Is it safe to have cat sedated for vet visit?

Good morning all, I just have a question about the safety of having a cat sedated for a vet examination.  My cat Posie is 5 1/2 years old, and gets very aggressive when I take her to the vet, and the last time I took her in for her rabies shot the vet and his assistant had a hard time restraining her long enough to administer the shot.  He told me then that she would probably need to be sedated the next time I brought her in.  I have taken her to other vets before as well, and she acts the same way with them.  The reason I am taking her in is because I just feel something is "off", and she has not been eating well, and is licking her lips a lot.  She has been exhibiting more aggressive tendencies toward myself and my husband, even attacking my husband 3 times over the past month.  I am hoping to find out if there are any medical issues causing this increasing aggression, and also I want to ease my mind that she is okay since she has never had a "proper" examination due to how aggressive she gets at the vet's office.  Do any of you have to have your cats sedated for vet visits?  If so, is there a certain type of sedation I should ask for (i.e. pill, shot, etc)?  Thanks in advance for any responses.

It sounds like she certainly needs a thorough exam including labs.  Licking lips is a sign of nausea which would also explain why she is eating less.  It could also  explain the aggression, she doesn't feel well.  I haven't had a cat sedated for a vet visit but I think if it is necessary for a thorough exam then it should be done.  I don't know anything about it though.  I would call the vet's office, explain her symptoms and take it from there.

Thank you Denice.  I have called the vet's office and I have asked them if I can bring her in tomorrow morning.  I asked them what type of sedation they would give her, and she said it is up to the veterinarian, but it would either be a tranquilizer shot or gas anesthesia.  I am very nervous about having her sedated, but I know that is the only way they will be able to examine her.  Praying that all goes well with this.

Just thought of something else; it is always such a struggle to get her into the carrier when I take her to the vet.  I have some Rescue Remedy, the pet version with no alcohol in it; I wondered if anyone knows if it would be safe to give that to her maybe tonight and tomorrow morning before I attempt to take her in?  I didn't know if that would be a bad idea since she will be sedated at the vet's tomorrow.  Thanks again for any advice.

You can get you vet to writet out a script for gabapentin and give it to her about two hours before you take her in. It's not going to knock her out but she just won't care about about anything for a few hours.

Thanks MingsMongols!  I appreciate the advice.

No problem. Be warned though that cats on gabapentin act loopy for up to twelve hours. They loose the ability to be aggressive. Role around, run around like there catching an imaginary mouse, and in general act like their hopped up on grade A cat nip.

There's the human kind which has xylitol that's controversial. Although the pet poison hotline says xylitol doesn't effect cats. Then theirs the pet kind without xylitol.

Thanks!

Just mentioning - according to my vet sedation is much safer than Anesthesia.  WIth the latter, the animal must be on a machine to breath.  According to him, there is a racket using anesthesia and teeth cleaning.  According to him, a vet is not required to administer anesthesia during a teeth cleaning procedure.  Sedation on the other hand uses controlled drugs that can only be administered by vets.  According to him, a clinic will use non vets for the cleaning procedure to save money (and hence anesthesia is used).  He claims the risk to the pet is much higher using anesthesia.

Thanks Motu!