16 August 2008

What some people will do for a buck!

A lot has happened since the last time I blogged. First off, I missed almost a whole week of work because of an intestinal infection. That was soooo not fun! I was so nauseated that I couldn't move. Thank all that is holy that I am now better. I don't think I could have survived one more day.
Secondly, Tabby has been having a problem with fleas. Because she is in such poor health, she could only be treated with chemical free products. I tried everything I heard about: organic white vinegar, olive oil, original Dawn liquid soap. Nothing worked. In the mean time, Tabby was scratching so much that she had bald patches and open sores. Her behavior was changing and she was eating much less. I called her vet and he recommended a chemical product for Tabby and for the house to be fogged. I was stunned! Everything that I learned about cats with Renal failure claimed that chemicals of that nature would most likely kill them. I told this to the vet and he said that's a chance you take. Wow! What an uncaring asshole! Now, I should point out that after everything we went through with Tabby, I said I would NEVER go back there again. It was a very bad experience and the vet was never available to help or answer questions. Why I called him that day, I don't know. I guess I was desperate! So, as a result, I decided to contact another veterinarian. This vet came highly recommended by everyone I talked to. I was very nervous to bring Tabby in. The thought that this vet might suggest to euthanize her, caused me to fall into fits of tears. However, I sucked it up and made an appointment for that very same day. My husband came with me to insure I didn't fall apart or make any rash decisions. He was my much needed support.
I must say, the minute I walked into the clinic I knew I would love that place. It was calm and quiet, the people were warm and friendly, and everyone seemed genuinely happy to be there. Also, a huge, 3-legged cat roamed the halls. How could you not love it? The place was perfect!
We met the vet and the first thing he said was, "This cat doesn't look like a cat in renal failure."
Huh? What? I'm sorry. What did you say? He looked over Tabby's chart from the last vet and asked if he could do a complete blood panel and health check. He said he knew we spent an insane amount of money on her care already, but from what he read and what he saw, he wanted to run his own tests. He told us how much it would cost (half the price of the last vet) so that we wouldn't be surprised by the bill. We didn't ask him to do this, he just did!<3<3 It would take about an hour to get the results. Of course we agreed to do the tests! It took 2 weeks for those results to come in at the last vet! I had a Strong feeling things were gonna be different.
Well, I was right! Tabby is not in renal failure! She is not dying! She does have kidney problems, but not life threatening. Almost all of her levels are in the normal range and those that are not are only slightly raised. The last vet said her levels were "astronomically high" and would not come down. When the new vet heard that, he was puzzled. He was also shocked to hear that we were told that only a kidney transplant would save Tabby. Oh, and she doesn't need that $400 oral surgery. Her teeth are perfect. She is now eating a special dry food for cats with kidney problems. The last vet said she couldn't eat dry food because of her "bad teeth."
To make a very long story short, the last vet lied to us and scammed us out of a lot of money. As for the flea problem, Tabby is allergic to flea poop. That's why she was so miserable. She has been treated and is almost 100% better.
Do I want to kill the old vet? Hell yes! The amount of emotional stress he put me through, is unforgivable. Not to mention the amount of money we spent. They say karma is a bitch. Well, that asshole better watch out!

1 comment:

Courtney said...

The first Vet wasn't an Elliott was he?