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When ever someone's cat acts unusual or stops eating or anything not ordinary,
everyone says go see the vet. (Same with doctors or counselor, psychiatrist or lawyer
etc.) Okay, this is usually obvious to the poster.
But what if the vet (or doctor) is not interested in this issue of yours? Professionals in all occupations are not enthused or care about treating very minor things. They will give you brief time, charge you $80. and not say much.
My vet is low cost, but habitually downplays everything I mention about my cat. He doesn't need blood tests, nothing wrong. Its not reassuring. Go to another vet? Sure, pay even more money (and annoyance to the cat) and he or she will
tell you a feline condition he might have. Would you rather have a vet who downplays the pet's potential problem or the opposite--a vet who is overly cautious. Like taking medical tests just to rule out things.
(Same with our doctors by the way)
He said my cat is all right but now he isn't eating. Another vet might not say any more.
that's why I don't go to vets.
Many of my recued cats would have been put down had I taken them to a vet.
They tend to live long happy lives in my care.
I must respectfully disagree with these statements.
If you're an experienced cat person and you have a minor ailment, I have no problem treating it at home. By minor I mean cat acne, small scratches, trimming nails, things like that. I also have no problem waiting if a situation doesn't seem serious (one puke or some short term diarrhea, for instance).
IMO you need to find a good vet you can work with. It took me years to find one who was willing to take my suggestions and comments seriously. I would not see a vet who "downplayed" my cat's concerns.
For instance, years ago, I suggested a chest x-ray for our Tucker because he seemed off. My vet wasn't sure, but did it anyway. He had lung cancer. A few years ago, I asked our vet to test our Benny for hyperthryoidism because he was waking me for food in the morning, a new behavior. I caught the disease early and began treatment.
OHOT, I don't want a vet who will perform tests "just because." That's a waste of money and of my time. My vet will usually present options and we'll discuss them. It's a two-way street.
When ever someone's cat acts unusual or stops eating or anything not ordinary,
everyone says go see the vet. (Same with doctors or counselor, psychiatrist or lawyer
etc.) Okay, this is usually obvious to the poster.
But what if the vet (or doctor) is not interested in this issue of yours? Professionals in all occupations are not enthused or care about treating very minor things. They will give you brief time, charge you $80. and not say much.
My vet is low cost, but habitually downplays everything I mention about my cat. He doesn't need blood tests, nothing wrong. Its not reassuring. Go to another vet? Sure, pay even more money (and annoyance to the cat) and he or she will
tell you a feline condition he might have. Would you rather have a vet who downplays the pet's potential problem or the opposite--a vet who is overly cautious. Like taking medical tests just to rule out things.
(Same with our doctors by the way)
He said my cat is all right but now he isn't eating. Another vet might not say any more.
Here's the problem with that, if the vet doesn't do any tests, how does he/she know there's nothing wrong with the cat. Common sense tells you it's an uninformed opinion.
As already said, not eating (especially for a cat) is serious, and should be taken seriously. If a vet told me my cat didn't need a blood panel for a complaint like not eating, it would be the last time I went to him.
You seem to be concerned about vet costs, and that's understandable, but you also have a responsibility to the animal in your care to do everything you can to get the medical care it needs. Not getting a second opinion because of a previous experience is doing your cat a disservice. Please reconsider.
I think part of why vets "downplay" things because they are too used to other clients complaining that the cost of care is too high, so they try to offer the cheapest solution and do the least work to avoid Karen behavior.
I think part of why vets "downplay" things because they are too used to other clients complaining that the cost of care is too high, so they try to offer the cheapest solution and do the least work to avoid Karen behavior.
That may be true, but regardless of why, the bottom line is they're not doing the job they're supposed to be doing..... providing medical care to the animal. Pricing is always a concern for both parties, but discouraging proper care because of cost complaints is the wrong answer for the vet, the animal, and the animal's owner. Everyone loses.
When ever someone's cat acts unusual or stops eating or anything not ordinary,
everyone says go see the vet. (Same with doctors or counselor, psychiatrist or lawyer
etc.) Okay, this is usually obvious to the poster.
But what if the vet (or doctor) is not interested in this issue of yours? Professionals in all occupations are not enthused or care about treating very minor things. They will give you brief time, charge you $80. and not say much.
My vet is low cost, but habitually downplays everything I mention about my cat. He doesn't need blood tests, nothing wrong. Its not reassuring. Go to another vet? Sure, pay even more money (and annoyance to the cat) and he or she will
tell you a feline condition he might have. Would you rather have a vet who downplays the pet's potential problem or the opposite--a vet who is overly cautious. Like taking medical tests just to rule out things.
(Same with our doctors by the way)
He said my cat is all right but now he isn't eating. Another vet might not say any more.
Here is the reason that people say to bring your cat to the vet if it's not eating:
Unlike dogs, who can go a few days without eating, and then start eating again with no problems, cats can't do that.
Within a very short period of time, (can be as low as 1 to 2 days), if the cat has not eaten, instead of it being really hungry, it feels sick. When it feels sick, it won't eat, and because it won't eat, it will starve itself to death.
A dog not eating one day may or may not be a major issue.
A cat not eating one day - you don't have a lot of time to figure out wth is going on, because very soon, the cat is going to be sick, will not eat, and then you'll be at the vet getting a tube shoved down the cat's throat to keep it alive.
Yes, some things in pets don't always require an immediate trip to the vet. The other reason say "take to the vet" is because absolutely no one can make a diagnosis over the internet or over the phone. A vet must check the animal to ensure that there's nothing going on.
If the vet is not listening to you, then pick up your cat, walk out of the room, and find another vet.
Here is the reason that people say to bring your cat to the vet if it's not eating:
Unlike dogs, who can go a few days without eating, and then start eating again with no problems, cats can't do that.
Within a very short period of time, (can be as low as 1 to 2 days), if the cat has not eaten, instead of it being really hungry, it feels sick. When it feels sick, it won't eat, and because it won't eat, it will starve itself to death.
A dog not eating one day may or may not be a major issue.
A cat not eating one day - you don't have a lot of time to figure out wth is going on, because very soon, the cat is going to be sick, will not eat, and then you'll be at the vet getting a tube shoved down the cat's throat to keep it alive.
Yes, some things in pets don't always require an immediate trip to the vet. The other reason say "take to the vet" is because absolutely no one can make a diagnosis over the internet or over the phone. A vet must check the animal to ensure that there's nothing going on.
If the vet is not listening to you, then pick up your cat, walk out of the room, and find another vet.
^^ This^^
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