Heartless Upselling

Poor Dex.

I had made an appointment this evening for her end, she was so bad yesterday.

I made it locally so she wouldn't have to make the trip by car to my usual vet.

I get in there and was uncomfortable immediately with the vet. I felt no connection whatsoever. She did not feel Dex's kidneys. I thought that was strange. Instead she wanted to sell me a chest X-ray, in case she has a chest tumor. I had described her burping behavior and mentioned in nervous chatter, due to the reason I was there and my grief, that maybe kidney failure was secondary to something like lymphoma. I wasn't really serious. I had a lymphoma cat. Usually lots of vomiting and Dex never vomits. Burping and stomach issues are often associated with kidney disease. I guess that's how the chest X-ray thing started. I refused it. But that did not set well.

See Dex rebounded today. I let her out of the sick cage this afternoon, to see how she would walk. She'd been off balance and wobbly. Not so by this afternoon. She is weak for sure, but her cold is better. But I went to the appointment anyway, fearful her heart might be failing, and to see what should be done. I cried my eyes out in the waiting room and finally got ahold of myself before going in to see the vet.

Then she said she couldn't say for sure she had kidney failure without a bunch of blood work. At that point, I felt up selling was going on. I felt my grief, guilt were being taken advantage of to try to make money. She also wanted to do a snap test. I quickly said "She's negative." Dex is negative.

The weird thing is they got the records from my other clinic on her kidney tests and came in with them and she said they were middle range, not sky high. I was told by the other clinic they were off the charts. I became very very uncomfortable, not knowing who was telling the truth. I'll ask for those records at the other clinic, then look up the values, and try to figure it out that way. I don't like being lied to. But I don't know who is lying.

Dex is a an old cat with kidney failure who got a bad cold and that's probably the extent of it or she'd be dead.

Then she said if I took her home, which I indicated I was going to do, that I did not feel comfortable there, that that wasn't fair to her if I wasn't going to treat her kidney failure. More guilt inducement attempts. I said "I am treating her kidney failure and she's going back to her regular vet."

I wouldn't let that vet near Dex with a needle if they paid me.

I had to pay almost $50, not the price quoted, because, I was told when trying to get out of there, trying to control my outrage at what had just happened, my grief, the price quoted over the phone was for a "Euthanasia exam" and this was a regular exam, hence the higher price. I was so angry by this time.

That was awful to put me through, to put Dex through.

It was absolutely horrible.

I thought I'd be treated fairly at the clinic in part because that clinic owner has referred some of his clients for help with feral cats they feed to me, given them my number. And I've faithfully answered the call.

One such colony, whose caretakers are clients at the clinic, who were given my number is the colony where Meesa, and her kittens came from. Echo and Fantasia are also still here. Before that, same colony, I took out Black Pearl and her kittens and Tiny Tim, the cat who had to have a rear leg amputated. And before that, 16 others. The clinic who gave out my number did not volunteer any resources to help fix the cats caught or the ones unwanted there and with severe health issues. But I answered the call. I'd like to get a break some day. One fricking break.

I am fricking creamed financially for the month. And now, the Valentino adopter might have to put off the adoption until July. I don't know how to even deal with all these set backs. I do not know how I will even survive the rest of the month, financially.

But I will. Because I'll find a way.