’t much of a concern as they are for dogs. I really wish I could buy this medicine without an prescription. Of course, if she had a real health concern I would take her to the vet regardless of her trust level with me. But just for a rx? Any thoughts? Does anyone know of anyway possible to get heartworm med between now and when I take her for her annual next year? I even wasted $10 on that Telemedicine Fluffy vet service and they told me a physical examination is required by law.
I’m a very happy new cat mom! I got my 3 year old tortie from the animal shelter I volunteer at about a month and a half ago. She is still building trust with me. I received her underweight and have worked through most of her bad food aggression. I’m hoping to harness and leash train her soon so we can go outside if she so chooses... but I’m concerned about heartworms. I live in Georgia and I’ve seen many dogs come down with heartworms at the shelter. Problem is, in the US I have to take her to a vet to get a rx. My kitty is scared of her carrier and although I’ve been carrier training her, when I walk out the door of my apartment she starts freaking out. Last time she broke her claw and got very loud. She has a clean bill of health from the vet at the shelter and is up to date on all vaccines. But to go through the trauma for a vet visit for a heartworm medication? It just seems like it will do more harm than good at this point and will ruin all the trust I have built up with her. (This has seriously taken some patience and work.) I’m reading that heartworms in cats aren’t much of a concern as they are for dogs. I really wish I could buy this medicine without an prescription. Of course, if she had a real health concern I would take her to the vet regardless of her trust level with me. But just for a rx? Any thoughts? Does anyone know of anyway possible to get heartworm med between now and when I take her for her annual next year? I even wasted $10 on that Telemedicine Fluffy vet service and they told me a physical examination is required by law.
