# Please Help Cat in need with injuries



## SnakeMan (May 29, 2009)

Hello My Name is Terron, I am in a very unfortunate circumstance. The Vet turned me away because I don't have $600 to spend up front I had $100 for down and would've paid whatever if they set it up on billing. The Jerks turned me away. My cat was bit in the face by another cat 5 days ago. I tried to take him to the Vet right away as I understand the nature of cat bite infections. I have cleaned the area very well with saline solution twice a day or so as well as I am using a topical antibiotic as often. The abcess he had is slowly shrinking and weaping out, however this morning I noticed a smell indicating the infection is getting worse. The Vet will not take him, I simply don't have that much cash on hand. I don't care if it is illegal for me to do what I intend to do, as far as I'm concerned it should be illegal to be turned away like that in an emergency situation. I intend to shave the area and clean it to the best of my ability, however this may not be easy unless he is sedated at least slightly if not fully. Anyone have any safe hopefully legal ways of doing so?


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## SnakeMan (May 29, 2009)

And just to make things perfectly clear I am not a Vet obviously, but have been doing veternary procedures on Farm animals as well as exotic stock for years doing lots of things just short of surgeries. I simply want to help my friend get better, and am capable.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Welcome, and I am sorry your cat is injured and the vet turned you away. 

First, these are tough economic times and veterinarians are a business and cannot operate on charity or non-payment from customers.  If your vet refused to accept payments, you may blame that on every other selfish jerk who brought a pet in for treatment upon payments and never paid. Veterinarians must outlay for their services and charge the prices they do because not only do they have student loans to pay in addition to mortgage, insurance, supplies, utilities and payroll for their staff at the clinic, they also must be able to make enough money to support their home and family, too. 
_Independently owned veterinary clinics do not have any government relief or the ability to fund-raise to pay their costs for charity or indigent cases. This is unfortunately why veterinary offices have taken such firm/hard-line stances about treatment and payment._
Second, I doubt you will find anyone who would be able to advise you on this. It is illegal for a veterinarian to diagnose/prescribe treatment without seeing (online) the animal and if it is illegal for a vet to do that, I am sure it isn't legal for a lay-person to do it, either. 
Finally, I think most people here would try instead to direct you towards areas that could help you pay your vet so your cat *can* be seen. Some Humane Societies will offer reduced rate services. Some places will treat your pet, but then you must give up all rights to your pet. Some would advise you to borrow the necessary amount from friends/family and still others would direct you towards the "Care Credit" credit card that is used for medical treatment with no or very low interest rates.
Your kitty probably requires a drain in addition to antibiotics. Both of these things require a veterinarian's skills and ability to provide.
Best of luck with whatever you decide,
Heidi


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## SnakeMan (May 29, 2009)

Heidi n Q said:


> Welcome, and I am sorry your cat is injured and the vet turned you away.
> 
> First, these are tough economic times and veterinarians are a business and cannot operate on charity or non-payment from customers. If your vet refused to accept payments, you may blame that on every other selfish jerk who brought a pet in for treatment upon payments and never paid. Veterinarians must outlay for their services and charge the prices they do because not only do they have student loans to pay in addition to mortgage, insurance, supplies, utilities and payroll for their staff at the clinic, they also must be able to make enough money to support their home and family, too.
> _Independently owned veterinary clinics do not have any government relief or the ability to fund-raise to pay their costs for charity or indigent cases. This is unfortunately why veterinary offices have taken such firm/hard-line stances about treatment and payment._
> ...


Thanks Heidi, I appreciate your feedback. I also understand what happened with the Vet. Problem is I worked with that Vet when the father owned it and learned a lot from him, his son took over and changed the way things worked simply because he is not someone who truly cares about the animals. Which is why I was so angry. However I did get it cleaned up by myself and My cat is healing very nicely. He also believes me to have magical powers or something at this point...lol


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## SnakeMan (May 29, 2009)

SnakeMan said:


> Heidi n Q said:
> 
> 
> > Welcome, and I am sorry your cat is injured and the vet turned you away.
> ...


But I don't exactly appreciate the use of the word indignet or lay-person in the context it was provided. I happen to be a extraordinarily intelligent person. Also understand that Doctors and Lots of Vets (Much more so with doctors) are nothing more than spoiled rich kids that have done done but pick on every less fortunate person around them for most of their lives. I have no desire to let a human being of this character touch me or my animals anyway!


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## Fran (Jan 9, 2008)

I am glad you were able to help your cat - and I think Heidi meant no insult, really. Your first post didn't have all the details, and quite a number of people here are vet techs or have vet office experience, and write from that perspective.

Welcome to the Cat Forum, in any case. This is community of kind people who love cats.... :wink: 

Fran


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## SnakeMan (May 29, 2009)

Fran said:


> I am glad you were able to help your cat - and I think Heidi meant no insult, really. Your first post didn't have all the details, and quite a number of people here are vet techs or have vet office experience, and write from that perspective.
> 
> Welcome to the Cat Forum, in any case. This is community of kind people who love cats.... :wink:
> 
> Fran


Yeah I understand, all that and I thank anyone who felt for my cat. I wasn't trying to be testy, just wanted to point out that that I'm not a Layman nor Indignant.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

SnakeMan said:


> But I don't exactly appreciate the use of the word indignet or lay-person in the context it was provided.


_Really?_ I'm sorry. I meant absolutely no offense with my post and I believe you may have misunderstood and imagined insult where none was. I truly did not mean to offend you.
I can explain myself, and then maybe you could share with me how I could have stated my reply better because I don't understand how my words could have been taken in any other context than what I intended:



Heidi n Q said:


> _Independently owned veterinary clinics do not have any government relief or the ability to fund-raise to pay their costs for charity or indigent cases._


Veterinary clinics _do not_ have options like human hospitals are able to do for these specific cases. 
I simply stated a fact that affects how veterinarians today must charge for their services and accept/decline clients. I brought that up because I felt you should direct your animosity at the dead-beat clients veterinary businesses have suffered through and not at the vets themelves when they have to run their business like a business. 
I did not direct my observation at you, neither did I imply you were indigent. Indigent simply means no money and no way to obtain money. You clearly do not fall under that definition because you do have money and fully intended to pay.
I understand now (_with more info from you_) that the animosity I detected from you was directed at this *specific* vet with his particular un-caring attitude and not all vets in general.



Heidi n Q said:


> It is illegal for a veterinarian to diagnose/prescribe treatment without seeing (online) the animal and if it is illegal for a vet to do that, I am sure it isn't legal for a lay-person to do it, either.


If it is illegal for a veterinarian to advise via phone/internet without initially seeing an animal then it is illegal for myself or the general members here (_AKA: lay-people_) to give that kind of instruction. So, in this particular instance, "lay-person" was specifically intended to include myself and anyone without a specific medical/veterinary background who would have wished to advise you. I think DVMs or vet-techs would be exempt, as they could share their professional experiences, but for all other intents/purposes...myself and the other members here *are* lay-people.
Once again, this phrase was not directed at you.

You didn't state you had professional experience up front. Granted, you said you had _been doing veterinary procedures on livestock and exotic animals_, but with only *_that_* information...then I could very well say that *_I_* have, too, while raising our families' livestock. I, however, have never worked with a veterinarian and gained such skills as you have, and it would have been a beneficial clarification if you had defined that particular point instead of leaving it vague and up to my interpretation.

My apologies for the misunderstandings and I am very glad your cat has healed and that you had the ability to help the kitty recover. Those are very handy skills to have.
heidi =^..^=


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