vet well-visits for your petsvet well-visits for your pets

If you are taking your cat in to the vet's office for their yearly checkup, you might think that getting  your cat to the appointment is all that you need to do. There are actually plenty of other things that you can do to prepare for this visit and make your time with the vet more effective. Here are four ways that you can make your cat's visit with the veterinarian more useful for you and your cat.

1. Access to Health Records

If you have a new cat or are switching veterinarians, don't make your new vet start from scratch. Bring along any old health records from the shelter or adoption agency. If you can, get your cat's previous medical record from their old vet or have these sent over in advance of your visit. If you have no information on your new cat, do you best to explain where you found them, approximate age, etc. Your vet can set a baseline and and get them started on a healthy future.

2. Monitor Your Cat

If you are concerned that your cat may have an ongoing health issue, you need to document their behavior and any patterns. Write down when your cat eats, how much, and information on their litter box behavior. If your vet would like a stool sample, this is to help assess your cat's health, so don't shy away from this request. Don't forget to do your part so that your vet has all of the information that they need for a correct diagnosis.

3. Any Questions

Cats get nervous at the vet's office, but so do people. If you have specific questions regarding your cat's health such as food, behavior, or general advice, write these down ahead of time so that you don't forget. With so much information online these days, don't forget that your cat has specific needs. Your vet can assess your cat individually and tailor answers to your cat's health history.

4. Schedule a Nail Clipping

As long as your cat will be in the hot seat, they may as well get a little grooming in. Vets and their staff are trained to clip nails and can easily incorporate this into your visit. If this goes smoothly, you might want to bring your cat in regularly for this if they are reluctant for you to do this at home.

It is important that you are the voice for your cat. Many times cats will have an adrenaline rush at the vet's office, so any behavioral changes will be hard to spot. It is important that you bring along any concerns or issues. This will help keep your cat healthy and make visits to the vet more worthwhile.

For more help, contact a clinic like My Pet's Vet Clinic.