Urinary Tract Infection- UTI

[chickhitscar]

well... the surgery that was costly that we could have done for Thunder wasn't even 100 %. The doctor said it could fix his problem or he may be sick again in a month. To me that wasn't a gamble I was willing to take. If I'm going to pay thousands of dollars to get my cat better, it better work. So please don't judge me because I couldn't afford the treatment. It goes further than that, being that it wasn't 100 % like I said before..

We did end up getting the other cat... Thanks for the great thoughts SHARKY>. she seems to be a great cat, very loving. I will post a picture soon!!

 

[nyanchan]

My cat was diagnosed with a UTI--he had Triple Struvite Crystals. Previously, I used to feed him Friskies or Whiskas, but I've been told that it is the ingredients that companies use that can lead to UTI's. Something about the level of magnesium in the food...i think the less the magnesium, the better. If you look on the food labels and compare Friskies with Science Diet or Royal Canin, you'll notice the magnesium level difference...major! Anyway, the vet put my cat on prescription Royal Canin S/O for urinary health. He's been on it for about a month and his latest urinalysis shows that his crystals have all cleared up! *yayeee!!!* But he is still on the prescription diet right now. So, just to be on the safe side with my other kitty, I'm feeding her Science Diet (a little pricey, but worth it if it lessens the chance of another vet bill!) Also. another thing my vet told me was that cats who are prove to UTI's must drink lots of water because water flushes out their system. I bought my cats a drinking fountain ("the Petmate" i think) at Petsmart *i think it was like $40* and my cats love it! They drink lots of water now! Now that my cat's UTI is cleared, if only I could get him to stop spraying!!!....

 

[amyh]

I'm sorry for Thunder, but please learn from this experience. I would strongly suggest you set up a special "Medical Emergency" savings account for this new cat that you just acquired. As you now know, pets can suddenly develop very costly health issues, and - just like in humans - the older they get, the more issues they will develop. Taking a pet into your life involves much more than food, playing, and litter; they depend you you for all they needs, both physical and emotional. It is your responsibility to care for them in every way; having a special savings account for your new cat will help ensure you can provide her the medical she needs and deserves over the course of her life.

Additionally, no medical procedure is ever going to carry a 100% guarantee; lack of a guarantee shouldn't be a reason to not consider treatment.

Finally, I would seriously consider finding a new vet - perhaps going to the one that was recommended by your friend. It sounds like the vet you were using did not give you adequate guidance or help, and a vet that thinks Friskies or Dad's is good food to feed any cat - much less one with urinary issues - is not one I would want carrying for my pets.

I don't mean this to sound harsh; it just saddens me to hear when animals are lost because of financial issues. Now that you are aware that something like this can happen, you have the opportunity to be better prepared for you new kitty; please use the opportunity wisely. Best wishes with your new girl.

 

[chickhitscar]

thank you.... we are taking the new cat to see the vet my friend goes to. I will no longer be going back to the old one. We also just looked into pet insurance, which we are going to get, it's going to be about $25 a month and in the long run can help if this cat gets sick. I didn't know anything like that was even available! so that's a good thing.

and as far as the money thing goes, i didn't take it hurtful or anything that you said, but 2000+ is alot for anything, including a pet. Alot of people I have talked to said they probably would have done the same thing. So everyone is intitled to their own opinion.

 

[yosemite]

Originally Posted by chickhitscar

thank you.... we are taking the new cat to see the vet my friend goes to. I will no longer be going back to the old one. We also just looked into pet insurance, which we are going to get, it's going to be about $25 a month and in the long run can help if this cat gets sick. I didn't know anything like that was even available! so that's a good thing.

and as far as the money thing goes, i didn't take it hurtful or anything that you said, but 2000+ is alot for anything, including a pet. Alot of people I have talked to said they probably would have done the same thing. So everyone is intitled to their own opinion.

I do agree with you. We spent over $1000 on our Simba before we realized he was not going to make it and rather than prolong his poor quality of life and just spend more money to line the vet's pockets, that the humane thing was to let him go in peace. We now also have pet insurance for Mika and Bijou and with any luck we'll never need to use it, but it is worth the monthly fees.

I'm glad you are taking your new baby to a new vet and wish you all good things. When you have a chance, post some pictures in the Fur Pictures section as we'd all love to see your new fur baby.

And by the way, I think there are a lot of people out there that wouldn't have spent as much as you did trying to help your kitty.

 

[amyh]

Health insurance can be a good thing, but be sure you read all the fine print before you commit to it. Some insurances have a lot of caps on how much they'll pay for various illnesses, won't cover certain things, and - just like humans - have the dreaded "pre-existing condition" stipulations. For example, when we adopted our last 4 cats they came with free insurance for a couple months (adopted then through a PetFinder rescue group). This particular insurance did not cover wellness visits or shots, and it had something like a $2000 cap on cancer treatment. The year prior, we spent $7000 dollars treating our cat's lymphoma (yes, you read that right!). If we had paid for the insurance all his life (he was 12 when diagnosed), plus the balance of what the insurance wouldn't cover for his treatment, it would have cost more to have the health insurance than it was for us to pay for his treatment out of pocket.

So that's just a couple things to consider when shopping for insurance, just to make sure you get the best and most appropriate deal. I personally feel that setting that $25 or so a month aside in a savings account gives you more flexibility in how it can be spent, but everyone has to choose what works for them.