First Chin Vet Visit

[mscreampoof]

I'm not sure if i should post this here... but i searched in the forum and there wasnt another topic like this yet, so here it goes!!

I'm bringing Snowball (my 8 year old female chin) to the vet tomorrow for a general check up as well as i think her eye is irritated from the dust bath.
I had given her two dust baths in two days and suspect that's what is making a white discharge come from one of her eyes ytd. Her eye looks better this morning and i couldn't see the discharge anymore, but i'm still bringing her in just in case. Plus, I'm leaving on a business trip and she's going to be taken care of by my sister so i want to make sure she's in tip top shape before I leave.

The main question is what should I bring with her to the vet to decrease her stress and make sure she doesnt freak out when i let her out on the table at the vets?

since this is kind of a rushed appointment, the best I can do is bring her in the plastic cat carriers they sell at the pet store and line it in fleece and hopes she doesnt chew on everything and anything. I was going to put hay in there as well so she can have something to chew on. I'm also going to bring some pear sticks with me so she can chew on it whilst we travel (a 15 min car ride)

Any other advice would be appreciated! thanks

 

[ticklechin]

It just depends on the chin how they react, I have had major drama queens/kings who absolutely FREAK out when you walk in the door, the screaming and cage banging, cage rage thing others are so mellow they get passed around the office, you won't know until you get there, but from what you said you have it handled as far as the carrier and such goes.

 

[obcsed]

My vet doesn't like it if I give them anything in their carrier before he sees them. It is hard enough for him to see what is going on in their mouths without complicating it with food on their teeth. Save the hay and chews for the trip home.

 

[Amethyst]

I agree with obcsed you might want to wait on giving things to chew on until after the vet checks it out. You could also bring along a treat to help with positive association for after the check up. Another thing to help keep stress down is, if it's busy/noisy in the waiting area and they can't get you in a room right away ask if you can wait outside or in your car and have someone get you when they are ready for you. That way the chin isn't having to deal with the barking or curious dogs and other animals other then walking by. You can also cover the carrier with a blanket when walking through the vet so the chin can't see out.

 

[mscreampoof]

Thank you all for the advice!! You are all so wonderful and i'm so thankful to have found this forum!!

I will definitely bring along treats for after the vet and put her hay and some pellets for her after the visit. A blanket will be used to cover her carrier so she can't see out.

Do i need to bring a water bottle...? I'm afraid if the bottle is shaken while in the car it might leak water from the metal balls rolling... She usually drinks water in the night, so i think she can survive the trip without the bottle for a few hours?

 

[ticklechin]

Depends on the vet-my vets would rather the chins be fed, and frankly there is not much food debris produced in the mouth unless the chin is being fed CC, I have watched many many filings and other procedures and there is no amount of debris that would obstruct the view, also you don't know if the vet wants to keep the chin longer than you want to wait-meaning if a procedure needs to be done and they can't do it right then, its better to have food and water avaliable to the chin. Just add the bottle to the carrier when you get there if you have to wait long or leave the chin.

 

[mscreampoof]

Just an update!

Snowball is a boy! And not a girl that was told to me when I adopted. I always suspected him to be a boy. Haha and he also got the clean bill of health! Which is a relief!
He was super scared at the vet and ended up pooping some soft stools. But now he's back home and after a rose hip treat, sound asleep back in his little bungalow.

Thanks for all you guys' help!!!!