PEOPLE NEED TO BE MORE COMPASSIONATE
- to their fellow human animals. People deciding how much vet intervention to pay for is not "economic euthanasia". (To me, economic euthanasia would be putting down a healthy cat because you couldnt afford to feed it or get shots.) If the cat would die eventually without medical intervention, the decision is about weighing how much to spend to prolong a life, that without humans, would certainly end. There are many factors that go into that -age, odds of full recovery, and financial status. Three ys ago, I spent $10000 to cure my 3 yr old lab. If she had been 12, or had other health issues would I have made the same choice? Probably not. If I had just lost my job, or had several human mouths to feed, would I have made the same choice? I do not know. I got lucky, and she is fine, but had she had complications and died after I spent that much would I have regretted the choice? Who knows. I think people should not be reluctant to adopt if they can afford food and basic vet care
- —Guest LOLAANDSASHA'S MOM
Putting pets to sleep
- I don't see anything wrong in putting an animal to sleep. They don't understand like a human does. If you have the money to provide expensive treatments... fine, if not....there are so many other animals put to sleep in city pounds. They are like family, but if it means going into debt....NO!
- —Guest anafreeka
Will YOU pay my vet bill?
- I am feeling very angry at folks here who chastise owners for economic euthanasia. As I said in my caption - Will YOU pay my vet bill? Thought not. I am in the position of having to use my groceries and hydro money to either have my cat seen at the vet again for UTI and blockage or put poor Shadow (in pain, peeing blood) to sleep. I got my cats in better times and I never imagined being unable to afford vet bills. I've already spent a couple of hundred dollars and now must choose: do I use my last bit of money for more treatment (no guarantee) and then not have even enough money in hand to have him put to sleep? It's not a position I would wish anyone in. If you can't understand, you have obviously never been truly poor. Sometimes you have to make a hard decision and find a way to live with it, because there are no other options. I love him and can't bear to see him suffer.
- —Guest Joan
Saying Goodbye
- Smokey has been with me just under 5 years (since my son was placed for adoption). Smokey help me get though some tough times! He is too young to die but I can not afford to continue to treat his urinary problems. I had spent about $500 to catheterize him the first time he got sick. I changed his food to a special (more expensive) food for urinary tract heath. I've given him nothing but distilled water. I have taken him back to the vet 3 times since then for the same problem. I've charged medications and vet visits. He is sick again and has been spraying everything in sight and cries all the time. I don't make enough money. It is time to euthanize. I've dug his grave this afternoon. Made the appointment for tomorrow. It makes me so mad that he can't just be well. He is such a great lap cat and is so loving. My older cat is going to miss him so much. I'm so sorry Smokey. I should have been a better Mama to you. I will never forget you my friend.
- —Guest Smokey's Mama
I CRY SO HARD
- Putting my cat to sleep was one of the hardest thing I had to do we cry like a baby. I didn't even know he was sick until we take him to the Vet that night... because he wasn't breathing right.we are missing him so...... Smokey live for a while about 14 years a lot of people say that was a good life but for me not long enough.It is not easy saying good by when you love that way. rest in peace Somkey......MOMMY will miss you
- —Guest Cynthia
Lost my baby because of money
- I had to put my 7 year old Yoda to sleep on 12/2/2010 because he ate a string and it was stuck in his small intestines. The total surgery cost was going to be 5,000 dollars not including the 600 dollars we spent just trying to figure out what was wrong with him. It is unfair that we have to put our babys asleep because of money. If there was a way that I could have paid back the money I would have done it. Pets are not just pets they become part of the family. I miss my yoda soooo much and I would do anything to have been able to make the other choice.
- —Guest Crystal
hope she lived
- i have a four month old kitten who hurt her paw two days ago she no has an infection and high temp we took her to the vets and had her seen for £50 thry gave her antibiotics and painkillers if she is not better by tomorow we will have to put her to sleep as my mum cannot afford treatment for!!!:) i luv my little snowy soo much and i am now praying shes better by tomorrow!!!:(
- —Guest hafsa
Hurting.
- About three months ago my male cat of 7 years named Shamrock was diagnosed with a urinary blockage. Meaning a life or death situation where the animal goes under anesthesia while the blockage is removed. Afterwards, a three night stay is required so that the cat can be squeezed as to get him to urinate and remove the crystals. This procedure costs approximately $500, give or take a couple hundred. We are still struggling to pay the vet's bill today. Today my cat was diagnosed with the same thing. We went to a different vet because we still owe our vet money. I walked in thinking I was going to save his life, but I cannot afford it. I had to put him to sleep today, and I feel like a murderer. I should have been able to save him. I was supposed to take him to college with me.
- —Guest Britney
do vets care?
- We saved our cat from certain death about 5 years ago. She had been abused and had many wounds. At first she was scared of everyone, so she kept escaping from our house. But meanwhile I took care of all her wounds. There was a big scar on her nose when she finally decided to accept our help. When I took her to the vet they said it could be cancer and they would have to test her. I told them I knew what it was because I was the one that closed up the wound. So seeing that all they wanted was my money, I did not go back. She liked us so much that she never left the house. She became an indoor cat. 3 weeks ago, after 5 years living with us, she stopped eating suddenly. I took her to the vet, they gave her antibiotics etc. and charged me $133. She started eating again after 11 days, but deteriorated. Took her back to the vet said the bill would be a lot if I wanted them to take care of her with no guarantee or I would have to put her to sleep. It seems like they don't care.
- —hepi22
Hardest Choice I've Ever Had to Make
- My huge 12-year-old Maine Coon started losing weight about 3 months ago. I took him in for some dental work, and X-rays showed he had a herniated diaphragm, so his intestines were up in his chest cavity, squeezing his lungs and heart. I paid $2,700 for surgery knowing he might not live. He did, and was recovering beautifully for two weeks, then suddenly stopped eating again. Another X-ray showed a mass in his chest cavity that's pushing on his esophagus. A $1,500 cat scan is required to see what the mass is and whether or not it's operable, and if it is, surgery would cost $4,000. I can't put him through that again, and it seems insane to spend the money. He's the light of my life, but I know I'll lose him in a few years anyway... cats' life spans are not that long. I don't think he's suffering, but he's clearly uncomfortable and I don't want to keep him alive if it means he'll starve to death slowly... I also don't want to force him to eat. We'll probably have him put down this week.
- —Guest Adriane
The vigil
- My wife and I came home to find our beloved 13 year old Spot out by the back porch curled up and dying, she was losing weight for months but wasn't in pain so we didn't take her to the vet. Our vet of 20 years is good but can't work for free and we knew whatever was wrong with her wouldn't be a cheap fix. Our other 2 cats are subdued now, Spot is in my arms, you'd think she was asleep, barely breathing....It's over, she's gone now...God I'm going to miss her.
- —Guest Art Whittaker
Worst Decision I Ever Made
- I came home one evening and found my cat collapsed. He wasn't moving at all. At the animal hospital, they said it would cost $1,600 to keep him one night. I only had $500. I asked to used my sister's care credit accounts which had $2,000 and she reluctantly agreed. The vet said that he would probably need to stay more than one night and that after they found out what was wrong with him, he would then need treatment. She said that in her experience in cases like these, the outcome is usually not good. I decided to euthanize because I felt that I would run out of money before they could find out what was wrong and treat him for it. However, ever since then I felt that that was the wrong decision. They really didn't know what was wrong with him and when they brought him into the room to be euthanized, he was awake for a minute a so. I can't help thinking that I should have let him stay at least one night even if I had to have him euthanized the next day.
- —Guest Heartbroken
Unfortunately maybe
- Our vet, like more and more of them, does not make payment plans. You have to pay in full even if it's $500. I do not have that kind of money. My cat needs to go to the vet although he is slowly dying, I would like to take him to see if anything can be done to make him more comfortable, but payday is 10 days away. I am thinking he will probably die before then and it angers me that this situation has to occur.
- —Guest maryk
Must make the decision today
- My 14.5 year old cat is very sick. He has hyperthyroidism, hepatitis, pancreatitis, failing kidney function, feline version of sciatica, mineral build up in his intestines, and evidence of bleeding bowels. I cannot afford to manage all of his diseases. I am very sad. His litter mate suffered and died from some mysterious disease where he stopped making red blood cells. We couldn't make the decision to put him to sleep and he died at home and in a lot of pain. I don't want to put his brother through the same thing and I don't want to go through watching him fade.
- —Guest eadreel
My beloved 20 year old kitty has gone
- I had to put my 20year old kitty to sleep today. She had a heart murmur, was almost blind and suffering from dimentia and senility. My heart is broken
- —Guest noreen
