I know one of you maniacs will NEED this...

[Psycho Bass Guy]

That's terrible!     Really makes you wonder just what the hell is going on behind the scenes there. Poor kitty!

Upon meeting her nurse, I'm pretty sure it was a case of laziness.  Jones' (the first one) nurse was exceptional and went far above and beyond any expectation of care. We weren't expecting that level of commitment or concern with Buffy, but what we got would be unacceptable in an animal shelter. Part of the standard course at the hospital is that you are supposed to receive two separate updates via phone each business day, one concerning your pet's physical status and the other concerning charges accrued. We only got those for the first week. After that, there were financial updates every day or so, but even after my wife and I both called separately requesting a health status the second week, we were never given a single one until we picked her up. Since Buffy is finishing her chemotherapy locally (the same as Jones did) the hospital had to coordinate with my local vet and at least THEY got daily updates, but all they consisted of were brief one-sentence statements like, "Kitty not eating well," or "Kitty is hiding in her cage." Each sentence would be the entire update for a whole day.

Buffy has always been an extremely shy cat, but she is not hateful nor has her appetite ever faltered. Jones is very outgoing, friendly and vocal, so naturally her nurse was extremely attentive. The impression I got with Buffy was that aside from being removed from her cage for radiation or chemo, she was ignored completely. Her nurse struck me as someone who was very comfortable in her job. I didn't pay for Buffy to be loved, but she should have been kept clean. I haven't made up my mind the manner I will use to dispute the charges yet. Her general care was charged as a separate, twice-daily itemized expense. Our local vet charges just under $13 a day for boarding and that includes a weekly cleaning as well as any additional hygenically required grooming. Since she was at least fed and housed I don't think I want to contest the 'hospitalization' charges totally, but after the treatment both my wife and myself have received after we inquired into the matter, I may just do that. We paid over $9300 for her and of that, over $2000 was for hospitalization alone. I know that there is an indvidual profit margin built into each expense, and I am happy with her cancer treatment, but it's to the point that I feel that there should be some further refund than just the simple care. I know it's not court and I'm not looking for punitive damage, but I also know that even without the hospitalization fees, they made a lot of money off of us.

[Dave W]

Whether or not you decide to contest it, it's just not an acceptable way to treat any animal in their custody, much less a sick one.

[Lightyear]

Certainly there are professional organizations associated with veterinary medicine that you can report this to as well as state licensing boards.  I would hit them from every angle - an animal can't speak for itself and neglect of an animal in this situation is vile and contemptable.

[Pilgrim]

Certainly there are professional organizations associated with veterinary medicine that you can report this to as well as state licensing boards.  I would hit them from every angle - an animal can't speak for itself and neglect of an animal in this situation is vile and contemptable.

That's an excellent idea.  A report to the vet med professional organization and the state will have two different but meaningful impacts.

[Freuds_Cat]

the poor care is bad enough but I'm still chocking on my coffee over those prices.

[johnk]

i can relate to PBG's ordeal, but fortunately my results turned out much better.
three years ago, i took my 14 year old yorkie (Max) to a very reputable intensive/emergency care vet for a serious pancreatitus issue. many vets thought it was one of the worst cases that they'd ever seen, and due to his age and the severity of his ailment, they said it was probably not worth it to try and treat him.  but since Maxwell was the most bitchen dog i'd ever met, i felt he deserved it, and prayed that if he showed signs of not wanting to live, he'd let me know. fortunately, the ICU was only 10 minutes from my house so i'd go in an check up on him twice a day. everytime i went in, he perked up and acted happy to see me.  i wasn't very impressed with their care (@ $100/day) until i started complaning, and then got to know a few of the nurses there that understood my concerns about how they were treating him, and giving him meds and fluids on schedule. after that, his care was excellent. 3 weeks (and a $10K bill!) later i was able to bring him home for a complete recovery. he lived another 2 years of a happy and healthy life before he died of old age, but after that ordeal, his nickname was M10K.

good luck with your kitty. i hope it all turns out well for you. dealing with vets can be a bitch at times.