I know I am not here much
By winterose
@winterose (39887)
Canada
December 12, 2012 1:32pm CST
Well friends I know I am not here much but I have to work writing. My cat has been very sick, and I have to muster up the money to pay for the vet costs. First Rugby went to the vet because he was peeing all over the place and he was peeing blood.
They gave him some antibiotics. Then he wasn't getting better so we took him back again. They said they would do an xray to see if he had stones, but they didn't do it they checked him over and said he had no stones because when they pressed on his abdomen he wasn't in pain.
The second visit was free but the first cost 55.00.
They told me to wait until the pills were finished.
Well I did and he still wasn't better in fact he was worse, he was bleeding more and more.
At first they thought it was an urinary tract infection. But when we brought him back for the three time, the vet said, he would probably need a different medication.
He gave him and xray and urinalysis and turns out he has a massive infection. But he has no stones. They put him on elavil to relieve his stress and have him stop peeing around the house, and they gave him amoxal for the infection. The vet said this should work.
It cost another 175.00 dollars. But I just could not let my cat die over a curable infection.
The vet said they are still doing research on why cats get this infection, the scientists have not determined the cause yet.
However, he cannot eat store bought regular dry cat food anymore.
There are several really expensive brands the cheapest is IAMS so that is what we bought.
The vet asked what kind of cat food we were feeding him and we told him IAMS, he said IAMS is good but there is better.
Sure there is better if you are rich lol.
So since Nov I have been worrying about Rugby. worrying about vet charges and trying to make so money.
So gang, I just wanted to check in with you and let you know I am still alive.
for the purposes of the discussion, have any of you had experiences where your pets had to go to the vet several times before they found out what was wrong with them?
3 people like this
11 responses
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
12 Dec 12
That really is not all that much of a vet bill. We had a $1,000+ vet bill for my boy when he got sick last year. Thankfully, they saved his life.
I wouldn't say that Iams is good. The company, which is owned by Procter & Gamble, routinely conducts horrific animal testing. 
Prevention is both less painful and less expensive than trying to cure an issue that has arisen out of poor nutrition. That is true not only for humans but for our "fur children" as well. Keep that in mind as you make your food selections both for yourself and for kitty.
Prevention is both less painful and less expensive than trying to cure an issue that has arisen out of poor nutrition. That is true not only for humans but for our "fur children" as well. Keep that in mind as you make your food selections both for yourself and for kitty.1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
12 Dec 12
Iams is not in the same league as whiskas It was on the list of foods the vet gave
It is the cheapest of the best brands. Never heard of Now Fresh or whatever you called it.
This is the first time in my 30 years of raising cats that anyone of them had a urinary tract infection.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
12 Dec 12
forgot to say I would not be able to afford 1,000, I couldn't even afford the amount I paid I am on a fixed income.
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
14 Dec 12
I'm glad that at least he will be on the mend now. As for your question, last year we got Rosie. When she was a pup they took her to the vet the way a worrisome mother takes her baby to the doc every time it hiccups, lol. They were so scared that something was wrong when it wasn't. Now she is over a year old and they are much more relaxed about her. She is healthy and has no problems. We have never had issues where a pet has gone to the vet and they didn't get well.
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
15 Dec 12
yes I had cats for 30 years and this is the first time one of them ever had a urinary infection. We were not able to save Junior last year I vowed it would not happen again with Rugby if it could be helped.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
15 Dec 12
How is Rugby doing now. I think Rugby is such a cute name for a cat.
@GardenGerty (157551)
• United States
13 Dec 12
I had a cat that peed blood, and had infections, and I had to give her a urine acidifier pill daily and feed her Hills Science Diet. When I quit doing child care, she quit having that problem.For her it was stress. My two male cats now have dental and drooling issues, and other things. I make their food at home, and also make them home made yogurt. I was certain my old guy was going to die within months when I started this, well he just keeps on going. He does still drool, and probably could stand to have more teeth pulled. He shows his age very badly, and he had bad bones from when he was middle aged, I guess he could not absorb the nutrition in the dry food. He fell once and broke a rib. I did not know what that lump was on his chest, but the vet said it was a broken rib that healed. I do remember when he started losing his balance and falling. The thing about the food I make, it is probably just as cheap as the cheap canned food. It is just labor intensive.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157551)
• United States
13 Dec 12
Putting a few drops of vinegar in their water dish is not much work. The yogurt is not much work. The cat food is, in a way, but it is cheaper and easier than loading them up and taking them to the vet and having teeth pulled and giving them antibiotics. I do occasionally use purchased canned foods. We feed a variety of dry foods. I have a third cat who is beautiful, healthy and sleek and that is about all she will eat and I am not sure what I have right now. I know it is an "indoor formula" that supposedly addresses some dietary needs.
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
13 Dec 12
I wonder if it is something in the cat food. Additives and preservatives make us sick so why shouldn't they make cats sick too? I have rarely had to take my cats to the vets. Usually when we do they have been hit by a car and are pretty bad off. I certainly hope that luck continues. Hope you cat is doing much better.
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
15 Dec 12
he is on Iams now just changed his food, I have had cats for 30 years never did one of them have a urinary infection before, the vet gave names of cat food to use, they are all very expensive but Iams was on the list and that is more reasonable so that is what he is on now.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
13 Dec 12
so sorry kitty is sick. the only time that happened was with my dog Bear. i kept taking him for allergies that they couldnt seem to clear up. he was miserable, then they said he had arthritis to boot and a stomche infection. the doctor said he was so miserable all the time and he just couldnt help him any more. he recommended putting him to sleep. it was to where he was already sleeping and moaning a lot. so i finally gave in. it broke my heart and the rest of the family also even tho my kids were grown. they had visited and enjoyed this wonderful dogs company many times
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
13 Dec 12
yes it sounds just the same as us when we are hurting. thats why i let them put him down. 
@changjiangzhibin89 (16534)
• China
13 Dec 12
I am sorry for you.No wonder we see something of you of late.I assume that the vet in question was a charlatan or he was intended to let you spend much on your cat.
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
13 Dec 12
he is neither he is one of the best vets in the city. He head of the veterinary sciences at the university.
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
12 Dec 12
just had to go once my puppy wasnot him self jus tlaying around andthrowing up Ended up he had porvo $214 later the cost of hydrateing him shots and pills. Took about 10 days but now he is more buncey thatn he was and more loving like he trys to crawl right inside you to get close
That was one visit price
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
12 Dec 12
ah that is adorable, I wish I had a puppy. For the longest time the landlord would not allow dogs, but now I moved and the city who is my landlord does, but we have two cats.
1 person likes this
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
13 Dec 12
hey, nice to see you rose!
my mom's cat had to go in for an operation that cost $800! it turned out the cat had cancer and actually passed away on the operating table but my mom is still out that money that she needs to pay the vet.
our kitty passed away in the spring and i wouldn't mind getting another one but we just cannot afford to.
hope your kitty gets better soonest! it is hard to see them suffering!
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
15 Dec 12
I am so sorry to here about your cats, how sad. Yes it breaks our heart when we lose our precious pets.
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
12 Dec 12
Well, yeah.
The Doctor had a lump in his throat. It wasn't causing him pain, but it shouldn't have been there.
I took him to the vet and she guessed there was a couple of reasons it might be there.
One treatment was to send him to College Station for several months and cost $5000.
Another was to send him to College Station for 6 weeks and cost $3000.
The final was to operate and remove the thyroid and cost $500(ish).
Needless to say, I went with the final choice.
After the operation they sent the lump to College Station who called her on the phone to make sure she didn't take this lump out of a small dog.
Turned out it was a rare - in cats - cancer. If The Doctor had been a dog, they would've suggested chemo, but not in a cat.
He lived another year, but his kidney's got him in the end. I let my vet take tissue samples to see if there were any other signs of cancer, but there weren't.
About 5 years later she took another tumor of the same sort out of another cat.
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
12 Dec 12
yes they are just like children to pet owners and it hurts bad when they are sick. I haven't been myself since November worrying about Rugby.
1 person likes this
@ZoeJoy (1392)
• United States
12 Dec 12
Pets do cost money. We had a dachshund that had a bad back. He had surgery but the next year, his back went out again. This time, we could tell he was not going to do better even after surgery. His hair was falling out and the vet said that is a sign that he is dying. We had to put him down. There was no point spending thousands of dollars for him when we realize that he was telling us it was time for him to go. It was sad but at least our little dog is no longer suffering. He is at peace.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
12 Dec 12
ah poor thing but you did the right thing for him. It hurts so much when we lose a pet.
2 people like this
