Please.... I need vibes for Chynna

I'm sorry--I didn't realize they were on hiatus. Have you tried getting estimates from other vets? Also, there is a list of other resources here:

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/wh...nary_care.html

Originally Posted by booktigger

That is a scandalous price for a couple of teeth to be removed, and I am sooo sorry it has come to this. Fingers crossed something miraculous happens - can the vet not do a deal on the price?

Click to expand...

I too think it's an outrageous amount. I told him that I want the minimal that can be done to be able to get her back to eating. She's already had a complete blood panel done. But here is what he said to me, in point form:

- she's 16 years old and there is a risk of kidney failure post anesthic for older cats. She is in a grey area for her protein levels and has kidney insufficiency (not failure), but he wanted her in on Tuesday morning so she could be on an IV for 24 hours prior to the surgery to help minimize the risk of damage to the kidneys.

- when there is one bad tooth there are usually more. if they see a bad tooth that they think might have to come out they do an xray. Each xray is $25.00. He said that she likely has between 2 to 6 bad teeth that may need to come out.

- he mentioned cleaning. I told him that I didn't want any cleaning done because I am so financially strapped. He said that cleaning doesn't cost very much and it's better to get it done now than to put her through it all again later in the year and risk even more damage to her kidneys with a second anesthetic.

- she's already had a complete blood panel done, so he won't do it again, but he would do another kidney function test (even though she had one 34 days ago).

I forget what else he said. My head is just swimming and I'm in a complete fog.

It is one tooth causing her problems. It's red and badly infected. I don't get why they can't just put her under and take out that one tooth. But when I mentioned that, they go on and on about the other things listed above. The vet is really good, but I'm thinking that it's turning into a cash grab

I checked the last links given, and the organizations available for Canada are just for certain provinces and for certain medical issues.

I called our local Humane Society. They don't know of any organization that would help fund such a procedure. The only subsidy that we have here is for spay and neutering. She mentioned "pet insurance", but Chynna is 16 years old with existing health issues (bad mouth, renal insuffience, high blood pressure). The last time I investigated pet insurance there was a limit on the cat's age: 10 years I think. Plus even if it was possible, it doesn't kick in immediately upon signing up. I think there is a waiting period like with any kind of insurance, otherwise people would be signing up today because they had $3,000 worth of procedures scheduled tomorrow.

Couldn't they give her pain meds and antibiotics? I know that could lead to other problems, but it might keep her comfortable until you can get the extractions done!

Well, it's done. I called the vet's and made an appointment to bring Chynna in on Monday at 11:30am to be euthanized

I feel so bad that it's come to this.

Try putting canned food in a blender with some water to liquidify it so its little thinner than a malt. That way no chewing is involved. She can just swallow it. Maybe tell the vet you understand his concerns about everything, but for right now, 1 tooth extraction is all you can afford. If his concerns become an issue at a later date then she will have to be euth or hopefully nothing will come up for awhile. Maybe he will say yes he'll do just one. If he insists on 2 tell him you can pay for the 2nd one in payments.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Well, it's done. I called the vet's and made an appointment to bring Chynna in on Monday at 11:30am to be euthanized

Click to expand...

aw, hon, i feel so bad for you... i wish there was something i could do! are there no other vets you can call for an estimate? i found these listings, if it's any help

Canada: Manitoba: Winnipeg: Veterinarians & Specialists

Academy Road Spay and Neuter Clinic
Academy Road Spay and Neuter Clinic
Anderson Animal hospital
Animal Emergency Service
Animal Hospital of Manitoba
ASSINIBOIA Animal Hospital
Best Friends Animal Hospital
Birchwood Animal Hospital
Centennial Animal Hospital
Charleswood Vetrinary Clinic
Corydon Animal Hospital
Dakota Vetrinary Hospital
Henderson Animal Hospital
Linden Ridge Animal Hospital
McPhillips Animal Hospital
Roblin Animcal Hospital
Seven Oaks Vetrinary Hospital
St. Vital Vetrinary Hospital
Transcona Vetrinary Hospital
Tuxedo Animal Hospital
WinRose Animal Hospital

Surely you can talk some sense into him, Linda. There should be no need to do this just over one sore tooth.

Originally Posted by neetanddave

Surely you can talk some sense into him, Linda. There should be no need to do this just over one sore tooth.

Click to expand...

I don't have to have her there until 11:30am.

I'll call earlier in the morning and see how much it is to have all of her teeth extracted. That way there is no need to xrays, or the cleaning they insist on. He said the price in addition to the anesthetic and IV fluids largely depends on how long everything takes. And I don't really think she needs even more blood work done because she just had some 34 days ago. Even in the hospital we wouldn't bother to repeat it so soon even because of surgery.

It's not an ideal solution, but it would take care of the tooth ache and any other potentially aching teeth.

I was doing a google search. I couldn't find any prices for Canada specifically, but I did find a site for Greyhounds. Someone in Iowa said they paid $100.00 not long ago, plus $3.00 per tooth. It was $260 total I think. But that is in the USA and on a dog, and the prices here are so much higher for everything.

Good luck..hopefully he will work with you. There just has to be a way. Our fingers and toes are crossed!

I managed to syringe feed her some of that special recovery cat food from the vet. I gave her about 6 mls by syringe. I squirted it and she licked it off. Then I put some on a tablespoon and she licked it. It's not 100% liquid, but close enough that she was able to manage. I warmed it up so it was even thinner than right out of the can. So she had about 2 tablespoons. And about 1/2 hour ago I did it again. So she's had maybe 1/4 of a tin in total, maybe a bit more. She's napping on the computer desk right now.

They gave me Cipro tablets to give her. But I can't get her to swallow pills. She spits them out. And they don't dissolve and she won't eat food if it tastes "off" so I can't mix it into her food. I have a hard time even getting a 1/4 of a pill into her every morning. And practically have to use a whole can of tuna juice to dissolve it. So I'm not going to worry about the antibiotic. My main concern is getting food into her right now.

Did they give you Cipro or Cypro? The first is an antibiotic, but the second is an antihistamine that gets used as an appetite stimulant in cats.

Originally Posted by cloud_shade

Did they give you Cipro or Cypro? The first is an antibiotic, but the second is an antihistamine that gets used as an appetite stimulant in cats.

Click to expand...

Cipro antibiotic. One of her teeth is infected, but I've never had success giving Chynna anything that I can't hide in her food. It's all I can do to hide the tiny 1/2 blood pressure pill. The antibiotic is 10 times that size and she's not taking in enough food for me to crush it and hide it. And forget trying to dissolve it. They don't dissolve.

If you want to keep trying, this is what I gave Smudge when she was a little baby and needed high calorie mush.

High calorie kitty supplement from the pet store (it's a paste)
KMR
Pedialyte (the people version)

and some other more solid things. But maybe you could try mixing those 3 things and making it pretty watery and trying to feed her that through a biggish syringe. The KMR and high calorie supplement would give her the extra calories, and the Pedialyte may help prevent dehydration.

I'm so so sorry you're going through this, I've been thinking about you and Chynna all night.

Still thinking of you and Chynna, Linda. Glad to see she got some food in her overnight.

The idea about the extractions is a good one. I know some will think it's extreme, but it will eliminate the problem and she can still eat wet food. I know white_cat_lover Natalie has one cat without teeth, maybe she can give some advice?

You know, pulling all the teeth will cause pain, but sometimes it is necessary. At 16, she's likely to have a fair number of bad teeth. Cow & Twitch were miserable for a few days, but now he snarfs food like there's no tomorrow & she still tries to bite people!

It was $200-250 for blood panel, full extractions, etc. I know you said prices are different there....but it might give you a general idea.

Have you tried human baby food (Gerber #2 meat)

Originally Posted by white cat lover

You know, pulling all the teeth will cause pain, but sometimes it is necessary. At 16, she's likely to have a fair number of bad teeth. Cow & Twitch were miserable for a few days, but now he snarfs food like there's no tomorrow & she still tries to bite people!

It was $200-250 for blood panel, full extractions, etc. I know you said prices are different there....but it might give you a general idea.

Click to expand...

Originally Posted by kluchetta

Have you tried human baby food (Gerber #2 meat)

Click to expand...

I have tried human baby food. She won't eat it. She took a couple of licks and that was it.

I can't even get her to take her tuna juice with her blood pressure pill today Usually she just licks that right up.

I did manage to get about a tablespoon of the recovery cat food into her. I started dispensing it with the syringe. It's not entirely liquid so it's hard to draw and expell it from the syringe they gave me. She had a few mils that way, and then she managed to lick up some from a tablespoon. The vet assistant said it's very concentrated so she wouldn't need "much", but she didn't say how "much" is enough. Yesterday I managed to get her to eat almost a full can of it through the syringe and by offering it to her on a tablespoon. But I can't get her to take much today at all. I know she's still hungry because she went over to the table where I give Abby her wet food when she wants it, so Chynna knows that sometimes there is wet food up there.

I'm so torn Please forgive my rambling, but I'm trying to work out (and rationalize) what to do.

I'm so physically and mentally sick with worry. I'm so stressed that my stomach is so upset and I feel like I'm going to vomit.

Poor Abby has been so vastly ignored these past several days because I have been so consumed trying to get Chynna to eat and take her pills.

Chynna's health as it is now is apparently pretty good. She's had a vast amount of weight loss over the course of 1 year and still continues to lose weight. Her liver function is normal. Her thyroid is apparently 100% normal, yet she displays all of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Even the vet was amazed by the result of the thyroid test. Her kidney function test showed that she is in the "grey area" for kidney disease: meaning she has insufficiency and that while she's not in acual renal failure, her kidneys aren't working 100% optimally. With a rental diet she could potentially live for years and go to the RB from old age never developing actual "failure". She does have 1 noticably, badly infected left canine tooth. And she is now having a hard time to eat and is very obviously favouring the left side of her mouth.

The vet told me that because of her age and the fact that she has renal insufficiency, that there is a possibility that the anaesthetic could and probably would worsen her kidney function and potentially push her into actual "renal failure". Of course it's not a guaranty, just a high risk. Because of that risk she does need to have hydration prior to the procedure.

Then there is the procedure itself. He seemed reluctant to put her under to just pull the one tooth that seems to be causing her so much pain. I do understand that if there is one bad tooth that there are likely others, but those others may not necessarily be causing her any problems...yet. And pulling the one single tooth might get her back to eating.

However, she could be back to eating with renal failure

And then because she still has the other bad teeth, eventually one will cause her more discomfort. Could be tomorrow or 1 or 2 months from now, or maybe never. But if it does, that means having to put her under anaesthetic again, and that could end up killing her if she was in renal failure.

I know it's a bunch of what ifs, but it's things that I need to look ahead to in order to whatever is in her best interests right now.

And then there is my finances to consider. I hate this part. But I'm on a very limited fixed income and am spending money that I don't have and paying the vet bills and Chynna's medication, using my own grocery and medication money. Even Abby is sufferring. She's a very picky eater and has been given a good quality veterinarian food for the past 10 years. Now I have her eating a cheaper cat food (Cat Chow) because I can't afford her usual one, and she absolutely hates this food and just picks at it.

The vet estimated $700.00 (could be more) to take care of Chynna's mouth. This would be a day's stay at the hospital, kidney function test (which I think is pointless given the fact she had one 34 days ago), extraction of the offending tooth, xrays of each potentially bad tooth and then extraction of them and teeth cleaning. I just can't afford that kind of expense right now. I'm already living hand to mouth. My grocery and medication money is being used to pay the vet bills. I hope to be starting a back to work program soon and before I can do that I need to pay for my nursing license which is about $400.00. Right now I have no idea how I will be able to manage that expense. I don't have credit cards and do not qualify for them because I have recently declared bankruptcy and am still currently in bankruptcy.

The other option because of my finances, might be to pull all of her teeth, good and bad. This not only removes the offending tooth, but the possiblity of any others causing her problems in the future and having to risk a second surgery which would worsen her kidney function.

My brother said he would loan me up to $300.00 for the procedure. I don't like owing money to my family or friends. I don't know how much a full extraction would be. However, given the quotes and fees that I've been paying, the procedure it will probably be more than $300.00. Which would leave me with yet another residual bill at the vets that I would have to pay for.

And then I have to think of Chynna. Yes, a full extraction would take care of the offending tooth. But it would leave her without teeth period. Not to mention the extreme pain that she would be in. Because of her one infected tooth, she does need antibiotics, but I've never been able to get her to take pills. I can't get a pill into her mouth and have her swallow it, even after being shown how to do it. And the pills are too large to crush and try and hide in her food. If her food tastes off, she won't eat it.

And then there is me. I have to ask myself how fair is it to be thinking of doing something so drastic to my baby girl because I'm trying to cut corners due to money issues. And that is the crux of the whole matter.

If I were working I would spend whatever it took to make her comfortable. I would spend the $700.00 to get the sore tooth and whatever other bad teeth she had taken care of. But I am not working, and I have to do what I can for her within my financial means. And I have to ask myself how fair is it to put her through all of the pain that comes with taking out all of her teeth?

I have to ask myself am I doing it for her, or am I doing it for myself and out of desperation to keep her with me for a while longer? And that is what I'm struggling with right now.

Yes, after a full extraction she will be in pain for a few days, but that pain will ease off. But what about her kidneys? She could be in renal failure and then I'll have to face this whole thing again about what to do. I had a cat, Toby, that had end stage renal failure. It was awful to witness. I did the right thing for Toby and sent to play at the RB.

Even though it could be just one tooth causing Chynna problems, is the right thing for Chynna to do the same thing, given all that?

I feel like I've failed my baby girl. Because of money problems I haven't been able to get her the care that she's needed. And now it's come down to extremes.

Am I a bad kitty Mom for thinking of ending her life because of possibly a single bad tooth? I sure feel like one

Could you not get out a loan to get her teeth done?.