What to Expect During a Veterinary Visit

If you have never taken your pet to the veterinarian yet or you always take your pet to your veterinarian, here are some things to expect and you should ask for if your veterinarian does not do them.

First off, usually the veterinary technician will take your cat’s temperature and weight and may or may not ask you simple questions as to why the pet is there and anything else you have observed in your pet. Different vets run their hospitals in different ways, some techs are extremely involved in the care and treatment of your pet while others are expected to only assist the veterinarian in a more supervised setting. Either way, the technicians are qualified to treat your pet.

The veterinarian will then enter the room and carry out the complete examination. The vet will look with an otoscope into your cat’s ears, with an ophthalmoscope into your cat’s eyes and will look into your cat’s throat and at their teeth usually while feeling the glands in the throat area. They will then palpate your cat’s abdomen feeling the kidneys for size, shape, and texture. They will also take notice of your cats skin and fur and will probably ask what type of food you are feeding your cat. If your vet skips any of these points, please ask them to check those areas, it is part of the exam and means a thorough exam for your pet.

If your pet is an indoor/outdoor or outdoor cat the vet will insist upon a fecal (test of the feces for parasite eggs or egg sacs). If any eggs are found, your pet will be dewormed and according to which type of worm it is usually a second treatment is required in two weeks. A heartworm test may also be done but it is not a test which is usually done on cats. Heartworm cases in cats are on the uprise and cats can now take a heartworm preventative just like dogs have been doing for years. Discuss heartworm preventative medication with your vet to see if your pet would be a good candidate for it.

If this is a yearly exam or the first exam by your vet after adoption, vaccines will come into play. The section on Vaccines will go further into the type of vaccine, how often it should be given and what pets may be a candidate for it. The rabies vaccine is usually required by law in most states. Vaccine-related sarcomas are also discussed.

After the vaccines are given and your pet has a clean bill of health you’ll be on your way home. If you have a problem traveling with your pet, for instance, going to the vet, see the travel section of this website when it becomes available.

Information on this site is for general information purposes only and is provided without warranty or guarantee of any kind. This site is not intended to replace professional advice from your own veterinarian and nothing on this site is intended as a medical diagnosis or treatment. Any questions about your animal’s health or diet should be directed to your veterinarian.