Of course, I am wondering this after spending a whopping $976.30 at the vet when I found Baby sleeping in her own feces, lethargic and just generally looking (and smelling!!) miserable. Here are how the costs broke down:
JANUARY 28TH
- Initial consultation: $51.00 - 1/2 day hospitalization: $27.30
(They did not have enough staff on hand to run the tests while I was there, so I had to pay to have them "hospitalize" her - i.e. stick her in a cage - until they take some blood)
- X-rays (top and side views): $89.00
- Blood tests, general: $104.00
- Duplocilline injection: $19.22
- Rectal swab: $37.50
- Fecal analysis: $26.00
- Lab analysis of cultures: $80.60
(Yes, you read this correctly, I have to pay for the vet do to the fecal analysis and then pay AGAIN for them to send it out to the lab for a second opinion)
- Fluroscene test: $15.00
(This is actually something I asked for, because the 3rd membrane in her eyes looked wonky and based on all her vision problems I wanted to catch any issues early - sure enough, she has ulcers again!)
- Taxes: $57.89
(They did not have enough staff on hand to run the tests while I was there, so I had to pay to have them "hospitalize" her - i.e. stick her in a cage - until they take some blood)
- X-rays (top and side views): $89.00
- Blood tests, general: $104.00
- Duplocilline injection: $19.22
- Rectal swab: $37.50
- Fecal analysis: $26.00
- Lab analysis of cultures: $80.60
(Yes, you read this correctly, I have to pay for the vet do to the fecal analysis and then pay AGAIN for them to send it out to the lab for a second opinion)
- Fluroscene test: $15.00
(This is actually something I asked for, because the 3rd membrane in her eyes looked wonky and based on all her vision problems I wanted to catch any issues early - sure enough, she has ulcers again!)
- Taxes: $57.89
SUB-TOTAL $507.51
JANUARY 29TH
- Intraveinous fluids: $93.50 - Intraveinous fluids, maintenance: $37.00
(Because this is not covered in the above cost!?!?)
- FIV/FLV test: $75.22
(Every time I go to the vet, they always insist I have this test done, but since I screen all my cats before bringing them in the house, there is like a 0.0000001% chance they could possibly have lukemia or aids, but they always sucker me into doing the test, and as usual it came out negative!)
- Administration of oral medication: $7.50
(This is apparently the fee for the 5 seconds it takes to make a cat swallow a pill... which works out to $90/minute or $5,400/hr.!!!)
- Ampicilline 500mg injection: $15.04
- 1 can of food: $1.72
- 1 day hospitalization: $47.25
(There are some motels around here that are cheaper!!)
- Administration of oral medication: $7.50
(Blows me away that I have to pay $7.50 every time they shove a pill down her throat!!)
- Taxes: $45.84
(Because this is not covered in the above cost!?!?)
- FIV/FLV test: $75.22
(Every time I go to the vet, they always insist I have this test done, but since I screen all my cats before bringing them in the house, there is like a 0.0000001% chance they could possibly have lukemia or aids, but they always sucker me into doing the test, and as usual it came out negative!)
- Administration of oral medication: $7.50
(This is apparently the fee for the 5 seconds it takes to make a cat swallow a pill... which works out to $90/minute or $5,400/hr.!!!)
- Ampicilline 500mg injection: $15.04
- 1 can of food: $1.72
- 1 day hospitalization: $47.25
(There are some motels around here that are cheaper!!)
- Administration of oral medication: $7.50
(Blows me away that I have to pay $7.50 every time they shove a pill down her throat!!)
- Taxes: $45.84
SUB-TOTAL $330.57
JANUARY 30TH
- New "special" food (2.72 kg): $28.28 (This is $10.39/kg, which is cheaper than fresh salmon)
- Safe-guard (Antibiotic): $12.23
- Cypro-heptadine (appetite stimulant): $14.95
- Florentero (Activia for cats): $22.00
- Gancyclovir (eye drops): $45.00
(The drops are not even in stock, but I have to pay for them before they will place the order, like I am some kind of deadbeat!)
- Taxes: $15.77
- Cypro-heptadine (appetite stimulant): $14.95
- Florentero (Activia for cats): $22.00
- Gancyclovir (eye drops): $45.00
(The drops are not even in stock, but I have to pay for them before they will place the order, like I am some kind of deadbeat!)
- Taxes: $15.77
SUB-TOTAL $138.23
This is Baby at the vet. She is clearly not pleased about her circumstances - but at least SHE didn't have to pay the bill!! A friend suggested that I am the "America's Most Wanted" of the veterinary world: They all have photos of me in their offices and when I walk through the door, they suggest every test under the sun, because they know I will do whatever I can to help animals in need. Sometimes I wonder if they ARE just taking advantage of me, or if all this "medicine" is really necessary... Next time I may just crush up an Imodium and put it in the food.
On a side note, would you believe that on the Imodium website, they actually have a Bathroom Finder? Like someone who has it so bad is going to log onto the Imodium site to find the nearest bathroom as opposed to... I dunno... OPENING THEIR EYES??? Only in America!!
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I told you that Mum and Dad just popped a half or quarter Immodium down their cat's throat and all was good!! Forget putting it in the food because they'll either not eat it or eat around it!
ReplyDeleteThe Immodium site is almost as bad as the site that tells you when the best time to go to the bathroom during different movies!?!?
T
I can't beleive the amount of your vet bill...
ReplyDeleteI understand that a vet clinic is a business and that people need to make a living... but I sometimes feel as though they just take advantage of people (like me) who are distraught at the thought of their pet being sick. I mean, $7.50 to administer a pill?? Over and above the cost of the "hospitalization"... definitely feeling ripped off on that one!!
ReplyDelete