Did you know that cats visit the vet less than half the time that dogs do? I recently discovered the statistics on veterinary care for cats versus dogs and it was grim.
From an actuarial perspective, cats cost about the same as dogs when they go to the vet, they just go less frequently than dogs. Since cats should generally cost less than dogs for the same level of sickness, this sad statistic implies to me that cats are sicker than dogs when they eventually go to the vet.
Today, we have a guest post from Dr. Rex Riggs, talking about the need to take your cat to the vet, even though he/she might seem very well. Dr. Rex Riggs is the owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is a veterinarian, and an Advisory Board member of Embrace Pet Insurance.
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“Cats are not little dogs.”
I still remember when my professor said that, my sophomore year of vet school. He went on to say, “dogs are like men and cats are like women; dogs will complain on day one when they are sick, cats will tough it out”. I do have to agree with his assessment and my wife will attest to it also.
Cats are just tougher then us. We know they have the same pain receptor as us, and their body responds to diseases and injury just like us, but they hide problems so well. The thought is if they would show illness or injury in the wild, they would be preyed upon.
So why are cat visits to vets decreasing?
Most people see the importance in taking their dog to the vet to get heartworm tested, vaccines and physical exams; but more and more people are not seeing the same value for cats. Maybe because most of our cats live in a perceived “controlled” environment indoors? Maybe a result of some vets giving cat’s vaccines less frequently?
I really feel that veterinarians, as a group, have done a poor job in educating the public about the importance of the annual or semiannual physical exams. Most people take their pet to the vets to get vaccines, which are very important, but are really a relatively small part of the annual visit.
Cats are great hiders of illness. They do not seem to show specific signs of illness, but rather come in with what I call “sick cat syndrome’ - just nonspecific malaise.
Often a cat loses or gains weight so gradually that the owner doesn't notice. But a 1 pound weight loss for a 10 pound cat is 10% of its body weight. So, even a small amount of weight loss can be significant in a cat.
I can tell you of countless times we have found significant and serious problems on the annual “vaccine visit”. Dental disease is a big one. It has been estimated that 85% of pets going to the vet has dental disease, and boy do we see a lot of bad teeth. Kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism are just a few of the other treatable problems we detect.
You need to remember veterinary medicine is a dynamic field and we now can treat many illnesses that we could not treat just a few years ago. Since cats have subtle symmptoms that are so nonspecific, we often need to do more diagnostics in sick cats, such as blood work and x-rays, compared to dogs. Dogs seem much more specific in their signs of illness and much easier to tell what's going on with them.
In your regular vet visits, it is important to find a vet that does a thorough, yet gentle exam each and every time you take you cat to the vet. Cats need to be handled gently. They get stressed more easily than dogs at the vets. In each visit, the doctor should look at the eyes, ears, mouth, teeth, skin, and musculoskeletal system, palpate the abdomen and listen to the lungs and heart, looking for subtle changes.
The yearly exam allows the doctor to get to know your cat, and his or her nuances. This is very important to me. I really get to know each pet over the years, and can tell when he/she is not acting him- or herself. When you consider that each year of a cat’s life is 5 to 7 “human” years, an annual exam is conservative. Some people are now suggesting twice a year exams, as we do for our older patients.
In closing, just remember, a normal acting cat is often not a normal cat.
Related Posts:
January is Wellness Month at Embrace Pet Insurance
Guest post: cat wellness care or why cats are not little dogs
Claim Example: Spay (aka OVH/OVE in veterinary speak)
Claim Example: Neuter
Guest Post by Lea: This is your Weight-Loss Wakeup Call
Why Are Pet Veterinarian Visits Going Down?
The Embrace Wellness Rewards Plan
Guest Post: why wellness checkups are so important to me
The Embrace Wellness Rewards Plan
Other posts by Dr Riggs
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Dr. Rex Riggs grew up in Wadsworth, Ohio, near Akron. Dr Riggs is co-owner of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Powell, Ohio. He is also on the board of the North Central Region of Canine Companions of Independence, a board member of The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society and Small Animal Practitioner Advancement Board at The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Riggs lives in Lewis Center, OH with his wife Nancy, their dogs Maggie, and two cats Franklin and Speeder. Outside of work, Dr. Riggs is an avid golfer and enjoys travel and photography.
