Jamie

He’s still quite out of it, but he is home for now. I can’t express what I’ve gone through dealing with emergency vet(s). It is a shame that some will try to drain you dry for the sake of money instead of providing the care you need in a fair way. I went to multiple vets hours away from my home. I saw it from two sides. First estimate over $4,000. I get it your late night emergency visits will cost. Like a mechanic working on a vehicle there are charges with little to no info on what it entails. It’s a blatant scam. Example: Medications = $1,075, Examination = $185, Doctor eval = $620. This is just a piece of it from one place. Cost me $185.50. As I would do with a mechanic I showed that I informed myself of what was going on before going. I was a mechanic reason I use this analogy. I know the game. When I would continue the doctors explanation or go a little deeper you could clearly see a change in attitude. A negative one, you can just feel that energy. I left and paid him his $185 for talking to me for 10 minutes and hopefully checking out my cat. Returned to the car and called another. Asked how much a specific service would cost. A urinary catheter. My exact words. They gave a much better estimate OVER the phone for free mind you. We get there, mom was with and glad she was otherwise I would think I was going insane. We sit for about 2 hours. Thinking that maybe since I was specific they went with that procedure. Not the case. The doctor came in with an estimate paper. The estimate paper stated Feline Urinary Obstruction procedure. He then begins to explain that procedure. It was sticking a needle through the belly to the bladder and relieving the pressure. In the best case give him relief and probably 6ish hours before the bladder to fill again. My vet don’t open until Monday. The risk of kidney toxicity by that time was way to high. I don’t know why it was even suggested it I’m no doctor. I said: I specifically asked for a urinary catheter. He said the nurse told me over the phone that it would be the needle and not catheter he said he heard. A bold face lie. It gets crazier. I already have a serious problem trusting or believing in humans. Lying increases that to a point I can barely stand. I controlled myself and asked him to give me an estimate to put him to sleep. I said do your best because I can let him out at my property and do it myself for free. It will be quick and painless. A nurse comes back. He don’t. Gives me 3 estimates. One for an actual urinary catheter, one to just drain the bladder (this was new) and one to euthanize. Now I’m very confused. All of a sudden the original estimate was now a catheter? The one the doctor just described to me and my mom wasn’t one. Then the estimate for the bladder drain was was significantly cheaper, even cheaper than the phone estimate. I’m so glad I had someone with me. I would think I was going crazy as I had been up a long time, but there was 2 of us that heard everything and asked questions regarding it. At this time I said if you change this (urinary feline construction procedure) to urinary catheter I would pay the original estimate. Reason being as this is the only thing that would unblock him to hopefully last until Monday. The nurse explained she couldn’t change the text it was their technical term for it and how they select in the computer. I argue this is not a technical description rather a blanket statement or laymans term she said I had it backwards. Ok. I said can you write out urinary catheter and have the doctor sign. That happened and the procedure was done. Oh and you remember the $1,000 dollar medication from the other place. This hospital had the meds listed by name and only came to $130. I hope he makes it ok until Monday. I know my vet is good country people who work at a vet to help animals to the best of their ability. I asked for help here on Twitter and Facebook. This puts me in a very bad place financially. Thank you.

HELP My male cat has a life-threatening urinary blockage and needs emergency catheterization NOW. I'm at the emergency vet but need help with the $2000 or he will die. This is NOT a scam - I'm sitting here at Memphis Veterinary Specialist at 5 AM been here for hours. He cannot pee and his bladder will rupture without immediate treatment. Any amount helps. Even $20 helps. I can provide vet contact info to verify this is real. I’ve been up since 4am Saturday so I’m sorry if this isn’t my best writing. His name is Felix I got him from the shelter. I posted here when I got him. I will find the tweet. I just need some help right now. Even $400 to put him to sleep to stop the suffering. Last emergency vet gave an estimate of $4000 to do the procedure. If he can make it until Monday I can take him to my vet. Who for one don’t lie to me and will get him the care he needs. I will do anything to try to save him. This is one step. Thanks for sharing. PayPal: [email protected] or PayPal.me/junesiphone