Sheba's New Vet

Some of you may remember how last year my country vet wanted to charge
an arm and a leg for removal of my dog's tumor. He had been steadily
raising prices and they jumped after he started building a new house.
I was very unhappy with him for other reasons, as well, and have not
been back. I took my dog a couple times to another vet who mostly does
horses. But I didn't want my cats going there. Besides, they are not
open on saturday.

So I did some phone shopping and got Sheba into a new vet today. She
has been dripping and sneezing. Some vets I called weren't open on
saturday or they were filled up or cost too much. but I found a good
one in the north end of the city easy to get to, although nearly 40
miles away. It is in an upscale part of town.

They actually waived the $20 "squeeze-in" fee and charged me $34 plus
only $6 for the medicine! The clinic has several doctors and is very
clean and well organized. They have separate alcoves for waiting so
you don't have to have a nervous cat near a dog. And their hospital
cages are in separate rooms also for cats and dogs. While waiting, i
watched the techs as they came to get various patients and how they
interacted with them. the pets, one and all, liked the techs and vice
versa. Sheba even liked her doctor, a young woman. She didn't even
howl at the thermometer!

It turns out Sheba has a minor bug with only nasal drainage. It
probably got a foothold, though, from the abcessed tooth she has. That
probably also made her blood glucose rise so that she is back on
insulin, the vet said. So she has Baytil drops for the drip. When that
is done, we will see about tooth removal. I was nervous about
anesthesia with Sheba being 14 and diabetic. But the doctor said she
had an 18 year old diabetic recovering from tooth surgery who did just
fine. So I feel better.

This vet is not pushy about doing un-needed tests, etc like the
country vet. And she is knowledgeable about diabetic pets and
completely comfortable with me doing my own blood testing and insulin
dosage for Sheba. I learned a lot on the Feline Diabetes Message
Board.

Sheba had wet herself with fright as she usually does in the carrier.
The vet didn't mind a bit. Sheba got a bath when we got home. When I
got the towel around her drying her while holding her like a baby, she
was growling and at the same time, frantically licking the nasty water
off her front legs. It was funny.

So I have had a satisfying, productive day. It is a relief to have a
reliable vet on tap.

--
CATherine

CATherine wrote:
Some of you may remember how last year my country vet wanted to
charge
an arm and a leg for removal of my dog's tumor. He had been steadily
raising prices and they jumped after he started building a new house.
I was very unhappy with him for other reasons, as well, and have not
been back. I took my dog a couple times to another vet who mostly
does
horses. But I didn't want my cats going there. Besides, they are not
open on saturday.

So I did some phone shopping and got Sheba into a new vet today. She
has been dripping and sneezing. Some vets I called weren't open on
saturday or they were filled up or cost too much. but I found a good
one in the north end of the city easy to get to, although nearly 40
miles away. It is in an upscale part of town.

They actually waived the $20 "squeeze-in" fee and charged me $34 plus
only $6 for the medicine! The clinic has several doctors and is very
clean and well organized. They have separate alcoves for waiting so
you don't have to have a nervous cat near a dog. And their hospital
cages are in separate rooms also for cats and dogs. While waiting, i
watched the techs as they came to get various patients and how they
interacted with them. the pets, one and all, liked the techs and vice
versa. Sheba even liked her doctor, a young woman. She didn't even
howl at the thermometer!

It turns out Sheba has a minor bug with only nasal drainage. It
probably got a foothold, though, from the abcessed tooth she has.
That
probably also made her blood glucose rise so that she is back on
insulin, the vet said. So she has Baytil drops for the drip. When
that
is done, we will see about tooth removal. I was nervous about
anesthesia with Sheba being 14 and diabetic. But the doctor said she
had an 18 year old diabetic recovering from tooth surgery who did
just
fine. So I feel better.

This vet is not pushy about doing un-needed tests, etc like the
country vet. And she is knowledgeable about diabetic pets and
completely comfortable with me doing my own blood testing and insulin
dosage for Sheba. I learned a lot on the Feline Diabetes Message
Board.

Sheba had wet herself with fright as she usually does in the carrier.

My youngest, Smokie (well, she isn't the youngest anymore, but I
digress), does this. Poor little thing, makes a urine test easy though
(ewww) since she pees alot when she's scared.

The vet didn't mind a bit. Sheba got a bath when we got home. When I
got the towel around her drying her while holding her like a baby,
she
was growling and at the same time, frantically licking the nasty
water
off her front legs. It was funny.

That sounds like Li'l Bit, she adores being loved, but not wild about
getting wet (unlike Smokie who will shower with me if I let her). LB
had to have a bath when she moved in though, no exceptions. She did
the growling, purring, washing the front legs things too (it *is*
funny).


So I have had a satisfying, productive day. It is a relief to have a
reliable vet on tap.

--
CATherine

Very, very good news. Always a relief to know that the little masters
and mistresses will be well cared for as needed.

Smokie Darling (Annie)

"CATherine" wrote in message
news
lots of good stuff about her new vet snipped

YAY!

None of my RL friends understands that finding a good vet is as important to
me as finding a good pediatrician was when my kids were little!

Hugs,

CatNipped

Good for you and Sheba! I believe it would not be as easy to find a vet you
like where you are as it is here,
where they are practically on every block......


"Smokie Darling (Annie)" wrote in message
ups.com...

CATherine wrote:
Some of you may remember how last year my country vet wanted to
charge
an arm and a leg for removal of my dog's tumor. He had been steadily
raising prices and they jumped after he started building a new house.
I was very unhappy with him for other reasons, as well, and have not
been back. I took my dog a couple times to another vet who mostly
does
horses. But I didn't want my cats going there. Besides, they are not
open on saturday.

So I did some phone shopping and got Sheba into a new vet today. She
has been dripping and sneezing. Some vets I called weren't open on
saturday or they were filled up or cost too much. but I found a good
one in the north end of the city easy to get to, although nearly 40
miles away. It is in an upscale part of town.

They actually waived the $20 "squeeze-in" fee and charged me $34 plus
only $6 for the medicine! The clinic has several doctors and is very
clean and well organized. They have separate alcoves for waiting so
you don't have to have a nervous cat near a dog. And their hospital
cages are in separate rooms also for cats and dogs. While waiting, i
watched the techs as they came to get various patients and how they
interacted with them. the pets, one and all, liked the techs and vice
versa. Sheba even liked her doctor, a young woman. She didn't even
howl at the thermometer!

It turns out Sheba has a minor bug with only nasal drainage. It
probably got a foothold, though, from the abcessed tooth she has.
That
probably also made her blood glucose rise so that she is back on
insulin, the vet said. So she has Baytil drops for the drip. When
that
is done, we will see about tooth removal. I was nervous about
anesthesia with Sheba being 14 and diabetic. But the doctor said she
had an 18 year old diabetic recovering from tooth surgery who did
just
fine. So I feel better.

This vet is not pushy about doing un-needed tests, etc like the
country vet. And she is knowledgeable about diabetic pets and
completely comfortable with me doing my own blood testing and insulin
dosage for Sheba. I learned a lot on the Feline Diabetes Message
Board.

Sheba had wet herself with fright as she usually does in the carrier.

My youngest, Smokie (well, she isn't the youngest anymore, but I
digress), does this. Poor little thing, makes a urine test easy though
(ewww) since she pees alot when she's scared.

The vet didn't mind a bit. Sheba got a bath when we got home. When I
got the towel around her drying her while holding her like a baby,
she
was growling and at the same time, frantically licking the nasty
water
off her front legs. It was funny.

That sounds like Li'l Bit, she adores being loved, but not wild about
getting wet (unlike Smokie who will shower with me if I let her). LB
had to have a bath when she moved in though, no exceptions. She did
the growling, purring, washing the front legs things too (it *is*
funny).


So I have had a satisfying, productive day. It is a relief to have a
reliable vet on tap.

--
CATherine

Very, very good news. Always a relief to know that the little masters
and mistresses will be well cared for as needed.

Smokie Darling (Annie)

"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
"CATherine" wrote in message
news
lots of good stuff about her new vet snipped

YAY!

None of my RL friends understands that finding a good vet is as important
to
me as finding a good pediatrician was when my kids were little!

Hugs,

CatNipped



Maybe more so. Lets face it human Emergency Rooms are pretty regularly
available. A vet that will be there when you need them, or who will make
sure SOMEONE is available is a treasure.

Also I leave my pets alone at the vets sometimes. Never could find a
pediatrician who would keep the kids while I went on vacation.

Jo

"Jo Firey" wrote in message
...

"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
"CATherine" wrote in message
news
lots of good stuff about her new vet snipped

YAY!

None of my RL friends understands that finding a good vet is as
important
to
me as finding a good pediatrician was when my kids were little!

Hugs,

CatNipped



Maybe more so. Lets face it human Emergency Rooms are pretty regularly
available. A vet that will be there when you need them, or who will make
sure SOMEONE is available is a treasure.

Also I leave my pets alone at the vets sometimes. Never could find a
pediatrician who would keep the kids while I went on vacation.

Jo

LOL! Yeah, don't I *wish*!!

Hugs,

CatNipped

On Sat, 9 Apr 2005 18:41:02 -0600, "Hopitus"
wrote:

Good for you and Sheba! I believe it would not be as easy to find a vet you
like where you are as it is here,
where they are practically on every block......

There are a lot of vets in the Springs and they are all very busy. And
I really don't understand why the ones who are actually open on
Saturday aren't open all day. Let them close one day during the week.
So many people work and have a hard time getting a pet to the vet
during the week. Same with banks. But out in the country where I live
vets are few and far between and they are primarily livestock vets.
But in an emergency when time counts...My new vet is around 40 miles
away. It takes an hour to get there.

--
CATherine

On Sat, 9 Apr 2005 17:55:31 -0700, "Jo Firey"
wrote:


"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
"CATherine" wrote in message
news
lots of good stuff about her new vet snipped

YAY!

None of my RL friends understands that finding a good vet is as important
to
me as finding a good pediatrician was when my kids were little!

Hugs,

CatNipped



Maybe more so. Lets face it human Emergency Rooms are pretty regularly
available. A vet that will be there when you need them, or who will make
sure SOMEONE is available is a treasure.

Also I leave my pets alone at the vets sometimes. Never could find a
pediatrician who would keep the kids while I went on vacation.

Jo

My new vet has a sister clinic a few miles south of there that has an
emergency facility. that is good to know.

--
CATherine

CATherine wrote:

So I have had a satisfying, productive day. It is a relief to have a
reliable vet on tap.

She really sounds like a good one! I'm thinking of looking around for a
new vet. The one who originally looked after F&N at the place I use
isn't there any more, and I don't like the one I usually get now.
There's one place in Helsinki that specialises in cats, but it's hard to
get there by bus (I don't have a car and don't want one). Maybe take a taxi.

--
Marina, Frank, Nikki, and introducing: Mere!
marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

CATherine wrote:
This vet is not pushy about doing un-needed tests, etc like the
country vet. And she is knowledgeable about diabetic pets and
completely comfortable with me doing my own blood testing and insulin
dosage for Sheba. I learned a lot on the Feline Diabetes Message
Board.

Sheba had wet herself with fright as she usually does in the carrier.
The vet didn't mind a bit.

When Persia got her first UTI I panicked and took her and the pillow I found
with blood on it. Her vet said, "Is that the pillow? Mind if I smell it?"
UH, okay, if that floats your boat. He said, "It's urine; she's got a UTI."
Hey, whatever it takes for them to diagnose our babies, right?

Sheba got a bath when we got home. When I
got the towel around her drying her while holding her like a baby, she
was growling and at the same time, frantically licking the nasty water
off her front legs. It was funny.

That's funny! Persia fell in the bathtub once when she got too curious
about what I was doing in the water. She dashed quickly back out and
furiously licked the water off like "Oh My God, what IS this stuff (and why
do you dunk yourself in it?)!"

So I have had a satisfying, productive day. It is a relief to have a
reliable vet on tap.

That's very much a relief, I'm sure. I love Persia's vet. When she had her
surgery last year and I was out of town he called me daily with reports and
even gave me his home phone number in case I needed to talk.

Jill