What price the life of a cat?
Mango Jerry was born 2 days before I broke my foot last year. He came into my life when he was only 6 weeks old, just a little orange ball of fluff. He and Jitterbug (the 106 lb Otterhound) became best buddies at first sight.
Now, just a year and a half later, he's been fighting for his life after coming down with ideopathic cystitis. That's one of the urinary tract diseases male cats can develop. Serious in females, it's life-threatening for males.
Mango is at the extreme young end of the scale for developing it. Young is 2, he's only a year and a half. By the time I got him to the vet he was just barely able to walk. They sedated him, inserted a catheter and drew off 65 ml of fluid. Apparently that's a lot. Aside from the catheter he was also on IV for fluids plus medication for pain, spasms and anxiety. He stayed for 3 days and then we brought him home, on Tuesday.
He certainly looked a lot better, but we couldn't get him to eat or drink. He does not like their prescription diet. We kept him shut in the powder room with his own litter box and his bed so we could monitor use of the box and so no one could steal his food. Unfortunately, he wouldn't eat or drink, so back to the vet on Thursday.
They re-hydrated him, relieved his bladder (don't ask) and just before we picked him up he coughed up a giant hairball. Cats are just the most charming creatures.....
He his back home now, and seems to be on the road to recovery. He takes his medication pretty well. He is eating, and, I assume, drinking, relieving himself and resting. Nobody messes with him. The other cats avoid him like he has the plague or something, maybe the medicine is making him smell different. He does have accidents right now, though, so doesn't smell all that good to me either. The dogs just want to steal his food.
Now, the bill, and thus the topic of this blog. Before the Thursday visit, his bill was $1,300......
We are the keepers of our animals. They become family members, and even though he's "just a cat", I sobbed on the way to the vet last Saturday when I thought he was going to have to be put down. I sure knew he wasn't coming back home with me that day. Luckily the vet has a payment plan, so we got groceries this week.
Comment
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Comment by Peggy Powell on August 16, 2011 at 9:03am -
After two further visits to the vet for some more re-hydration I think I can definitely say Mango is recovering. He had some muscle mass loss so is on a special recovery food that he actually enjoys. I have to beat off my son's cats with a stick. Unfortunately he is still peeing pink, I sure hope the antibiotics will help with that. He's much more comfortable, though and back to trying to escape out the back door. I get to see the final bill on Thursday.....
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Comment by Peggy Powell on August 7, 2011 at 5:01pm
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Thank you for that Steve. I know Mango is trying, he is a clean cat and doesn't like to pee on himself. The medicam works very well. Appreciated CreekEnd. I'll definitely read the site. And Geezerchick, I'm sure you can imagine how much I wish I'd purchased the insurance for him!
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Comment by CreekEnd_UK on August 7, 2011 at 1:18pm
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Comment by Steve S on August 7, 2011 at 1:12pm
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Sorry you are having a tough time with MJ.
I'd expect the accidents might continue for a while until he forgets about the pain he had before. Your mission is to do what you can so the "free-weeing" does not become part of his lifestyle.
Sometimes it is wise at this point to consider your plan if MJ's condition looks chronic. This is not easy.
From your Lost Colonist Cat Rescue Guy
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Comment by Geezerchick on August 7, 2011 at 11:41am -
I totally believe health care insurance (and the federal plan if we ever get it) should cover our pets. Plenty of research shows that people who have pets are healthier than people who don't. So, the bills should even out.
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Comment by Linda Seccaspina on August 7, 2011 at 8:16am -
Peggy I am so sorry... I just hope he gets better.
HUGGGGGGGGGGG
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