Vet visits for young and old
Last week Boris Giles went to the vet for his first annual checkup and vaccinations. A couple of weeks ago Princess went to the vet on a semi-emergency visit and was back again today, but we at least caught her pre-emergency.
In a way I was actually looking forward to taking Boris Giles to the vet. Although he had health problems early on, he's been a picture of health ever since and has grown into a big, glossy, beautiful 18-month-old feline with splendidly bright eyes, magnificent teeth (seriously - I'm a little bit in love with those teeth), and a gentle if skittish personality. I thought he might be about 6kg, and so he weighed in at a healthy 5.85kg of fur and muscle.
On the other hand, Boris Giles is definitely shy, jumpy, and especially head-shy, so I wondered how well he would take to highly personal handling even from the efficient Dr Laura. I wondered how we'd cope with a big powerful cat in full panic mode, and prepared for blood. I wondered too how I'd do with boxing him, since he's not very keen on being picked up. Fortunately over the last year I've been carefully picking him up and holding him for very short periods to get used to the idea, and while he'll never really be an arm cat, he was calm (and inexperienced) enough to let me capture him on the first go.
Boris Giles did not appreciate being squeezed into a cage.
Oh no.
His normal voice is incongruously soft and squeaky, but behind bars he discovered his full-throated Miaow Of Disapproval. Got lungs on him, that cat. This noise continued uninterrupted pretty much until he got on the table.
He didn't enjoy his examination, but at worst he only squirmed, and there was no deployment of claws or teeth. Rather than struggle, he snuggled into me for comfort which was enormously gratifying, considering I was the scum who did this to him. Worming ended up being effortless, much to my amazement, but Dr Laura said it was his inexperience - next time he'd know better and it would be significantly more interesting. He went back in the box with a bit more resistance than he'd gone in, and I was certain that I'd never have as easy a time of it again. Hopefully this will only happen once per year for many years to come.
There was some more howling on the way home, but when I released him I was really surprised he didn't skitter off at top speed for a dignity-restoring wash, re-gathering of wits, and planning of dire revenge. Instead he walked a few steps away from the box and calmly sprawled on the tiles. He let me approach, and purred loudly when I stroked him. I was hugely pleased by this, as I took it to mean he finds myself and home instantly calming. He's such a nice cat.
Now Princess.
Yesterday I found a patch of wee a few metres from a tray and it looked like Princess had been caught short on her way there. This was not entirely unexpected as it was just over two weeks since she'd been treated for a bladder infection, and the antibiotics had a two-week lifespan. We'd tapered off her steroids but immediately gave her another dose, and got her to the vet today. Dr Laura wasn't available, but Princess had started to look more uncomfortable, and remembering how quickly she'd deteriorated before, we saw a different vet who's name I can't recall. Whoops. Dr S something. Possibly Sharni?
I'd thought we could just get another shot of antibiotics to have another go at wiping out the infection, but because it was a different vet who didn't know either me or Princess' history we ended up having quite a long consultation. We went through Princess's feeding and elimination habits, her personality and medical history, all of which Dr Laura has on tap in memory. I got extra quizzing because Dr S doesn't know how much I know either. It took a good minute or two to establish that I was fine with Princess getting an injection rather than dealing with giving her extra oral medication. I couldn't even tell that was what she was after, because we had to go through how well she took pills and liquids and so on... I knew it was worth establishing a long-term relationship with the same vet, and I'm grateful I've been able to schedule around Dr Laura's shifts, but today really brought that home.
On the other hand, a second opinion is not to be sneezed at. Poor Princess had to submit to having her temperature taken, her anal glands squeezed, and a wee sample taken. The latter took three people. Princess was horrified and deeply ashamed but produced a bucket-load. With the notable exception of the only partially-productive anal glad squeezing, she generally just squirmed and hid her head in my tummy. While the vet was doing the more unspeakable things she put up significantly more resistance, but tipping the scales at about 3.2kg and with blunt claws she didn't do any serious damage. I might get a small bruise in one spot where she managed to dig in. She has lost a couple of hundred grams in the last two weeks which is a bit of a concern. Probably left about that much fur on the table as well.
In the end we left with... another shot of antibiotics, most likely to deal with a recurrence of her bladder infection. This one is a bit stronger than the last, but pretty much what we came for. I'm to watch her, and if she wees blood again, try to collect some and bring her back in. Oh, and keep up the steroids (Well duh.)
(Sorry.)
So indeed, a very long way around to exactly where we started, but it was worth it. Poor Princess is quite traumatised though, and I've had to interrupt this entry several times to go respond to loud wails from another room. Frankly this time she deserves to wail, and I shall hold her paw and leave a light on as required. Her wheels really are starting to fall off :-(