First let me say I love this new box, new boxes are always fun, but this one is not necessarily good news. I will tell you why on Friday.
Last Thursday we had a visit from Upstate Home Veterinary Care. This was a first for us, a Vet actually coming to our house, and several of you were curious as to how it went. Remember, I just had a full check up so I just said hello to the Vet and the Tech, but I can tell you that it was a lot less stressful for the sisters. They didn’t have to get stuffed in a carrier and endure the ride in the evil moving box with wheels. Dad did shut the bedroom door so there was no under-the-bed opportunities and Dad moved Sister Precious from her room to the bathroom so the bed wouldn’t be a hidey spot for her either. Yes, Sister Precious is still having some pee problems.
The Vet and the Tech were absolutely wonderful, and very thorough. All in all they were at our house with my five sisters for a little over two hours. Talk about individual attention! The Vet is a very kind lady and it was quite obvious to all of us that she really loves critters as does the tech, which I think is her hubby.
One question I had is what can a home Vet do? Well, general wellness care and related diagnostics. They have a fully equipped van and they were, for example, able to do the fecal analysis right in their van. Of course they can’t do anything surgical related and things like xrays, but they work with most of the local Vets on a referral basis for those things. They brought there own scale to get the weights, and all the vaccines for their annuals, and supplies for ear cultures and things like that. Oh yes, they did bring a thermometer!
Just one of my sisters was not pleased to see them. Can you guess which sister was downright hissy, growly, and overall unpleasant to our visitors? Tell ya in a bit.
Updates…
Sister Sascha is generally healthy, but she is in need of a dental cleaning as she has a bit of calculus and moderate gingivitis. So, since that is the type of thing they cannot do in the home, Dad will be scheduling a dental cleaning for her in the near future. Otherwise Sister Sascha was deemed to be healthy. Sister Sascha is overweight and the diet word came up.
Sister Gracie, my sweet sister with asthma, might actually have allergic bronchitis either instead of or in addition to her asthma. The Vet said this because Sister Gracie has a more difficult time in allergy season and typical asthma is not usually worse with the change of the seasons. So we will be trying her on another med to see if that actually helps Sister Gracie. Otherwise sweet Gracie is healthy, but her weight is an issue as well so we’ll have to work on that for her.
As a note, the Vet is very cost oriented. She gave us a price on the med and told Dad if he could find it cheaper online he should do that to save money and she would be more than happy to call in the Rx for us.
Sister Zoe is overall very healthy. She had that compulsive grooming problem associated with allergies which is now mostly controlled with 1/4 ChlorTab daily (from WalMart, it’s an antihistamine and this Vet had recommended this because as she said “it’s dirt cheap and effective”. Sister Zoe is small and not overweight, so the “D” word just passed her by.
Sister Dolly is quite healthy too. She does have some signs of allergic dermititis around the base of her tail and it looks like a bad case of dandruff. The Vet recommended Omega 3 fatty acids (fish oil) on her food every other day. She said it wouldn’t hurt to give it to all of us as the benefits are quite good. Otherwise all is well with Sister Dolly.
Sister Precious, if you recall, was recently diagnosed with a UTI by her newest regular vet (our favorite Vet left this practice). Well, she is still having a pee problem in that, while most pees are normal, she might go back to the box and strain to do a really small pee. The Vet and Tech held her as she was quite cooperative while they took that long needle and got a good urine sample from her. The Vet wanted not only a urinalysis but a culture so she could better determine what is going on. That is beyond the capacity of their mobile van, but she dropped that sample off at a local lab after they left our place. The Vet called Friday and it is not a UTI, it is cystitus. The culture takes a couple of days but it is important to determine exactly what type so the most effective treatment can be had. Once that is determined the Vet will come back with the meds we need for this specific cystitus (sterile cystitus?). We have generally lost confidence in “that other Vet”. We also need to encourage her to drink more water so she now has her own water fountain. And she needs to transition to an all wet food diet over time.
Those are the updates. Now then, did you guess which sister was not nice and generally tried her best to be a holy terror? Well…it was…
It was Sister Sascha! I didn’t even know she knew words like that, but she sure let them fly. But they were very kind and patient and all three of them got through her exam.
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Greenville, SC
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We guessed Sister Sascha and we were right! MOL.
This vet does sound very good and thorough. Did you hang around to watch them in action with your sisters, Brian?
We used to use a vet that came to the house all the time when I had a dog…. But, then he stopped making house calls. Alex’s vet sometimes does house calls (and that is how we started with him) but we stopped. Alex got scared of visitors thinking that they would be the vet…. he is actually good in the car but doesnt use a carrier. We hold him on towels on our laps…
Cor! Our apes think that this home visiting vet clinic is a brilliant idea. We aren’t so sure and might seek out our garden hidey holes if ever such a visit happened here. Very glad you all checked out well and that the vets are making efforts to sort out Precious’ pee issues. There is such a thing as Sterile Cystitis, Oliver had it and Gerry had it once too, both after stressful events. We are now on a maintenance dose of Cystease which is a glucosamine which keeps our bladder linings in good shape. Sister Sascha’s expression is wonderful!… Read more »
Sister Sasha looks none too happy in that photo. Bet she’s glad it’s over. What a treat to have a vet visit the home; we hate the kittie box on wheels as well and sing all the way there..LOL
Awww, poor Sister Sascha…I don’t like anyone poking and prodding at me either so can’t blame her even if it is in my own house! I have never used a vet that comes to the house but I know people who do and think it is a wonderful idea!
What in da world? Da VET comes to your house???? I has nevers heard of dis. Dis is awesome fur kittehs cuz I knows ya’ll don’t likes to get in da car. And usually kitteh owners alwats has more than one kitteh.
My brudder and sissy knows allllll bouts dat D word.
Puddles
HEEhee!! we cant help giggling at sissfurr sacha swearing! we dont like the pokey people ,our mum says Vet, but we manage to be very healthy so dont go very oftn.
Blanco and Commie, weve just found a great sun puddle so were off for our nap!
I loved boxes too, little friend
I wish you a very nice day
Many purrs from
Xixo
Awwwww big big big hugs to all of you! Awwww sister Gracie!! We really hope the new meds will work for you! Sisters Dolly and Zoe! Yay for you two and fish oil sound yum! LOL! Sister Precious! Please please drink lots of water!! We hope the cystitis goes away – that’s not nice at all!
As for gorgeous sister Sascha! Me and Charlie just swooned with delight when we got to your pic! We throw ourselves at your paws and worship your very feisty fabulousness! LOL!
p.s. hope you are ok too lovely Brian!
take care
x
A home vet visit sounds much better than being crated and taken on a car journey to be ill treated and stabbed and that’s not mentioning the thermometer torture.
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
Wow sounds like the vet did a great job, very thorough indeed!
Wow, that’s pretty neat about having vets come to you. I think I would like that!
Your pal, Pip
Oh Sasha! You using unladylike words? You been taking lessons from my auntie Primrose? Hope you’re feeling better now that the doctor has left. purrs
We’re glad the visit went reasonably well…at least from the human perspective. LOL. We don’t like to hear the “d” words, though — dental and diet!
BTW, if none or some of you won’t take omega-3 oil as is or mixed with your food, Pet Naturals makes an omega-3 chewable treat. We just started getting them because Derry always has a problem with dandruff, even though we get a mostly-canned diet.
haha Sascha – we know those words too!! And yet they don’t seem to scare off our v-e-t either. Glad everyone got mostly good report cards.
Our home vet is great too – they drop off stuff for labs (but they have their own spinny thing for bloods). They don’t do surgery either but have the same arrangement yours has…..
Wow, a vet how makes housecalls! We definitely need one of those in our area!
Hope you had a great Memorial weekend!
Thanks so much for the birthday wishes for Saylor!
XOXO
The Creek Cats
How nice to have a vet that comes to your house. We hope everything goes well with the follow up issues.
Sister Sasha is looking quite pleased with herself for giving them a run for their money!
Nubbin wiggles,
Oskar
Boy, Admiral knew those words, Sister Sascha. A regular sailor’s vocabular she had! But me..things are easy for me for now. Wait till they get tougher..then we’ll see.
The rest of the girls..thank goodness that was the worst of it. Love and kisses to make it all better and Sister Precious..get better. You too Sister Gracie! And Sister Zoe, you and your sister must tell me the dose of the ChlorTab. I have some allergies too. xoxoxox
Sounds like you all got special, personalized service! Sister Sascha you look rather proud of yourself for holding your ground….and Brian, we know you were trying your best to snoopervize & keep the others on their best behavior in front of the Doc.
Here I call the Vet to our house too… is better than to lead all cats for the clinic.
Purrying to the sisters!!!
Kisses sweeties!
I have never used a home vet (yet), but I think this is an excellent idea given how stressful going to the vet’s is for my cats.
Oops, I thought I had left a comment here. Guess I didn’t press publish. Anyway, I guessed it was Sascha that was the bad little girl.
That mobil vet sounds super. Sure must be good to know what is wrong with Precious. Maybe they can finally get her fixed up. Poor thing.
Sorry I worried your Dad. He is such a good guy.
Well of course Sister Sascha was swearing. What lady cat likes to be told she is
F-A-T? Don’t worry Sascha, you are just a loving armful!
Well, we dont blame Sascha fer bein upset. Who wants their teefs cleaned? So we are guessin she probly knew about her teefs an that the vet was gonna find out.
Mom was thinking of home visits so it was good to hear that they are better than being packed up into the PTU for an outside visit and that the new vet worked out it is good to find a reliable one. Sascha those naughty words are okay in this instance as you can let the vet know about the worry I let out some of those same words as well.
That sounds like a WAY better experience than going to the clinic! I wish yours made house visits to… Los Angeles! Because we don’t seem to have many options for home-visiting vets in spite of this being such a huge city!
I am not surprised Sascha created a ruckus – I bet her mouth has been making her more unhappy than she has been letting on and it probably hurts.
That is so awesome you guys found such a loving, wonderful vet to come to your home; we are really glad you all are in such great health=good luck to lovely Sascha with the dental problems…Hope you all have a happy week ahead, sweet friends!…xoxo…Calle, Halle, Sukki
I like the sound of a home visit as much less stressful and wish they did that here. Glad you all got through ok and that the cystisis will be treated. I guessed right with Sasha mol and bet she let them have it. I must say that photo is fabulous.. HUgs GJ xx
incredible thing! a vet in your house for a personalized check up? what the!!!!
glad to know overall you’re all in good health. we’ll keep sister precious in our purrs always.
we are glad to know what’s really wrong Sister Precious. sister Sasha does not look happy at all.
don’t you just hate when they bring up that D word! sounds like everyone is generally in good shape, with a few kinks to work out. so good news! I hope sister Precious feels better soon. I have allergies too, so I can relate with your sisters, it can be a itchy sneezing problem. thanks for the update 🙂
TW has heard that fish oil is good for us and would like to know how much to try to give me. I notice you said every other day but didn’t say what amount. That first graph about the box sounds very ominous.
We have lost confidence in the Vet Momma has been taking all of us to since she had cats. They diagnosed me with IBD when I don’t have IBD. I do get very bad upset tummies when Momma tried to change my food, and I got very sick when she tried to do that a few months ago, but I am tip top totally fine with that. Momma is stumped at what to do. But she’ll figure it all out. We are so glad things went so well and we hope everyone is happy with the new Vet (as happy… Read more »
I agree about Sister Sascha’s expression! She looks like she is saying “Don’t you EVER try that again!!” lol
I am interested in hearing more about the cat w/the skin allergies. Cody has hot spots again right now, do any of yours have that?
We guessed it was sister Sascha and we love her expression. That sounds like a very good and caring vet. Our mum used to work for a vet when dinosaurs still roamed and home visits was routine every day after surgery.
That’s wonderful that you all get to have vet visits at home. I’m really intrigued by that and I’m hoping that has caught on where I live. I haven’t been able to get Dylan to the vet in forever — he’s so stressed about it.
You have wonderful parents, kitties, to do something this special for you.
We’re glad to hear you all are generally healthy! We would love to have home vet visits, and our mom is checking to see if there are any in our area. Now Sister Sascha! We are impressed to hear you gave the home vet as much trouble as an office vet!!
Well Sister Sascha has my total support…I hate the whole concept of ‘vet visit’, whether I go or they come here…no matter what the venue…ya always gotta get that stick in the private part…aarrrggghhh…so humiliating! That said, good to know efurryone is pretty OK…I had the UTI thingy when I first came to my furrever home, in fact my Dad and Mom discovered it…no one at my former shelter had a clue…sending soothing purrs to all
We used to get housecalls but these days we wander over to the practice. It’s a tad more stressful for Au but Target is easier to handle outside the house. Loooove the look on Sister Sascha’s face! And we hope you fix those health problems now for good. The new vet sounds super!
Well, Sister Sascha doesn’t look happy–I wouldn’t want to mess with her, but the Vet was doing stuff for her Sascha own good. Maybe I shoulda been there to hold her paw??
Noir
Oh beautiful Sascha, You does not look like a happy girl! But I bet you are happy now because you drove those bad, nasty peoples AWAY, right out of YOUR house! Hurray!
Wowwie! The vet comes to your house? That is so cool.me wishes Dr Carole did that. Me is happy that the sisters is A-OK and me thinks sister Sacha is a great CFH! Me was at the vet’s today to has my shots. last time me was there me had cystitus. Me went in and me was a good girl. Me ley them take my temperature, me let them cut my claws and me did not turn into a Ninja kitty at all. Those Calming treats is really working! Me may has to give up my Cat from Hell title!… Read more »
Well, we don’t blame Sister Sascha! If someone used the “D” word around us, we’d have a few choice words, too.
What a great way to visit the Vet! …well, if a Vet must be visited that is. ; )
Katie has a TERRIBLE time at the Vet. One minute she’s quiet and sweet at home. We arrive at the Vet and she is a BEAST. She’s still hate anyone that came to our house, but it would have to be less stressful than the Vet’s office!
Thanks for sharing your experience. It was very interesting AND helpful.
: ) Glogirly
I think Sascha and Banjo have the same attitude when it comes to vets! That’s nice that your vet does home visits. It makes it a little easier I think. I hope all you kitties stay healthy!
xo Catherine
Glad you are all doing better well!!
Sascha does not look happy in that photo. We have had one home visit and it is much better than being in the carrier-although Mr. M. just does not like the scent of the vet at all-still better than the car ride.
Precious-I hope the fountain works for you-it is a great idea. We love ours in fact we also play with it and knock the lid off.
Gracie, I hope your asthma is all figured out-that is just not fun.