Attention can save you $$$ on vet bills and even your cat's life.

juntjoo · Mar 3, 2016

I just want to inform everyone about my visit to the vet and the outcome. I took my oldest cat Cody, a Maine Coin, in because he suddenly was bleeding profusely from his mouth. He'd been having issues with his mouth after eating, like something was getting stuck in there somewhere. Turned out at the vet he had some growth inside his upper lip and by then it has become large and bloody. Vet said without seeing it up close that most likely it was a malignant tumor, something only euthanasia would solve for an 11 y/o cat. I opted for the next best option to have them sedate then get a better look, remove it and have it lab tested all for

mukkia · Mar 3, 2016

juntjoo said:
I just want to inform everyone about my visit to the vet and the outcome. I took my oldest cat Cody, a Maine Coin, in because he suddenly was bleeding profusely from his mouth. He'd been having issues with his mouth after eating, like something was getting stuck in there somewhere. Turned out at the vet he had some growth inside his upper lip and by then it has become large and bloody. Vet said without seeing it up close that most likely it was a malignant tumor, something only euthanasia would solve for an 11 y/o cat. I opted for the next best option to have them sedate then get a better look, remove it and have it lab tested all for

juntjoo · Mar 3, 2016

Mukkia said:
I find your point to be very valid! I too, almost made the grave mistake of putting my cat to sleep on the 22nd of this month. based on the recommendations of his veterinarian. I am so glad and thankful that I listened to my cat, my gut, and to all the wonderful people on the cat site instead. I wish more people could be informed how often this unfortunately happens. too often in my opinion. I personally, am thankful to you for posting this! hopefully, it may save numerous kitties lives! I think everyone on here is a cat lover, and we all just want the best for our pets. Unfortunately, we think that the veterinarians know what's best for our pets. most of us are becoming informed through people like yourself and my story too! we have to be their voice, because they cannot be their own advocate.I completely commend you for posting this! the more stories like yours and mine, I believe the more people will start coming out with stories just like ours! I am so glad you listened to your intuition, and your kitty!

Glad you agree. Gotta look deeper into things. Goes with everything. I was once diagnosed with 4 incurable cavities 3 of which mysteriously disappeared years later after furiously brushing and flossing. Probably could have saved that last cavity too but for lazy and the dentist was cute so I let her operate on me.

Anne · Mar 4, 2016

I think it's ok not to take the recommendation of your first vet (or doctor for that matter), especially when they suggest anything irreversible (and euthanasia is as irreversible as it gets). However, things don't always sort themselves out and sometimes waiting for something to happen can complicate things.

I'm really happy things ended so well for Cody, and I totally agree with your advice, not to automatically follow such advice by your vet. It's always a good idea to ask for a second opinion from a different vet!

donutte · Mar 4, 2016

I have this rule - if I bring my cat to my regular vet for a non-emergency situation, my cat his coming home with me that day. I refuse to make an emotional decision. Emergency situations are a different story, but non-emergencies, no, they are coming home with me. I decided that back when Lucky got sick.

I can't believe the vet would just suggest euthanasia off the bat. Lucky had stage 4 acute renal failure, and he didn't suggest that, but I think a lot of vets would have (going by what some folks have said). And that would be more understandable considering testing was actually done in order to determine that. But to say put the cat to sleep without even doing a test? Geez. Time to find another vet IMO.

juntjoo · Mar 4, 2016

Anne said:
I think it's ok not to take the recommendation of your first vet (or doctor for that matter), especially when they suggest anything irreversible (and euthanasia is as irreversible as it gets). However, things don't always sort themselves out and sometimes waiting for something to happen can complicate things.

I'm really happy things ended so well for Cody, and I totally agree with your advice, not to automatically follow such advice by your vet. It's always a good idea to ask for a second opinion from a different vet!

Yes, 2nd opinion a great rule of thumb whether you're looking into car home insurance, home rehab, surgery, whatever.

juntjoo · Mar 4, 2016

Donutte said:
I have this rule - if I bring my cat to my regular vet for a non-emergency situation, my cat his coming home with me that day. I refuse to make an emotional decision. Emergency situations are a different story, but non-emergencies, no, they are coming home with me. I decided that back when Lucky got sick.

I can't believe the vet would just suggest euthanasia off the bat. Lucky had stage 4 acute renal failure, and he didn't suggest that, but I think a lot of vets would have (going by what some folks have said). And that would be more understandable considering testing was actually done in order to determine that. But to say put the cat to sleep without even doing a test? Geez. Time to find another vet IMO.

Yeah, she seemed nice and concerned but maybe jaded and had dealt with a lot of dying cats and people on low budgets and I don't, and didn't that day, look particularly well off being sick and pulled from my bed by the situation. But lucky for Cody I had my wits about me and detected this. Well it was just kinda obvious you don't recommend death without a closer look but I could tell it was a budget clinic dealing with budget pets. Good prices tho and if and when I need to get something done I'll keep em in my roladex(my phone)

juntjoo · Mar 4, 2016

Donutte said:
I have this rule - if I bring my cat to my regular vet for a non-emergency situation, my cat his coming home with me that day. I refuse to make an emotional decision. Emergency situations are a different story, but non-emergencies, no, they are coming home with me. I decided that back when Lucky got sick.

I can't believe the vet would just suggest euthanasia off the bat. Lucky had stage 4 acute renal failure, and he didn't suggest that, but I think a lot of vets would have (going by what some folks have said). And that would be more understandable considering testing was actually done in order to determine that. But to say put the cat to sleep without even doing a test? Geez. Time to find another vet IMO.

Hope your cat survives that renal failure. It got one of mine years ago. Perfectly healthy cat. Cody's life partner as a matter of fact at the time. He's been more insecure ever since. Anyway, she was very healthy, no problems, then one day she just started slowing down, stopped eating and drinking and over a month just dried up and I had to put her to sleep. Very sad. Strange killer. I guess we get it too but mostly cats(or animals). Strange. Good luck.

hbunny · Mar 4, 2016

I love your post and totally agree. You've been on an emotional rollercoaster!

I try to be objective when it comes to my vet recommending euthanasia, because I question whether or not I am letting my emotions come into play and maybe they see something I don't. I've come to realize I know my animals better than they do, and like others said, I will not make a snap judgment standing in the vet's office at all. I went through this with my dog of 23 years.

When he was 18, I had one vet telling me I needed to go ahead and do the shot, that he might make it a few weeks, and another saying "well....it's up to you but I'd go ahead and do it". It was all because I took him in for a bout of diarrhea, and I guess they just judged by his age that it could be something horrible. I went home and changed his diet and he lived about five more years with good quality of life up until the day he passed. I know he had aches/pains of old age, arthritis, loosing his sight, but he was a happy doggie and ate well, loved everyone (and his cat). One morning he just wouldn't get up, after a month of decline, with us having to assist him with his daily routine and getting up and down. Prior to that month he got around very well without assistance. We took off work and sat with him all day in the living room floor loving on him. He passed about midnight that night--oddly enough, after we both had dozed off near him. He had eaten well the night before. It was like a tottery old man that finally just picked that day to say goodbye and go.

He always had elevated liver enzymes because of a liver shunt he was born with, a vet found this after I rescued him at a gas station where he was living off of pizza and chicken they threw out. I was determined he could make it and consulted a university that had developed a diet for liver shunts. I had to follow a very low protein diet, and through the years vet after vet told me he wouldn't live, you should put him down, they were surprised he lived as long as he did. All it took was patience, love, some effort on my part to cook and prepare his meals, and we were honestly beginning to believe that he would outlive us. He was so old we joked he came over on Noah's ark, he taught Yoda how to be a jedi, he roamed with the dinosaurs...

juntjoo · Mar 4, 2016

hbunny great story. Sweet doggie he sounded.Nice life you provided him and wonderful how he passed. He probably went somewhere where he was fed pizza and chicken

Attention can save you $$$ on vet bills and even your cat's life.

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