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Just posting to vent!
We took our 17 or 18 year old (rescue, so not sure about her exact age) kitty in for a checkup and our vet advised 4 teeth would need to be removed. While she was under, the vet discovered a mass on her gums. She cleaned the teeth, but did not extract any, pending the biopsy results. She said she wasn't sure, but the mass looked too differentiated? to be benign. The results came back as benign inflammatory tissue, so the extractions can be done. However, with all the blood tests (including thyroid) and the cleaning, we are over $500 in the hole. And the estimate to actually extract the teeth is an additional $400 to $800 (depending how many x-rays are needed at $75 each) on top of the over $500. I know it has to be done, but we had to have all of another kitty's teeth removed due to stomatitis about 3 years ago (by a dental specialist) and it came to around $1200. So $900 - $1300 seems really high.
I am actually envious of your dental costs + blood work. Every time I have a cat who needs a cleaning and an extraction or two (never more than two teeth), it's always $800-1000. And the "senior screen" bloodwork is $200 on top of that, if the cat is old enough. My dentist does something called a gingival flap with each extraction and I think that adds to the cost. It's hard to say no, though, because bad teeth are so painful for the cat and prevent him/her from eating properly. Plus, an infection can become systemic.
Lori, you have my sympathy. It's getting harder and harder to afford treatment. About 5 years ago we paid $325 for a cat dental with several extractions. That price included everything. It seems to me pet dental costs increased along with people's willingness to have them done.
Lori, you have my sympathy. It's getting harder and harder to afford treatment. About 5 years ago we paid $325 for a cat dental with several extractions. That price included everything. It seems to me pet dental costs increased along with people's willingness to have them done.
I know! And as we are getting closer to retirement, vet care is taking a big hit out of our funds. I hate to even think like that, but I have to. We have fewer kitties than ever (still more than most people), and I can't even think about taking any more in at this point. Unless a very pathetic little kitten ends up on my front porch... in which case, all bets are off.
I know! And as we are getting closer to retirement, vet care is taking a big hit out of our funds. I hate to even think like that, but I have to. We have fewer kitties than ever (still more than most people), and I can't even think about taking any more in at this point. Unless a very pathetic little kitten ends up on my front porch... in which case, all bets are off.
Egads, I could have written every word of that!! Husband and I live in fear of some needy furry showing up on our door step, just like most of the others did. We are "down" to 4 and trying to feed them a quality diet and keeping up with necessary vet care takes a huge chunk out of the budget.
I know! And as we are getting closer to retirement, vet care is taking a big hit out of our funds. I hate to even think like that, but I have to. We have fewer kitties than ever (still more than most people), and I can't even think about taking any more in at this point. Unless a very pathetic little kitten ends up on my front porch... in which case, all bets are off.
Lor, just had our girl in for a growth on nose surgery removal (as you know) & a while-she's-already sedated -- 4th teeth cleaning since '09. So, it was about $800 for this all only 3 wks ago, & w/ her I-131 radioactive hyperthyroid treament in '12 -- a whopping 2K just there w/ those 2 visits!
Add to it every 6 mos. since a followup visit & bldwk to followup, & it has been over almost 4K (since we got/found her 7 yrs ago today approx.) -- for 1 kitty!
So, I know your pain. I'll need be a billionaire soon or invent something to keep this up.
Sigh. Maybe we can start a club. "Cat Owners Watching Their Retirement Funds (Not) Grow". Over in the retirement forum, we might get a stern talking-to. But what can you do when you love your pets? And if you're a sucker for a sad kitty story! We just found some kitten photos of our youngest guy last week. He was an extremely sick kitten, was in the vet ICU, was not expected to live, etc. 6 years ago. We took him home and gave him 24/7 care and today, he is a healthy, happy, mischievous cat. Hard to put a price on that. Of course, the kitty believes it was simply what he was entitled to. LOL And how did we get him? Why, he showed up on our front porch! I guess there is a sign above our door that only cats can read.
Sigh. Maybe we can start a club. "Cat Owners Watching Their Retirement Funds (Not) Grow". Over in the retirement forum, we might get a stern talking-to. But what can you do when you love your pets? And if you're a sucker for a sad kitty story! We just found some kitten photos of our youngest guy last week. He was an extremely sick kitten, was in the vet ICU, was not expected to live, etc. 6 years ago. We took him home and gave him 24/7 care and today, he is a healthy, happy, mischievous cat. Hard to put a price on that. Of course, the kitty believes it was simply what he was entitled to. LOL And how did we get him? Why, he showed up on our front porch! I guess there is a sign above our door that only cats can read.
Haha, keep buying lottery tix so you can afford it all, yes?
Sigh. Maybe we can start a club. "Cat Owners Watching Their Retirement Funds (Not) Grow". Over in the retirement forum, we might get a stern talking-to. But what can you do when you love your pets? And if you're a sucker for a sad kitty story! We just found some kitten photos of our youngest guy last week. He was an extremely sick kitten, was in the vet ICU, was not expected to live, etc. 6 years ago. We took him home and gave him 24/7 care and today, he is a healthy, happy, mischievous cat. Hard to put a price on that. Of course, the kitty believes it was simply what he was entitled to. LOL And how did we get him? Why, he showed up on our front porch! I guess there is a sign above our door that only cats can read.
We seem to attract the ones with major health problems. The most recent rescue a few years ago was a little guy who had taken up residence under our neighbor's shed. She is on a fixed income and tried to help him, but could barely afford the cheapest grocery store food. So we took him in and he turned out to be the absolutely sweetest, most loving cat we have ever had. Which is a good thing because he also turned out to have severe stomatitis, necessitating having hall of his teeth removed, and he has recurrent herpes related eye problems which have flared up again, requiring pricey anti-viral eye drops. Free kitties are not really free.
We seem to attract the ones with major health problems. The most recent rescue a few years ago was a little guy who had taken up residence under our neighbor's shed. She is on a fixed income and tried to help him, but could barely afford the cheapest grocery store food. So we took him in and he turned out to be the absolutely sweetest, most loving cat we have ever had. Which is a good thing because he also turned out to have severe stomatitis, necessitating having hall of his teeth removed, and he has recurrent herpes related eye problems which have flared up again, requiring pricey anti-viral eye drops. Free kitties are not really free.
Haha, that is our favorite joke. "We only take FREE cats". LOL
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Husband and I live in fear of some needy furry showing up on our door step, just like most of the others did. We are "down" to 4 and trying to feed them a quality diet and keeping up with necessary vet care takes a huge chunk out of the budget.
But what can you do when you love your pets? And if you're a sucker for a sad kitty story! We just found some kitten photos of our youngest guy last week. He was an extremely sick kitten, was in the vet ICU, was not expected to live, etc. 6 years ago. We took him home and gave him 24/7 care and today, he is a healthy, happy, mischievous cat. Hard to put a price on that. Of course, the kitty believes it was simply what he was entitled to. LOL And how did we get him? Why, he showed up on our front porch! I guess there is a sign above our door that only cats can read.
