Well getting back to blogging took way longer than it should have.. I'm not even fully unpacked yet! I need to get someone in to do some things with the house before I can get kittens in here, but since I didn't really feel comfortable setting up veterinary care in my temporary apartment, it was high on my list of things to do once we closed on a house.
Skippy is up first because his need is greater. at 16 years of age (are we sure he isn't 14??) his kidneys can use all the help they can get, so I have gone from maybe once a week for fluids to ideally twice a week, but stupidly I gave away a majority of my bags of fluid before moving, because... moving..
He's been doing well over these past few months, I am a bit concerned about his weight because he has not been getting enough fluids because I was rationing.. and I noticed his tooth was bothering him, so I know a dental is in the works for him.. so I was trying to decide where to take him when my husband says "Go here!" so.. I went there... because why not. I didn't see anything bad online, a few people recommended it.. this isn't like back home that you have one vet within your city limits and then you have to travel quite a ways to find another, I have options.. a lot of them.
Well, it started off with my trying to make an appointment. Their online calendar doesn't let you see which vet you are booking with. Then I wasn't having much luck emailing back and forth so I figured I'd call. No one answered the phone so I left a message. I asked for the first available for an appointment to establish care for my cat. I got a text back saying this day at this time, and I said I'd take it.
Didn't hear back for multiple hours.. like four.. it was mostly the end of the day. Receptionist finally returns my call and apologizes, and I said that I was offered and accepted an appointment via text. Well, apparently no one followed up on my response despite it being immediate and I did not have an appointment. Fortunately it was still available.so I booked it.
Today came, and no follow up call to confirm my appointment.. mmmkay, whatever.. I go, check in, and my cat is greeted by name. Takes a few minutes to "make sure the room is clean', and that is when I noticed...
I probably should have just turned and walked away.. but I needed that script and I didn't want to wait a few more days to get in somewhere else. There were three vases of flowers, two in either reception areas on either side of the desk - meaning they were right where people sat - and one on the reception desk. The two in the reception area both had lilies.. they had the stamen removed, but that does not negate the danger those flowers pose. If a cat were not in a carrier, they could easily chomp on that before anyone noticed. they could knock it over and get the water on them, which is also highly toxic.. and they aren't much safer to be around dogs. Notice one of the flowers wasn't even open yet, meaning this is a bad bad thing waiting to happen.
But I didn't. I was led back to an exam room in the back of the hospital, I had to walk through the veterinary work space. The walls are not sound proof, I could hear them discussing all kinds of things..
The assistant came in and took history. Gave history to vet right outside the room. 10 minutes after that the vet came in. Assessment was taken, for all of about 10 minutes, and blood was drawn. Somehow, the assistants that took the blood frustrated Skippy so much he snapped at them!! He has NEVER done that.. and I mean this boy has put up with a lot.. He is amazingly passive. They wanted to send me home to collect his urine, which I was not game for, so they then took his urine and I put my hand over his face. He was fine for that.
Then, when I check out, I get a "sick" visit.. which he wasn't sick.. he was just an old kidney cat who has lost a couple of ounces over the past few years.. I asked if that was appropriate, and she went back and yes, because 'of his history' and "issues". So this means he will never have a regular vet visit if I just want a once over and some blood drawn?? yeah.. no.
So I won't be going back there. But he does need to have that bad tooth removed. The vet recommended that maybe not going through with the dental but putting him on Solensia (which is for arthritis) instead, a once a month injection which costs around a hundred dollars.. No thanks.. when I have a tooth ache, I don't just pop pain pills forever.. I get rid of the pain.
This is what sucks about knowing enough to get yourself in trouble. I can't read reviews because I know full well how much some people LOVE absolutely horrific vets.
If anyone has any recommendations for a cat friendly vet in the Charlotte NC area.. I'd love to hear them.
