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Support and help :(
I need some support and kindness. Our cat Storm passed away last night and I feel the vet has taken advantage of us...
Tues 2/5 we took our cat to a new vet because our previous vet was out of town - He waw very sick - was just acting strange for 2 days then WHAM!. Lethagic, not eating/not drinking, stinky breath our apt was at 5:15pm.. the vet was not sure what was wrong. Storm (our cat) was dehydrated. Storm's temp was normal. The vet "thought" it might be renal failure. They gave us an "estimate" of $480 to keep him for 2 nights and start treatment based on renal failuer, he advised us that if it was his cat he would excpect it to die if we didn't get him iv fluids immediately and he'd treat him like his own. We had to prepay before they would keep him, we paid $480 and left him there. We asked if we could come see him the following day and they told us no it wasn't good for our pet so they don't allow visitiors. I also asked if we could call for updates and they said that all the nurses could tell us is that he is resting, the vet wil call us with updates. We were in our car driving home at 5:40pm
The $480 estimate/quote:
Office call, $28
Bio Hazard disposal, $2.65
Complete Blood count, $53.90
Profile, $92.40
IV Setup, 70.68
2 Hospitalization, $84,12
4 Penicillin injections, $37.40
4 Antriobe Injections, $52.80
1 Metronidazole Injection, $27.98
4 Famotidine injections, $30.24
Wed 2/6 I did not hear from the vet all day. I called him at 5:00pm. I had to describe my cat as Gray/White short haired neutered male before he could identify our pet. He said that even with fluids Strom was not improving, Blood work was not done yet. He said he called me at 9 or 10 am but didn't leave a message on my machine.. i asked what number he called he said your home phone number (we only left one ph number, my cell phone, inwhich there were no missed incomming calls and I double checked with AT&T, no calls from him) I confrimed my ph number and advised him to call me with any updates at any time of the day or night.
Thurs 12:51am - the Vet called, Storm just passed away. He said he didn't have lab work back but should in the morning and would call to let me know. I said I would pick him up to bring him back home for burial. (I was in a sound sleep, didn't talk much just thanked him numberous times for calling)
11:45am - Vet called. Labs back poistive for Feline Leukemia. He said - Storm Perked up after we gave him fluids but never fully recovered - (see 5:00pm phone call) Anemia in bone marrow, elevated white blood count, elevated liver enzymes, etc..
12:30pm I stopped to pick up Storm :( I was also given a print out of the bloodwork. I asked "We need to settle the estimate" She said "we aren't going to charge you additional for the feline HIV test we ran" - I then said "so the estimate I we were given is the treatment that was done prior to his passing at 12:50 this morning?" She said "Oh yes"
Based on the Estimate - In Storm's 19 hours of care (all previous to receiving lab work) He was given 9 antibiotic injections (antirobe is only oral pill or liquid not availabe in injection) and 4 doses of Famotidine (pepcid) and cost $480 (actually more since they were generous enough to not charge us for the FIV test)
I feel like we were taken advantage of... We are really upset by Storm's passing. Hind Sight is always 20/20 but I'm bothererd that we were not permitted to come back to visit our sick (dying) kitty, which our previous vet encouraged. I don't know anything about feline medications but I do know that antibiotics are to treat infections.. and adminstering 9 doses in 19 hours without any sign of infection is bothering me too.
What are your thoughts?
Tues 2/5 we took our cat to a new vet because our previous vet was out of town - He waw very sick - was just acting strange for 2 days then WHAM!. Lethagic, not eating/not drinking, stinky breath our apt was at 5:15pm.. the vet was not sure what was wrong. Storm (our cat) was dehydrated. Storm's temp was normal. The vet "thought" it might be renal failure. They gave us an "estimate" of $480 to keep him for 2 nights and start treatment based on renal failuer, he advised us that if it was his cat he would excpect it to die if we didn't get him iv fluids immediately and he'd treat him like his own. We had to prepay before they would keep him, we paid $480 and left him there. We asked if we could come see him the following day and they told us no it wasn't good for our pet so they don't allow visitiors. I also asked if we could call for updates and they said that all the nurses could tell us is that he is resting, the vet wil call us with updates. We were in our car driving home at 5:40pm
The $480 estimate/quote:
Office call, $28
Bio Hazard disposal, $2.65
Complete Blood count, $53.90
Profile, $92.40
IV Setup, 70.68
2 Hospitalization, $84,12
4 Penicillin injections, $37.40
4 Antriobe Injections, $52.80
1 Metronidazole Injection, $27.98
4 Famotidine injections, $30.24
Wed 2/6 I did not hear from the vet all day. I called him at 5:00pm. I had to describe my cat as Gray/White short haired neutered male before he could identify our pet. He said that even with fluids Strom was not improving, Blood work was not done yet. He said he called me at 9 or 10 am but didn't leave a message on my machine.. i asked what number he called he said your home phone number (we only left one ph number, my cell phone, inwhich there were no missed incomming calls and I double checked with AT&T, no calls from him) I confrimed my ph number and advised him to call me with any updates at any time of the day or night.
Thurs 12:51am - the Vet called, Storm just passed away. He said he didn't have lab work back but should in the morning and would call to let me know. I said I would pick him up to bring him back home for burial. (I was in a sound sleep, didn't talk much just thanked him numberous times for calling)
11:45am - Vet called. Labs back poistive for Feline Leukemia. He said - Storm Perked up after we gave him fluids but never fully recovered - (see 5:00pm phone call) Anemia in bone marrow, elevated white blood count, elevated liver enzymes, etc..
12:30pm I stopped to pick up Storm :( I was also given a print out of the bloodwork. I asked "We need to settle the estimate" She said "we aren't going to charge you additional for the feline HIV test we ran" - I then said "so the estimate I we were given is the treatment that was done prior to his passing at 12:50 this morning?" She said "Oh yes"
Based on the Estimate - In Storm's 19 hours of care (all previous to receiving lab work) He was given 9 antibiotic injections (antirobe is only oral pill or liquid not availabe in injection) and 4 doses of Famotidine (pepcid) and cost $480 (actually more since they were generous enough to not charge us for the FIV test)
I feel like we were taken advantage of... We are really upset by Storm's passing. Hind Sight is always 20/20 but I'm bothererd that we were not permitted to come back to visit our sick (dying) kitty, which our previous vet encouraged. I don't know anything about feline medications but I do know that antibiotics are to treat infections.. and adminstering 9 doses in 19 hours without any sign of infection is bothering me too.
What are your thoughts?
I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm sorry I don't really have any insight to offer on this one. I do know you're hurting from losing your precious kitty, Storm. That much I know, so, again, I'm very sorry for your loss.
I am so sorry to hear of your loss...Cats are real tough little animals, they can be sick for a long time and they hide it real well. By the time they get dehydrated, they have been sick for a while.
I have a vet who was helping me with keeping my Snowball alive and healthy, but renal failure was happening despite all the care we gave her.
I was giving her special food, shots of water, bags and bags of water, and on a Saturday afternoon with our regular vet not having any hours, we took Snowball to the emergency hospital....
They never asked for any money up front, they called my vet and she told them that Snowball had already had every test that could be given and that if it was up to her, my sweet sweet baby should be put out of her misery as she was just getting sicker and sicker. Then we were told how much the shot would be and how much the burial would be and we made the decision and got to hold her until her last breath.
I have 2 more little kitties now and have Pet Insurance. It is really the best thing I could have bought and if you get in on it before the pet is 9, you can get lifetime of your pet coverage. My bill is only 5 dollars a week and if you have pets that are being vetted, you know what just an office call costs...
I don't know without being on the scene with you at the time, if what they did was right or wrong at the Pet Hospital.
I do hope you find some healing now and will get the answers you do deserve....
M
I have a vet who was helping me with keeping my Snowball alive and healthy, but renal failure was happening despite all the care we gave her.
I was giving her special food, shots of water, bags and bags of water, and on a Saturday afternoon with our regular vet not having any hours, we took Snowball to the emergency hospital....
They never asked for any money up front, they called my vet and she told them that Snowball had already had every test that could be given and that if it was up to her, my sweet sweet baby should be put out of her misery as she was just getting sicker and sicker. Then we were told how much the shot would be and how much the burial would be and we made the decision and got to hold her until her last breath.
I have 2 more little kitties now and have Pet Insurance. It is really the best thing I could have bought and if you get in on it before the pet is 9, you can get lifetime of your pet coverage. My bill is only 5 dollars a week and if you have pets that are being vetted, you know what just an office call costs...
I don't know without being on the scene with you at the time, if what they did was right or wrong at the Pet Hospital.
I do hope you find some healing now and will get the answers you do deserve....
M
Get the info to your regular vet for a thorough review, Storm should not have been treated like you describe in my experience of having gone through illnesses with several kitties.
I am so sorry for the loss of your dear little Storm, to loose a pet is distressing at the best of times....and I can't say I blame you for being upset, to be kept away from an ill or dying pet is horrible, both for you and for Storm as well.
I agree with you he was administered way too many antibiotics in such a short time..I've never heard of that many being used and that often..perhaps he had administered some before the lab results(elevated white count shows there was infection somewhere) than found they weren't correct for whatever type of infection Storm had, so he than gave the one that was susceptible to his source of infection....did he even say what that was afterward?
Or am I reading your post correctly when you say all 9 injections were given before any lab results were obtained? if this is the case than I would be HOPPING MAD....
he was just assulted with too much of everything, I would talk this all over with your normal Vet and tell him your concerns. not that it will do much good now but this does need to be addressed. and an explanation Why Smoke had so many a/b injections given? I would certainly find out.
I wish I could help you more, things like this just shouldn't happen, you should have been at the very least called and told his condition was worsening...if they were properly monitoring him they would/should have seen this.
Your not at fault you did what you thought was the best for your baby, I think he was a very sick boy by the time he got to the clinic, but I'm not so sure of the treatment he got while there was the best.
RIP little Storm.
If you are able to find out more, please update us...or post if you just need someone to talk to anytime...there are many kitty parents here who understand how you feel. ((>^.^<))
I agree with you he was administered way too many antibiotics in such a short time..I've never heard of that many being used and that often..perhaps he had administered some before the lab results(elevated white count shows there was infection somewhere) than found they weren't correct for whatever type of infection Storm had, so he than gave the one that was susceptible to his source of infection....did he even say what that was afterward?
Or am I reading your post correctly when you say all 9 injections were given before any lab results were obtained? if this is the case than I would be HOPPING MAD....
he was just assulted with too much of everything, I would talk this all over with your normal Vet and tell him your concerns. not that it will do much good now but this does need to be addressed. and an explanation Why Smoke had so many a/b injections given? I would certainly find out.
I wish I could help you more, things like this just shouldn't happen, you should have been at the very least called and told his condition was worsening...if they were properly monitoring him they would/should have seen this.
Your not at fault you did what you thought was the best for your baby, I think he was a very sick boy by the time he got to the clinic, but I'm not so sure of the treatment he got while there was the best.
RIP little Storm.
If you are able to find out more, please update us...or post if you just need someone to talk to anytime...there are many kitty parents here who understand how you feel. ((>^.^<))
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