Need help immediately

[Meganms401]

2 year old male. Noticed gagging this morning. No vomiting. Thought it was a hairball.. nothing came up. Seems hungry but wont eat or drink. Just noticed the side of his neck swollen and seems tender. Wont let me look in throat. Starting to get lethargic... someone pls let me know what could be happening now. Would just rush to vet, bit I am already in debt with our vet $300 from his last visit. Any ideas quickly? Trying to find another vet that will see him now. If it is something stuck in throat should I try vaseline?

 

[Furballsmom]

Don't try Vaseline. Keep trying for a vet, maybe something here might help;
No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat’s Life – TheCatSite Articles

 

[IndyJones]

Is he an indoor only cat? I ask because if he was bitten by another animal it could be infected or abscessed. Both would require antibiotics to clear it up.

Is there an odd smell comming from the lump? Any discharge? If it's an abscess it will probably need to be drained. This would most likely require local anesthetic at the bare minimum. It will be very painful until it is lanced and drained.

Infections can cause many of the symptoms you describe including nausea, vomiting, dry heaving, lethargy, fever, going off food.

 

[Meganms401]

No smell. Swelling recent. No signs of trauma or abscess. Vet and hour away I just spoke with was useless on what I can do right now. Should I hymlic?

 

[Meganms401]

He goes in and out of pet door. In at night. Live in country far from anyone.

 

[Furballsmom]

I'm so sorry, we're not vets, anything we think of is likely not useful for you and him.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. With what information you have provided, and since you don't see outward signs of a wound, my only guesses are 1.) he has swallowed something this stuck in his throat and is causing swelling at the internal wound side, or 2.) it is some sort of infection that has affected the lymph nodes in his throat. That could be related to so many things. The problem is that if the swelling is impeding his swallowing, for whatever the reason, until it is resolved, it would seem it could only get worse, possibly interfering with his ability to breathe.

If something is actually stuck in the tissue of his throat, the Heimlich maneuver won't do a damn thing. The swelling would suggest this isn't the answer anyway.

I wish we could help more, but I don't think, short of a vet visit, you have any options.

 

[IndyJones]

He needs to see a vet. If this is an abscess which it sounds like he needs an injection of antibiotics to clear it up.

 

[Tigger's Mum]

Could he have been bitten by a snake?

 

[Meganms401]

Yes, he could have been bitten by a snake. I'm still not sure what happened to my sweetheart except that it all turned out okay thus far. I took him to my mom's and we immobilized him and tried to see if there was anything in his throat. There was nothing visible so I brought him home and tried to see if he would eat. Still would not. I administered CBD oil and some general broad spectrum antibiotics. The next day he still had no interest in food so I administered the med and cbd once again along with IV fluids under the skin tent between his back shoulder blades. 2 rounds of the fluids and those meds sent him back in the right direction. Within 2 days the swelling was pretty much gone and he has been eating and acting normal since. He now appears to be fine. I know this isnt the best course of action, but in debt to vets that will not help an animal without a ton of money I simply do not have any more of.. this was the best I could do. Please do not comment the if someone cannot afford a vet- not to have them because that is the biggest bu check of baloney I have ever heard. What should people do with their pets who have lost their jobs? Turn them lose on the street or over to 'no kill' shelters who actually only wait until they have lost their minds from being caged and treated horribly in overcrowded shelters that THEN put them down for becoming 'unadoptable'? I do the best I can for my babies and try to afford veterinary care when possible. I am just grateful it has worked out for my baby this time. I do believe that maybe these so-called animal loving vets should lower their prices a bit so that more people can afford to bring their babies to them.

 

[Meganms401]

He needs to see a vet. If this is an abscess which it sounds like he needs an injection of antibiotics to clear it up.

As I stated in the original post... there is no more money for a vet due to the $700 I just paid a month or so back to the vet.

 

[Tigger's Mum]

Yes, he could have been bitten by a snake. I'm still not sure what happened to my sweetheart except that it all turned out okay thus far. I took him to my mom's and we immobilized him and tried to see if there was anything in his throat. There was nothing visible so I brought him home and tried to see if he would eat. Still would not. I administered CBD oil and some general broad spectrum antibiotics. The next day he still had no interest in food so I administered the med and cbd once again along with IV fluids under the skin tent between his back shoulder blades. 2 rounds of the fluids and those meds sent him back in the right direction. Within 2 days the swelling was pretty much gone and he has been eating and acting normal since. He now appears to be fine. I know this isnt the best course of action, but in debt to vets that will not help an animal without a ton of money I simply do not have any more of.. this was the best I could do. Please do not comment the if someone cannot afford a vet- not to have them because that is the biggest bu check of baloney I have ever heard. What should people do with their pets who have lost their jobs? Turn them lose on the street or over to 'no kill' shelters who actually only wait until they have lost their minds from being caged and treated horribly in overcrowded shelters that THEN put them down for becoming 'unadoptable'? I do the best I can for my babies and try to afford veterinary care when possible. I am just grateful it has worked out for my baby this time. I do believe that maybe these so-called animal loving vets should lower their prices a bit so that more people can afford to bring their babies to them.

Maybe he was stung by a wasp or similar insect. Cats being the furry animals that they are, you probably wouldn't find where he'd been stung - and cats are known for swatting wasps. That would most certainly have caused swelling and made him feel off colour for a few days. Been stung once myself on the calf of my leg, it swelled up and took over a week to start going down so I can imagine how painful that would be for a little cat.

I think you've done well. The problem seems to have resolved now and yes, some vets charge the earth. Many people have lost their jobs and more because of the last couple of years and not everyone can afford pet insurance, particularly with multi-cat households. I'm in the very fortunate position of having been with the same vet for over 20 years so if something big was to happen, they don't even ask me - they just immediately set up a payment scheme because they know I will pay regularly. This happened when I was out of work a few years ago (I'm retired now) and one of my beloved cats took acute heart failure. They run all the tests but there was nothing they could do for him and they thought it was something genetic - we knew the household he'd come from, his "breeder" (if you could call her that) made no secret she was inbreeding which makes any genetic defects much worse. My vets arranged everything, including his cremation and presented me with a lovely "keepsake" box of a plaster cast of his paw, a piece of his fur in a little lace bag and Forget-me-Not seeds to plant in the garden. I do have lovely - and very good vets.

I get annoyed when people come out with the BS of "if you can't afford a pet, you shouldn't have one". These are the people who forget hard times can strike anyone. Someone can be wealthy one day and overnight lose everything. Job loss, natural disaster, illness, none of us know what's round the corner. These people are arrogant - until it happens to them so you've done the best for your cat and I'm really happy he's recovered

 

[Meganms401]

Thank you so much! Cat (and dog!) people (oh and trust me I am a cat person; if you guys only knew lol) seem to be extremely opinionated about their views when it comes to pet care. I see so many bashing owners (3 people wasting people's time saying the stupid crap mentioned above when frantically googling what to do for my baby that day) who are struggling and trying to do the best they can for the animals they have. The pet insurance plans I have looked into are either a joke or extremely high priced. I am a supporter of the non-profit animal action law group of Animal Victory. They have helped me personally and I am really proud that they exist and help change animal abuse laws the way that they do. My point is, I think that angle is covered. What I am concerned about is the state of veterinary medicine (what I consider to be) abuses. I am in no way wanting to appear to be bashing the vets like you mention above. And I get that vet school is expensive and tedious akin to medical school... but what I believe has happened to that field is the same thing I have personally seen happen to the field of nursing... and what I believe will happen to the teaching field in the future. These people do invaluable jobs. They get recognized for it and the pay increases.. but the turn around problem seems to be that then there is a huge influx of people who hear what great money it can be and make that their career choice not for the heart of it and not to help the subject they are supposed to be treating/teaching/helping.. essentially saving in many cases.. but for the money. The influx causes employer competition and the prices go even higher and stay that way to the point that (like what happened personally to my baby Monroe years ago) someone can literally take their pet who has been attacked by another animal that's broken into their yard and is laying in their arms in an emergency pet hospital bawling with one pet already dead and the other that no one will even touch without a down payment of $300 of the projected $800 just the diagnostics will be. These are the animal lovers we want caring for the lives of our babies? Monroe died btw- even though I got them their downpayment via a loan a little over an hour later; the moment they noticed I wasn't made of money they barely paid him any mind and if they had he would still be loving action movies with me today. But vets cannot work for free. There has GOT to be a solution to this. I apologize for my extended rant.. but I've needed to bring it up somewhere. I need ideas and help trying to figure out a solution to this problem so I can start writing a bill or forming petitions... Something! We have at least got to try, I believe and for myself hold true. Too many people (the other side of the 'ya cant afford em- so dont have em' logic people) truly want to give their pets the best care available and will make the time and do the homecare needed to stop our companion's sufferings.. but simply cannot afford it. Any ideas, inane thoughts lol, suggestions, and/or advice are welcomed. If you've read this far, bless your heart and thank you.