Pet Forum / Miscellaneous / Animal Health / July 2007

Almost 12 years ago, I was walking in the courtyard of my apartment
complex and came across a little kitten making these awful sounds
ithat I had never heard before. I figured that this wild creature was
starving and began feeding him regularly. Meanwhile, a neighbor was
doing the same thing so soon this little guy was getting fed by two
people each day. The neighbor asked if I wanted to trap him and be his
caregiver. How could I say no to this adorable little cross-eyed teddy
bear? She set up a trap, capturing him and with that I began my full-
time relationship with L'il Bear.. It was a long, arduous process but
little by little he became semi-domesticated. It took several more
years and a 13 day runaway trip from home but after he returned much
thinner, he eventually became a sweet, affectionate kitty who would
often end up on my lap for our daily love fest. He was a very healthy
cat until about a year ago  when he began losing weight. My vet
diagnosed a thyroid condition. We treated this with methimazole and he
improved. A few months ago, I noticed him losing weight again. He was
treated for an infection with antibiotics and he rebounded. About a
week later he wasn't eating again and I took him into an emergency
hospital. They treated him with fluids but he still wasn't eating. I
took him home the next day. he soon started vomiting dark brown liquid
that contained a putrid odor.  My regular vet suggested Pepcid AC but
this didn't help. I then took him into see the top vet at the
hospital. She took x-rays and said that he appeared to have
inflammation in the colon area and she suggested an ultrasound by an
internist. The next day we had it done and it too showed inflammation.
This "specialist" also did an aspirate to extract cells for testing.
He gave him a shot of prednisone and Bear was a different cat on the
way home, much more active , even looking out of the car windows. When
we arrived home, he went right to the food and water bowls. The next
morning at 5:30am I was awakened by crying sounds. I found Bear
sprawled out on the floor in the front room crying loudly. He was in
such severe pain and stress that he bit my ankle while I was moving
him, something that he had never done before. I wrapped him in a towel
and we headed back to the hospital. My poor baby never stopped crying
the entire trip and occasionally thrashed around on the seat. I drove
as fast as I could running several red lights to get him there as
quickly as possible. We arrived and they took him back. Maybe 10-15
minutes later the vet comes out and tells me that Li'l Bear was
passing away! NOBODY had any answers as to WHY this was happening! We
had left this very same facility just 12 hours earlier and now he was
DYING? The damned vet said that she could "open him up" to find out
more. Can you BELIEVE this?? I am broken hearted overt this but also
very angry because nobody seemed to know what the hell was going on.
They sure don't have any problem charging my credit card...they have
THAT down to a science...but this isn't about money. I just believe
that if these last two vets that attended to him had been more
competent, this wouldn't have happened.
Postscript: the internist who did the ultrasound calls me a few days
later, said he was "sorry for my loss" and then proceeded to tell me
that the cell tests were inconclusive so basically, they STILL don't
know what the hell was wrong with him. If I wasn't crying for the loss
of my sweet spirit, I'd be laughing at this Keystone Cop scenario. Is
CRITICAL veterinary care just one big money grab? This is the FOURTH
negative experience I have had with vets and critical care over the
last 10 years but it was the roughest because they ALL had ample time
to treat him but the end came suddenly and violently. I am beside
myself with grief and anger. Does anybody have ANY theories about what
happened here?  Thanks in advance and appreciate you hearing me out.