RE: Hard to vet

[Chris]

BB lets me do just about anything to him except pick him up—so holding him is tough unless he decides to jump on my lap or climb on top of me as I’m going to sleep!  We’re working on it and I have to say that I am really amazed at how much he has learned to trust in the last year or so.  Of the small group I was feeding outside, he was the slowest to warm up to me & let me pet him.  To this day, he runs (just out of reach) if you move your hand too fast towards him & is terrified of belts—My guess is that he’s got some bad history there--   Chris [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nina Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 2:11 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Hard to vet   Just a thought...  Big Boy, along with everyone else who freaks at the vet's office, has a good reason for doing so.  I've thought about doing what I'm about to talk about before, but who has the time?  When I took Grace in to the vet last time she was much calmer.  I know that had a lot to do with my attitude, but I also think it had something to do with the fact that the last time we were there, nothing bad happened to her, if you recall she was so stressed she never got examined.  I did take her out of the carrier while I waited for the vet and she fell asleep on my lap hiding in a towel.  Everybody is scared of the carrier because nothing good ever comes from it!  I'm thinking a little reconditioning might help.  Carrier trips that end with something benign, or better yet, enjoyable.  Maybe even trips to the vet during quiet hours until he see that it's not so terrible.  I don't know, if you had the time, it might help. Nina Chris wrote: I agree that every medication has potential serious side effects and I guess we all weigh the risks of giving it to the little guys.   With my Big Boy, I know that by now I could get him into the carrier & get to vet, but problem comes in when we get there….  He absolutely goes wild & they have to hold him down with one of those long nets at the end of a pole.  Its almost impossible for them to draw blood and do a general exam.  Believe me, we have made vet visits (3 in all) only when absolutely necessary!  He has come a LONG way since those initial visits and I am hoping that by the time of next visit later this year, he will have gone even further & we can go without meds….. I had a potential adoptive home for him who backed out at the last minute because of this issue.   My other cats put up a fuss at getting into the carrier (you know, extend those arms to 3’ feet wide!), but they’re all marshmellows in the vets office.        Chris [EMAIL PROTECTED]