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Friday, November 05, 2010
Pepper, One Loved Cat
A few weeks ago we took our 7 year old Tabby to the vet for something as mundane as his yearly rabies shot and “well” cat appointment.
At 7-Pepper is now considered to be a “senior”. A senior? Yep. So he got his rabies and some other inoculation. Then she looked in his mouth. The little guy had some receding gums and what appeared to be a cavity (or 2).
Great.
We were warned last year at this same time that it could happen. He had a cavity (2) that we would up having to spend out for then too. Well, last year-I still had unemployment (meager as it was) coming in and the bottom floor of our home hadn’t fallen apart. Oh, we also had the October/November dental discount.
It still ran almost $600. Same deal this year-except this year, they wanted to add a complete “senior panel” of blood tests.
Sigh.
We decided we needed to find a more budget friendly vet-or at least one that had a “time payment” plan.
We went to our local “hero” vet. He’s called that mainly because he’s given away countless hours of surgery and time saving abandoned and abused animals. Plus he also started a Pet Rescue Center and holds numerous fund-raisers to prevent animals being put down.
He totally agreed with our long-standing vet and gave us not so much a “holiday” price discount, but the usual price and a company that offers 6 months same as cash.
We applied and made the appointment. I took him in last week and was called less than 3 hours later and told that the poor little guy had not 1 or even 2 bad teeth-oh no, he had 4!
Sigh.
That added another $300 to the bill. He came home frightened, angry, in pain and hissing. I understood. I also had 10 days of antibiotics and 3 days of pain meds. Ever try getting all this into a cat?
With our 14 year old lab mix-I just hide whatever she has to take into a dab of peanut butter and put that on top of her food. No problem. But Pepper isn’t quite so easy. It took my husband and me to do the deed. After the first dose of painkillers-I mixed it up into his food. He refused to even enter the kitchen until we had vacated the entire downstairs.
We decided that this would still be the best way to handle things. So that’s what I’ve been doing-dosing the food and then coming upstairs to my office.
Pepper was actually doing quite well within a couple of days. He still won’t eat until we’ve left the area, but the important thing is we are getting everything into him.
The vet has called twice to ask how he’s doing and even sent him a get well card with everyone in the office signing it. I think we’ll frame it and hang it over the litter box.
Some might say they’d never spend out this amount of money for a cat’s dental work-but we are “pet” people. He’s one of our kids and we’d do the same over again.
I just have to hope we don’t have too!
At 7-Pepper is now considered to be a “senior”. A senior? Yep. So he got his rabies and some other inoculation. Then she looked in his mouth. The little guy had some receding gums and what appeared to be a cavity (or 2).
Great.
We were warned last year at this same time that it could happen. He had a cavity (2) that we would up having to spend out for then too. Well, last year-I still had unemployment (meager as it was) coming in and the bottom floor of our home hadn’t fallen apart. Oh, we also had the October/November dental discount.
It still ran almost $600. Same deal this year-except this year, they wanted to add a complete “senior panel” of blood tests.
Sigh.
We decided we needed to find a more budget friendly vet-or at least one that had a “time payment” plan.
We went to our local “hero” vet. He’s called that mainly because he’s given away countless hours of surgery and time saving abandoned and abused animals. Plus he also started a Pet Rescue Center and holds numerous fund-raisers to prevent animals being put down.
He totally agreed with our long-standing vet and gave us not so much a “holiday” price discount, but the usual price and a company that offers 6 months same as cash.
We applied and made the appointment. I took him in last week and was called less than 3 hours later and told that the poor little guy had not 1 or even 2 bad teeth-oh no, he had 4!
Sigh.
That added another $300 to the bill. He came home frightened, angry, in pain and hissing. I understood. I also had 10 days of antibiotics and 3 days of pain meds. Ever try getting all this into a cat?
With our 14 year old lab mix-I just hide whatever she has to take into a dab of peanut butter and put that on top of her food. No problem. But Pepper isn’t quite so easy. It took my husband and me to do the deed. After the first dose of painkillers-I mixed it up into his food. He refused to even enter the kitchen until we had vacated the entire downstairs.
We decided that this would still be the best way to handle things. So that’s what I’ve been doing-dosing the food and then coming upstairs to my office.
Pepper was actually doing quite well within a couple of days. He still won’t eat until we’ve left the area, but the important thing is we are getting everything into him.
The vet has called twice to ask how he’s doing and even sent him a get well card with everyone in the office signing it. I think we’ll frame it and hang it over the litter box.
Some might say they’d never spend out this amount of money for a cat’s dental work-but we are “pet” people. He’s one of our kids and we’d do the same over again.
I just have to hope we don’t have too!
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Yes, as a dog lover, it's hard to fathom such generosity for a feline. And as you indicate, they are soooooo ungrateful.
I still remember our struggling financially when we were first starting out, when the missus had a tooth pulled rather than undergo an expensive procedure to crown a bad tooth. I guess we've progressed to the state where we could afford to have our own teeth crowned. But our dog or cat? I think having it pulled is about as far as we would go.
I still remember our struggling financially when we were first starting out, when the missus had a tooth pulled rather than undergo an expensive procedure to crown a bad tooth. I guess we've progressed to the state where we could afford to have our own teeth crowned. But our dog or cat? I think having it pulled is about as far as we would go.
that's what we did-but we were given the option of root canals! even the vet thought pulling was the way to go.
we are definitely dog lovers as well Dave.
and actually-Pepper was mad until he realized he felt better. He's very cuddly. he's always sitting here in my lap or nuzzling my ears while I work.
and w/ the dog-always looking and crying for her as well.
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we are definitely dog lovers as well Dave.
and actually-Pepper was mad until he realized he felt better. He's very cuddly. he's always sitting here in my lap or nuzzling my ears while I work.
and w/ the dog-always looking and crying for her as well.
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