During our first visit, Scooter had some upset words for us, but we let him take lots of breaks during his exam, and he relaxed quickly during them. We started with the least stressful parts of the exam (like listening to his heart), and ended with the more stressful parts (like looking in his mouth). Using considered approach, touch gradient and gentle handling, we completed a full and thorough exam. We had plenty of time after to discuss his ongoing hyperesthesia management, as well as other topics including his diet, vaccines and testing that were due, and his stress level at home and during vet visits.

We knew that trying for labwork with Scooter during that first visit would not be a kind or effective thing to do, and we wanted to help Scooter build a new, more positive association with in-home veterinary care. So we scheduled a second visit and planned for him to receive pre-visit calming medications before we arrived. This was an absolute game changer for Scooter! He was so much more relaxed during his second visit, and collecting blood and urine samples for his senior wellness labwork was a breeze. Scooter laid in a cozy lap during his urine collection, and enjoyed gentle petting during his blood draw. He didn’t excessively vocalize or attempt to get away. Instead, while mildly annoyed, he trusted us and allowed us to work with him, not against him. His face in this picture says it all! Our Fear Free in-home visits help cats feel more safe and comfortable, and allow our team to provide more thorough and compassionate feline medical care!