My 13yr old very healthy female cat named Tigger was recently diagnosed with Idiopathic Chylothorax. Chest x-rays showed that there could be a mass so I took her 2hrs to a vet specialist to have an ultrasound done. Nothing was found. It was suggested that their vet perform a Pericardiectomy on her, that this should resolve the problem. My vet said that Tigger is pretty healthy for her age and highly suggested that I have it done. My husband, who is not cat friendly, has told me that I can't have it done because it costs $2,000 to $2,500. He won't even let me put it on Care Credit! grrr So far, 200cc of fluid have been removed twice and I think she will need to have another tap done tomorrow. I've been reading that Rutin has worked well in many cases, but there are no given amounts as to how much. I've read anywhere from 250mg every 8 hrs to 2,000mg. Does anyone know how much is safe? How long does it take to start seeing results? Has anyone had a Pericardiectomy done on their cat and was it worth the expense? I'm so frustrated right now. Tigger is the most sweetest kitty I've ever owned and has helped me thru some recent deaths in the family including my sister and is a comfort for me when my son deploys with the Marines. I know she has more good years in her and hate to see it being cut short. She still purring and trying to be herself even though it's a little hard to breath. Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated. Is there an organization that could help with costs?