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! :eek: ... 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.

[marysmerrycats]

you can't blame yourself for that.. you are one of the most conscientous(I know I misspelled that) cat owners I know of. just be glad the vet found it now, grade 3, what is that? is it mild or serious?
how old is willow?

these things happen, it is not your fault. now that you know about it I'm sure willow will get the best of care. he is lucky to have you as his"mom"!

about the yearly vet visits, I will take your advice... the vet told me that after the cats are older, one year + they only need to get their shots every 3 years... but I think I will take them for a physical every year regardless.

so what is being done about Willow now? please let me know.

[jenluckenbach]

Willow is fine. Since heart murmurs are graded 1 to 6 then I'd say 3 is just below "middle of the road". They will not actually DO anything for him right now. I am just suppose to be aware of any possible symptoms that suggest cardiomyopathy. What they will do, is year to year they will COMPARE what they hear.

I realize the vets may or may not have heard it last year, but my concern is "what if it were something more serious" Something where a year could have made the differnce between life and death. THAT was my point. After all, last year was the first year I ever skipped my cats yearly physical, and I did it with 4 of the others, too. :( I said to my self "They are young and healthy, they can get away with every other year" I never even considered skipping with my older cats, the ones much more likely to actually NEED to be checked.

So I just wanted to spare anyone else from wishing they had not cut corners.

[BastetsMum]

I take Bastet twice a year. The reason is she is a purebred and doesn't have a strong immunity compared to mutt cats (don't take that offensively please).

She is also a companion pet so as part o fme having her she needs to have regular vet checkups. I agree with you Jen though but I also understand the financial considerations of pet care. I went and did a first aid course for cats a while back and it has been a life saver on a couple of occasions (not with Bastet mind you but with friend's cats).

Maybe that is the way to go. See if your vet or a local vet offers these kind of courses?

[marysmerrycats]

well you can't upset yourself over what ifs... at least they know the problem now... I am also trying to not take my cats to the vet if it can be helped... so you did nothing wrong. but I know your point was to get them the yearly vet visit. just wanted to tell you that. it is natural to think that with young cats , they don't need as much check ups.

Im really thinking about Cassie, I don't want to run there at the drop of a hat, but then toehr times I think well maybe..but she was checked not long ago..

[K & L]

Jen, how's Willow?

[jenluckenbach]

Willow is perfectly fine, Thanks for asking. The only way we will really DO anything is if he shows symptoms, but he is GOOD.