I hope this is the right forum. I just thought I would share a story, and warn everyone when you go to the vet, low cost or otherwise, pull out all the stops even if your vet doesn't suggest them, or acts like you're stupid.
My friends sister just lost her cat recently. He was only 10 months old. Two months ago, he started losing weight. She was taking him to a companion pet clinic... which around here most of them don't have the best reputations. If you work in emergency you see a lot of surgeries that get repaired from there due to lack of suturing. Anyway, she took him there, the vet was really reputable, 20+ years under his belt, nice guy. Mind you, I have no idea how much she was willing to spend... but this is crazy. They tested her cat for FIV/FELV. Put him on different meds to get him to eat and to clear up any underlying infection etc. He kept losing weight and not doing well.
Finally about 1-2 weeks ago, he had a BM, and she noticed string coming out... so she started helping him out he started screaming so she cut it and took him in. They x-rayed him to find string wound up all around his esophogus, stomach, and intestines. The vet said he never in his life had seen string show up on an x-ray, but this cat had eaten so much it was all over.
They opted for a $1,000 surgery. She specifically told him, if it was bad, if the cat wouldn't make it once he looked in there to put him down while he was already under anesthesia. The vet looked inside, and repaired it anyway. He had to remove 4" of his intestine, with a low outcome for survival. The cat ended up not making it... the surgery would be $2400, but he left her at her original quote of $1,000.
I'm posting this to let you guys know, if your cat stops eating and you've checked blood levels, and looked FIV and FELV. Have some x-rays taken. Even if the vet thinks you're crazy. I have a feeling this could have been taken care of in the beginning had they just taken a few x-rays, or at least used some barium to find a blockage [where the string wound around the intestines]. I can't imagine what that cat went through for 2 months... and what she ended up paying, for her cat to die anyway.
I'm not putting a price on life... but it's not fair to the cat either to have to have gone all through surgery, and the not make it. Had she known it was that bad she wouldn't have done it, and she TOLD HIM not to do it if it was looking hopeless.
Stick to your instincts, and always remember to keep a fairly close eye on your furkids.
My friends sister just lost her cat recently. He was only 10 months old. Two months ago, he started losing weight. She was taking him to a companion pet clinic... which around here most of them don't have the best reputations. If you work in emergency you see a lot of surgeries that get repaired from there due to lack of suturing. Anyway, she took him there, the vet was really reputable, 20+ years under his belt, nice guy. Mind you, I have no idea how much she was willing to spend... but this is crazy. They tested her cat for FIV/FELV. Put him on different meds to get him to eat and to clear up any underlying infection etc. He kept losing weight and not doing well.
Finally about 1-2 weeks ago, he had a BM, and she noticed string coming out... so she started helping him out he started screaming so she cut it and took him in. They x-rayed him to find string wound up all around his esophogus, stomach, and intestines. The vet said he never in his life had seen string show up on an x-ray, but this cat had eaten so much it was all over.
They opted for a $1,000 surgery. She specifically told him, if it was bad, if the cat wouldn't make it once he looked in there to put him down while he was already under anesthesia. The vet looked inside, and repaired it anyway. He had to remove 4" of his intestine, with a low outcome for survival. The cat ended up not making it... the surgery would be $2400, but he left her at her original quote of $1,000.
I'm posting this to let you guys know, if your cat stops eating and you've checked blood levels, and looked FIV and FELV. Have some x-rays taken. Even if the vet thinks you're crazy. I have a feeling this could have been taken care of in the beginning had they just taken a few x-rays, or at least used some barium to find a blockage [where the string wound around the intestines]. I can't imagine what that cat went through for 2 months... and what she ended up paying, for her cat to die anyway.
I'm not putting a price on life... but it's not fair to the cat either to have to have gone all through surgery, and the not make it. Had she known it was that bad she wouldn't have done it, and she TOLD HIM not to do it if it was looking hopeless.
Stick to your instincts, and always remember to keep a fairly close eye on your furkids.