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Hi everyone,
I was referred to here by a friend after she heard about our very sick kitten and we've come across a dilemma. First I'll give some background information on our kitten before posing my problem...
BACKGROUND
Our kitten is nearly a near old and for most of her life she has suffered from chronic fevers and skin inflammation. We've taken her in for countless antibiotics, anti-fever and anti-inflammatory injections, ointments and creams, and blood tests and no prognosis can be made.
Vet's have suggested she has FIV or FelV but both has come back negative from tests. Also tested for levels of globulin, to determine if it was FIP, but that also came negative. Most recently, while on a cortisone antibiotic for a skin infection on her front paws and hind knees(?) that has been emitting puss and a bad smell. The vets soaked her paws in surgical solution and tried to clean it out in addition to the antibiotics.
As a result of the cortisone antibiotic (which is an immunosupressant) she caught a cold (which may be feline calcivirus infection), but it was the first time that she has gotten it.
QUESTION
After so many treatments and vet visits in the past year, we've come to the conclusion that we will soon be coming to our limit in being able to take care of our kitten. We've been suggested to give her to a no-kill shelter who will help her and put her up for adoption. But we'd like to give one last effort before doing so.
As we are trying to do this efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. I've been asking around (vet friend, phone calls, and now this forum) on the best possible mode of action.
1.) We've been referred to an internal medicine specialist after after the vet saw the calvirus symptoms. But with consultation and x-rays, viral tests, and possible IV (and stay at the hospital), the expected costs range up to $2000. Any suggestions on how to lessen the costs of this? Or has anyone else had a kitten with similar symptoms? How did you guys treat it? What was the cost? How did you deal with large costs in order for your cat to get an accurate prognosis?
2.) We really want to fix the skin infection. There's a puss that oozes out and it has begun to smell. We've been given antibiotics for it, however the surrounding area is hard (i think possibly due to the puss solidifying onto the fur) so there is a shell of hard fur around the infected area. What is the normal treatment for this? Should they remove the hard encrusted fur area in order to expose it to air so that it will heal? I feel like because it is enclosed, it is not able to heal itself.
3.) Will no kill shelters accept a chronically sick cat?
4.) If you were in our situation... what would you do? We're battling with the decision to give her up, or give one last go at getting her health in the right condition. I'm graduating from Master's by the end of July and am planning on getting a part time job immediately afterwards until a full time job lines up. Unfortunately my funding/scholarship money is starting to reach its end as I finish my studies and with the large vet bills that we've been running into.
Feel free to ask any questions. I've recently obtained a full medical history (from our current vet) in case of emergency. I've been feeding her pureed Hills A\\D food and been giving her subcutaneous fluids through the vet technicians.
Thanks for your time in reading about my situation...
I was referred to here by a friend after she heard about our very sick kitten and we've come across a dilemma. First I'll give some background information on our kitten before posing my problem...
BACKGROUND
Our kitten is nearly a near old and for most of her life she has suffered from chronic fevers and skin inflammation. We've taken her in for countless antibiotics, anti-fever and anti-inflammatory injections, ointments and creams, and blood tests and no prognosis can be made.
Vet's have suggested she has FIV or FelV but both has come back negative from tests. Also tested for levels of globulin, to determine if it was FIP, but that also came negative. Most recently, while on a cortisone antibiotic for a skin infection on her front paws and hind knees(?) that has been emitting puss and a bad smell. The vets soaked her paws in surgical solution and tried to clean it out in addition to the antibiotics.
As a result of the cortisone antibiotic (which is an immunosupressant) she caught a cold (which may be feline calcivirus infection), but it was the first time that she has gotten it.
QUESTION
After so many treatments and vet visits in the past year, we've come to the conclusion that we will soon be coming to our limit in being able to take care of our kitten. We've been suggested to give her to a no-kill shelter who will help her and put her up for adoption. But we'd like to give one last effort before doing so.
As we are trying to do this efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. I've been asking around (vet friend, phone calls, and now this forum) on the best possible mode of action.
1.) We've been referred to an internal medicine specialist after after the vet saw the calvirus symptoms. But with consultation and x-rays, viral tests, and possible IV (and stay at the hospital), the expected costs range up to $2000. Any suggestions on how to lessen the costs of this? Or has anyone else had a kitten with similar symptoms? How did you guys treat it? What was the cost? How did you deal with large costs in order for your cat to get an accurate prognosis?
2.) We really want to fix the skin infection. There's a puss that oozes out and it has begun to smell. We've been given antibiotics for it, however the surrounding area is hard (i think possibly due to the puss solidifying onto the fur) so there is a shell of hard fur around the infected area. What is the normal treatment for this? Should they remove the hard encrusted fur area in order to expose it to air so that it will heal? I feel like because it is enclosed, it is not able to heal itself.
3.) Will no kill shelters accept a chronically sick cat?
4.) If you were in our situation... what would you do? We're battling with the decision to give her up, or give one last go at getting her health in the right condition. I'm graduating from Master's by the end of July and am planning on getting a part time job immediately afterwards until a full time job lines up. Unfortunately my funding/scholarship money is starting to reach its end as I finish my studies and with the large vet bills that we've been running into.
Feel free to ask any questions. I've recently obtained a full medical history (from our current vet) in case of emergency. I've been feeding her pureed Hills A\\D food and been giving her subcutaneous fluids through the vet technicians.
Thanks for your time in reading about my situation...