Recently I have had two vet visits in connection with fostering cats with problems. I like to have their health checked before new cats are introduced to my resident ones. As it’s my choice to do this, I usually cover expenses above the free check-up. My husband and I usually pay all the expenses for any of the cats we foster. We often take in cats with major problems.
Appointments were made for both of these visits in advance. Both hospitals examined the animals at no charge.
RILEY’S APPOINTMENT
The first appointment was for a cat (Riley) we were fostering for the Nanaimo SPCA. We still have the little boy, but that’s a story that has already been told on the AAS message Board.
My daughter and I arrived promptly at Island Veterinary Hospital on October 13, 2004. We were instructed to go there by the SPCA. A young male receptionist took our tiny 5 1/4 pound Riley into the back room, despite our request to stay with him. My daughter and I sat for over an hour waiting to be called in for the cat’s examination. We were never called in. Eventually we asked what was going on. The cat was then brought out and the receptionist gave us some eye medication. We never saw the veterinarian, so none of our concerns was addressed. So we took Riley home with our list of questions still in our hand.
We subsequently had to pay another veterinarian $178.70 + tax for two tests to rectify the inaccurate FeLeuk positive diagnosis (made on the basis of the grossly hemolyzed blood draw taken in a back room that day).
Riley is doing well. We were so pleased that we elected to retest him!
SNUGGLES'S APPOINTMENT
The second appointment was for a somewhat emaciated ex-crack house cat who was faring really badly at Walker’s Animal Rescue Centre. I arrived promptly at the Nanaimo Veterinary Hospital on March 29 with the cat. I was immediately taken to an examining room. The animal was given a thorough check-up. Dr. Brett Hayward, the veterinarian, answered all my questions. I didn’t feel rushed. Neither was I made to feel that this cat was unimportant. When it came time for the blood draw Laurie, the efficient technician, came into the examining room with the equipment. I stayed in the room where the cat could see me. Dr. Hayward said that the cat was super-easy to do. He stayed to help as well. I paid the bill and off I went with my foster cat! The results were communicated promptly. The blood sample was not hemolyzed as Riley's was.
Snuggles has just one problem that may be be related to malnutrition, which will be rechecked in a month.