Worried about your cat right now?
We are open. Call (703) 256-8414 or come straight in. 4205 Evergreen Ln, Annandale.
Cats do not tell you they are sick. They tell you by changing something small and hoping you do not notice.
That instinct kept their ancestors alive and it works against them now. By the time a cat looks unwell to the average owner, whatever is happening has usually been going on a while. Knowing the signs your cat is sick is most of the job, and knowing which ones cannot wait is the rest.
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What are the signs your cat is sick?
Dr. Reed Hall lists the ones we most want to hear about, and none of them are dramatic.
Drinking more water than usual. Urinating more. Vomiting, or leaving food that used to disappear. Low energy. Trouble jumping or moving around the house. Any change in litter box habits, including going somewhere they never used to.
The through line is change. Anything that is not normal for your cat is worth a call, and no question is a silly one. The details you notice at home are frequently what point us at the answer.
Which signs mean come in tonight?
Some things do not wait for morning.
A male cat straining in the litter box and producing nothing is a urinary blockage until proven otherwise, and it can become life threatening within a day. Open mouth breathing, or fast and laboured breathing in a cat, is an emergency. So is collapse, a seizure, obvious injury, eating a string or a lily, or sudden weakness in the back legs.
If you are reading that list and recognising your cat, stop reading and call us at (703) 256-8414. We are in Annandale, we are open, and there is a veterinarian in the building.
What can wait until the morning?
Plenty can. A single vomit in an otherwise bright cat. Slightly reduced appetite for a day. A little more drinking than usual that you only noticed yesterday.
The honest answer is that we would rather you called and found out it was nothing. The fee is what makes people wait, so we removed it.
How does the yearly exam prevent this?
Most of what turns into a two in the morning visit was findable months earlier.
The wellness exam is a full physical, front to back. Eyes, ears, teeth and mouth, then heart, lungs, lymph nodes, joints, legs, belly and bladder. Bloodwork checks the liver, kidneys and blood sugar along with a red and white cell count, and a stool sample checks for parasites.
Kidney disease, thyroid trouble and diabetes all show up in those numbers long before they show up in your cat. Once a year for most cats, and every six months from around seven, when things start moving faster. The video at the top of this page is Dr. Reed Hall walking through exactly what that exam covers.
Frequently Asked Questions
My cat seems fine. Why would I bring him in?
Because "seems fine" is what cats are built to look like. The exam and the bloodwork find things that behavior does not.
Is a cat not eating an emergency?
If it has been more than a day, call us. Cats who stop eating can develop liver problems quickly, faster than dogs do, so this one is worth a phone call rather than a wait.
Do you charge more for an overnight visit?
No. There is no additional emergency fee at Columbia Pike, so an exam costs the same whatever time you walk in.
Is the wellness exam covered by a plan?
Yes. Our wellness plans include the exam, vaccines, bloodwork and a full year of Revolution Plus, and every plan includes emergency exam visits here.
When to call us
If something is wrong tonight, call. (703) 256-8414. We are at 4205 Evergreen Ln, Annandale, VA 22003, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. You can read more about our emergency service.
For the yearly exam, schedule online or call or text us anytime.
Love People. Love Pets.