The importance of your cat's YEARLY vet visit

[jenluckenbach]

Yesterday Willow was diagnosed with a grade 3 heart murmur, but this thread is not about that. This thread is about how I did my cat Willow an injustice by trying to save a few dollars.

Let's start at the beginning:
In 2001 when I first got Willow he went to the vet for his first shots and exam.
By the same time in 2002 I said to myself "The cats do not need to go every year, I can save quite a bit of money if this year I just take them to a shot clinic and then next year we will get the whole physical".
Now it it 2003 and we got this report about his heart and the vet (I changed vet) asked if his heart had ever listened to before because she wondered if the murmur had been there or not. WELL..............he was not examined last year so there was no comparison to be had.

The bottom line is your pets deserve to have PREVENTATIVE care.

[IttyBittyKitty]

We should definitely take our pets at least once a year to the White Coats, if only to keep their vaccinations up to date.

At the same time, however, don't beat yourself up over it! It is so easy to get blase about vet's visits when you have had a year of good health with your pets.

I can only imagine what your vet bill must be like! ... not to mention taking 13 kitties to the White Coats!

[Pam]

Jen, no one could ever accuse you of being a bad cat mommy so no more bad-mouthing yourself, OK? I can certainly understand, with the size of your "family," the desire to make vet visits more financially manageable. You make a good point about the yearly exam though. We tend to think of the shots as the most important part of their exam but it is all equally important. Even that glass thing with the numbers on it that Trevor dislikes so much can give us some insight as to how kitty is doing. I appreciate your bringing this topic up and I am sorry to hear of Willow's diagnosis. Excuse my ignorance, but what is a grade 3 heart murmur? It is worse the higher the number? Is there any treatment planned for Willow? **Hugs** to Willow and also to you.

[HayleyRosie]

Jen, I am so sorry to hear about Willow. I also agree with the yearly vet visits. I just convinced my MIL to take her new little kitten to the vet for his first check up. They had cats before but only took them to the vet when they thought something was wrong. I think she understands the importance of the vet visits now and I think little Buddy will visit the vet yearly. Hayley don't have to go to the vet again until March for her yearly check up and little Mandy has to be spayed next month.

[kimlovescats]

Jen.... We all have to cut corners financially at one time or another... even with our human kids!!! Don't beat yourself up over this! We all do the best we can by our babies, and there is no doubt that you do!

[Edwina's Secretary]

I have a heart murmur and have since I was born. Some doctors hear it ..others don't. It has never impacted my life.

It is entirely possible that even if you had taken Willow last year, the vet would not have heard the murmur!

[Steffi N]

Jen, please don’t run yourself down for what happened. Please let us know how Willow is doing and if she will need any treatment. I hope the murmur is not a sign of any other problems and that Willow is in good health otherwise.

[jenluckenbach]

But I am not really beating myself up. But I am trying to convince those who "only go to the vet when the pet is sick" that maybe that is not correct thinking.
This problem is one that needs monitoring, no treatment at this time. But it COULD have been something ELSE!!
I need to do my research (and thanks to K&L for the links you PM'd me). I'll let you know if I learn anything.

[K & L]

Jen
Please keep us posted. Maybe this is something Willow's had all along and will be nothing but a murmur. From what I've read you don't need to worry until they start showing other signs, i.e., lethargy, lack of appetite, etc. XOXO for you and Willow!

[boscibo]

I have taken my cats in yearly (but then again, I only have 3). A few years back I changed vets because it was easier just to take all the animals to one vet (long story - when I met Jeff, he used a diff. vet. When I was really busy at work, he took the animals to his vet. So eventually I switched over to his vet).

At the new vet, she detected Bo had a heart murmur, and my old vet had never mentioned it - and she was a very good vet.

So long story short, Bo has had a heart murmur for who knows how long. He's never had any problems yet because of it. He's 13 now, and I hope his ticker keeps ticking for years to come!

[slick]

Thanks for giving me the kick in the butt I needed. Max and Specks have not been for a general checkup for about two years, although the vet has drawn blood on each of them for various problems. They are both healthy right now but who knows. Thanks.

[Lorraine]

sorry to hear about Willow, I'm sure she will do fine, she has a great kitty mommy! sending a prayer, and ear scratchies to Willow!

[carole]

Jen is right,, my vets letter always says your yearly visit is like going every 7 years for a cat, so i always try and keep that appointment.

[wolflady]

Jen, sorry to hear about Willow, but I'm glad that it has been detected and can hopefully be treated??

I fall in the bad meowmie category, because I haven't taken my cats (aside from Sergei) to the vet in over a year. The last time I took Marius in for routine shots, he spent the weekend throwing up blood and I have been scared ever since to take them back.

I am supposed to take Sergei in on Monday for his first round of shots after the neuter surgery, which I am planning to do because I really don't know anything about his background and I don't want my cats to catch anything if he is perhaps carrying something. In any case, it's not excuse and I really should get off my duff and take Marius and Scooter to the vet this year!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Jen, I'm so sorry to hear about Willow's heart murmur. I sure hope it's nothing serious or at least treatable. I also believe in taking all of my cats to the vet for an annual exam and their shots. I feel it's better to be safe than sorry. Although I hate to go to the doctor, I also go every year to get my pap smear, mammagram, and every other year I have my cholesterol done. My father also has a slight heart murmur and it wasn't detected until he was in his late forties. One of my doctors also detected a slight heart murmur in me. My current doctor hasn't detected one so far.

I believe that not all heart murmurs are always detected and some are so small that it's almost impossible to hear them. I think I've also heard that people can outgrow them but I'm not sure this is true. My point is that even if you did take Willow to the vet last year, the vet may have not been able to detect his heart murmur. Please take care and keep us updated on Willow's condition.