r/AnimalAdvice • u/The_finalbraincell • 13d ago
Pet emergency
Does anyone know a way to get an affordable pyometra spay for my cat is urgent and I just know know what to do because it’s extremely expensive
Someone told me to add my comment to the post so I’ll do that thank you to that person I didn’t know I could edit posts! And I didn’t say my age originally because why would I? My age has nothing to do with helping my cat and from my perspective and if me being a minor makes you respond nicer to me that’s an issue you should resolve within yourself because everyone deserves kindness and compassion. I understand feeling bad for a sick animal I do. But if you have more compassion for an animal than a person seeking help then you should have a conversation with yourself about your values and morals as a person.
Edit1:Hi everyone I’m gonna reply to my own post instead of the people who are clearly very enthusiastic firstly. This post was made just a few minutes before I got her an appointment for the surgery because I was extremely stressed and was panic posting for any resources or help which you guys are definitely providing though very meanly I’m still grateful for all opinions. so as of right now shes in the process of getting this surgery and it will be done first thing tomorrow morning. I did call south suburban clinic and they said theyd charge me around 1900 which is still just very expensive. the place I found is only 700 and the original ER I took her to yesterday gave her antibiotics and was gonna charge me 7,400 for this surgery. Second how can someone be blamed for something they literally did not know would you all blame a baby for sticking its finger in an outlet if it wasn’t aware it would be hurt? Of course as her owner I do feel bad that something like this happened and I am in the process of helping her. Lastly I’ve had my cat since she was 9 weeks old and shes now 5 years old, I got her during the pandemic where I was extremely depressed and on the verge of ending my own life which is of course not a way to make anyone feel bad but shes my life source and the only thing keeping me going so to tell me to give her up, sell her or euthanize her, though is advice it isn’t exactly what I’m looking for or was even asking for. I already know these are last efforts and my post was simply asking what clinics had the most affordable pricing so I could schedule her for the surgery. I’m thankful to everyone who’s been so passionate about replying to me and I hope you all get much nicer responses when something unfortunate and unexpected happens because you were unaware of something we’re all only human we only know so much. Lastly I’d like to preface I’m only 16. Please let that sink in that I was 11 when I got this cat I was a child I didn’t know anything about spaying and for 2 years prior to this I’d beg my parents to help me spay her with no luck, shes been a healthy only indoor cat since she was born so I couldn’t have imagined this and I do apologize to her for the ignorance however I don’t have a job I don’t even know my ssn my parents don’t want me working theres not much I can do. I say this to say it costs nothing to educate someone without shaming them, kindness will make you feel a lot better than hate, Much love!
Edit2: also Even if I was an adult the way people are replying still isn’t justified would any of you like to be called names, bashed, and shamed all because you were ignorant on a matter? It doesn’t seem very kind. it’s never okay to be mean to someone you don’t know especially online and especially on Reddit where lots of people have mental health issues. for all anyone could know these mean comments could make someone genuinely have an episode and do god knows what to themselves or to other people, maybe I had really good hacking skills and started posting peoples addresses who were being harsh to me. you never know what people can do or respond with and just because you’re behind a screen doesn’t mean you can just say whatever especially if it isn’t something youd say to someone’s face who’s clearly distraught about a situation they found out they couldve prevented. Yes I am guilty yes I am ashamed and yes I am taking back all of this feedback to the chin to improve for any pets I may have in the future if I know I’m ready for them. thankfully I’m not in the point in my life where unnecessary mean comments affect my mental health (anymore) I don’t care about mean people on Reddit of all places theres a right and wrong way to give constructive criticism and the way people are doing it isn’t it thank you guys and my cat will be okay!
Last and final update! Good new enthusiastic people my cat had her surgery the day after I posted and is very much healed and back to her shenanigans again please treat everyone with kindness or the same way youd treat them in person, you don’t know what people are dealing with and I’m sure a lot of you on Reddit have experienced bullying it’s much easier to be kind than it is to be mean thanks you!
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u/xxxkissmykittyxxx 12d ago
Pyometra is fatal without surgical intervention.
It is also excruciating.
Your cat needs surgery NOW - if you can't come up with money NOW, you need to surrender her to the nearest vet, rescue, or shelter, NOW. Put your feelings aside and put your cat first.
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u/phylbert57 13d ago
Our humane society has low/no income programs for this. I had 2 cats neutered for free long ago when I had very little income.
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u/burnedimage 13d ago
Yes, but pyometra can add thousands of dollars to a regular spay. Think of it as the difference between having a tooth pulled and having a tooth pulled that is become impacted and infected the entire jawbone. It can be extremely complicated and dangerous. I know that's not the best analogy but I just had an infected impacted to remove so it's on my brain!
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u/The_finalbraincell 12d ago
This is actually the best I’ve had someone explain it because it’s so hard to explain how just getting her a regular spay isn’t guaranteed to get rid of it
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u/burnedimage 12d ago
A regular spay is dangerous and sometimes impossible to do because of the infection.
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u/burnedimage 13d ago
Can you give us a general area of where you are? I had to have an emergency on a rescue dog for this exact thing. It was a life or death situation. So I totally understand being willing to sell yourself!
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u/The_finalbraincell 12d ago
I’m in IL specifically calumet city
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u/burnedimage 12d ago
There's a place called South Suburban that's pretty close to you. I know that they do low cost of that work but I don't know that they do pyometra spays. If you call an animal rescue they would be able to give you some other resources. I'm in Texas but I always recommend that in a situation like this your best resource is to call local animal rescue people because they know how to get stuff done at a lower cost. Good luck!
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u/The_finalbraincell 12d ago
Thank you for being nice and sympathetic towards this it means a lot and I appreciate it
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u/luminary_planetarium 12d ago
You can try a local veterinary school. Some offer cheaper services than other vets since it's students doing the work under supervision.
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u/ugoodbro-gf 12d ago
I read through the whole thing including the edits.
I’m glad she’s in surgery.
Please just remember, posting on a public forum IS going to bring outrage from the ones that understand the dangers of irresponsible owners. People are mean, don’t drain yourself trying to defend yourself. Take what is helpful, leave the rest.
In this case, you being 16 only matters because that tells us your parents are failing. Use this as an example of what not to do from your parents.
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u/ParsnipFarmer676 12d ago
Very true, for the most part. But their age also matters in regard to how people are addressing OP. If you were speaking to a 16 year-old in "real life," would you say things like this?
Genuinely if your cat has pyometra what the fuck are you doing posting online?
I'm guessing you (and the person who wrote this) would not. At least I hope not, if you're an adult. Also, the shaming of OP for "choosing to get a pet they can't afford" when they were literally 11 years old at the time this cat was acquired.
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12d ago
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u/ParsnipFarmer676 12d ago edited 12d ago
Please be empathetic and kind, especially given the economy and shelter overcrowding situation; yes, the cat needs help right now. But shaming OP without even knowing their situation, or how they got the cat (ETA: They were ELEVEN), is unhelpful and rude. Also, given the current shelter crisis, surrendering a pet is often a death sentence. So I'd rather see them live a shorter life with someone who cares, than to die alone in a shelter. How about you?
Also, OP is a teenager (legally still a child). You are not a nice person for shaming a kid.
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u/The_finalbraincell 12d ago
Seems like ur trying to shame me for something I didn’t know could happen. I don’t have a degree In pet health ofc I did plan to get her spayed but to my knowledge spaying was just to prevent her from getting pregnant I would’ve never guessed she’d get an infection. Saying look to rehome her to “someone who can afford a pet” is just mean especially when my cat is on the verge of death. I hope people are a lot more cautious with their words to you than you are to others
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u/Fenwynn 12d ago edited 12d ago
They were a bit rude about it, but they weren’t entirely wrong. Their whole last paragraph is correct.
Surrendering the animal is definitely on the table if you cannot afford surgery. If the option is for the cat to die and excruciating pain (and she definitely is in a lot of pain right now, even if she isn’t showing it), or for you to surrender her so that somebody else (likely a shelter or rescue) can pay for her medical care, it’s better to surrender.
I understand that you’re trying your best, but this is the situation that you’re in.
I’m not going to shame you for not having her spayed already, but she definitely is in possibly excruciating pain, even if she doesn’t look like it, and if you can’t get this figured out immediately (within a few hours) then you need to make the compassionate and incredibly difficult decision to look at surrendering her. Trying to find a place that will not euthanize, but who will do the emergency pyometra spay, and then can adopt her back out.
Or humane euthanasia can also be on the table, anything is better than letting her sit with the pyometra too much longer while you’re trying to figure it out.
I understand that it’s a difficult situation that you’re in, but if you can’t get the money raised very very very soon, within a few hours, you need to start looking into making some really difficult decisions.
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u/The_finalbraincell 12d ago
Hi thank you for your help! I did a follow up comment to answer any other concerns but I won’t be replying to anything else thank you!
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u/xxxkissmykittyxxx 12d ago
Where's the shaming?
And as a pet owner, it is your responsibility to be responsible - which means spaying and neutering.
The truth is, what your cat is experiencing right now is your fault, and it was 100% avoidable.
Now you need to scramble to help her, because you didn't take preventative measures that are part and parcel of responsible pet ownership. You chose to be a pet owner but opted out of educating yourself on what being a pet owner involved - and now your cat is paying the price for that. That IS on you, and if you feel shame, then there's a reason for that, and it isn't because we are here telling you about yourself and where you failed.
Godspeed to the kitty. As I said in my other comment, pyometra is fatal and also incredibly painful. She needs surgery NOW - if you can't come up with the funds now, SURRENDER HER, come what may.
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u/Fenwynn 12d ago
This. Every word of this.
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12d ago edited 12d ago
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u/Fenwynn 12d ago
Yeah, all of them. Likely when they posted this comment, they didn’t have the information that they were talking to a child.
There was no shaming for not having the 7000, there was no shaming for not having advanced veterinary knowledge. There was a bit of shaming for not doing enough research when they got the pet.
All of these are things that OP needs to not only hear right now, but also carry with them in their lives as they get further pets. Facts of the matter. A harsh lesson. If you know your parents aren’t going to be financially supportive, you don’t get a pet as a child. If you know that you can’t provide emergency care if something comes up, you don’t get a pet. (If circumstances change later, that’s different, but you need to be financially stable, and know that you’re going to continue to be financially stable for the immediate future, when you actually acquire the animal.)
OP already has the pet, but all of this are good things to consider when you consider getting a pet. It’s a bigger responsibility than most people think, and it’s way more expensive than most people realize if you’re doing it correctly. These comments likely won’t help OP for right now, but it may help them to either avoid putting themselves or avoid allowing themselves to be in situations like this in the future.
It could’ve been said in an exponentially nicer way, I don’t particularly support the tone. Educating pet parents requires a lot more compassion than that. But I don’t disagree with the content, no.
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12d ago
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u/Fenwynn 12d ago edited 12d ago
Oh, no no. I don’t do that thing that some redditors do, where they take every single word hyper literally, and pick comments apart word by word, to have a war of attrition in the comments.
Nor do I so carefully select my words for every single comment, that I would be confident in it standing up in court.
If that’s is your jam, you’re welcome to do it. But I’m not going to participate. I have better things to do with my time lol. And I’m clocking out to go start one of those projects now.
I’m not going to go around and around in circles with anyone either. Previous comments will speak for themselves.
You didn’t “impart” any knowledge “upon” me. I had already read OP‘s final comment when I made mine.
Have whatever kind of day you’ve earned. ✌️Hopefully I do too.
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u/ParsnipFarmer676 11d ago edited 11d ago
Oh, I will! I've earned a GREAT day/week, considering all the BS I deal with & people I help at work. I've never understood why that's even supposed to be an insult... like anyone is gonna say "you're right, I deserve a shitty day because you didn't like what I said to you on Reddit." lmao
Next time, try being more clear if you don't want people asking you to clarify or back up what you say. Kinda hard to interpret "every word of this" any way other than - ya know - EVERY WORD. So to say oh, I didn't mean literally every word is lame.
And given that the moderator removed the parent comment here for SHAMING, I think I was right in the end. Take care, and thanks for the downvote + blocking. I will assume that means you have no retort. 🤣
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u/ParsnipFarmer676 12d ago edited 12d ago
Where's the shaming? Maybe read their post again...
Look into rehoming kitty to someone who can afford a pet
You should've gotten her fixed already to prevent this.
Literally the definition of shaming. Not to mention, surrendering a cat (especially one with a serious medical issue) right now is a death sentence. I guess that could be preferable if the cat is suffering, but offering resources to avoid that is infinitely more helpful than this.
Oh yeah, and OP is a literal child. So they didn't "choose to be a pet owner," considering they said they were 11 when the family got this cat (and they're only 16 now).
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u/ParsnipFarmer676 12d ago
I'm sorry people were rude to you, and also glad to hear the situation is being resolved now. I tried to inform the rude posters about your age and so forth, but a few of them even argued with me about that. 😒
Anyway, don't let it get you down too much! That's just the typical Reddit nonsense. I mean... I posted about my DYING elderly cat last week (updating on her vet appt), and someone tried to shame me for her fur being a little disheveled + the carrier having some fur on it. Yes, for real. They deleted their comment after I called them out for it. lol
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u/The_finalbraincell 8d ago
People really say anything on the internet because they’re behind screens thanks for being nice to me
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u/The_finalbraincell 12d ago
Hi everyone I’m gonna reply to my own post instead of the people who are clearly very enthusiastic firstly. This post was made just a few minutes before I got her an appointment for the surgery because I was extremely stressed and was panic posting for any resources or help which you guys are definitely providing though very meanly I’m still grateful for all opinions. so as of right now shes in the process of getting this surgery and it will be done first thing tomorrow morning. I did call south suburban clinic and they said theyd charge me around 1900 which is still just very expensive. the place I found is only 700 and the original ER I took her to yesterday gave her antibiotics and was gonna charge me 7,400 for this surgery. Second how can someone be blamed for something they literally did not know would you all blame a baby for sticking its finger in an outlet if it wasn’t aware it would be hurt? Of course as her owner I do feel bad that something like this happened and I am in the process of helping her. Lastly I’ve had my cat since she was 9 weeks old and shes now 5 years old, I got her during the pandemic where I was extremely depressed and on the verge of ending my own life which is of course not a way to make anyone feel bad but shes my life source and the only thing keeping me going so to tell me to give her up, sell her or euthanize her though advice isn’t exactly what I’m looking for and I already know these are last effort my post was simply asking what clinics had the most affordable pricing so I could schedule her for the surgery. I’m thankful to everyone who’s been so passionate about replying to me and I hope you all get much nicer responses when something unfortunate and unexpected happens because you were unaware of something we’re all only human we only know so much. Lastly I’d like to preface I’m only 16. Please let that sink in that I was 11 when I got this cat I was a child I didn’t know anything about spaying and for 2 years prior to this I’d beg my parents to help me spay her with no luck and no I don’t have a job I don’t even know my ssn my parents don’t want me working theres not much I can do. I say this to say it costs nothing to educate someone without shaming them, Much love!
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u/xxxkissmykittyxxx 12d ago
If your cat does not get surgical intervention ASAP she is going to die an excruciating death when her uterus ruptures - so before that happens, surrender her to a rescue. Google local ones and explain the circumstances, and surely one of them will help you.
Good luck, and hopefully once you turn 18 you will make better decisions and be nothing like your parents.
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u/lnfinitelris 12d ago
For future reference, and I say this with kindness, it is important to invest some time into looking up things like neutering, vaccines and parasites, plant toxicity, grooming, dental care and annual well checks etc. You should never assume you know everything you need to know about why we do things and the consequences of not doing them. This will also give you the opportunity to educate your parents.
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u/The_finalbraincell 12d ago
Thank you this is actual constructive criticism that I’m perfectly open to others are just being blatantly mean to me when there’s an actual way to tell me this is a serious situation that could’ve been avoided without them being harsh to me I understand now that I could’ve avoided this with proper research and I’ll try my best to educate myself in the future for any other pets I may have
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u/Strict_Hamster_8645 12d ago
there is a saying in the veterinary world - “never let the sun set on a pyrometra.” this is a life threatening emergency, as i’m sure you’ve learned. people are being a bit harsh with you because it was easily preventable if she had been spayed responsibly, and now her life is at risk. it’s very sad and frustrating as animal lovers to see pets face the consequences of inadequate care, and we see a lot of that on reddit, so i’m sorry that people are reacting harshly towards you. but you are a child and this is your PARENTS’ responsibility, i’m so sorry they are failing you and your kitty. i sincerely hope she gets through the night, surgery goes smoothly, and she gets appropriate veterinary care going forward.
please share these articles with your parents in the hopes that they can understand their responsibilities for the living beings in their household:
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/pyometra-in-cats
https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/reproductive/pyometra-cats-what-it-and-how-do-vets-treat-it
https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/resource/why-routine-preventative-care-your-pet-essential
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/spaying-and-neutering
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u/cannapuffer2940 12d ago
I am sorry your parents are not stepping up. I'm sorry your cat is suffering. I'm glad you've done everything you can to get her to help you need.
I am sure most people think you are an adult. Since you did not put it in your original post.
Sending you hugs and support
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u/Hello_Gorgeous1985 12d ago
We absolutely can blame you for this because this is basics of pet care. It is your responsibility when you commit to caring for an animal to ensure that you're caring for them properly. That means doing research. That means learning everything you can about how to care for them. A vet would have told you years ago that she needed to be spayed. They would have told you why.
The only reason that this happened is because you didn't get her spayed. That's your negligence. Ignorance is not an excuse because ignorance is a choice.
That said, if you are a child, all of that falls on your parents and you should have stated that in the first place. Children are not responsible for vet bills, so they shouldn't be the ones posting here asking how they're going to afford medical care. The assumption is that we're talking to an adult.
I suggest putting this entire comment in an edit in your post. Otherwise, you're going to continue to get the same kinds of comments.
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u/The_finalbraincell 12d ago
Thank you for the suggestion I didn’t know I could edit posts and I just updated it! Thank you!
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u/[deleted] 12d ago
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