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So, I admit that I'm a paranoid pet owner. Part of it is that as a vet tech myself, I'm very familiar with how quickly things can go wrong. The rest is just plain worrywart me. But right now I'm struggling with how to balance that paranoia with financial good sense, and I'm interested in hearing other experiences and POVs.
Money is short right now. That's the plain truth of it. My carecredit card is almost maxed out, and I've long ago given up on the idea of ever paying that thing off. Next month Robin is going in to have the radiocat injection done for her thyroid, so that'll be another $2,000 on the card. This is not about needed medical procedures like that, though...rest assured that if one of my cats has a diagnosed condition that needs treatment, they WILL get it, even if it means selling off everything I own.
Rather, how do you balance a vague sense that something *might* be wrong with expensive tests? I posted here about JJ's recent bout where he was weak in his hind legs. We did blood work and x-rays that day and concluded it was probably a soft tissue injury. He did seem to recover, but ever since...he's just been 'off', but in the most subtle way. Like once in awhile I catch him hesitating before he lowers himself down like he's sore. And he hasn't been getting up on the back of the couch as much (his favorite spot), and sometimes hesitates before jumping up on the bed. Even more worrisome, he's had a few bouts of seeming to be disorientated or confused...one morning he couldn't seem to figure out how to get down off the bed, and once he was down he just walked in circles instead of making a beeline to run downstairs for breakfast. Or once in awhile I'll catch him crying at the closed door to the guest bedroom, and I can tell he thinks he's crying to come into *my* bedroom.
Really, 99% of the time he's fine. These little moments are spaced far apart, and in-between he's jumping and running about like his usual bratty self. I took him back to the vet and she did a full neuro exam and couldn't find anything. She thinks that short of a MRI, anything that is happening is too early to catch at this stage (and she doesn't believe anything *is* happening, to be clear.) She just feels there's no evidence of something that would justify a major test like a MRI. She basically thinks I was so worried about his recent collapse that I'm scaring myself and seeing things that aren't there.
And she honestly could be right...but I can't stop thinking what if she's not? But a MRI is *expensive*, plus it would mean sedating him, which is something I hate doing because he did arrest while under anesthesia as a kitten. It would also probably mean delaying Robin's treatment, since two huge bills at one time is going to be hard to handle.
On the other hand...everyone thought I was paranoid with Robin too. Months back she started jumping up on the kitchen table and stealing food off plates...behavior I wouldn't blink an eye at with JJ, but very atypical for her. Everyone else said I was making too much of a small thing and she was just getting ballsy in her old age. But indeed, the bloodwork I insisted on doing showed she at the very start of becoming hyperthyroid. And even the vet thought I was nuts when I suggested that our cat Heather's habit of scratching in front of her ear could be symptoms of a brain tumor, but sadly I was right.
So have you ever had a sense something was wrong based on vague symptoms and been right? Or have you ever had a sense something was wrong...and it turned out everything was just fine? Do you have any kind of protocol for what warrants a vet visit (like how times a cat is allowed to vomit before going in?)
That's a tough one. I don't have any protocol, just driving myself crazy asking myself over and over if a vet visit is needed. I have been wrong, suspecting serious gastric or esophageal issues more than once with one of my dogs, who is still just fine, (albeit with a sensitive stomach) 4 years later. I've been right, with a dog who had very intermittent symptoms of illness so vague there was no way to know what tests to run other than general bloodwork, which was fine. I put things down to stress and getting finicky about his food. A year later, he began wheezing and we found he had cancer in his heart and lungs. He went downhill quickly after that.
It's so very hard. I know how bad it feels to base things on money, but cold hard facts are, there's only so much. I know you'd go all out, but an MRI that shows nothing is money you don't have for other things in the future. And the sedation is a concern for him of course. If there was something neurologically wrong with JJ, would earlier treatment make a big difference in his prognosis? That's one thing I'd think about. I wish I could help more. I think if it didn't seem to be progressing I'd wait a bit, but I'm really not sure.
It's not easy being JJ's mom, I know. He's a lucky little boy.
To answer your question, most of the time when I sense "something" is wrong, I've been right, especially when it came to our Tucker. The biggest example is when I felt he'd been having more "off" days than on ones, and insisted on a chest x-ray. My vet didn't think it was necessary, but I pushed for it anyway. To the vet's (and my) shock, he had lung cancer!
Five days before he died (from the lung cancer, 2.5 years later), I somehow knew his time on this earth was very short. I don't know how I knew, but I could sense something was off with him. We had a strong bond. Geez, I miss that guy.
But, in your case, money aside, I would hesitate before having an MRI just because of the anesthesia risk. Have you considered (or had) a second opinion instead?
To answer your question, most of the time when I sense "something" is wrong, I've been right, especially when it came to our Tucker. The biggest example is when I felt he'd been having more "off" days than on ones, and insisted on a chest x-ray. My vet didn't think it was necessary, but I pushed for it anyway. To the vet's (and my) shock, he had lung cancer!
Five days before he died (from the lung cancer, 2.5 years later), I somehow knew his time on this earth was very short. I don't know how I knew, but I could sense something was off with him. We had a strong bond. Geez, I miss that guy.
But, in your case, money aside, I would hesitate before having an MRI just because of the anesthesia risk. Have you considered (or had) a second opinion instead?
My experience is the same as Rene S. The majority of the times I really thought there was a problem, turns out there was. I too have to be very careful where I spend my vet care dollars, as they are limited & must go where they are most needed. So I tend to wait until I'm very sure something is wrong before I take them in. When one cat starts NAR (Not Acting Right), I make myself give it a little time to see how long it continues, and a lot of the time they go back to normal in a day or two. But I've also been guilty of waiting/observing a little too long before taking them in, and that adds to the decision dilemma. I usually just end up going with my gut feeling. More times than not I'm right.
You were gone for a while, and there are some new posters that aren't familiar with JJ like the older posters are. I remember seeing videos of him, where you could really see what a special guy he is. I think you should share them again.
You were gone for a while, and there are some new posters that aren't familiar with JJ like the older posters are. I remember seeing videos of him, where you could really see what a special guy he is. I think you should share them again.
LOL...I'll try to get a post together to reintroduce my fuzzy brat!
He's been doing very well this week so far...no more odd moments that I've noticed. It's funny, because when I think of JJ, I really do think of him as being very healthy and robust...it's only when I'm listed off his history for a new specialist vet that it kind of hits me that he very much meets the definition of a 'special needs pet'. But really, 99% of the time to look at him you wouldn't know it.
Conversation I had with his dermatologist:
Vet: So do you have other cats at home?
Me: Just one, a female
Vet: How well do they get along?
Me: Oh, terribly. He's a *huge* bully and doesn't give her a moment's peace
Vet: Does it bother you that your other cat picks on Jonas when he's blind?
Me: No, you misheard...HE'S the bully. If he had eyes we'd all be in trouble.
Oh dear now I am more confuse. So you have a blind cat and a non blind cat? or did I misunderstood?
Yep...I have Jonas (aka JJ). He was rescued as a feral kitten and lost his eyes to herpes. He also has a very weak immune system and keeps things interesting by coming down with all kinds of weird maladies, but is generally very healthy despite that. He's 9 now and I've had him since he was 6-8 weeks old.
I also have Robin, who was adopted as an adult from a shelter and is around 11 now. She's a total love bucket and just the sweetest little girl cat on earth.
Jonas is a giant brat and jumps Robin every time he happens to run into her, but she's well aware he's blind and just moves out of the way. It just amused me that the vet automatically assumed the poor blind cat was the one getting beat-up when it's very much the other way around.
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