I am getting very disappointed with vet hospital

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fathom

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We adopted two cats two weeks before x-mas. We knew on was sick, Chip. Since then we have brought him to our vet about six times. The one before the last they increased his anti-biodics to two human pills - half pills of both medicines for 7 days then every other day util gone. My H said that when they prescribed these they said if he did not get better they would do blood work. After the dosage was complete I took him in and they prescibed those two pills and one other much stronger pill. I asked them about blood work and they got defensive and said they were doing the best they could and this was the best course of action.

While I was there I asked the doctor (internal specialist and nurse) about giving Chip cat lysine. They had both never heard of that! This made me a little unsure of the care we are getting. The nurse said they would look into it so the next day I called and spoke to him and he said he did not think I wanted them to look into and I asked him to please look into it. That was almost two weeks ago and they have not called me back.

Honestly I don't think I even want to bring my cat back into the vet after his dosage this time around because he seems to get increasingly worse after the visit, I think from the stess.

Since we adopted him we have spent about $600 on vet bills with no progress to show for it.

What do you all think we should do?
 
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Originally Posted by fathom

We adopted two cats two weeks before x-mas. We knew on was sick, Chip. Since then we have brought him to our vet about six times. The one before the last they increased his anti-biodics to two human pills - half pills of both medicines for 7 days then every other day util gone. My H said that when they prescribed these they said if he did not get better they would do blood work. After the dosage was complete I took him in and they prescibed those two pills and one other much stronger pill. I asked them about blood work and they got defensive and said they were doing the best they could and this was the best course of action.

While I was there I asked the doctor (internal specialist and nurse) about giving Chip cat lysine. They had both never heard of that! This made me a little unsure of the care we are getting. The nurse said they would look into it so the next day I called and spoke to him and he said he did not think I wanted them to look into and I asked him to please look into it. That was almost two weeks ago and they have not called me back.

Honestly I don't think I even want to bring my cat back into the vet after his dosage this time around because he seems to get increasingly worse after the visit, I think from the stess.

Since we adopted him we have spent about $600 on vet bills with no progress to show for it.

What do you all think we should do?
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If you are not comfortable with the Vet you are using, I suggest you find another one that you are comfortable with. A recomendation would be a good idea.
 
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fathom

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I don't know the exact names, I can barely pronounce them. One is antiviral and two are antbiodics. They start with a P, A and F. The one that starts with a P is the one the vet had on site, the other ones we went to an offsite pharmacy to have them filled since they are for humans. Actually one of the human ones my BIL has taken a few months back when he had strep, they are this new very strong anibiodic and with in three days of him taking them he was much better Which is my concern since my has been taking a half a pill of each and only weighs 8lbs. My BIL took a whole pill for six days and weighs like 160lbs. Something is seriously wrong.
 
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fathom

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When I get home I will try to post the names tonight, I will only be home for a short window of time. Thanks.
 
misty8723

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I would change vets immediately and get blood tests. IMO, Any vet who gets defensive when you ask for something isn't a good vet and any vet who won't listen to your concerns isn't a good vet. Blood tests are almost a no brainer. How can you treat something if you don't know what it is? I would be very hesitant to give my cats so many different meds, and stronger and stronger, without having a better handle on what's wrong. He may be getting worse due to side effects from all the meds.

Good luck and good for your poor baby. Hopefully the little guy will get better soon.
 
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I would definitely switch. Do you have friends/family members and neighbours with pets? I would ask them where they go and if they like them, why or why not.

There's no reason to put up with a vet you're not comfortable with, find one that deserves your business and trust!
 
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fathom

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So we just took our cat Icarus in to the vet, a different hospital then the on ewe have been going to. Icarus has ben mising for over three months and someone just turned him into Animal Control. We took him to the vet last night and his leg is broken, it's in three peices so he goes into surgery today.a
Anyways I was talking to the dr there about introducing him to our other two cats we just got two months ago and I told him that Chip has been sick chronic with herpes virus. He asked if we have been giving him Lysine and I said no, I had been trying to get info on Lysine from our vet and they said they had never heard of it. He was shocked. He ten asked what meds he has been on and I told him: Azithromyacine, Famcyclover and Prednezone.

The dr said Prednezone is an immune suppresant and said we should stop giving that to him right away. Does anyone have any info on this? Why would our other vet give him those three pills. I have to say that since he has been on them, three weeks now, he is not getting better. His runny nose never even cleared up!

Any info? Thanks.
 
white cat lover

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Pred is an immune suppresant. Damita is immune suppressed, but one pred because otherwise she vomits daily. It's a toss up for her.

If your new vet says to stop pred, do so. Get your kitty booked in to see him.
 
mews2much

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Coco gets Pred when her Asthma gets bad and the vet dosent like her to be on it for long. The last few times she got the Depo Midrol Shot. Pred can cause Diabetis and other problems. i wonder why your Vet had him on it that long.
 
2furbabies

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Yes, Pred does supprese the immune system. Sometimes you have to weigh it, and the vets don't always tell you these things. I find out most stuff the hard way and by digging on the internet. re: Lysine - I just started my kitty on it yesterday and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it helps! I heard alot of good stuff about it on the board.
 
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fathom

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So I went by the vet today since no one has called meback and I saw the Dr that helped me last time, the one I had asked about lysine too.

He said that Prednisone is given for cats that can't breath, that it's a steroid. I told him i read on here that cats should not take it more then a few days and he said that't correct. Yet he gave us 22 pills and the directions on the bottle said to take until gone. He said that was not correct, but I have the bottle and that is what they wrote on it.

Then I told him that the azithromiyacin is the same pill by BIL took for strep and after three pills he was all better and my cat has taken 12 pills and is still sick. He siad that the dosage must not have been the same, but we picked up Chips pills from CVS not the vet and I checked and the dosage is 250MG. Plus the antiviral pill Famciclovir is also 250MG and Prednisone is 5 MG. He has been taking half pills of all three. So my BIL who weight 160 lbs has been taking double the dosage that my cat is taking who weighs 9lbs and my BIL was better after three days.

We talked more about the Lysine and he said he did not know how I got the prescription from the vet I saw today when tey did not see Chip and I told him, at least I believe that you can buy Lysine over the countrer, I know you can buy it for humans at the vitamin store. Then he tells me that I should stop giving it to him because he is on the famciclovir. Ummm, how does he know, he had never even heard of giving a cat lysine.

So does anyone know if it is safe to give Chip both Lysine and Famciclovir at the same time?

Thanks.
 
mews2much

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I know alot about Pred but not the other Meds. I just took azithromycin last month and it was for 5 days. It was 250 Mg too. Seems like a strong Dose for a Cat. I hope something helps your Cat.
 
laureen227

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Originally Posted by fathom

So does anyone know if it is safe to give Chip both Lysine and Famciclovir at the same time?

Thanks.
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Lysine is an amino acid. he'd probably get some in his food, even if you didn't give him extra.
if it were me, i'd start him on the lysine - especially if you know he has herpes. it's really helped Pixel, my herpes cat.
 
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fathom

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The vet called back after talking to the internal medicine dr and relayed the message that if this other dr had "prescribed" lysine it might be best to take Chip to that vet to have him looked at. He said once a person starts doubting the care they are getting from a hospital that they should get a 2nd opinion and he recommended two ther clinics.

I think I may have offended them, but I did tel him that I was not comfortable with the care Chip was getting and did want a 2nd opinion. I guess I can take him to another Banfield or a differebt vet clinic. My H said if we wanted to we could cancel the banfield pet insurance and just start putting that money into a savings account for when they do have to go to the vet. It costs us $36 a month and that would be close to the cost of a visit so it might make sense.
 
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Originally Posted by fathom

The vet called back after talking to the internal medicine dr and relayed the message that if this other dr had "prescribed" lysine it might be best to take Chip to that vet to have him looked at. He said once a person starts doubting the care they are getting from a hospital that they should get a 2nd opinion and he recommended two ther clinics.

I think I may have offended them, but I did tel him that I was not comfortable with the care Chip was getting and did want a 2nd opinion. I guess I can take him to another Banfield or a differebt vet clinic. My H said if we wanted to we could cancel the banfield pet insurance and just start putting that money into a savings account for when they do have to go to the vet. It costs us $36 a month and that would be close to the cost of a visit so it might make sense.
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If you are doubting the care you are getting, then I would definitely take your kitty to the specialist. Specialists are used to performing second opinions, and in my experience they'll tell you straight if your pet was getting the correct treatment or if you were given all the options or not. There are LOTS of ways to treat a pet, so they'll seldom tell you your vet was wrong, but you'll get the gist of it. You will however, know your cat is getting the absolute best care, but if you just go to another Banfield, then you'll get another vet just like the last one who may or may not be experienced enough or up to date enough to deal with your pets detailed medical needs.
 
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fathom

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Oh I will be seeing another vet, I am just amazed that as a pet owner I could easliy get information on Lysine but two vets I saw had never heard of it. I will take Chip to another vet sometime this week.
 
lsanders

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My cat was on prenisolone because he was anemic and it helps boost their red blood cells. While on it, he had a minor eye infection that we had to give him drops for, but that was it. He was on it for about two and a half-weeks and he's been off of it for about that long and hasn't been sick.
 
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