Advice re Bloods please

[Shelly and Dora]

Hi.

As most of you know Dora's been on Metacam for a while now. She's 6 and has arthritis in her left back ankle. In the last 3 to 4 months I've really worked hard to manage her Metacam intake over a period of time & she's now on 6th of a dose (re body weight) one day, nothing the next, so effectively she's on 12th dose re weight.

I absolutely understand that there will be times when I need to up the dose for a while but whilst she is clearly coping admirably I'm very happy to continue as I am.

Last year when she went for her boosters I got the vet to take full bloods because of the Metacam intake. It was absolutely horrendous. She screamed and screamed, the vet asked me to leave the room (I get on very well with my vet and I understand her logic), however I then sobbed and wailed in the waiting room whilst Dora howled in the treatment room. Afterwards she took weeks to get over it whereas normally she's fine as soon as we walk in the door at home.

Dora is an indoor girl and she hates vets trips and most of the time my vet will see me without Dora present, trust my judgement of how my girl is feeling and we go from there. So actually, booster time is the only time Dora has to endure the trip. She's always coped (sulked & hissed/growled etc but coped). The bloods last year was thoroughly hideous though.

So, can I have some guidance please. Should I ask the vet for a complete set of bloods again this year? (Booster aptmt booked for 27/5) As the Metacam dose is minimal should I not worry about bloods? Is it worth putting us both through the trauma? What do I gain if I have bloods done and they come back with 'issues'? Would those 'issues' be treatable with early diagnosis and therefore make the bloods trauma worthwhile?

Thanks in advance.

Shelly

[JulieandBarney]

Hi Shelley, though I have no practical advice as such, I can only speak for how I would feel, the fact that Dora 'screamed and screamed' last time would decide for me....no animal in this day and age should have to go through that, I have never personally heard this from any of my pets in this situation, though Barney hates his temperature taken, and finds it traumatic, if I ever heard him scream, I would seriously be questioning my vet ! ......I really would find it hard to put Barney through that unless my vet would sedate him or find an alternative method......it must be so hard for you....sorry I can't be more help but I could not put him though that....if it's a few moments of discomfort, then yes I understand, but to scream.....I am not so sure.......personally I could not do it though I am sure others will say I should ......you know Dora best Shelley.....do what YOU feel is right........xx

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

Morning Shelly!

Because Pepsi is an old girl I am keen to have her bloods done reasonably regularly because I want to keep on top of the typical issues which her age could amplify such as kidneys, liver, thyroid etc. In the 18 months she's been with us she has had bloods 5/6 titmes, twice with apparently dire diagnoses which were retracted soon afterwards, thank goodness. Pepsi is pretty good at YKW but the last time the vet attempted to take blood she wasn't having it. She didn't scream but she struggled and was getting so stressed he was ready to give up. But one of the older vet nurses took charge and suggested handling Pepsi more lightly, barely restraining her at all, and she relaxed and let him take blood. I don't know why she had resisted so much to begin with but I guess he simply got off on the wrong track with her. I know how she felt. When I had a camera out down my throat last time at the Voice Clinic, neither I nor the consultant could get it right and I was I tears and on the verge of walking out. The first time he'd done it on a previous visit, it had been fine. So I wonder if your vet just got it wrong last time but it doesn't necessarily mean that Dora would have such a bad reaction again? Is there a nice vet nurse who can be with her? Or even a different vet in the practice?

But to answer your real question I would ask the vet about bloods re the Metacam. They may want to err on the side of caution because she is so young. Mark will have something useful to say, as will Anna I imagine, but their furbabes are/were old like Pepz and the concern is more for quality of life in old she then wanting to prevent problems developing in a young cat. Why not message them directly, Shelly. Xx

[meriad]

have a word with the Vet Shelly - given Dora is only 6 there generally wouldn't be a need for the blood tests but as you say the metacam does throw a different light on the matter. Personally I'd probably always err on the side of caution and have the bloods done at least once a year.

With my Molly I had the bloods done every 3 or 6 months; depending on the previous results - but she was a much older cat and there were other areas to monitor as well.

As for Dora screaming - I would suspect she was just spitting mad at being where she was and angry; hence the screaming. If the vet does decide on the bloods then may I suggest that you take her in; and then leave the consulting room and actually go outside until it's done. Dora WILL be fine - she's just letting them know that she's rather put out. Not forgetting; she's a tortie - they have attitude!! My Jamie who's also a tortie is the only one of my lot who will spend most of the time on the consulting table growling away at anyone who cares to listen

[Kay]

as I've mentioned before, my Trigger had loads of blood tests when he was HyperT, and freaked out at first because he was terrified of the buzzing razor the vet used to shave his neck - as soon as he switched to cutting his fur with scissors, Trigger was absolutely fine about the whole process

could this be the case with Dora?

[Pinkglitter1]

Hi,

Poor Dora

I am interested for my own knowledge, why the need for bloods with metacam? What are the possible outcomes of use?

x

[HRHFluffy]

Hi Shelly

I completely understand your predicament. I had a horrible experience with Fluffy in February when they tried to do her bloods but because she cried out and got so stressed they gave up. That cry of hers really haunted me. I was so upset.

Last month when I went, I spoke to the nurse the day before about my concerns and also the vet on the day. They suggested that Fluffy might have been worse because I was in the room with her. They said she could have been crying and expecting me to save her. I must admit that normally in the past I have never been with any of my pets whilst they've had a blood test. So when I went this last time, they took her in the back and used very quiet clippers. They brought her back and said she was absolutely fine. They said that cats are usually better without their owners present. So that is one option.

Another option is to not have the blood test at all. The vet suggested something to me which I will do next time with Fluffy. If it is mainly the kidneys that the vet wants to check, then getting Dora to do a urine sample would give a very good indication of what is going on with her kidneys. When my vet suggested this I asked whether this would be good enough to check Fluffy's kidneys instead of another blood test and he said it would. So that is what I will do next time instead of a blood test. Dora won't need to go into the vet at all. You collect special litter from the vet, put it in the tray, Dora does her wee wees on it and you take the sample back to the vet. In my case, Fluffy can be very particular about the kind of litter she will use, so that is the only problem I can see.

Hope this helps a little. I know how distressing it can be. I am the one that normally needs the sedation xx

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

That is really handy to know, Carol. I hope our vet offers the special litter for urine samples in case we ever need it. I shall ask. The only issue we would have would be 'Who's been weeing in my tray?!' as they are not fussy about which of four trays they use. So Weegate would be on as I followed the particular patient around hoping to catch them in action and strike whilst the wee wee was hot!

[Shelly and Dora]

Hi everyone & thank you for you input.

I have taken a wee sample from Dora before and like Fluffy she is a fussy girl..... Only the best litter will do apparently. Anyway, rather than use the litter I watched her like a hawk and at the precise moment she jumped in the tray for a wee I placed one of those plastic things you use to cook a poached egg in the microwave under the necessary area & just caught the wee that way!!

When I walked in the vets I got some very strange looks.....

I'm off tomorrow for a certain young ladies Gotcha day so think I'll call the vets and have a chat.

Thanks everyone x