Help! I think my Cat is very sick!

[Shywink]

I think my cat is very sick and I would like to get her some help but I have no idea of where to go. I don't have any money and no insurance recently moved and don't know where to go or who to call.

I live in the Bronx but only recently moved here and don't know the area.

Can someone please tell me what to do? I need help fast! she won't eat and it's been days... I'm force feeding her a little at a time but she often just throws up (mostly bile, i think) right after. Please help!

[Roxanne]

I was very touched my the "How Could You?" story. I also so agree with your comments. Please view my video montage at:

http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=537061a40e3551df24ef6a&ski...

[Aurora]

oh my gosh! i am dripping and splashing onto the computers' keyboard and now my little brother is giving me a funny look, but i cant stop! that REALLY hit home with me and now i am so sad about how true that is and how often it happens. i wish and urge people to adopt more pets (as long as they will love and adaquitly care for them all of there long life). me? i have lots

[Vladimir]

"Bonitading," It seems to me that, regardless of your feelings or the circumstances, it is a mistake not to pursue the vet in your case, since you readily admit that he charged you for services he could not possibly have rendered. Hopefully, when you recover emotionally, you will vigorously challenge this, legally, if necessary.

[Linda W]

mandy:

You MAY NOT INTEND to be rude but you are certainly being amazingly INSENSITIVE!

It is NOT a perfect world and IF every thing that SHOULD BE...WAS/and or IS..We would have no need for repair shops, emergency rooms or a lot of other things put in place to lend assistance IN CASE things go to hell in a hand basket!

People have animals for a lot of different reasons..NOT SIMPLY BECAUSE EVERYTHING IN THEIR LIFE points to their being able and prepared to deal with everything life chooses to throw at them.

13 years ago I had NOT had three heart attacks, 2 Menengioma Brain Tumors NOR was I, 69 years old and on 100% disability Fixed Income Social Security and Medicare. I was ALSO NOT BILL GATES or STEVEN HAWKINS with an IQ that provided me with a major/secure income that guaranteed I would be financially prepared for all the financial/physical debilitating issues that were to become my crosses to bear at this time in my life.

Today I care for 11 cats, 3 dogs and 11 birds....90% of which are rescues and NONE of which I can afford IF an animal I care for were hit with even a three/four hundred dollar vet bill. My oldest rescue is enjoying her 13th year in my protection. What would I do should that occur?

I would have a garage sale, go on Craigslist and sell anything I possibly could to raise as much $$ as possible and beg like hell for a vet to let me make payments.And...every day posters tell us, over and over again they are turned down FLAT! AND what if the only vet who would consider doing so was the least respected vet in the county and NOT THE BEST..I would spend a great deal of time on GOOGLE/ASPCA and do everything in my power to oversee his lack of experience with my tenacity and temerity to achieve WHATEVER positive result I could.

Will I give up these animals BECAUSE I CAN NOT AFFORD THEM! NOT A SNOWBALLS CHANCE IN HELL! They are far better off with me and what I can NOT provide then starving in the cold or dieing slowly in the jungle that is our cities.....

Compassion, and thoughtful replies are what these people are looking for and Bless them for giving WHAT THEY CAN and DOING WHAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF!

Linda W

[bonitading]

I hope I did not offend anyone with my reply here, but I was just stating that people that love animals, and are willing to care for them when others will not, should not be judged when they come up short for a veterinarian's fee that is out of their normal budget.

Vladimir, thank you, but they did reimburse some of my money, although they were not going to until I spoke up about it when I was called back to the clinic to collect my cats blanket and carrier and prepare the details for the cremation. I was new to this city, and in dire need of medical assistance for my cat and when you live in a city and all you have to rely on is public transportation, you go to the first place available, which was this emergency vet center. I will never ever take any of my pets there again. I'm not saying they may not have done what they could, that isn't the issue as I knew my cat was very sick, but they should have been the first to say, hey we will reimburse you for those services we did not render, I should not have had to walk out in tears and get myself together and walk back in and say "wait a minute, I just forked over 3K to you for a 2 hour vet stay and was charged for all kinds of stuff that was never done". My cat was sick most of his life with kidney and urinary issues, so at almost 18 years old, it was his time.

[Vladimir]

I agree with you, bonitading. Isn't it sad, that so many times decisions have to be made on the basis of money? And you are also correct, that catastrophic vet bills can come upon anyone, at any time. And really, how many of us don't have our OWN insurance, much less be prepared for unanticipated problems with our pets? We do the best we can. If this had happened to me, I could not have come up with $3K on quick notice-- I just couldn't. I have it in mind that I would immediately sell my car if this happened to me. It's terrible to think about: how quickly could I accomplish this? I guess this is an argument for pet insurance too, no? I am glad that you got some of your money back. It would not be unusual for a vet to insist on "entire payment" up front, in the case of extreme illness that you describe, probably because the vet might not get paid, otherwise, when the treatment extends very quickly into a lot of money. Probably many people could/would "stiff" the vet for such major bills-- human doctors aren't much different in their insistence on being paid, and from experience. This is understandable. But as you say, they should have been compassionate and reasonable, and let you know, "of course, we will examine the bill and be refunding part/most of it to you-- of course." Your vet did a disservice to a noble profession.,

[Krisztina]

i agree with you, to me they are like children, they have feelings too. I couldn't see giving a child up for adoption because they got sick or that they are wild or that they need medical help! I would do whatever it takes to handle my dogs' and cats' illnesses, i will never give up. I only had my baby girl (Kitty) sent to the Rainbow Bridge when she couldn't even hold her head up and i saw that she was only holding on because of me i couldn't not be that selfish to let her suffer more to satisfy my own feelings.

[timetravel]

When my cat, Ginger, developed F.A.T.E., I did some checking online - so did the cardiologist - and we came up with a study at purdue university which totally covered medicine and almost all the cost of the echocardiogram, and cardiologists visits. This was an immense help - I would have paid for everything, but it really would have wiped us out.

[Jan A]

Call all the vets in town and plead for help. Some actually donate services. Sounds like ur cat has feline leukemia. Sorry!

[Shauna Gonzales]

You've got an ASPCA in your area! Just look up the number and someone will help you from there. Sounds like she needs to see a Vet ASAP! Is she keeping anything down and how long has she been sick?

[irene mckoy]

hi, i went through your pages and was trying to find out how your baby is doing please inform me. i live in brooklyn not far from you and i to went through finacinal problems with my baby ms. precious i hd already spent over five thousand dollars getting her two surgeries and hospitalziation and meeds and went broke just trying to take care of her but its okay to not be able to afford everthing, people get sick too and cannot afford their own health care but with cancer and kidney failure we did have to part phyically but she is here in my heart and i have her ashes, so i will eventually get another cat because thats what i do love all animals and will do the best i can for whoever adopts me on that great and most happy day for me. please respond back because my heart is broke for you and yours. from the late ms, precious and irene

[jackie]

I have a problem my cats are so old now sylvester has a lump by his eye. Every so often it leaks and drians clear liquid. Everytime I i feel kit after it has drianed theres stilkl a,lump it has been there maybe a year. it does not go away no matter what I do I am scared cause now he is throwing up. i do not know if he is over eating or it has to do with the lump I am a full time student and do not hasve the money to take him just any place I am so scared. My mom passed away just 3 years ago and now I got left with 3 cats that my mom always took care of soup to nuts I am scred and dont have the money omg what do i do