I didn't realize how much work this is!

spacemonkey · 12-16-2004, 03:01 PM

Okay, so I made a list of all the vets in our area, which is a lot! Two pages in the phone book

Then I made a page of questions to ask them:

Then I started calling.....

Most of them do not recommend any pre-op screening. Half of them use Ketamine. Several won't do post-op pain meds. One offered a declaw at a "discounted price"

So far I've found two that are promising, and one of them I'm really leaning towards. The first one was nice, the receptionist was very informed and they had all the "right" answers. But it would be over $800 to do all the cats at the same time

So on to the second vet, a new animal hospital in NH...

This receptionist actually volunteered information, and went through the process in details, including: kidney and liver pre-op screening, isoflurane gas, heart monitoring during surgery, a 1/8 to 1/4" incision, internal stiches and surgical glue, post-ops meds, etc. They sound really great

And it's only about $160, and I'm almost positive that's all-inclusive. It'll just be a little extra for their rabies and distemper vacs.

So I think that's who we'll be going with, but I'm only half-way through my list....*sigh* This is a lot of work.

But, of course, it's worth it

AddFran · 12-16-2004, 03:16 PM

Emily, I know you're frustrated with the process and it's taking a lot of effort, but I just wanted to say that you are doing a great job and these kitties are sooooo incredibly lucky to have you!

Ashdyre · 12-16-2004, 03:25 PM

What's Ketamine? I've never heard of that... i'm assuming it's bad? And how many cats do you have? 4? 800$ does sound steep... but i know here to get Pharaoh neutred, ti's going to be over 100$, and that's the 2nd cheapest price around :S and they offer discounts for declawing too if you get it done at the same time...

spacemonkey · 12-16-2004, 03:37 PM

I only need to get three spayed: Scully, Miko and Steph. If finances are really a stretch, we'll get Scully spayed first, then the girls in another month when they're 6 months old.

Ketamine is an injectable anesthetic that can cause personality changes. I would avoid it at all costs. In fact, today when I was talking about this with my dad, he said that one of my parent's old cats, Garfield, was nearly put into a coma by Ketamine! (he had an undescended testicle). My dad said poor Garfield was never the same after that, but they did not know Ketamine was the cause.

Ashdyre · 12-16-2004, 05:03 PM

Yikes... but doesn't your vet recommend or insist on pre testing the anethesia/anethetic before they treat your pet?

Mine reccomends it... it's 35$ i think, but better to know before hand... i'll have to ask if they use that though... thanks for the info.

coaster · 12-16-2004, 06:11 PM

great work!! I didn't even stop to think about asking what type of anesthetic. glad to know about Ketamine. will keep that in mind for future.

Tim

OsnobunnieO · 12-16-2004, 08:04 PM

Quote:

This receptionist actually volunteered information, and went through the process in details, including: kidney and liver pre-op screening, isoflurane gas, heart monitoring during surgery, a 1/8 to 1/4" incision, internal stiches and surgical glue, post-ops meds, etc. They sound really great

I think this is your best bet... it sounds just like where I work

we're pretty on top of everything for our surgery.

We do CCA (Concerned Citizens for Animals) spays and neuters on a regular basis, but I've never really asked about them. I just know they're REALLY cheap. Its so funny though because the people that come in for the CCA surgeries don't want ANYTHING extra done. No bloodwork, no IV catheters (how we inject the meds) and half the time they don't even want the post op pain meds!! We do a shot of Torb after surgery for the initial pain med and a lot of people say they don't even want that, and we have to stress to them that we are absolutely going to do the Torb and that they're paying for it... then they get all huffy.

I'm sorry, but we do the neuters dirt cheap and for them to not even WANT pain medication is just plain wrong. Concerned Citizens my butt

Anyway, I really you've found a great vet. Have you asked about going for a visit before you take them in?

Gudewife · 12-16-2004, 08:12 PM

I did a short paper on the effects of ketamine on humans in college after it was used as a disabling agent in a series of date-rapes in New York (it only seems like I was in college a million years ago...honest!). After reading first-hand victim accounts of the experience (very hallucinatory and unpleasant stuff...and this coming from someone who's not easily freaked by such things, having been something of a <um> partier in my younger days), I walked away with a healthy leeriness of ketamine!

Emily, that's a great list of questions you have there...I thought I was the only one who walked into the vet's office with three pages of symptoms, observations, records of litterbox use and food consumption!

What a dilligent and careful kitty person you are...and how lucky for Scully and the kittens that they were saved from what probably would have been a sad fate on the streets.

(not that this will stop them from stealing food off your plate at every opportunity, of course...rules are rules, after all

)

12-16-2004, 03:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
spacemonkey Premier Cat Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: southern Maine Posts: 3,623	I didn't realize how much work this is! Okay, so I made a list of all the vets in our area, which is a lot! Two pages in the phone book Then I made a page of questions to ask them: Then I started calling..... Most of them do not recommend any pre-op screening. Half of them use Ketamine. Several won't do post-op pain meds. One offered a declaw at a "discounted price" So far I've found two that are promising, and one of them I'm really leaning towards. The first one was nice, the receptionist was very informed and they had all the "right" answers. But it would be over $800 to do all the cats at the same time So on to the second vet, a new animal hospital in NH... This receptionist actually volunteered information, and went through the process in details, including: kidney and liver pre-op screening, isoflurane gas, heart monitoring during surgery, a 1/8 to 1/4" incision, internal stiches and surgical glue, post-ops meds, etc. They sound really great And it's only about $160, and I'm almost positive that's all-inclusive. It'll just be a little extra for their rabies and distemper vacs. So I think that's who we'll be going with, but I'm only half-way through my list....sigh This is a lot of work. But, of course, it's worth it

12-16-2004, 03:16 PM	#2 (permalink)
AddFran Premier Cat Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,480	Emily, I know you're frustrated with the process and it's taking a lot of effort, but I just wanted to say that you are doing a great job and these kitties are sooooo incredibly lucky to have you!

12-16-2004, 03:25 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ashdyre Cool Cat Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Tecumseh, Ontario Posts: 1,026	What's Ketamine? I've never heard of that... i'm assuming it's bad? And how many cats do you have? 4? 800$ does sound steep... but i know here to get Pharaoh neutred, ti's going to be over 100$, and that's the 2nd cheapest price around :S and they offer discounts for declawing too if you get it done at the same time...

12-16-2004, 03:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
spacemonkey Premier Cat Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: southern Maine Posts: 3,623	I only need to get three spayed: Scully, Miko and Steph. If finances are really a stretch, we'll get Scully spayed first, then the girls in another month when they're 6 months old. Ketamine is an injectable anesthetic that can cause personality changes. I would avoid it at all costs. In fact, today when I was talking about this with my dad, he said that one of my parent's old cats, Garfield, was nearly put into a coma by Ketamine! (he had an undescended testicle). My dad said poor Garfield was never the same after that, but they did not know Ketamine was the cause.

12-16-2004, 05:03 PM	#5 (permalink)
Ashdyre Cool Cat Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Tecumseh, Ontario Posts: 1,026	Yikes... but doesn't your vet recommend or insist on pre testing the anethesia/anethetic before they treat your pet? Mine reccomends it... it's 35$ i think, but better to know before hand... i'll have to ask if they use that though... thanks for the info.

12-16-2004, 06:11 PM	#6 (permalink)
coaster Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 17,798	great work!! I didn't even stop to think about asking what type of anesthetic. glad to know about Ketamine. will keep that in mind for future. Tim

12-16-2004, 08:12 PM	#8 (permalink)
Gudewife Cat Addict Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,159	I did a short paper on the effects of ketamine on humans in college after it was used as a disabling agent in a series of date-rapes in New York (it only seems like I was in college a million years ago...honest!). After reading first-hand victim accounts of the experience (very hallucinatory and unpleasant stuff...and this coming from someone who's not easily freaked by such things, having been something of a <um> partier in my younger days), I walked away with a healthy leeriness of ketamine! Emily, that's a great list of questions you have there...I thought I was the only one who walked into the vet's office with three pages of symptoms, observations, records of litterbox use and food consumption! What a dilligent and careful kitty person you are...and how lucky for Scully and the kittens that they were saved from what probably would have been a sad fate on the streets. (not that this will stop them from stealing food off your plate at every opportunity, of course...rules are rules, after all )

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