Vet bill is climbing

[kinger8938]

About 2 years ago, our cat went to the vet with a blocked bladder. I think it cost about £500 (wasn't insured). We then insured him as the shock of a vet bill scared us a bit.

None of the following will be covered as they will class it as a pre-existing condition

Present day, it's happend again. Took him in Thursday, cost £790! Came home with the hope he would now wee by himself. Come Friday morning, he hadn't but was clearly trying so took him back and confirmed he was blocked again. Left him there. Another £895!!

This time they put a catheter in, and said he needs to stay somewhere to be monitored over the weekend. They got an estimate of £160 per day and I had to pick him up to take him just over an hour away

When I got there to pick him up and take him to the other place, the estimate was way off and it's actually £320 a day

And that's where we are currently. Waiting for a call this morning with an update.

Just not really sure how far I can justify this to go. With this first day being monitored, the bill overall sits around £2000.

It could just happen again down the line if not right away. He's otherwise a happy healthy chap, 9 years old and doesn't seem right to cut him short over this but need to be sensible financially.

Any one had similar? At the moment its a credit card job and will hopefully do a transfer to 0% once we know the final figure but again, how longs a piece of string

 

[kinger8938]

Sorry to hear about your cat. The thing that springs to mind for me is if the vets put him on urinary food? My cat had issues spraying previously, the vet took a sample from his bladder and there were crystals in it. Put him on the Hills S/D food to break them down, then changed him to the C/D food for maintenance no issues at all since and that’s over 10 years.

Hey there, thanks for the reply! Funnily enough they did this on Thursday so from then on he will Be on the special food, but unfortunately hasn't really had a chance for that to make an impact just yet. But hopefully it does!

Just had the update from the vet, he's had the catheter removed and now they are monitoring him to see if and when he passes urine freely by himself. So said they will update me around lunch time.

They were open about it all and actually mentioned worst case in the same way I mentioned above. As in if this comes back, do we realistically chase it financially or make the nasty decision.

Apparently it's very common especially in male cats and families often have to do it solely for that reason. Just seems awful. Not had to do it before, he's our first pet since we moved in together at our first home now 9-10 years ago so will Be a bit rough. But got to be sensible

Never know may be fine, food may help and he could be good for ages but we will see

 

[kinger8938]

Yeah it's a *******. Now we have insurance but obviously it won't cover this issue. Vet said we could always try but it's pretty clear in the T&C's about not covering preexisting issues/concerns.

We had the insurance when we first got him but cancelled it after like 6 years of not using it. Silly I know. Flipped the coin and alas it was the wrong decision

 

[kinger8938]

He's a good drinker luckily. Only ever cared for dry food so obviously drinks more as a result of that.

Just want to see him home today, have a wee at some point and keep an eye on it. They have given him anti inflammatorys today and something else. Probably extra cost

But I think we are unfortunately of the mind that if they have to unblock him again, we will call it quits. Nasty business

 

[kinger8938]

Then those that can't afford it shouldn't have a pet.

I mean sure, I do agree with this to an extent.

BUT

People's circumstances change etc. but I do get where you are coming from

 

[kinger8938]

Or at least get the animal put down rather than dumping or something.

We kill animals in the thousands, brutally. Although I would never put my boy down.. If you can't afford to insure you need to be able to make the decision to put them down.

Im desperately hopeful that it doesn't come to it for us. He's my little mate. Honestly the most clingy cuddly cat I've ever known

Even on the drive from out vet, to this over night one, he stretched his paws out of the bars and rested them on my knee for most the trip! Guilt trip or what!

But I'll do what's right if it comes to that. Just need to decide on our limit for how far to let it go money wise if he's not better after this bout.

Sure, I wish I kept the original insurance in place, and the last episode made me take it out incase he suffered anything worse. I knew this wouldn't be covered but there we go!

Vet did say I could try, but it's pretty clear

 

[kinger8938]

Picked the cat up, luckily today's day and night stay bill was as quoted, so luckily no horrid surprises. He's home now, need to keep an eye on his fluids make sure he's weeing properly etc and got a few meds to help with discomfort.

I really hope he gets past this now, currently at £2k mark for this

 

[kinger8938]

Indeed, ours is independently owned and they’re brilliant. They’re expensive too but you’re paying for a lot of time and expertise. This idea that vets are raking in loads of cash is just nonsense. It’s an incredibly tough job and not many people would have the balls to do it, frankly.

I think they do great work. Everyone I've dealt with this past few days have been spot on. And I always feel they have the animals best interests in mind.

Not like when you get work on a car and they make up what needs doing

 

[kinger8938]

Get him on royal canin urinary s/o

Keeping my fingers crossed for you

Cheers pal, they shoved us on Purina pro plan urinary but I imagine it's much the same

Need to make sure/encourage him to drink more but hes not that fussed.

Any pro tips?

 

[kinger8938]

They are not just a cat, they are part of your family.

Exactly, he's been here since we moved in to our first home together 10 years ago, had 2 kids in that time and he's been there for it all.

Would be a big loss for us if and when

 

[kinger8938]

A lot of cats like to drink from a running water source. Be it a tap or a drinking fountain with a pump.

Yeah just seen though fun cat fountain things

He does drink over time usually, as he's on dry food so naturally gets thirsty. Just want to make sure he's drinking a bit more over the next few days at least

 

[kinger8938]

There's no harm in me putting a claim.in, but it's pretty much definitely a no go

Seems my thread has sparked quite the debate

 

[kinger8938]

Cat got on ok over night, bit up and down to the litter tray but he's passing urine which is a promising sign. Not loads but definitely some and doesn't seem distressed at all.

No poo's yet but that wasn't an issue let's hope that happens soon.

One of the meds they gave him is supposed to calm him and it does almost too much. They said 2 per day but go down to 1 if he's too drowsy so may do that.

Drinking a fair bit and enjoying the Purina food which is promising for the future.

They want to see him again this week to see how he's getting on. Just hope he's fine. If they then say he's still blocked, I'm not really sure how much further we could go.

Any way positive for now, flogging some stuff that we planned to get rid of anyway, refunding foo fighters tickets (bought kind of on a whim last year, Tuesday night show isn't very practical anyway for us) so hopefully won't be too bad/long to get it cleared off.

 

[kinger8938]

Our dog developed an illness before Christmas that, after some failed treatment and back and forth, turned out to be Pyometra.

Initial vet bills:
1300 EUR

Surgery:
2600 EUR

She made a full recovery and is now back to her old self.
It was expensive but there we go, the alternative is to let her die and that wasn't deemed an alternative. I've got a good job and it's only money.

Glad she's back to normal!

Everyone's situation/circumstances will vary. I hope our guy is ok, he seems alright today but still not expressing loads of wee. He's happy in himself.

He's due a check up to see tomorrow morning, but if they find he's still blocked then I feel I may need to make that decision. Will Be hard if it comes to it. But here's hoping it doesn't.

 

[kinger8938]

Good luck, hope it's good news, I know it's heartbreaking, and I hope we never end up having to make that decision for purely financial reasons



I guess it would be more likely to apply in one-off injuries rather than ongoing illnesses. When Ember was hit by a car earlier in the year, there was no question as to whether we wanted to go ahead with the surgery, insurance or not (luckily it was covered). She's since made a full recovery, but if it was just a matter of "keeping them alive" even if that life is miserable... Yeah, not such an easy decision (even if it should be)

Thanks!

Yeah they did talk to me about how some people go down a surgical rabbit hole with this sort of condition, where they literally remove the cats "bits" and other stuff to bypass the issue but doesn't necessarily stop the discomfort (if anything, sounds like it adds to it.) I'd sooner let the chap go peacefully than chasing it like that, plus the cost would then go up and up too no doubt.

 

[kinger8938]

So far so good, he went back for a check up Tuesday, he's been himself and weeing as he should. Need to now just keep an eye on those habbits and continue with the urinary food diet.

Fingers crossed that's it. Didn't want to have to have him in to be expressed again as that would probably have been the point we may have called it quits. It could crop up again any time, if it's a few years from now, sure we will go through it again. But if it's next week

Hopefully he keeps healthy for a good while longer

 

[kinger8938]

I may look to another practice in the future, never really considered that before. But I'm sure it varies across the board from case to case etc.

Just a convenient location, our current one