Healthy Pets & People with Dr. Patrick: How Often Should You take Your Cat to the Vet?

DrPatrickMahaney March 3, 2013 1 Comment

by Dr. Patrick Mahaney (Out Impact on Facebook, Out Impact on Twitter)

This article originally appeared on my ongoing series of articles for Flexcin International, Inc as How Often Should You take Your Cat to the Vet?

Recent statistics are showing a drastic difference in the amount of veterinary care that felines receive in comparison to their barking counterparts. Dogs average about 1.8 visits to the vet each year while cats lag behind at .7 visits per year. Ironically, polls show that both cat and dog owners carry the same understanding about the value of regular veterinary care. Let’s see why this is the case.

Veterinarians recommend visiting at least once a year. Because your cats symptoms may be more difficult to recognize, regular check-ups should be part of your veterinarian routine.

So why are cats not being brought to the vet as often as they should?

Although at least one annual visit is recommended to help keep your cat healthy and happy, cats are considered more independent and less fond of traveling which makes getting a cat into a carrier and into the veterinary office a daunting task. It is best to get your cat acclimated to a carrier prior to actually needing to transport them. Being unprepared for travel with your feline is no excuse to avoid veterinary care.

I thought my cat was safe inside my home

Another reason people don’t bring their cats to the vet as often is because they believe that since a cat stays inside, it is less prone to contracting any diseases or illnesses that may require attention. While cats may be less likely to contract an illness or disease than a dog, they can still easily catch something brought into the home by a pest or other animal.

Law also states that regardless of whether your pet stays inside or not, they must be vaccinated against specific diseases such as rabies.

I had no idea my cat was sick

Finally, cat owners are often less aware if there is an issue with their pet. While dogs are typically always at one’s side and moving about under supervision inside and out, cats often remain elusive indoors. They do their business in a concealed box and spend much of the day lounging about making it difficult to tell if any issues such as arthritis or open wounds exist. Regardless of whether you own a cat that remains indoors, it is imperative they receive adequate veterinary care.

Thank you for reading this article on Out Impact. Your questions and comments are completely welcome (I’ll respond).

Please feel free to communicate with me through Twitter (@PatrickMahaney) and follow my adventures in veterinary medicine by liking Patrick Mahaney: Veterinarian Acupuncture Pain Management for Your Pets on Facebook.

Copyright of this article (2013) is owned by Dr Patrick Mahaney, Veterinarian and Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. Republishing any portion of this article must first be authorized by Dr Patrick Mahaney. Requests for republishing must be approved by Dr Patrick Mahaney and received in written format.

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DrPatrickMahaney

Dr. Patrick Mahaney, VMD graduated from University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. In 2000, Dr. Mahaney completed an Internship at Friendship Hospital for Animals in Washington, D.C., and has since practiced in a variety of hospitals, doing both general and emergency practice.

Dr. Mahaney moved to Los Angeles to join the TLC Pet Medical Center team in early 2006. His practice philosophy is to improve the quality of life for both pets and their owner’s by establishing client relationships with open lines of communication and providing optimum care within his capabilities.

Dr. Mahaney completed the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society basic course in 2006 and is now a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist (CVA). He is especially interested in chronic pain management and uses a variety of modalities, including acupuncture, to improve the comfort level of his patients. Dr. Mahaney strongly believes that many canine and feline diseases can be better managed by incorporating both Western and Eastern treatments. In 2008, Dr. Mahaney incorporated his own small business, California Pet Acupuncture & Wellness (CPAW). CPAW offers in-home acupuncture and musculoskeletal therapy, pet appropriate environment consultation, veterinary supervised exercise sessions, and euthanasia.

Having lived in Philadelphia, DC, and Seattle, Dr. Mahaney feels as though Los Angeles’ mix of city, nature, and culture make it the ideal place to establish both personal and professional roots. Dr. Mahaney resides in West Hollywood with his Welsh Terrier, Cardiff. He and Cardiff enjoy canyon hiking, urban trekking, running on the beach. Dr. Mahaney also enjoys working out, playing tennis, doing yoga, going to museums, cosmetically improving his home, propagating plants, and spending quality time with friends and family.