Senior cat Ada's day at the Vet.
Dear and sweet Ada (now aged 13) spent most of today at my Veterinarian's place.
This was on account of Ada's up-chucking for three days, and her inability to retain and digest both dry and wet food.
So what was the diagnosis. My silly and/or cynical side says "$314".
The locum vet listened to me. He chastised me because I had not brought Ada in for treatment on her first day of vomiting.
He examined Ada. Her temp was fine. There was no fever. Her vitals were good. She had lost 1lb in weight since 2011.
Then the vet injected Ada with an anti-biotic ( strange since there was no diagnosis). He also gave her an anti-nausea shot, and took some blood to be tested.
Ada remained "under observation" until 4:00 p.m. at which time she was released to my custody, (sans the blood test reports which we will get tomorrow).
The very good "techie" told me that Ada had ingested some Hill's "Prescription Diet I/D "wet food during the day and had "kept it down". "Maybe" she said, "Ada was suffering from nothing more than a temporary gastro-intestinal blip",
She suggested that I should feed this and this alone to Ada for the next three days. I hope that it will not be longer because three 156g (5.5oz) cans cost me $5.
So Ada came home. She was greeted by Penne the dog, and Adelaide the junior cat, both of which greeted her with a nose to tail sniff-fest.
Ada has eaten some prescription I/D food this evening and has kept it down. But she still seems to be a bit under the weather, and is still hiding in dark places in my home.
I worry!
====================================================================
About that $314.
1. $130 of this is the charge for the out-sourced analysis of blood.
2. And I understand that any decent Veterinarian has huge overheads (rent and staff wages being a large part of the "mark up") so that the in-source charge of $184 seems quite reasonable for Ada's treatment and care,
3. But how tough it must be to pay these bills by my poorer friends who love their pets, but have no money.
4.Maybe my pet loving friends and I could/would send a few dollars to a local "free care" or "reduced fee" Veterinarian.
This was on account of Ada's up-chucking for three days, and her inability to retain and digest both dry and wet food.
So what was the diagnosis. My silly and/or cynical side says "$314".
The locum vet listened to me. He chastised me because I had not brought Ada in for treatment on her first day of vomiting.
He examined Ada. Her temp was fine. There was no fever. Her vitals were good. She had lost 1lb in weight since 2011.
Then the vet injected Ada with an anti-biotic ( strange since there was no diagnosis). He also gave her an anti-nausea shot, and took some blood to be tested.
Ada remained "under observation" until 4:00 p.m. at which time she was released to my custody, (sans the blood test reports which we will get tomorrow).
The very good "techie" told me that Ada had ingested some Hill's "Prescription Diet I/D "wet food during the day and had "kept it down". "Maybe" she said, "Ada was suffering from nothing more than a temporary gastro-intestinal blip",
She suggested that I should feed this and this alone to Ada for the next three days. I hope that it will not be longer because three 156g (5.5oz) cans cost me $5.
So Ada came home. She was greeted by Penne the dog, and Adelaide the junior cat, both of which greeted her with a nose to tail sniff-fest.
Ada has eaten some prescription I/D food this evening and has kept it down. But she still seems to be a bit under the weather, and is still hiding in dark places in my home.
I worry!
====================================================================
About that $314.
1. $130 of this is the charge for the out-sourced analysis of blood.
2. And I understand that any decent Veterinarian has huge overheads (rent and staff wages being a large part of the "mark up") so that the in-source charge of $184 seems quite reasonable for Ada's treatment and care,
3. But how tough it must be to pay these bills by my poorer friends who love their pets, but have no money.
4.Maybe my pet loving friends and I could/would send a few dollars to a local "free care" or "reduced fee" Veterinarian.
Comments
Post a Comment