PLEASE help! Need info for my sick cat!

[Cyndee6]

OK, I'm desperate so I am posting this everywhere it is 'legal'!!

I have a problem and I really need any help or information you can give. Our cat Patches has a Pollop in her sinus passage, and she needs to have it operated on. It is affecting her eye, nose, and she is having a hard time breathing. She is also in pain.

The doctor said that it will cost anywhere between $1500 and $2500 for the surgury, and we just don't have that kind of money.

Do any of you know of any organization that can help us? We don't know where to turn at this point, and I am hoping someone out there knows of an organization that may help people who need financial assistance to help sick animals. We are so desperate we actually started an auction on EBAY to try to help us raise some funds. I would appreciate it if you would pass it along to anyone who you feel may wish to help. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2073309420&rd=1

We thank you and Patches thanks you!!
http://www.members.aol.com/cyndee6b/Patches.jpg

[chort1313]

I'm so sorry to hear about your cat. I'm doing a search on google to see what comes up, but nothing has yet. I will post if I find something. Pooor Patches!!!!!!!!:(

[chort1313]

Found one so far..


http://www.fveap.org/sys-tmpl/breedingregistration/

But you have to have these qualifications:

http://www.fveap.org/sys-tmpl/qualifications/

[Cyndee6]

THANK YOU! I know, I feel so useless right now, she's my little girl, you know?

[Cyndee6]

She is on Medication- an ointment for her eye and antibiotics. They never mentioned the possibility of steriods, and I will most certainly ask!!

Because of where the pollop is, my vet actually sent us to a specialist. He said thatit is a specialized surgury. They said there are only a few surgeons in the state who will do it, so they sent us to Vetenary Emergency Special Care of New England. I knew by the NAME it wouldn't be cheap!!

I will check out the sites listed above. Thank you, I knew my friends from this board would come thru!!!

[sharinbo]

I don't know if this is helpful at all, but I'm trying:

http://www.mspca.org/nantucket_main/nan_carlee/financial_aid.htm#financial

http://www.hsus.org/ace/Article_Printer_Friendly?Content_ID=11875

http://www.uan.org/lifeline/index.html

http://www.imom.org/fa/

http://www.help-a-pet.org/home.html

[sharinbo]

Also, you might call:
Tufts University
School of Veterinary Medicine
200 Westboro Road
North Grafton, Massachusetts 01536
(508) 839-5302
Status: Full Accreditation
Last Evaluation: 1997
Next Evaluation: 2004 http://www.tufts.edu/vet

Veterinary schools will sometimes take on unique cases as a learning tool.

[Cyndee6]

First of all, I love all of you for the help!

I went to all the links. I left a message at one place. We were turned down at the CareCredit site. We didn't qualify at one, and one site is out of money. I'm still hopeful that we'll find something!

We will contact Tufts, it was actually on our list of things to do. Hopefully when the Nantucked ASPCA calls me back the woman will have a list of specialists that will take a payment plan. Please wish us luck!

[moocher]

I don't know where you live!! That might help in a search for information-at least the state. If you feel comfortable telling me, I will look and see what I can find!

[mesue]

Just a thought but sometimes the cat food companies might have a program that might help, I would look them up and tell them my situation and ask for help, also there is an organization called cat fanciers assoc., I emailed them a long time ago with a question about male calicos and they responded rather quickly but I no longer have any info on them except for the name. I'm not sure they could help but they might be able to point you in the right direction. Just spent a 100.75 on my little mutt maltese that I really didn't have to spare but he needed the care I can't imagine the misery of knowing it was going to cost so much as the figures their quoting you, I will look for info and if I find any will post again, Good Luck!

[Cyndee6]

We live in Massachusettes right on the RI border.

[moocher]

OK-I'm looking!

http://www.waggintails.com/new.epl?ItemID=561&NoShow=1

Dr. Barry Kellogg, a world class Veterinarian, is now available for health and medical questions regarding your pet. There are two services available
Questions via Email: This is a free service designed to help you with health and medical questions and second opinions. All questions will be responded to as quickly as possible. Simply click on the email link below and submit your question to:
BNKellogg@waggintails.com

He may know something-mean while I'm still looking.

[moocher]

OK-I'm looking!

http://www.waggintails.com/new.epl?ItemID=561&NoShow=1

Dr. Barry Kellogg, a world class Veterinarian, is now available for health and medical questions regarding your pet. There are two services available
Questions via Email: This is a free service designed to help you with health and medical questions and second opinions. All questions will be responded to as quickly as possible. Simply click on the email link below and submit your question to:
BNKellogg@waggintails.com


This one sounds like something you ay have already tried-but just in case:

http://www.mspca.org/nantucket_main/nan_carlee/financial_aid.htm#financial

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE POLICY (FAP) top
The MSPCA Health and Hospital Division has designed this program in recognition that non-routine veterinary care can be a financial hardship for some pet owners. Under the terms of this program, pet owners may receive subsidies, interest-free monthly payment plans and financed monthly payment plans. Applicants must complete an application and submit financial information. Assistance is provided based on income and number of dependents. This program is designed for existing veterinary bills only and does not include new charges. Applicants must apply to the medical facility where pet is treated and reapply and be qualified each time a substantial veterinary expense is incurred.


They might have some ideas:
http://www.allpetsrescue.org/

There are a tone of links on this sight! I hope one works!
http://www.allpawsrescue.org/link.html


http://www.mspca.org/about/about_main.html

Veterinary Care

Each year more than 80,000 animals receive outstanding routine and specialty care at the MSPCA's three Massachusetts-based state-of-the-art veterinary hospitals, including Angell Memorial in Boston, one of the foremost clinical veterinary institutions in the world.

Here are some links from Rhode Island:

http://www.rivma.org/financialaid.html

Financial Aid

The following agencies offers financial assistance for pet owners in need.


Volunteer Services for Animals
(401) 273-0358

Adopt
(401) 826-0320

Northwestern League for Animals
(401) 568-5734 (Must live in NW part of state)

East Greenwich Protection League
(401) 885-1158 (Must live in East Greenwich)

These people may have some ideas to help:

http://www.petfinder.org/shelters/RI14.html


I hope some of this helps. I'll keep looking!

[Cyndee6]

I wanted to take a moment to say thanks to all of you who took the time to get this information for us. We've been very busy looking into alot of your suggestions.

Patches will be going in for her surgery on Friday. My husbands Grandmother offered to lend us the money, which is good because Patches is really having a hard time breathing. A few the places you guys listed said they could probably help us, but we would have had to make an appointment and a new consultation. I want to get her better as soon as possible.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU ALL AGAIN!!

Cindy, Rick and Patches

[reneep45]

i may be able to help you ,, please email me , i need to know , is her face swollen? has she been on antibiotics ? surgery may not be nessesary,, i hope i get contact with you before the surgery ! i have worked with animals for years , i've seen this many times in cats , one of mine just went thru a similar thing and they wanted to put her down ,, no way if at all possible ! silvia is ok now ,, and i did not pay for that expensive surgery or loose my cat !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! your vet may be a kind loving person but this is a money maker for vets, i've worked for 2 i know !!!!!!!!!!!! i'll check my email in the am , hope i here from you !!!!!!!!!!!! reneep45bbs@hotmail.com god , please let my computer work in the mornin !!!

[mesue]

How is the kitty doing?

[chort1313]

I thought kitty was having surgery the 27th, but I may be wrong. Cyndee?????

[Cyndee6]

Hi everyone. I just wanted to let you know that we had to put Patches down yesterday. She was only 5 years old. After they did the cat scan it showed that it WAS cancer. It had spread from the left side, through the bone to the other side. It was beginning to eat away at her cheek bone and her upper jaw.

I feel so lousy about this. When we first brought her in they told us it was cancer. Then the biopsy came back negative, it tested positive for a pollop. So the poor thing had to suffer for 3 weeks because someone screwed up the biopsy! I mean, it had to be so painful for her, I kinda feel like I actually let her down by trying to help her!


Thank you all again for your thoughts and help!

Cindy

[sharinbo]

Oh honey, PLEASE don't feel bad about those three weeks. I'm sure she knows how much you loved her. (((((((((HUGS)))))))) She will be waiting for you at the rainbow bridge. I'm so sorry for your loss.

[Cyndee6]

Thanks guys. This place has been a lifesaver for me lately- everything from giving me help and support for patches, to helping me come up with ways to actually pull off the holidays with no money. I don't know what I would have done this year without this place!

I know I shouldn't feel guilty, but I guess I had the rug pulled out from under me- I really wasn't expecting her to not make it. We were told it was nothing major. A bit of surgery and she'll be home on Monday. It just happened so fast. It will take me a while to accept what happened. I guess that I'm just really angry over the whole thing. But we are alright, we did what we had to do. I just wish I could have spared her these last few weeks, because they were very hard on her. But I wouldn't allow her to suffer any longer. They asked us if we wanted to take her home until the results of the second biopsy came in. We asked the vet how sure he was it was cancer, and he said he could see in the cat scan that the bone was gone. WHY would we want to take her home and put here through that? I'm just sad, mourning my kitty. But thank you all for your {{{{{{hugs}}}}}}. I can use them right now!!

[chort1313]

((((Cyndee)))) I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty. Don't feel bad about the 3 weeks, it wasn't your fault and your kitty knows this.

[usascs]

SORRY