cat blood test

[bunn]

Vet rang with results on Friday. Definitely no thyroid problem: definitely liver, almost certainly cancer.

No treatment available : he gave her multivitamins and an appetite stimulant* which may help a little, or not. If we see a major decline in her condition, bring her back.

Thing that annoys me about that vet: they do stuff (like the appetite stimulant) that seems like it can only help for a few days, if that, on a long-term condition, without asking you about it first or saying exactly what they are giving till you get the bill. You have to be really alert and ask questions all the time.

Last time I took Mollydog in with her corn on her toe, they wanted to give her antibiotics. For a corn??? Luckily I was on the ball that day and insisted on her explaining what she wanted to use, as Mollydog reacts badly to antib's (they give her the runs...). They did give her a painkiller. Which was a bit weird, because that's only going to last a few hours, and then afterwards, she will still have the corn???

Am going to start using the Callington vet more, see how they are in comparison. Took the buns in for their vaccs there and they seemed to know what they were doing. But then vaccs are easy.

*why? she is already hungry all the time!

Comments

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

Sorry to read about this. Did the vet say how long Java has, or is it impossible to tell?

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Vet cannot tell. She has been slowly going downhill for a long while and is still quite feisty and active so I'm hopeful that she will be with us for a while yet. The vet did say he didn't think she was in any pain, which is what I particularly wanted to check - so hard to tell with cats.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Eek. Sorry to hear about that.

[helflaed.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear about Java- and agreed- if you don't feel comfortable with your vet then change them. I've found with ours that some are very good, but there is one who I will not see.

Hope all goes well for Java.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

It's a fairly big practice and you rarely see the same vet twice. I don't think they are bad, exactly, but they seem to have a bit of an 'if in doubt, antibiotics' approach which strikes me as a bit odd nowadays.

I mean, for a cut or an infection, fair enough, but for cancer or a corny toe? Bit odd.

[tovaglia.livejournal.com]

Oh, poor cat. Hope she is feeling better soon.

Do you get the impression they are giving what I call "Roundhay Hall Medicine" - short-term symptomatic relief to encourage further custom. (Roundhay Hall is the name of the local BUPA establishment).

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Yes, that sounds entirely likely.

I suspect they get a lot of tough hill farmers in there going 'and can she still herd sheep if I cut her leg off' or similar - so a mug like me is a prime candidate for a walletectomy...

[tovaglia.livejournal.com]

No, I'd imagine they do it to everyone.

Have been re-reading some James Herriot books recently (not read them since I was a child) and it struck me powerfully that the good Mr Herriot also appeared to practice a good deal of Roundhay Hall Medicine.

[the-marquis.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. The vets do sound like they've seen the future (short) for Java and decided to get you to pay for as much as they can weasel out of you in the meantime.

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. Poor Java.

And Bad Vet. I wonder how many people get hit with paying for silly treatments that aren't necessary, just because they don't think to question "the expert."

[chainmailmaiden]

Sorry to hear about Java :-(

Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) is used in humans for liver conditions including cancer. It's supposed to help the liver cells regenerate. The following article Use of Milk Thistle in Dogs and Cats seems to suggest it's had some success when used with cats and dogs too, certainly nothing I've read about it in the past has suggested it's toxic to them. Might be worth a try...