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Heh, I decided to split the thread so Asinnamon’s post doesn’t get bowled over.
Thanks Eleu and Ruffian, for your advice. I’ll get the paper on the litter–I’m sure it will save the vet some time and hassle if I’m able to get a urine sample from Harley brought in with him. I’ve been watching him since I got home though, and he hasn’t gone once. Poor guy. He’s pretty miserable. He’s growling and complaining on my bed behind me. I’m just trying to keep him comfortable, give him some scratches, and get a sample for the vet. He is definitely going tomorrow morning.
I guess I know what the $150 I managed to get out of my former employer (who owes me much more than that) today is meant for. I was hoping it was bills…or Windstones… I hope it doesn’t run more than that 🙁
EDIT: OK, it’s almost 2 now but I think he is completely blocked, after doing some info-searching on feline UTIs and crystals. This can be fatal–I just called the animal ER and they said that if he is completely blocked he needs to be brought in immediately. He hasn’t been able to pass any urine for at least 8 hours. I’ve been watching him to try to get a urine sample. Off we go. Late night, and fingers crossed. Poor baby.
ALSO. I cannot get him out from under the bed. He is not a bed-hider. How do cats KNOW you are taking them to the vet? I’m trying to help!
Oh no! Please do keep us updated. I know how vet bills go… I had to make a savings account just for my parrots, because exotics/avian vets are usually even more expensive than cat/dog ones…
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My art: featherdust.comIf that’s the case Jennifer, my condolences because it looks like this blockage with Har-Har could run over $2000 😮 😮 😮 😮 😮 Looks like my $150 is a drop in the bucket. That’s over twice as much for the surgery to repair my broken elbow and torn tricep!!!! (Although that was my out-of-pocket cost and not the actual cost for the procedure, thank goodness for insurance.) Still, oh man, what a bad time. What a pair he and I make now.
I’m just trying not to be depressed over the cost, I would be so much more depressed if the blockage became fatal and I lost Harley. But this is a hardship. Sigh.
I brought him in to the ER last night about 3. It took an HOUR to get him there! I finally got him out from under the bed and in his kitty carrier. I went down to take him, planning to borrow my sister’s car since it was blocking mine. Her lights were on and the battery was dead. I had to push her car out. On 4 hours of sleep in over 30 hours, and with only one good arm, I definitely was a sweaty mess by the time I piled ourselves in my car and managed to get him in.
The vet checked him out and he seems to have grit/crystals in his urinary tract and an infection. He had some buildup around his prepuce, which the vet was able to gently clear away, and shortly after he urinated for the first time in at least 10 hours. That was a relief. They have him there to monitor, and they may not have had to catheterize him. I’m going to transfer him to his normal kitty hospital shortly so I’ll find out the final cost, diagnosis and treatment. Poor little man. Even scared and sad in his “room” at the ER, he was still cuddly and wanting pets and scratches from everyone. I’m sure he’s getting a few from them.
Thank you so much for your support and encouragement you guys. Thanks to your advice I was able to get him in before it was VERY serious or fatal. Were it not for Asinnamon’s post and your help I might not have realized the severity of this, as I’ve never had a cat with this problem and didn’t know male cats are prone to UTIs. I am so grateful to you all.
Thank you for the update, I read your first post while still at work this morning, I am glad you were able to get him in, I do hope he gets better!
Thank goodness you cught it in time! Bummer about the bills tho! We just ended up getting insurance for our boxer because she has cost us over $500 in the last month….Please keep us updated!!
Oh poor Harley!! I bet he was sure relieved when he was finally able to ‘go’ after so long! How is he doing now? I hope they were able to just treat him with some medicine. My poor Sneezer was so uncomfortable that midway through the week they gave him some pain meds too-boy did those do the trick! 😆 Keep us updated!!
I am sorry about the cost, but I am so glad that he is doing better! I will give scratches to Harley!!
Poor Harley I am just glad he is going to be OK. Sorry about the cost I know how that can be. A year ago in Sept. I had to rush Tristen (chow) to the emergency clinic and he had an inverted stomach – cost $5,985 plus several prescriptions from Wal-Mart. A lot of people thought I was crazy to spend that kind of money on a 12 year old dog but it gave me another 19 months with him before losing him so believe me to me he was worth every penny I spent.
Oh, I’m so sorry Darjeb. I’m glad you got the extra time, it sounds like you really made it count.
Good news for Harley and for me! Sorry it’s been so long, I’ve been so tired. I went to get Harley from the emergency clinic, to pick him up and transfer him to the Banfield Pet Hospital where I usually take him. After spending the night accepting the cost, and fully expecting to have to put down an additional $500 when I arrived, I can’t describe how I felt when they told me I was actually getting $500 BACK from the $1100 I had to put down the night before! I literally thought I was going to faint!!!
Harley went to Banfield where they did a few more tests on him and made sure he was getting plenty of fluids and proper meds. I got to bring him home Saturday night. He got a very good report card from the nurses–he has always been quite a little Romeo! When he was a kitten and I brought him in for his shots and neutering, a couple ladies didn’t want to let me take him home 😀 I kept him in the bathroom almost two days, so I could monitor him more easily, and also because all his litter box visits are making a HUGE mess. :puke:
He’s on medication to help with the infection, and is definitely acting himself again. I have pain pills/sedatives to use just in case but he hasn’t seemed uncomfortable. I’m so happy. Today I let him out of the bathroom and let him have run of the kitchen/living room, where the floors are hard. He’s urinating pretty frequently, but the clumps are almost normal size, which is gross but a good sign. He’ll have to have prescription wet food, the vet says indefinitely. Blleeeeeehhhh, I hate wet food. Maybe eventually I can get him back on dry. Having to go through all this again though is a pretty big deterrent from “cheap” (i.e. affordable and convenient, sold-everywhere, non-prescription) cat food.
The stay at Banfield did cost about $500, so in the end the total cost of this urinary blockage ended up being $1200-ish. Uck. At this point I’m just glad it wasn’t the $2000 the vet originally estimated! All’s well that ends well, I suppose. Harley has a funny little shaved patch on his pay from the IV. I’m so glad my lovey cat is feeling better 🙂
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