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Animal kind--too many tests? - Page 4 — Brooklynian

Animal kind--too many tests?

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  • rose
    rose
    brooklynpotter wrote: because animals get to die humanely and we don't.
    Seriously. If you've ever watched an elderly relative linger for years in pain and dementia, you might think that pets have a better deal in this regard.
  • backtopsb
    backtopsb
    FIP is Feline Infectious Peritonitis. It is most common, if I remember correctly, in very young or very old cats. Our kitten was one of two we adopted. The fear was that his brother would develop it as well, but the risk goes down around the three-year-old mark.

    I am not about to get into a debate about euthanasia, but I will say this about FIP. When this happened (about 1.5 years ago), FIP was almost always fatal, with no real cure. The amount of time the first symptoms arose to when our poor kitten was almost lifeless was all of a few weeks. (It was unbelievable! He went from being a healthy, robust, mischevious stinker to not being able to walk, with yellowish eyes in a matter of days.) I don't think it's incredibly common and, like I said, his brother is healthy still.

    It was a painful time for the family, and the decision was not easy. But to see how much pain he was in, and then see how peaceful he looked as we held him during his last minutes made the decision a little easier to bear.
  • pitu
    pitu
    I have to take issue with this idea (raised earlier) about treatment "with one hand tied behind their back" v. the actual need of some expensive testing. The breeder I consulted and the vet I ended changing to found the suggestion of an MRI laughable for our dog. I know at the time I would have put the cash on the table if the test would have done anything for my dog, or did something to effect her treatment options. The vet we saw at AK was pushing one and it just felt wrong. That's why we looked elsewhere.

    I came to the conclusion that Animal Kind was positioned so that pet owners could feel they were doing everything they could by spending everything they could. Perhaps that's a harsh assessment. There's certainly some good vets there, and they definitely fill an important roll with their emergency care capabilities.

    It's great that Dr Gibson is checking in on us here. I've always heard good things about him, and also heard there was no way he was going to be my vet in that very large practice.
  • whyfi
    whyfi
    A kitten of mine had FIP as well, also about a year and a half ago - most likely had it from the get-go, but the serious symptoms didn't show up 'til the one-year mark. In our case, it was also a matter of weeks from being playful to being lethargic. It's pretty god damned sad taking a kitten to the vet expecting them to put her on meds, only to walk out with an empty carrier a couple hours later.

    If your young cat starts to become lethargic, look at the ears and gums - if they're yellowing, not rosy, it could be a sign of FIP - their body is turning on them and red blood cells are being attacked.
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