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Look at my poor baby :( Destressing ideas?

post #1 of 17
3/8/11 at 11:33am
Thread Starter 




So my poor Leya went for her yearly vet check up and the drooling happened again Last year was the first time it ever happened and I was hoping it was a fluke. I guess it's not Leya is blind and the reason she went blind was because of her spay surgery (there is a 1% chance that will happen). Ever since then she is terrified of the vet.

I cannot put her in a kennel of any sort ever since she went blind because she gets really scared. She pukes, pees, and poops if I do that (even just in the house is she gets trapped somewhere). I have to put her on the floor of my car whenever I take her somewhere. The vet thinks it's the car ride that makes her drool, because she stops once she's in the office. I used to take her on rides often, and she never drooled. I stopped taking her for rides after the last vet check up just in case it is the car rides.

Anyhow she's terrified of the vet, and I was wondering if there was something that could help her be less stressed that is safe. When I get her home she sleeps on our bed for the entire day, doesn't get up to eat, use the bathroom, nothing. You can tell she is exhausted.
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post #2 of 17
3/8/11 at 11:50am
Have you tried a mobile vet or is your vet willing to make a house call? Also, you might talk to him/her about a pre-visit sedative.
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post #3 of 17
3/8/11 at 11:57am
Thread Starter 
I have no idea if they do that, I've never heard of it for small pets in our area so I'm guessing they don't, but I'll ask. I have heard about 'treats' that relax your cat. I wasn't sure if there was anything like those treats that were safe and worked. I'm a little leery of sedating her. It scares me to sedate anything since she went blind.

I forgot to say the vet office is literally down the street from me, so Leya is in the car for 3-4 minutes max.
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post #4 of 17
3/8/11 at 12:14pm
Poor Leya!!! It is stressful on most cats to go to the vet, but her being blind must be terrifying. I would definitely consider a mobile vet for Leya. There are many available and hopefully there is one in your area. Your vet is very close to your house though. My vet, too, is only about five minutes drive from my house.

There are homeopathic remedies for anxiety. Rescue Remedy is one. I put three drops on my cats tongue before we go, but I don't think it works that great. They still get very nervous.
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post #5 of 17
3/8/11 at 12:56pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah, it's sad It almost makes me cry because I feel so bad for her. I will ask about a home visit just in case she will do it. I'm in a small rural town that shares the vet with another town 20 minutes from here. She's only in our town 2-3 days a week, depending on the week.

If all else fails I can use something like you use to take the edge off at the very least.
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post #6 of 17
3/8/11 at 3:58pm
Lynxx would spit up and drool in the car to the vet, and on the way home. He didn't start that up until he was an adult. He used to be fine in the car until he was about 2. We thought it was because of motion sickness, or just because he was stressed knowing he was going to the vet.
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post #7 of 17
3/8/11 at 4:13pm
Two days before the vet visit, take a small soft towel and saturate it with Feliway Spray. Put it into her carrier- Go to www.harpofhope.com and order Dr. Diane's Animal Therapy CD. Play the CD in the car during the drive to the vet. These should help- poor kitty. My Shell drools like that too, but she has major health issues with her mouth.
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post #8 of 17
3/9/11 at 9:33pm
My goodness! Poor Leya! I don't blame her for being so stressed out!

I feel like a broken record, as I reccomend this to so many different people both on the forum and off - but have you tried a calming collar? It works just like feliway, but I think it has a much stronger affect since it's right around their necks. It has worked miracles for me on a variety of different issues I've had.

I think this company should soon pay me to be a spokesperson.

In the US - a company called Sentry makes it and it can be found in stores like petco or petsmart. Not sure where to find it in the UK - but it is typically called a "calming pheromone collar".

Good luck, and much love and scritches to Leya!
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post #9 of 17
3/9/11 at 10:49pm
Since she enjoyed car rides before, you might try taking her out for a short ride when you're not going to the vet. Even if it's just around the block, after three or four times out she might get the idea that going in the car isn't so bad. Don't give up on it after just one or two tries, but watch her closely. You don't want to continue for too long if she seems to be getting more stressed.
Sending destressing for both Leya and you.
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post #10 of 17
3/10/11 at 1:53am
Oh bless her little heart . Hissy is right on the Feliway though. When l moved house l sprayed it every where inside their carriers, and all over their blankets 30 minutes before we set off.

Also, Bachs Rescue Remedy in her water!. I swore by that as well when l brought Jack home

Sometimes Sophie starts panting in the car, but my vet is only about 5 minutes away.
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post #11 of 17
3/13/11 at 2:28pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you so much for the advice everyone! I'm super sick, yet another sinus infection and ear infection in both ears It sounds like I have a lot of great things to try out! I've heard of that Feliway stuff, but wanted to make sure people thought it was safe!
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post #12 of 17
3/13/11 at 2:49pm
Aww - my little girl drooled all over the vet at the last visit - she's brave as a lion at home, but absolutely detests the car ride and the vet's office.

I've done the Feliway spray in the carrier (which comes out weeks before the visit) and seems to help a bit. I also cover the carrier with a towel during the ride, and put the towel on the examination table as well.

And, it never hurts to ask about a home visit - my vets' practice does that routinely, but we're in a suburb with three practices within two miles of each other. I think it costs a bit more, but it could be well worth it.

And I'd definitely ask the vet for their advice as well.
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post #13 of 17
3/13/11 at 3:26pm
Awww Bless her sweet heart My Joey is a nervous Nellie, I use this for him when he's stressed and it works for him http://www.bottledblessings.com/stor...s-relief.html/
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post #14 of 17
3/13/11 at 3:36pm
I'd take the path of least resistance, so if she likes the floor, then the floor it is. You can still just put the towel w/ Feliway on the floor.

I wouldn't subject kitty to repeat rides to desensitize, since you rarely need to drive with her and I feel like it'd be similar to just throwing spiders at an arachnophobe and hoping eventually they figure out it won't hurt them. *shrugs*

IMO, I'd consult the vet on an appropriate sedative perhaps in a favorite treat to give before the visit, but test it at home first to see how she responds. I'm not big on drugs, but you'd rarely need to administer it, and it seems to me would be healthier than having to endure the high stress.
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post #15 of 17
3/14/11 at 6:54pm
Thread Starter 
And thanks guys for all the great ideas! The spray on a towel is a great idea. I can spray my car and a towel for her. That way I can bring the towel in with me and she can lay on it. Great idea!
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post #16 of 17
3/15/11 at 10:02pm
The first idea that came to me when you mentioned that the vet was right up the street was that maybe you could walk her there, and forgo the car trip at all? You mentioned it is only 4-5 minutes by car, I would think that would only be a few minutes on foot.

If you trained her to be used to a harness and leash, even if she didn't walk on it like a dog but just as a restraint so she couldn't run away from you or anything if she got spooked, you could just put that on her and walk to the vet carrying her. You could take her for walks in your yard regularly to get her used to it throughout the year, so the trip the vet wouldn't be a big deal.

Just an idea.
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post #17 of 17
3/16/11 at 5:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CruiserMaiden View Post

If you trained her to be used to a harness and leash, even if she didn't walk on it like a dog but just as a restraint so she couldn't run away from you or anything if she got spooked, you could just put that on her and walk to the vet carrying her. You could take her for walks in your yard regularly to get her used to it throughout the year, so the trip the vet wouldn't be a big deal.

Just an idea.
The problem is Leya is blind. I am not sure but harness training and going on walks may be more stressful than a car ride.
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