Discussion
Hi guys, one of our cats hasn't eaten or moved off the couch for the past 24 hours and has been sneezing non stop for a day and a half. He is only 1 and a half. Is this cat flu and if so, does he need to get taken to vet right away? We were planning on going the day after tomorrow but somehow think we might need to go tomorrow instead. Really worried.
Marf said:
Go tomorrow.
Yeah I think I definitely will take him tomorrow. It is very worrying. the fact that he hasn't moved all day (since 7:00am this morning and it is now 23:17). He also hasn't been to the toilet or eaten a thing and the constant sneezing. I know he may just have a grass seed stuck up his nose but that can be bad as well. I will keep you updated.
IainT said:
Kittens are awesome - it's a real struggle to avoid becoming 'people with cats'. I keep telling my wife that 3 is enough. If someone could engineer a breed that just stays kitten shaped...
I've heard that some cats will stay small and mentally immature if the are neutered too early. Or is that an old wife's tale?
Well, we took the cat to the vet today and he said it wasn't cat flu but looks like an infection. He was given tablets and told to come back in a week if he is not any better. He is a wee bit better today as he is eating and going out but he is still sneezing something awful. So it was good news about the cat flu but bad news when I was charged £34! £24 for the four minute consultation which went "No, it doesn't look like cat flu but it could be an infection. Give him these tablets and if he hasn't improved in a week bring him back". I paid £24 for those two sentences!! I don't mind paying £1o for medication but not £24 for a four minute consultation. Sorry for moaning but I am still getting over the shock!
MadOne said:
Well, we took the cat to the vet today and he said it wasn't cat flu but looks like an infection. He was given tablets and told to come back in a week if he is not any better. He is a wee bit better today as he is eating and going out but he is still sneezing something awful. So it was good news about the cat flu but bad news when I was charged £34! £24 for the four minute consultation which went "No, it doesn't look like cat flu but it could be an infection. Give him these tablets and if he hasn't improved in a week bring him back". I paid £24 for those two sentences!! I don't mind paying £1o for medication but not £24 for a four minute consultation. Sorry for moaning but I am still getting over the shock!
Do you have insurance? If not then consider getting it or you'll really complain about the cost of something major needing treating. To put this in perspective one of our cats got poisoned and died from acute kidney failure. The attempts to diagnose and treat came to just over £1000 all racked up a little over a week, mostly getting blood work rushed through and a biopsy plus intensive care while they waited to see if the kidneys would start working again. We would have been able to pay for it anyway but people who could not face that kind of bill are left with the alternative of letting the cat suffer horrendously or go into significant debt. Insurance won't cover little things like this - the excess is set just right to do that!
As for the fee - it seems very reasonable to me - you'll have been booked in to a 15 minute slot in the vet's diary for the consultation and would have paid the same no matter what. They don't charge by the word or sentence.
I'm not having a go so much as pointing out that vets seem to get a very hard time over their fees which seem about right to me given the training required, equipment, premises and support staff costs. Not to mention most vets do free work looking after strays, wild animals and for the re-homing charities.
IainT said:
MadOne said:
Well, we took the cat to the vet today and he said it wasn't cat flu but looks like an infection. He was given tablets and told to come back in a week if he is not any better. He is a wee bit better today as he is eating and going out but he is still sneezing something awful. So it was good news about the cat flu but bad news when I was charged £34! £24 for the four minute consultation which went "No, it doesn't look like cat flu but it could be an infection. Give him these tablets and if he hasn't improved in a week bring him back". I paid £24 for those two sentences!! I don't mind paying £1o for medication but not £24 for a four minute consultation. Sorry for moaning but I am still getting over the shock!
Do you have insurance? If not then consider getting it or you'll really complain about the cost of something major needing treating. To put this in perspective one of our cats got poisoned and died from acute kidney failure. The attempts to diagnose and treat came to just over £1000 all racked up a little over a week, mostly getting blood work rushed through and a biopsy plus intensive care while they waited to see if the kidneys would start working again. We would have been able to pay for it anyway but people who could not face that kind of bill are left with the alternative of letting the cat suffer horrendously or go into significant debt. Insurance won't cover little things like this - the excess is set just right to do that!
As for the fee - it seems very reasonable to me - you'll have been booked in to a 15 minute slot in the vet's diary for the consultation and would have paid the same no matter what. They don't charge by the word or sentence.
I'm not having a go so much as pointing out that vets seem to get a very hard time over their fees which seem about right to me given the training required, equipment, premises and support staff costs. Not to mention most vets do free work looking after strays, wild animals and for the re-homing charities.
Back then, £4k would have bankrupt me, I could deal with it now, still not an easy pill to swallow though. But the thought of 2 pints worth of money a month, to ensure I don't get a massive bill, worth it.
ETA: You wouldn't claim for anything under ~£250+, due to excess and increased premiums.
MadOne said:
Well, we took the cat to the vet today and he said it wasn't cat flu but looks like an infection. He was given tablets and told to come back in a week if he is not any better. He is a wee bit better today as he is eating and going out but he is still sneezing something awful. So it was good news about the cat flu but bad news when I was charged £34! £24 for the four minute consultation which went "No, it doesn't look like cat flu but it could be an infection. Give him these tablets and if he hasn't improved in a week bring him back". I paid £24 for those two sentences!! I don't mind paying £1o for medication but not £24 for a four minute consultation. Sorry for moaning but I am still getting over the shock!
I don't know about anyone else on here but I for one would happily spend £34 to find out exactly what is wrong with my pet, I love her like a family member afterallHi guys, yeah I agree with what you are all saying, £34 is nothing for your beloved pet's health but I thought the tablets were £34 and to find out £24 was for 4 minutes I just thought was a bit much. As for insurance, when we first got Spud we took out insurance with Pet Plan. Two days after taking it out he got hit by a car and his paw was damaged. We tried to claim on the insurance and they refused to believe that the accident happened two days after taking out the insurance. They kept insisting that it happened before and we were holding off taking him to the vet until we had insurance. We went through months of fighting with them and the bill came to almost £400. We have never paid it because we know we are in the right. The vets keep saying they will keep contacting the insurance company (who are still not backing down after almost a year). So, unfortunately we have no insurance at the moment so will just need to keep forking out until this set of treatment is over then we will definitely get insurance. We always had it with our other cats. Spud is still very ill (day three) today but we will see how he goes as the week goes on. I have just been paid off from my job so I suppose I was worried about money and even although £34 isn't much, I just dread to think how much the rest of the treatment will be. But Spud comes first. I appeciate all your comments guys, I apologise for moaning.
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