Cues for Vet Visits - CatAge Companion, Oct 23 2007

Cues for Vet Visits October 23, 2007

Cats are experts at hiding pain, making it tough to know when they need a trip to the vet. With early detection and disease prevention in mind, here are some early signs of illness in felines:

* Prolonged vomiting, constipation, or diarrhea
* Fever, poor appetite, decreased or increased water consumption
* Rapid, shallow, labored, or raspy breathing
* Poor motor coordination, staggering, lameness, or collapse
* Panting, pacing, or agitation
* Lethargy, withdrawal, or hiding
* Persistent sneezing or coughing, runny nose and eyes
* Bad breath or body odor
* Pale gums, tongue, or ears
* Lumps

This list is by no means exhaustive, so if you're ever in doubt, call your vet.

Good points to post for people to look for.

At work we make appointments we catagorize as 'ADR' which stands for 'Ain't Doin' Right'. This catagory covers pets who's owners can't quite pin things down but the animal just isn't acting quite like themselves. Frequently this can be a sign of something that would later be more severe if owners hadn't been paying close attention to realize 'something' was different about their pet's behavior.

Thank you for posting this reminder of things to look for in our pets.

Excellant info for everyone to know...thanks for sharing it with us!