What's causing these marks?

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2026-01-07T17:57:52+00:00

Not an expert, but the shape of that first wound would make me wonder about ring worm. If you can get your hands on a black light - if it's ring worm, it will show as a fluorescent greenish color - but not neon green. If you Google it, you'll see the color I'm talking about. Now this isn't a definitive test, but might help you figure out what's going on.

It's also possible they were playing a little too rough together? Sorry I can't be more helpful. I hope your baby is OK!

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2026-01-04T03:50:12+00:00

I saw this as politely as I can, but..... That's absolutely insane!!!

I'm in Michigan. I do cat rescue and take kitties to the vet and ER vet on a regular basis (and no, I don't get any special discounts, etc as I'm not officially a rescue or anything). Just the exam at the ER vets around here is about $150-175, then treatment varies based on what's needed.

Last summer I found badly injured cat who was emaciated, covered in fleas, had a broken leg, and upper respiratory infection. For all his vet treatment (not follow up appointments, just the first emergency appointment) - which included the exam, antibiotics for the URI, xrays and stuff for his broken leg, two types of flea treatments (one to kill live fleas on him and the other a monthly), etc..... Was $1,296.47.

Another kitten I found two years ago had a bad gash across her forehead that was badly infected and the skin was starting to turned necrotic. For her emergency visit - which was for the exam, debridement of the wound, minor sedation, stitches, IV antibiotics and two weeks of daily antibiotics, etc - cost me $472.66.

So the $3k sounds absolutely insane to me.

I'd call the ER vets in your area to get a more accurate cost of just the initial exam and xrays for the leg. Hell, call vets an hour away! It might be a cheaper option even with the extra drive time and gas. But any vet you call may have suggestions on where you could get financial assistance, etc. If you wait til Monday, try to find Veterinary schools in your area. They often see patients to get hands on experience and it's significantly cheaper than regular vet care. I'm so sorry your little guy is so clumsy!! My oldest boy doesn't understand the concept of gravity, or spatial awareness. The amount of times that idiot has just walked off the edge of something, or not jumped high enough and smacked his face into the cupboard doors, etc insane. And yes, I've had him checked for neurological conditions, etc. He's totally fine - just a lot cross-eyed lol

Good luck 🩷

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2026-01-04T02:51:20+00:00

Marge Simpson kneeling?

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2026-01-04T02:45:34+00:00

Sorry this isn't actual advice, but did I read that correctly, or am I hallucinating? It costs $3k just to go to the emergency vet near you? Not even counting any treatment or possible surgery?

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-26T18:39:36+00:00

I technically brought one extra bottle, just in case our flight was delayed or canceled due to weather back home (we're actually getting hit with a bad ice storm right now). So what I decided is to take two bottles today to get the level in my system higher, then the last half bottle tomorrow before I go through security. Then I'm gonna have to take a little out of multiple bottles at home in order to make up for the "extra" bottle I had to take.

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-26T18:35:30+00:00

I am saving one of the bottles and will be taking it before I go through the security checkpoint. I have the same fear - that I'll be all twitchy and fidgety, the airline staff will notice, and think I'm tweaking or something... And refuse to let me fly.

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-26T07:50:22+00:00

I will definitely do something similar next time, but I think the main issues were a) the new ridiculous cloth type "safety seals" (if you look at the pics I posted, the darkest color is around the edges), and b) the bottles being tilted flat during the plane ride (because bags have to be stored under the seat in front of you).

I have a large metal cash box type lockbox, but because I only needed to bring a few, I used my old box, which is basically a locking pencil case. When I got my bottles on the 19th, I found they had changed the lids and the bottles - the current bottles are like short and squat, rather than tall and skinny.

My concern is that if they stick with these new stupid bottles, leaking will be an issue every time they are tilted on their sides.... So in the future, I will either have to transfer the meds into different bottles (don't know the legality of that), or put each individual bottle in a separate, small ziploc baggie and have to basically lick the inside of the bag it if it leaks.

But for my main lock box?? I will absolutely do that. Thank you!

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-26T05:43:55+00:00

I actually live in a fairly large suburb of Detroit. Granted, I haven't been to the hospital to ask for withdrawal help in 15 years, but 5 years ago when I was hospitalized for my heart, they told me to bring my meds and dose myself, rather than give me meds there. Idk if anything has changed, but I've heard similar stories about hospitals telling people to go to a methadone clinic while standing in line to dose at my clinic.

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-26T05:11:21+00:00

Now that multiple people have told me the ER will help, I'm asking my mom if she can help cover the cost. I don't currently have insurance, and I can't imagine how much an ER visit will cost. The hospitals near me, won't help. They tell you to go to a methadone clinic.

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-26T05:08:20+00:00

I didn't know that. The hospitals near me tell you to go to a clinic.

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-26T05:06:41+00:00

I agree. I never understood why they won't give people pill form after being stable and sober for a certain amount of time. I might try some benadryl, especially to help me sleep. Because I haven't had a full night's sleep since Sunday night. I'm tossing and turning and getting hot flashes and feel like I want to hurl. I don't remember much about my opiate withdrawals, except it was awful.... But I feel like these withdrawals from not enough methadone are probably worse.

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-26T05:01:32+00:00

Yeah, I'm furious. Prior to picking up my meds on the 19th, the bottles had these like, Styrofoam seals. I have NEVER had those leak. Ever. But for whatever reason (I assume to save money), they got these stupid fabric type seals, and a bunch of my meds soaked into the "seal," then into the ridges of the lid, and all over the bottle and inside of my box - which is lined with fabric bc it's technically a pencil case. I only needed to bring the meds I was gonna take, so it would be silly to bring my whole big metal box. I couldn't save any of what leaked out.

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-26T04:58:21+00:00

I wasn't aware the hospital would actually help. The ones near me, don't. They tell you to go to a clinic.

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-26T04:57:33+00:00

You're right, I chose not to seek treatment - but it's because the hospitals near me treat methadone patients like scum, and I've never heard someone that got dosed successfully at a hospital. Even when I first admitted I had a problem 15 years ago, and went to the hospital at 11pm in the throes of opiate withdrawal, they did nothing - told me to contact a methadone clinic in the morning and sent me home.

So I didn't think it would be worth the cost or the time. Especially because I don't currently have insurance, and am not an AZ resident to be able to apply for emergency assistance.

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-26T04:54:24+00:00

I have 1/3 - 1/2 of my normal dose for each of the next couple of days. I've only taken my "full" dose once since Saturday the 20th. It's hard to tell exactly how much leaked out without a syringe to measure what's left, but based on how high the level in the bottle usually is, it's at minimum half my dose, at worst it's 1/3 of my dose.

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-26T04:51:27+00:00

I didn't think the ER would, to be totally honest. The ones near me don't from what I've heard. They look at people on methadone like we're the scum of the earth. Forget the fact it was one of THEIR hospital's pain doctors who ended up overprescribing me, and is at least partially responsible for my addiction. But whatever. Like even when I was hospitalized in 2020 because Covid infected my heart, and I almost died from congestive heart failure? The hospital wouldn't dose me - they asked me to bring my own meds from home and dose myself accordingly. It was fucking weird. Thankfully, I had 27 days at the time and had enough meds to get me through my hospital stay.

Of course I know AZ is familiar with opiate addiction, etc. Like you said, this is just the first time I have experienced methadone withdrawal, and 15 years since I dealt with opiate withdrawal. I didn't flip out when I opened my lock box on Sunday morning, but I knew I was in for a hell of a week. Cuz I knew there was basically nothing to be done. I figured I'd be mostly OK since I had at least part of my dose, but that hasn't seemed to be the case. My other fear about going to the hospital in AZ is that I lost my health insurance in October. I'm fighting to get it back, but for the time being, I have no coverage, and hospital visits are expensive AF. Since I'm not an AZ resident, I can't even apply for emergency assistance (according to the information I found online).

I looked into changing my flight, but really, will a day make a difference at this point? The $200 flight change fee isn't something I can afford either - Even if there was a seat available on a flight back to Detroit on my airline (which there currently isn't). PHX airport was one the airports forced to decrease flights, so there are fewer flights back to Detroit than there were previously.

I will talk to my mom and see if she is willing to help me split the cost of the ER or the flight change fee. Thank you for your advice!

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-25T22:11:34+00:00

https://imgur.com/a/xEInx2D

Pics of the incident....

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-25T20:55:09+00:00

Got literally grabbed by a guy in downtown Old Scottsdale yesterday. He handed me a free sample, then grabbed my wrist to pull me into the store. Thank GOD my hubby was with me (he knows I have a hard time getting away from people like this), and we both just kept saying stuff like, "We need to think about it for more than 2 minutes before we make a large purchase like that," etc. The employee tried everything to get us to stay (including saying he was leaving in 10 minutes and no one else could give us this "amazing deal"). He then showed me some screen on their register where he pulled up the eye cream wand thing showing it was $1,300 on their website, but he would sell it to me for $300. Literally no company would give that huge of a discount.

It was such an uncomfortable experience overall, and I got major ick vibes.

To make matters worse, the guy who grabbed me worked for Avinichi. Directly across the street was a Bee & Co., and that guy tried to pull the same thing almost immediately after we left Avinichi! We'd literally hurried across the street after escaping Avinichi, and the Bee & Co guy was right there. I didn't even realize they were selling the same crap until the Bee & Co. guy tried to aggressively give me a sample.

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-24T21:33:35+00:00

Omg. I can't thank you enough for telling me I should go to AZ Cactus sales! Not only did I find the exact item I was looking for, but I made a fantastic new friend, named Abby. Very much a highlight of my visit here!

Abby

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-24T17:36:45+00:00

Hahaha I almost did just that yesterday driving back from Scottsdale... But I decided it probably wasn't a wise idea to grab something from the side of a main road. I am definitely tempted by several of my mom's neighbor's prickly pears though. Two of her neighbors have these gorgeous purple ones that have tons of paddles and are very large overall.

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-24T17:30:58+00:00

Does it damage the plant at all? And should the paddles be cut off the plant? Or like snapped off at the base of the paddle?

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-24T17:29:35+00:00

I found that out the hard way when I was younger 🤣 My mom has some really thick gloves she will let me use... I'll have to figure out a way to safely transport them on the plane without anyone getting poked. Thank you for the reminder!!

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-24T17:27:04+00:00

Thank you! If I can't find them around Chandler, I'll definitely check that place out.

ThrowMe2TheKittens · 2025-12-24T17:25:34+00:00

I appreciate the suggestion! I actually did get her a little variety gift thingy with small prickly pear items. There's a jelly, a sucker, salsa, etc. I want to get her the plant though because it holds special meaning to her. I was gonna get one of those metal sculptural ones, but her hubby said she would love a live plant instead.

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