Vets in NW DC that make house calls?

[Anonymous]

My friend has a very old cat who needs to be seen but who won't get in the carrier. Has anyone used a vet that makes housecalls? She's in Cleveland Park.

[Anonymous]

The cat "won't" get in the carrier? What is it -- a 200 lb lion?

Stuff the cat in the carrier -- or a cardboard box -- and get to the vet!

[Anonymous]

I knew I should have explained more thoroughly.

This very old cat completely freaks out at the vet ... it's not so much the carrier but the vet herself needs to use special gloves and sedate the cat for most procedures. She scratches, fights, bites ... it's awful. And she's a very sweet cat at home. Several vets have commented that this is the worst they've ever seen ...

So my friend is worried that subjecting an 18 year old cat to this kind of stress is just not humane. The cat isn't actively sick that she can tell, but my friend thinks she may be nearing the end of her life and would like some input on how to make her comfortable, how long to wait before putting her down, etc. She is also thinking that when the time comes to put her down, she would rather do it at home so her last moments aren't full of stress.

So back to my question ... does anyone know a vet that does housecalls?

[jsteele]

I've recommended him a bunch of times so apologies to those who think I'm his PR agent, but Dr. Perl at:

http://www.housecallsforpetsinc.com/

301-774-5656

He has some sort of affiliation with Friendship, so he is probably in your neighborhood frequently.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much, Jeff.

[Anonymous]

Yes, Dr. Perl is great. Our cat was terrified of vet trips (routinely pooped in the cat carrier and shook so much that the vet had a hard time examining her). Dr. Perl was a lifesaver for us, and for her! Before he arrives, confine the cat to a room where she can't escape or hide under the bed. He has a nice manner but also firm control, and our fearful cat always seemed surprisingly comfortable with him.

And yes, he also does end-of-life calls, e.g., home euthanasia, when the time comes.