National Take Your Cat for Veterinary Day occurs on August 22nd. This national day announces the importance of taking your cat to the vet. Unfortunately, many cat owners do not take their cats for annual veterinary visits and interpret the signs that their cats are getting sick. In fact, only approx. 44% of cat owners their cats annually to the veterinarian1.
Therefore, it is important to increase the number of cats that see the vet every year. Cats need vaccinations every year, and control can help capture diseases before they become severe, making them easier to treat and preventing complications.
How to celebrate national take your cat to the vet
There are many ways to celebrate this national day, although there are not many major parties.
- Plan a check: If your cat has not had their annual control, now is the time to plan it. The odds of getting an appointment on this day are low, but that doesn’t mean you can’t plan it for the next open day. Even if your cat seems healthy, regular veterinarian-check-ups are needed to keep them that way.
- Write down any concerns: Before visiting the vet, it is important to write down the concerns you have. Sometimes it is easy to forget the things you would talk about while at the vet, so it is very useful to have a written record.
- Get your cat vaccinated: One of the biggest benefits of an annual veterinary visit is to keep your cat up to date with vaccinations. Vaccines help prevent tons of illnesses and lower your veterinarian bills over the years. Plus, vaccines are relatively cheap compared to the treatment of the diseases they prevent. They may also be legally required in your area.
- Learn about cat content: If you don’t know a lot about cat health, it’s a great day to learn. Use this day as a reminder to learn about the common signs of cat disease, cat nutrition and exercise requirements.
Why are veterinary visits for cats important?
Like humans, cats can look and act completely fine – but with underlying diseases just waiting to show. Blood markers and vital signs can all show that these problems are formed below the surface. Often, when diseases are caught early, they are much easier to treat. Therefore, veterinary visits can potentially save your cat’s life and Lower your veterinarian bills.
In addition, cats need regular boosters for vaccines. Each vaccine needs a slightly different schedule so you will have to work with your veterinarian to make sure your cat is updated on time. Most cat vaccinations only work for a few years. So if you don’t get your cat amplifiers, they will be able to get sick once again.
Kittens need more veterinary visits than older cats as they need more vaccinations and supervision. After all, they grow and this is the period when innate problems can be formed.
What routine tests and procedures are performed by cat control?
What is done by a cat control varies from place to place and cat to cat. Younger, mature cats may not get any Routine tests beyond a physical examination. The odds of these cats developing health problems are low. However, older cats can get routine blood work and a more careful examination.
As with humans, senior cats are much more likely to develop health problems so that the supervision becomes much more cautious at this time. Some veterinarians even recommend more Regular control For older cats, especially if they develop chronic problems.
Most cats will also weighed. This simple process helps your veterinarian catch obesity before it becomes very serious. Unfortunately, many cats are overweight in the United States today, and this problem directly causes a number of health problems. Therefore, it is important to keep your cat in a healthy weight. A veterinarian can help you determine if your cat’s current diet works for them or not.
If you need to talk to a veterinarian but can’t get to one, go over to Pangovet. It’s an online service where you can Talk to a veterinarian online And get the advice you need for your pet – all at an affordable price!
Some veterinarians can Complete fecal examsEspecially if your cat spends time outside. This exam tests for internal parasites that often do not produce signs of illness. But if they are not controlled, parasites can become more serious. Regular testing of parasites is recommended for outdoor cats, as dirt and potential prey that your cat eats can cause an infection.
Vaccinations Is often also given by these check-ups. Many cats need updates for rabies, distemper and other diseases all to three years. The exact vaccine given affects how long it lasts. Your cats may also need extra vaccines depending on their lifestyle and where you live.
If you have mosquitoes in your area, heartworm tests are also important. Mosquito transmits heartworms which can cause death if not treated.
What is the sign that your cat needs a veterinary visit?
Outside of normal annual exams, your cat should also go to the vet when sick. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to see when a cat is ill as they naturally cover their diseases. This behavior is instinctual as cats in nature had to cover their diseases to avoid predation.
In our home they don’t have to worry about this. However, this instinct is still widespread in most cases. You can’t notice any serious sign of illness until the cat is very ill.
Fortunately, there are a few signs of illness that cats are less skilled at hiding.
- Settlement
- Reduced appetite
- Increased hide
- Less loving
- Diarrhea
- Changes in cash boxes
- Excessive care
- Cough
- Raised stomach
If you notice these characters, it is important to make a veterinary agreement immediately. Despite the fact that these signs that do not appear very serious, they may indicate a serious illness.
For example, if your cat starts wrong to urinate, you can assume they are just naughty. However, this is actually one of the biggest signs of a urinary tract infection that is very common in cats. Left untreated, this infection can move into the bladder and even cause organ failure. Cats with UTIs regularly show no other sign of illness.
How to get a veterinarian to visit less stressful
Veterinary visits can be relatively stressful for your cats. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to reduce the amount of stress that your cat is holding out.
- Use a cat -friendly carrier: Buy a carrier made for cats. Look for options that provide good ventilation and access.
- Keep your cat comfortable: Use blankets and toys from home to make your cat feel a little more comfortable in the carrier. Let your cat get used to the carrier in advance is also a great opportunity. Use goodies and catnip to make the carrier a happy place to be.
- Consider medicine: For cats that are very anxious, you may need to use anxiety medication to make your cat’s visit possible. Your veterinarian may recommend these if your cat is impossible to handle at their annual control.
- Stay calm: Cats are very good at picking up our discomfort. If you are stressed, your cat will be that too.
Last thoughts
Veterinary visits are absolutely important to all cats, and this national day reminds us to make the important annual agreements. With regular control, you help your cat healthy by catching signs of diseases early and keeping them up to date on their vaccinations. Veterinary visits can be stressful, but they are important to your cat’s overall health.
See also:
- How often should you take your cat to the vet? What veterinarians recommend
- VET NURSE DAY: All you need to know
Highlighted Image Credit: Kzenon, Shutterstock