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Butt Bidness posted:Thanks for the advice guys. Will I need to let him out for food or water or a bathroom break at some point in those ~8 hours? Personally, my cat refused to eat or drink the entire time, and had no accidents. I think she didn't want to eat or drink when she didn't have anywhere to go? I don't know how another cat my act about that though.
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Apr 29, 2014 06:58
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Had a terrible weekend in regards to my cat Charlie. It started after I had finished washing the dishes I realized he was taking a longer time than normal to pee.  alarm bells The day was a public holiday so my partner and I had to rush him to an emergency vet. They checked him out and told us he would need a catheter and gave us a quote for $3000. We didn't have anywhere near that amount so the vet started to talk about "other options" (such as putting him down) and were offered a finance option. ONLY after we were rejected for the finance option and my parter is freaking out and crying because she thinks she has to put her cat down that the vet brings up the option of draining the urine with a needle and giving pain medication so we can go to our normal vet the next day. It's basically our only option, and cost $400. The next day we went to out normal vet and she couldn't find his bladder so she decided it would be best to give him antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory and watch him. We do that and 4 hours later he urinates. Ordeal over and $650 total gone. It's better than $3000 though. My partner is angry with the emergency vets for not exploring the antibiotics + anti-inflammatory option and suggesting to go straight for the catheter procedure(which cost $3000).
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Apr 29, 2014 07:13
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spregalia posted:Can cats be dominant-handed (pawed)? I've noticed Chewie prefers his left paw for swatting at toys, laser pointers, etc. He'll still use his right paw, but it seems like his left paw is the preferred/default even when it may be easier for him to use the right paw. I assume so - horses have a preferred side too - so no reason that cats wouldn't.
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Apr 29, 2014 07:28
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Putting in the catheter and hospitalizing the cat is standard of care for a blocked kitty, which is why it was recommended first. Poking the bladder with a needle can be risky depending on how big and firm the bladder is, because if it's been blocked long enough that the bladder is huge and turgid, poking it with a needle could possibly make it rupture. They probably brainstormed that back-up option because you guys couldn't afford hospitalization, they thought the bladder wasn't bad enough to rupture, and they didn't want to make you euthanize your cat. For a lot of cats, that back-up method would not have worked and they would have had to come back, and it's really fortunate that it worked for yours. For cats that come in "blocked", but have a small-to-medium bladder and may not be fully obstructed, often emergency hospitals will try to give some medication to relax the urethral sphincter and some pain medication to see if the cat will be able to pee on his own. For cats with bigger bladders, or cats where they try that and it doesn't work, passing a urinary catheter is necessary to relieve the obstruction. The e-vet made that call based on your cat's symptoms. As for antibiotics, less than 2% of cats who are blocked actually have a urinary tract infection so they aren't typically used for blocked kitties. I know it's easy to be suspicious because vet bills are so expensive and conveniently, the most expensive option was presented first, but they gave it first because it was the best treatment option based on your cat's clinical signs. I have been in a fair number of vet hospitals and clinics at this point and have helped manage quite a few cases now as a vet student, and I have never, ever heard anyone suggest something because it was the most expensive option. Frequently, we pick the lower-cost test, we try to come up with ways to save money, and we don't charge for things that we did to try to work around financial constraints. If the e-vet thought that catheterization was the best option, then it probably was, even though in the end it (fortunately) wasn't required.
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Apr 29, 2014 07:40
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I thought as much, also the cost would have been inflated due to it being an e-vet hospital. Thanks for putting it in a way I can explain to my SO so she doesn't feel like they were trying to rip her off.
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Apr 29, 2014 07:46
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spregalia posted:Can cats be dominant-handed (pawed)? I've noticed Chewie prefers his left paw for swatting at toys, laser pointers, etc. He'll still use his right paw, but it seems like his left paw is the preferred/default even when it may be easier for him to use the right paw. It's quite possible, I just listened to a podcast (forgot which) where they were testing parrots for handedness. I just remembered, it was Radiolab from sometime this year.
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Apr 29, 2014 12:58
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Why does a cath cost three grand? Is it just they charge what they want because you would have no other choice?
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Apr 29, 2014 13:24
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Butt Bidness posted:Thanks for the advice guys. Will I need to let him out for food or water or a bathroom break at some point in those ~8 hours? No, just wait until you get to wherever you're sleeping, he'll be fine. My cat didn't actually eat or use the litter box the first night of my trip, and there were no issues. I was freaking out about it, but she pooped and ate just fine at the next stop.
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Apr 29, 2014 13:27
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Drythe posted:Why does a cath cost three grand? Is it just they charge what they want because you would have no other choice? It's not just to place the catheter. You have to relieve the blockage, flush out the bladder, replace it with a soft catheter that can stay in and hospitalize the cat for a few days until the urine looks normal. Staying in ICU will take up the bulk of that cost - it's expensive to keep an emergency hospital open 24/7 with staff there at all hours to make sure your animal's doing ok and give it all the care it needs.
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Apr 29, 2014 18:10
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I said it here a few months ago, but pet insurance is a hell of a lot cheaper than a serious vet visit. I'm paying about €12 a month for two cats for full coverage with a €90 excess. My cat was one more vet trip from being put to sleep after breaking a leg and getting a nasty post op infection because I couldn't afford any more bills. Luckily he recovered, but they're both insured now, so it shouldn't ever be a problem again.
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Apr 29, 2014 20:50
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Drythe posted:Why does a cath cost three grand? Is it just they charge what they want because you would have no other choice?
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Apr 30, 2014 02:32
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cormac posted:I said it here a few months ago, but pet insurance is a hell of a lot cheaper than a serious vet visit. I've had a bitch of a time finding a plan that would actually help. I've heard a lot of horror stories about people thinking they were covered and then having to fight for months on end to justify a payment.
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Apr 30, 2014 15:30
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Drythe posted:Why does a cath cost three grand? Is it just they charge what they want because you would have no other choice? My old vet was amazing about always giving an cost sheet with high and low estimates and options for less expensive meds and such. I don't know why all vets don't do this. Once you look at the cost breakdown, it doesn't seem so unreasonable. Of course, my cat had a similar urinary issue and even with the cath it only cost $180, so $3,000 is a bit  . He didn't have to stay overnight and it was at a regular vet, but my ferret had abdominal surgery, followed by midnight e-vet care and an overnight at the vet and it was still cheaper than that estimate. This is where those breakdown sheets help, to see exactly what services they're including in the estimate.
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Apr 30, 2014 15:46
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My gf and I just got a cat recently (maine coon?). He hid a little the first few hours but has been really well adjusted to us. He sleeps on the bed, follows us around, and is really pleasant. However we are having one issue. He seems to clean himself a lot which is fine till he starts biting and scratching a lot to the point of hair coming out and rough scratches on him. I put a treatment of advantage II on to make sure it is not fleas, bought different food to try, and not sure what is going on. His hair is thicker than when we got him and the adoption place said they got him because the house he was at was causing him to be stressed. It has only been a few weeks but I'm thinking I will take him to the vet next week if I don't see improvement. Any other suggestions? Could he be bored with us not being there during work and need another cat?
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Apr 30, 2014 18:57
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Christobevii3 posted:My gf and I just got a cat recently (maine coon?). He hid a little the first few hours but has been really well adjusted to us. He sleeps on the bed, follows us around, and is really pleasant. Could be psychological, could be physical. Food allergies will make a cat's skin itch. We have one who will over-groom to the point of bleeding if we let her eat the wrong stuff. Your vet can help you sort it out.
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Apr 30, 2014 19:06
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I recently took in a cat who turned out to have FIV. Before this I'd been planning on volunteering at a wildlife rescue, but now I think that might be dangerous for her. Is there a good chance I'd bring something nasty home, do you think? Even if I weren't working with wild cats?
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Apr 30, 2014 20:08
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I have a ragdoll at home which is epileptic. Without any treatment he used to do a crisis per week. We used to give him Phenoleptil to stop it. The drug is actually out-of-order from the laboraty, so they give us instead a drug called crisax (I don't know the name of it outside France). It also contains Phenobarbital like Phenoleptil, but they is a new chemical Potassium bromide. I've read on few forums that Potassium bromide can cause respiratory disorder. Have you experienced it with cats ?
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May 1, 2014 00:10
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Drythe posted:Why does a cath cost three grand? Is it just they charge what they want because you would have no other choice? Unlike people, anesthesia is necessary in these cases to place the catheter. As it is a blockage you are working against, putting the catheter in can be tough. You need to clear the obstruction, but using fluids through the catheter as you are placing it is potentially forcing more fluids into a situation where you are trying desperately to decrease amount of fluid in the bladder. At the same time, common electrolyte disturbances make anesthesia riskier. I can actually see a $3000 estimate for a worst-case scenario obstructed cat at an ER clinic. I imagine they were prepping for overnight ICU/EKG monitoring and regular potassium checks/medications given to lower potassium over the following 24 hours. 3-5 bloodwork runs to monitor kidney levels over the next couple days. Abdominal rads, urinalysis, medications for the obstruction... At my old clinic it was about $600-900 for an un-complicated cat obstruction, and we were god damned cheap in comparison to everywhere else I worked/volunteered at. Plastics. posted:I recently took in a cat who turned out to have FIV. Before this I'd been planning on volunteering at a wildlife rescue, but now I think that might be dangerous for her. Is there a good chance I'd bring something nasty home, do you think? Even if I weren't working with wild cats? I wouldn't worry about it. Luminaz posted:I have a ragdoll at home which is epileptic. Yeah, KBr can cause respiratory disease in cats. They usually start off with a cough, can sometimes get bad - can take a week or more to develop. if that happens, they need to be taken off the KBr and started on a new seizure med. When you say laboratory gave you a different drug, do you mean the prescribing veterinarian changed it, or do you mean a pharmacy/drug dispensary changed it? If your vet changed it, then okay. However sometimes pharmacies will switch meds and do harm (more common in vet patients than in human patients) so if the pharmacy changed it and your vet was not the one making that decidion, you need to talk to your vet. Heck, if your vet was the one prescribing it and you are concerned about side affects, give them a call and let them know your concerns. Maybe that's the only drug available in your area, maybe they didn't realize the adverse effects because they don't use it often.
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May 1, 2014 00:58
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HelloSailorSign posted:
In fact it's my Vet, when she tried to order Phenobarbital the laboraty answer that it's out or order for 10 weeks at least. The vet said that in case of trouble she can ask to use the human drug which is only Phenobarbital but which another packaging. Thanks for your answer
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May 1, 2014 08:22
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Do you folks have any tips about travelling with a cat? I'm moving across the country soon and my girlfriend is making a trip out here beforehand to (among other things) take my cat to my new home. She'll by flying southwest with some 'comfort animal' paperwork, meaning he gets to sit in a carrier on her lap/under the seat. So she'll be fine, but what about my little buddy? I figure that a few hour flight is better than driving with him for 15 hours in a carrier. Am I about to practice animal cruelty? Bonus picture of Oscar taking a quasi-nap on his comfy chair 
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May 1, 2014 14:41
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Suggestions for dealing with a cat being bratty? In the middle of the night, one of our cats really likes shoving its paws under the bedroom door repeatedly, usually pushing whatever small toy they can find into the room until it's out of their grasp (this includes bottle caps, scraps of paper, actual toys, and on one occasion a Nintendo DS). I've tried putting a towel down in front of the door but the cats either reach in and pull it out or just move it with their teeth if I put it on the outside of the door. This honestly feels silly to complain about but they've been waking up our roommate (who works nights) so I'd like to try and get them to stop doing that. Also, they have food and water whenever they do it. I think they've just decided it's the funnest game to play when people are sleeping.
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May 1, 2014 15:56
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Dragyn posted:
This didn't get any responses, but I feel that I need to report here that Kevin passed away shortly after midnight on Tuesday. She had become increasingly weak, even after syringe feeding her nutritional supplements in addition to her normal food. On Monday evening when we got home around 10:00 she could barely walk and was shivering slightly. We brought her into the emergency vet to make a determination. She was examined, and based on the past diagnosis and testing the vet could only suggest further searching into the root of the anemia, but advised that in her present condition, we were unlikely to find a treatable diagnosis. We made the determination to euthanize her instead of putting her through a barrage of tests, which she would be unlikely to survive after anyway. Sorry to bring the thread down, but I just wanted to update. Appreciate your animal family, you never know when they'll suddenly be gone.
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May 1, 2014 16:43
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Carl Killer Miller posted:Do you folks have any tips about travelling with a cat? I'm moving across the country soon and my girlfriend is making a trip out here beforehand to (among other things) take my cat to my new home. She'll by flying southwest with some 'comfort animal' paperwork, meaning he gets to sit in a carrier on her lap/under the seat. So she'll be fine, but what about my little buddy? I figure that a few hour flight is better than driving with him for 15 hours in a carrier. He'll be fine. Your vet can provide you with cat sedatives to reduce the chances of a freakout mid-flight, but it isn't always necessary.
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May 1, 2014 17:05
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Dragyn posted:Sorry to bring the thread down, but I just wanted to update. Appreciate your animal family, you never know when they'll suddenly be gone.
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May 1, 2014 17:29
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Angrymog posted:Sorry to hear about Kevin - she looked like a lovely cat. How did a tortoiseshell end up being called Kevin though? \/\/ To solicit exactly this response. \/\/ (My fiancee's idea) I think maybe 3 people picked it up without prompting in the year and a half or so that we had her.  That's from "Up" for those who may be unfamiliar. Dragyn fucked around with this message at 17:57 on May 1, 2014 |
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May 1, 2014 17:54
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My cat is pooping a lot of small poops, dragging his butt along the ground afterward and leaving poo poo skidmarks, and violently licking his rear end and the area above his tail. Is this worms or something?
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May 1, 2014 18:57
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Dragyn posted:Sorry to bring the thread down, but I just wanted to update. Appreciate your animal family, you never know when they'll suddenly be gone. I didn't respond because I had nothing of any value to add. I'm sorry for your loss. 
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May 1, 2014 19:04
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coronaball posted:My cat is pooping a lot of small poops, dragging his butt along the ground afterward and leaving poo poo skidmarks, and violently licking his rear end and the area above his tail. Is this worms or something? Could be, have you seen any worm segments? Could also be constipated and his butthole is hurting. Are the small poops of a regular softness? Deteriorata posted:I didn't respond because I had nothing of any value to add. I'm sorry for your loss. Yeah, that came across wrong, I'm not cross with anyone for not responding to my post or anything. Wasn't expecting a miracle here. Thanks for the condolences though. Her 'brother' is helping to fill the void by being a quasi-lap cat now.
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May 1, 2014 19:22
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Dragyn posted:Could be, have you seen any worm segments? Could also be constipated and his butthole is hurting. Are the small poops of a regular softness? I haven't seen any worm segments but I haven't been looking either. He's been lethargic for a few days too. Anyway, I'll take him to the vet this afternoon
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May 1, 2014 19:31
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Found this little bastard in my backyard.  Was pretty timid but with time and some smoked turkey I got him/her to come close was able to touch and pick up the dirty little stinker. Asleep in a bin with an old pillow and sheet right now, gonna head out to pick up supplies like flea collar and Blue Buffalo wilderness kitten food. Heard that was a good brand and found out the tractor supply co. has that in stock 
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May 1, 2014 20:51
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 Kitten get! This is August! He's a ragdoll.
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May 1, 2014 21:04
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Hardwood Floor posted:Suggestions for dealing with a cat being bratty? In the middle of the night, one of our cats really likes shoving its paws under the bedroom door repeatedly, usually pushing whatever small toy they can find into the room until it's out of their grasp (this includes bottle caps, scraps of paper, actual toys, and on one occasion a Nintendo DS). I've tried putting a towel down in front of the door but the cats either reach in and pull it out or just move it with their teeth if I put it on the outside of the door. This honestly feels silly to complain about but they've been waking up our roommate (who works nights) so I'd like to try and get them to stop doing that. You can buy a door sweep at places like Lowes, Home Depot, and Wal Mart. That should at least prevent them from pushing stuff under the door. That doesn't mean they won't still try to bug you, but it should at least close the gap enough (unless you have a huge gap). The other option is to try playing with them before bed so that they're tired enough to relax/sleep themselves instead of being wide awake trying to play (with or without you) through the door.
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May 1, 2014 22:33
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What does it mean when a cat sighs
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May 2, 2014 03:30
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EXTREME INSERTION posted:What does it mean when a cat sighs
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May 2, 2014 03:32
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Dragyn posted:This didn't get any responses, but I feel that I need to report here that Kevin passed away shortly after midnight on Tuesday. Sorry for your loss.  Kevin looked like a beautiful cat and a wonderful companion.
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May 2, 2014 03:42
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EXTREME INSERTION posted:What does it mean when a cat sighs Your cat is disappointed in you as a person.
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May 2, 2014 04:04
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duckfarts posted:Your cat is disappointed in you as a person. I thought it meant she could be bored or something but could be that too...
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May 2, 2014 04:12
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Oh here is my cat by the way
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May 2, 2014 04:27
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EXTREME INSERTION posted:Oh here is my cat by the way
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May 2, 2014 04:32
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She's a very nice cat, she just made a face as a kitten and it got stuck like that.
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May 2, 2014 04:38
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