When do you give up on trying to save your pet?

[jack999]

Originally Posted by damn_skippy

As soon as the vets bill is more than the cost of replacing said pet. If a cat is 50 bucks to replace and the vet bill comes in at 50.01 on up thats a loser and I'll let the little guy die.

I don't understand why people who have no empathy for the subject of a thread, insist on threadcrapping. You don't give a damn about pets, go find a thread that interests you.

To the OP, have you considered hydrating your cat on a daily basis yourself? If your cat is cooperative, you can do it, and it will cost a lot less and be less stressful on the cat since you do it in your home. The first time my vet brought up the idea, I was squeamish too, but I've seen what hydrating can do. It is not a cure, but can help break the cycle of dehydration which leads to poor appetite which leads to more dehydrations which leads to...

You can also call local humane organizations and ask for vet recommendations. The organization might also have members who have had cats with the same symptoms.

You should also not feel guilty about questioning the expense. I love my cats but I do know they aren't kids. If the time comes and you choose euthanasia, please do the following: 1) insist the vet give an anesthetic shot to render the pet unconscious before he searches for the vein; and 2) Stay with your pet the whole way. You should be the last thing he sees, hears and feels. It will ease his passage greatly and you will feel better afterwards knowing you where there for him.

I'm sorry your husband doesn't feel the same as you do. I'm blessed to have a wife who's as nuts about our cats as I am.

[Pistol Pete]

One of our cats is on subcutaneous fluids every other day and monthly antibiotics. He also has a heart conditions for which we shove pills down his throat. The vet taught us how to administer the fluids so that we could do it at home. The pills are $4 generics. The total cost is around $80/month + a vet visit.

Tell your vet that the money is becoming an issue and ask them for options.

[Cool Kitten]

My cat was diagnosed with heart murmur when he was 3, and with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy when he was 9. He lived for another 5 years, and died of lymphosarcoma when he was 14. I spent 6K on chemo for him. I would've spent 10 times as much if there was a chance for him to make it.
Anyway, in the end he let me know when he was ready to die. At some point i just knew he was ready.

[Maxflier]

Originally Posted by damn_skippy

There is a major difference between a human and a cat or dog. It's not an equal value.

An animal that I took responsibility for by willingly becoming it's owner doesn't need to be an equal value of a human being for it to be worth spending money on to potentially save it's life.

[megashopper]

After being so sick last night she has done really well today. She has eaten numerous times and gotten many drinks. She's been walking around and rubbing on everyone. I guess at this point we'll just go one day at a time. We were all amazed at the difference between last night and today. I hope she can continue getting better.

[damn_skippy]

Originally Posted by jack999

I don't understand why people who have no empathy for the subject of a thread, insist on threadcrapping. You don't give a damn about pets, go find a thread that interests you.

Lighten up. Nobody's thread crapping. A question was asked and I answered. Sometimes you pet people are scary. You guys are doing exactly what the vet wants you to do. If you get 14 yrs out of any animal cat, dog, or whatever. That's a long time for an animal. No matter how much money you throw at it the little guy is gonna die sometimes. Do you know how many cats or dogs out there need a good home. So let the little guy die and go get another one. But to spend more than the pet is worth to give them another couple of months to live is asinine.

[General Zod]

Originally Posted by megashopper

After being so sick last night she has done really well today. She has eaten numerous times and gotten many drinks. She's been walking around and rubbing on everyone. I guess at this point we'll just go one day at a time. We were all amazed at the difference between last night and today. I hope she can continue getting better.

Glad to hear she is doing better.

[jack999]

Originally Posted by megashopper

After being so sick last night she has done really well today.

I too, am happy she's doing better now. Has your vet mentioned the possibility of renal failure? Perhaps I missed that in your post. at 14-15 years of age, I would be willing to bet that almost all cats already have some degradation of kidney function. Over the years, it is been the most common cause of declining health and death for our cats.

If this is the problem, there are special renal-diet cat foods that can be provided for your cat. At the risk of repeating myself, hydrating your cat on a daily basis is also a treatment for renal failure. It's not a cure but does treat the symptoms. It has added a comfortable 6 months or more to the lives of my old babies. Depending on the speed of the renal failure, it could be more for your cat.

Edit: I just noticed both your cats are 14 years plus. I highly recommend a renal diet-food for them both. Were blood tests done?

[Vibiana]

megashopper: I am so glad to hear your baby is doing better. I have five cats myself and the rule I've set is that if it gets to where I have to give them maintenance meds or injections every day, I will let them go gently and humanely. I would agree with the advice about a second opinion, if you can, just to see if there might be other options.

My babies and I will remember you in our prayers.

[megashopper]

Originally Posted by jack999

I too, am happy she's doing better now. Has your vet mentioned the possibility of renal failure? Perhaps I missed that in your post. at 14-15 years of age, I would be willing to bet that almost all cats already have some degradation of kidney function. Over the years, it is been the most common cause of declining health and death for our cats.

If this is the problem, there are special renal-diet cat foods that can be provided for your cat. At the risk of repeating myself, hydrating your cat on a daily basis is also a treatment for renal failure. It's not a cure but does treat the symptoms. It has added a comfortable 6 months or more to the lives of my old babies. Depending on the speed of the renal failure, it could be more for your cat.

Edit: I just noticed both your cats are 14 years plus. I highly recommend a renal diet-food for them both. Were blood tests done?

Yes, blood tests were done. She is not in renal failure although her kidneys are not working as well as they could be. There is some degradation but as long as she's eating and especially drinking enough the vet said she should be ok. She is still eating and drinking and she has even been cleaning herself. As long as she keeps up with eating and drinking I won't have to hydrate her. She is looking better every day although I know it can change quickly. I will look for a renal diet food for her and her sister.

[GatorDeb]

Originally Posted by grem458

I just had to say he was a cute cat and he -does- look just like a gremlin from the movie

[jack999]

Originally Posted by megashopper

She is not in renal failure although her kidneys are not working as well as they could be. There is some degradation I will look for a renal diet food for her and her sister.

Your vet should be able to provide one. I believe Science Diet K/D is one.

[Dave7393]

We had a very close call with one of cats back in '99 due to a severe kidney problem (the vet warned us that he didn't know how it was going to turn out, and that it could go either way, at the time. It was a very tense day, waiting for the call from the vet, knowing Charlie could've died there). He came out fine, but he had to be put on a special diet afterwards, which was also very expensive. When we moved, we could no longer find the food Charlie needed, so we decided to try Purina ("urinary tract" formula), and he's been fine (since 2001).

Everything's fine as long as he sticks to that brand. If he has anything else, there's a very good chance he'll barf it up.

[kvrdave]

Depends on the species. The horses I would kill with a rusty spoon if I believed I could get away with it. The dogs....meh, I let my wife spend more money on Shasta when she had tetanus than I would have. The cats are my favorites, but I wouldn't go nuts trying to save them.

If pets had evolved to have their own doctors, I'd probably take them to their specialist. But I'm not gonna have some human working on them. Seriously, I let an animals life take a very natural course. I am quite certain that what the vets did to Worf made him far worse and we ended up putting him down the next day. I could have bitched them out, etc. but I am sure they didn't go out with the intention of trying to knock off my dog. Getting mad at them wouldn't do me any good. And I had a good dog for a long time.

[damn_skippy]

Originally Posted by kvrdave

Depends on the species. The horses I would kill with a rusty spoon if I believed I could get away with it. The dogs....meh, I let my wife spend more money on Shasta when she had tetanus than I would have. The cats are my favorites, but I wouldn't go nuts trying to save them.

If pets had evolved to have their own doctors, I'd probably take them to their specialist. But I'm not gonna have some human working on them. Seriously, I let an animals life take a very natural course. I am quite certain that what the vets did to Worf made him far worse and we ended up putting him down the next day. I could have bitched them out, etc. but I am sure they didn't go out with the intention of trying to knock off my dog. Getting mad at them wouldn't do me any good. And I had a good dog for a long time.

tread lightly fellow thread crapper. The peta folk are lurking in this thread.

[calhoun07]

Originally Posted by damn_skippy

There is a major difference between a human and a cat or dog. It's not an equal value.

I agree. Humans are worth crap.

[kvrdave]

Put a pet's thoughts, mannerisms, attitudes, and aptitude into a human, and they would be far worse than any human you know. We excuse them because we expect so little from them.

[Ron G]

Originally Posted by damn_skippy

tread lightly fellow thread crapper. The peta folk are lurking in this thread.

Hopefully, when you are in intensive care, the decision will be made to just let you go, because you're obviously not worth the money.

[damn_skippy]

Originally Posted by Ron G

Hopefully, when you are in intensive care, the decision will be made to just let you go, because you're obviously not worth the money.

I have very good health insurance. So eat me.


So your gonna spend a bunch of money on a dog who eats it own shit and a cat that eats its own vomit. Great money management skills.

[Ron G]

Originally Posted by damn_skippy

I have very good health insurance. So eat me.


So your gonna spend a bunch of money on a dog who eats it own shit and a cat that eats its own vomit. Great money management skills.

Well, perhaps they'll find a reason to deny your claim and let you die slowly, and in massive pain.

Perhaps you should just get the fuck out of this thread and stop being a troll?

[kvrdave]

I'm also pissed he answered the question. Obviously only people with the same need to elevate animals to a status above humanity were meant to post replies.

[Ron G]

Originally Posted by kvrdave

I'm also pissed he answered the question. Obviously only people with the same need to elevate animals to a status above humanity were meant to post replies.

No, but I think people who don't give a shit about animals weren't really being asked to forward their opinion here.

Why don't you go trample an animal to death on your way to $25 off a Blu-Ray player, and leave the ethical questions to the rest of us?

[damn_skippy]

Originally Posted by Ron G

No, but I think people who don't give a shit about animals weren't really being asked to forward their opinion here.

Why don't you go trample an animal to death on your way to $25 off a Blu-Ray player, and leave the ethical questions to the rest of us?

Wait a minute here. You need to back it up a second. I never said i don't give a shit about animals. I have 4 pets myself. But god forbid i get an outrageous vet bill for any of them, because those fuckers are gonna die. I just disagree with paying an arm and a leg to keep a animal alive when you can replace them much more cheaply. You have to realize it just a case of simple economics. You see I'm not uncaring I'm just cheap.


But i do disagree with putting animals above humans.


FYI I don't own a blu-ray player. I'm a DVD man myself.

I hope I cleared up any confusion for you.

[Franchot]

Originally Posted by damn_skippy

Wait a minute here. You need to back it up a second. I never said i don't give a shit about animals. I have 4 pets myself. But god forbid i get an outrageous vet bill for any of them, because those fuckers are gonna die. I just disagree with paying an arm and a leg to keep a animal alive when you can replace them much more cheaply. You have to realize it just a case of simple economics. You see I'm not uncaring I'm just cheap.


But i do disagree with putting animals above humans.


FYI I don't own a blu-ray player. I'm a DVD man myself.

I hope I cleared up any confusion for you.

I have been reading your responses in this thread and I'm totally disgusted by you!

You are one of the coldest, cruelest bastard I've seen on DVD Talk.

How dare you subject your family and friends to DVD quality when Blu-ray has been out for over two years now. Hang your head in shame.

[Maxflier]

Well played!