Double Whammy!/Drunk as a Skunk!

[GranolaLouise]

Something did not feel right. I brought Louise(8 yr old shelter adopted cat) from the shelter 3 weeks ago. She needed a full work-up, so I took her to a local vet group. She came back with a clean bill of health..bloods were excellent.
I felt uneasy because i had questions that I did not ask because it was early on, the day after I brought her home from the shelter.

So yesterday I took her to a totally different vet group and they did a complete work-up and exam and said she has to have 10 teeth extracted and has chronic renal disease!!!! I just got an estimate for almost 2,500.00 for the cost of her surgery. I feel as if I were hit with a brick!
I just called the 'all-is-ok' vet group and asked for the numbers of the tests.

The only thing I can think of is getting a third opinion, but the wait time to get an appointment is LONG .

What do you think? Am I being deceived and taken for a ride?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Get copies of all the tests that were run - that is the first thing. You paid for the tests - at both places - and the results are yours for free, you 'own' them. You can compare the test results and even share them here if you would like.

The teeth extractions recommendation would have to be based on something else besides blood work.

How is Louise doing - eating/drinking/using the litter box OK?

 

[GranolaLouise]

Get copies of all the tests that were run - that is the first thing. You paid for the tests - at both places - and the results are yours for free, you 'own' them. You can compare the test results and even share them here if you would like.

The teeth extractions recommendation would have to be based on something else besides blood work.

How is Louise doing - eating/drinking/using the litter box OK?

Yes I have pdf's of the readings.
I was being shown the teeth that were 'damaged' but my cat wouldn't open up her mouth to show. I took the Vet's word for it.

Litterbox/ She uses it fine and has regular visits throughout the day.

Eating/ she eats a bit here and a bit there throughout the day. She was free fed at the shelter.She vomited over the weekend over the excitement of vacuum cleaner noise, and last night , probably because during the afternoon she had plumbers working in the apartment and I had to close her in the bedroom and then I tricked her by feeding her treats to grab her and put her in the carrier and then off to the vet for poking, probing, needles and other tortures,poor dear. Yesterday was a horrible day for her. But she did settle down in the evening and watched Cat TV attentively on my bed for a few hours after she ate.But she did lose almost a pound since 2 weeks ago.
She ate today, slept all afternoon ,just ate dinner and then she will sleep most of the night ..she sleeps all day and all night too

Drinking/she drinks a lot.
But I will post the second set of PdF's when they email them and perhaps we can talk about the discrepancies.

 

[GranolaLouise]

what are the specific numbers to watch for in the readings for renal?? There are pages in one file and it wouldn't be beneficial to attach all that stuff, I am sure.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Most lab tests list ranges, based on the lab that is used. I have never seen lab results that contain a whole lot of 'extraneous stuff', but that really all depends on what each lab finds to be informative.
Most renal specific related numbers involved creatinine, BUN, phosphorus (part of the Chemistry panel), but there are other numbers than can be related as well.

 

[GranolaLouise]

Most lab tests list ranges, based on the lab that is used. I have never seen lab results that contain a whole lot of 'extraneous stuff', but that really all depends on what each lab finds to be informative.
Most renal specific related numbers involved creatinine, BUN, phosphorus (part of the Chemistry panel), but there are other numbers than can be related as well.

For example, attached here is only part of 1 page of the seven and I have no idea what is used from that to gauge a kidney condition:
My head spins just looking at it.

 

[FeebysOwner]

For example, attached here is only part of 1 page of the seven and I have no idea what is used from that to gauge a kidney condition: My head spins just looking at it.

They did not send a PDF file? The txt file will certainly make it much harder to decipher.

EDIT: Just what I could glean from that, I don't see a renal issue, but I will continue to look...

 

[fionasmom]

This is an odd looking report. I think that the way you can read it is to look at the specific test, then the number below it. I believe that is your cat's result. Below that is the range of the test for any cat. If you are within the two numbers, you are within range. Many test will highlight in red or heavy black if something is out of range.

 

[FeebysOwner]

To elaborate on fionasmom stated, here is the first listing on the report
Total Protein (element being measured)
8.5 (this number is your cat's results for protein)
5.2-8.8 (this is the lab's normal range for protein, so your cat's protein is in range)

You can continue down the report from there using the same 3 lines, first one being what element is being tested, 2nd line being your cat's results for that element, and 3rd line being the 'normal' range for that element.

 

[GranolaLouise]

red flags
Well, in one report the Reculocyte Hemoglobin was Low
and the Monocytes were High.

I am going to start easing her onto the Vet Pres Royal Canin renal suppement diet as soon as it arrives.
I do thank all who responded with help and I think I will end this thread so as not to bore the other readers and posters on the forum.
Thanks tons!

 

[fionasmom]

You are welcome to post whenever you would like. Please don't feel as if there is a limit or that others are not interested.

 

[GranolaLouise]

great news!
Always get another opinion !
I went to a third vet today and unlike the previous report, this vet said the report stating my cat has renal disease and was on her way out was way way over-reaching and very severe! No blood work was needed, she just read the report and explained it clearly in layman's terms to me.
She is not anywhere near ready for renal food.
Also, the dental work which the last vet said would necessitate 10 extractions was only 2 teeth plus a cleaning, cutting my bill in more than half.
THAT IS GOOD NEWS

 

[Kflowers]

So happy you went to another vet!! This makes it rather clear which vet you should trust and which you should avoid. But no need to insult, just request that the other vet give you copies of all kitty's records (they are yours by law). It's better to ask for the copies to be handed to you. Sometimes if you ask the original vet to send copies of the records to another vet they only send the vaccination records and leave out things like test results, exams, operations... Yes, I've had it happen.

 

[GranolaLouise]

yes, i requested files of all test results and took copies so the 3rd vet could compare numbers. I am glad I did.
It is worth it to get another opinion..even though it is $$.

 

[stephanietx]

I took my kitty to a cat only vet because my regular vet couldn't get us in as quickly as I liked. They told us she would need fancy x-rays, bloodwork, a full dental and extractions. It was going to cost us about $3K. I love my cat, but that was a bit excessive. I called my regular vet and told them what had happened and they were able to work us in. Turns out, she needed 2 extractions (resorptive lesions) and a dental. It cost us about $250, with everything including some pain meds to help post-extraction. It's always good to get a second or third opinion.

 

[Alldara]

GranolaLouise I found some vets here are very dramatic. One quotes me $3000and said if I didn't pay all the tests Nobel would die in 24 hours. Well....over 10 years later he's just fine and I only did the basics that day (the exam and a urinary test).

For teeth it is REALLY hard to see what needs pulling before an x-ray. My regular vet quoted me 4-6 teeth needing pulled and after x-ray they called and said just 2 for Nobel!

Before x-ray with Magnus they said he needed 2 out but once they got in, it was bad inflammation and nothing needed pulling (after daily teeth brushings for a month).

Vets usually quote on the higher sides for dental to be safe and hopefully give good news afterwards.

 

[GranolaLouise]

I really do not think the previous vet would lower her price....according to her, EVERYTHING was wrong.

 

[Alldara]

I really do not think the previous vet would lower her price....according to her, EVERYTHING was wrong.

Yes unfortunately the first one I went to did not lower the price either. I just defined certain services.

Dental prices usually are by amount of time here for much of it where I am, so that's another reason why it becomes less expensive if they find less teeth need removing.

 

[GranolaLouise]

Well, we are back from the Vet and having a few extractions and cleaning under anesthesia, a few stitches and buprenorphine sr for pain. She is so out of it right now.
Last night she could not eat after 8 and was really mad at me . This morning she THOUGHT she was going to get something to eat and woke me up bright and early by jumping on my head! After she realized that "no" meant no, she sat back down and stared at me while I went back to sleep (I peeked at her).

To top it off, I tricked her into going into her crate and then off we went to the Vet.
She hates me..she ate a wee bit of blended food, and is GLUED to the spot before her dish in the kitchen like she expects me to take it away from her. I am getting the side eye again as she sits there drunk as a skunk!.
But she is back, is well, is mad at me and yet I love her to the moon and back..she's my Louise!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

And I'm guessing she's really not supposed to eat anything yet until the morning? That's how it was for my guy after his dental, with NO extractions! With four extractions, my other guy was also "drunk as a skunk" and there was no way he could even make it to the kitchen to sit near his eating place so I didn't really need to worry about it.

I'm sure as soon as she is cleared to eat and has a full belly again, she will forgive you for putting her through all this. Besides, surely her mouth will feel better than it did since she required extractions.