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(HUGS!) I get that.It sounds as if your kitty's foster mom was a real godsend and a HERO. I am so happy your baby is ok now.
I know vets are not gods, but we rely on them to be knowledgeable, informed, and caring about the health and quality of life of our pets. Quite often I have seen a pained expression on the face of a vet when I question something they have told me because I read something different on the internet. I know where they are coming from, after all THEY are the ones with many years of medical training. But sometimes mistakes are made and a "bad call" by a vet can be a devastating loss to a pet parent. Our recent loss of Isabelle is an example of that.
I am always on the lookout for a new vet. One that is closer than an hour drive, one that isn't booked up two weeks in advance. Unfortunately my list of vets that I WILL NEVER GO TO AGAIN just gets longer. Perhaps it is because of the rural area I live in. Most vets seem to dismiss my concerns, don't want to hear my observations about how the cat is acting, and rush us out the door so they can get to the next patient. (Sort of like human doctors these days.)
Terribly sorry for this long rant. Things have been very difficult for our family lately. I just want everyone to be healthy and happy and there is nothing I can do to help. So much illness for humans and cats alike, Isabelle is gone, and I am useless. I can't fix it.
I've fired many, MANY vets in my day. And my day is many decades long. Most of my concerns were lack of empathy or treating me as though I was a moron. I get they went to vet school and I didn't, but I know when my cat (or dog) isn't acting right. What "isn't right" to them may be "right" for others, but if I know somethings wrong, I want to know I'm heard and they understand this. Just be nice to me, listen to my 3 minutes list long of complaints from the pets POV and realize that, on paper they may be "fine" but something is very wrong!
It's controversial, but I've used chiropractic and acupuncture for pets (dogs AND cats) that showed no "clinical" signs of anything being wrong with really, really good results. One of our dogs developed a pain in his back and would scream in pain if he tried to shake off (like a dog shakes when wet.) It took a few appointments, but these things got him back to better than normal. This dog also had luxating patellas (a 2 and 3, later a 3 and 4!) and this helped as well as a few diet adjustments and a few supplements. The chiropractic/acupuncture might something you'd want to consider for Sam?
2018 is not shaping up to be the promise of a great year here, either, and like you I *JUST* want my pets to be happy, healthy, and enjoy their lives. It shouldn't be so much to ask =(
You're not useless, btw. Sam is lucky to have you, given the amount of people who let sick or injured cats go with the mantra from the 1920's..."if they live, they live, if not, oh well." Sam's a lucky guy.