Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: tinyrosie on April 29, 2007, 12:34:52 PM

Title: rosie and the vets, any ideas?
Post by: tinyrosie on April 29, 2007, 12:34:52 PM

hi all, i have to take rosie to the vets for an injection but it is really traumatic for us both.  she runs when she sees the carrier, fights when going in, and last time it took 3 of us to hold her down when she had to have an injection.......and she still sunk her teeth and claws into us all.  >:(
can i get anything to calm her down or do any of you know if the vets will give me a sedative to give to her?  i hate her being so stressed and of course it is getting to the point where we are really going to struggle to get her to have an injection which she really needs.
any advice very welcome.
thanks
sharon and rosie  ;)

Title: Re: rosie and the vets, any ideas?
Post by: Sam (Fussy_Furball) on April 29, 2007, 12:45:04 PM

I wold get the carrier out and leave it in the room so she can get used to seeing it in "normal life" rather than just every time she has to go to the vet.  I also spray our carrier with catnip spray (kookamunga is the best ... you can get it from pets at home).

To calm Rosie down you could try putting a couple of drops of  Bachs rescue rememdy in her water or on the backs of her ears.

Title: Re: rosie and the vets, any ideas?
Post by: forever_missing_my_boys(Lisa) on April 29, 2007, 13:26:20 PM

What sam said about leaving the carrier  in the room is a fab idea and it works !
i leave two of my cat carriers in the bedroom all the time with blankets in and they often sleep in them as beds  :Luv: :Luv: :Luv: :Luv: :Luv:
i dont have any probelsm getting them in there carriers when we go to the vets but i do have a problem getting them out once we r in the vets room lol :Luv:
all my cats get nervous about going to the vets but its not a huge problem they dont get overly stressed or anything ,
bridie often poohs n pees in her carrier where she gets nervous  :(

Title: Re: rosie and the vets, any ideas?
Post by: Team Svartalfheims on April 29, 2007, 13:31:25 PM

If she has a favourite treat she likes (either wet food or actual treats) then you could always put those gradually closer and closer to the carrier and eventually into it and then she'll learn to associate the carrier with treats rather than vet visits if she hates the vets. I know that won't help for this time but it will help for future vet visits.

For now I'd go with Recue Remedy either in her water or straight in her mouth and then spray some Feliway (http://www.vetuk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=149_1&products_id=333) in the carrier about 20mins before you pop her in it to help stop her getting too stressed.

Title: Re: rosie and the vets, any ideas?
Post by: Smudgey on April 29, 2007, 15:21:27 PM

Feliway do a calmin spray for just such a problem
you can spray it in the carrier and also get the vets to spray it onto their hands it's called felifriend on vetuk

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=149_1&products_id=4&zenid=8882129af84d9957843457de63d8b608

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=149_1&products_id=5
theres the links
good luck xx

Title: Re: rosie and the vets, any ideas?
Post by: Millys Mum on April 29, 2007, 15:36:33 PM

Ask your vet about using something like diazepam, a low dose calms them down. I have it for one of mine although iv chosen not to use it yet.
Its not a great option but they will have seen her reaction on her last visit!  :evillaugh:

Feliway & valerian helps my "normal" cats calm down when travelling but not my special boy  :)