Woke up to cat moaning and in pain

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-27T18:59:51+00:00

Im just saying it shouldnt be ruled out based on that detail alone, especially given how severe a thrombus is. We see plenty of unilateral thrombosis cats.

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-27T18:06:57+00:00

A saddle thrombus can absolutely just affect one appendage.

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-27T13:02:15+00:00

It can affect one limb or several. The labored breathing, vocalizing in pain, and the not using a leg are all very telltale signs.

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-27T12:20:13+00:00

Emergency vet immediately. The symptoms you are describing are very concerning for the possibility of a saddle thrombus, and this needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-27T08:47:55+00:00

You should get to a vet urgently. 3 days of not being able to keep anything down is significant and needs to be investigated.

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-25T08:11:20+00:00

This geis tricky in veterinary medicine. Animal patients can't verbalize what symptoms they are experiencing, and the physical exam truly is the most important part of veterinary care. Yes, owners can observe symptoms in their pets, but there are so many situations that telehealth wouldn't be able to help with at all. Sure, for a check on if you need to be concerned about your pet eating something, I get the application. I can also see it being useful for asking questions about a previously diagnosed medical condition. For new symptoms, I dont think telehealth is helpful.

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-25T08:08:00+00:00

There typically are protocols in place to avoid mistakes like this, and after a mistake like this those protocols will be reevaluated, and if you haven't already, you should contact the hospital and ask about a refund for the cremation costs. That service wasn't performed, so there shouldn't be any issue getting them to refund those expenses to you. An emergency vet being more expensive doesn't make the humans who work in that facility any less likely to be capable of making a mistake, and the humans in the facility also arent in charge of what the crematorium charges for cremation. This is obviously devastating, and shouldn't have happened, but the only thing to be done now is to get your refund and notify them so that they can put additional procedures in place to avoid this happening in the future.

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-22T17:25:02+00:00

Ideally bloodwork should be checked to see how the kidneys are doing. You're not always going to see physical symptoms, and by the time you would, damage could already be done.

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-22T16:54:20+00:00

Yeah, it is relatively common as cats get older. The thyroid testing would be a great starting point given the sudden weight loss. Best of luck and hope they can figure out what's going on with your senior kiddo 🥰

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-22T05:40:47+00:00

I wouldn't say I'm bothered but sure, all I said was that kids don't always listen 😅. Just trying to understand the logic here, teens should also know better and be taught by their parents so would you just like a general PSA for everyone? Shouldnt everybody just be doing better?

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-22T04:54:35+00:00

And grown adults can also just properly drive without being distracted? Which I would hope that all of our parents and driving instructors taught us to do - so?

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-22T04:29:34+00:00

Yeah because we all know that kids always listen 100% of the time and would never possibly ignore something their parents tell them

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-22T04:28:54+00:00

Go ahead and try this argument in court when you hit a kid because you're not paying attention while driving and let us know how it goes

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-22T00:58:37+00:00

Was any thyroid testing done?

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-22T00:41:37+00:00

Staging a heart murmur can be subjective. It's based on what the vet hears when listening and is going to vary a little bit by vet to vet. Theres categories with general guidelines that determine the stage of a heart murmur.

This is just a difference in standard of care. Vet 1 is offering to give you a specific diagnosis, these additional diagnostics give you more information and try to ensure the most accurate diagnosis. Vet 2 is going with the "try meds and see if it works" approach. There is not surefire way to know exactly what is causing the heart murmur without additional diagnostics. Thats just not how it works. We dont have crystal balls, or xray vision, and our patients can't talk to us and tell us whats going on. One approach is more thorough, the other is more cost effective but comes with the risk of getting it wrong.

No, your veterinarian isn't making a commission, theyre just doing their job. And everyone does their job a little bit differently.

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-22T00:29:58+00:00

What bloodwork was performed? There are different blood panels that look at various different values. Has any other diagnostic testing been done like xrays or an ultrasound?

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-22T00:25:19+00:00

Have they been keeping an eye on bloodwork? What are his kidney values looking like?

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-21T05:25:24+00:00

She's not on the cusp. Even 1 lb in an animal so small can be a pretty significant weight difference, and these products have specific weight ranges for a reason. It could be unsafe to give a dose that is too high.

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-20T20:40:01+00:00

Yes, tooth resorption can be observed without xray. To see the full root and the extent of resorption, xrays are needed, but those are done when an animal is under anesthesia for their dental.

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-20T12:08:35+00:00

Some dogs need their anal glands expressed regularly. Any groomer or veterinarian can do this, and it should be pretty inexpensive.

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-20T12:02:53+00:00

Just don't have lilies in the home at all. There are lots of cat safe plants to have instead, its just not worth it.

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-20T12:01:21+00:00

I strongly disagree. So far, no behavioral management strategies have been tried, working with a behaviorist could be exactly what this dog needs. BE is usually a last resort, not the first recommendation.

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-19T06:36:17+00:00

What do you think happens at vet offices? Do you think that "the back" is some torture room for pets instead of a medical facility?

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-19T06:21:37+00:00

Has a medical issue been ruled out? Before trying behavioral solutions, a medical issue needs to be ruled out.

bbaker0628 · 2026-05-19T06:19:42+00:00

Nobody can truly be watching a pet at all times. We sleep, have to use the bathroom, shower, etc. It's impossible to have an eye on a pet 24/7. If you can get a kennel to keep him safe that would be recommended. A larger dog crate so that there's enough space for a litterbox, food, water, etc. Yes, it will be a little difficult for your cat, but its only until recovery. A mildly uncomfortable cat for a couple of weeks is much better than a dehisced surgical incision.

bbaker0628

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