>From: Ann Davis <[log in to unmask]>
 
>Obviously, unexpected medical expenses can in rare instances overwhelm the
>finances of most any of us.  I am quite nonplussed however at the figure of
>$1000 cited for surgery to remove a foreign body from the stomach.  I would
>be very interested to know what the veterinarians that frequent FML think is
>a "normal" or "typical" charge for such surgery.  I paid about $100 the last
>time one of ours required it.  In any event, most veterinarians I have dealt
>with have been willing, in cases of truly large bills, to stretch payment in
>full out over several months.
 
I had to go though the same thing that Victoria went through last year.  I
took him to the emergency hospital, they took x-rays, and couldn't find a
blockage.  They gave me the choice of putting him down, or spending $1200 on
exploritory surgery.  While waiting for Pepper to stabalize, he died.  I was
at home, on the phone with a friend in tears trying to decide if I wanted to
put Pepper down, or spend $1200 that I didn't have on surgery that the vet
gave him less than a 50% chance of surviving.  That was the worst night of
my life.
 
The emergency hospital would not take payments, it was cash up front.
(It's been over a year, and I still find this very difficult to even think
about)
 
On a happier note:
 
Ferrah has one of the strangest habits that I've seen, and I haven't heard
anyone else mention their ferret doing this.  When she drinks from the water
bowl (no bottle available), instead to just lapping it up like the other
ferrets do (and like she does after she dumps a soda on the floor),   she
sticks a paw in the water, and licks it off.  She has done this ever since I
switched them from a water bottle to the bowl.
 
Anyone else have ferrets that insist on licking the water off your feet
after you get out of the shower?  Kitty, Ferrah and Jake all do.
 Fortunately my feet aren't very ticklish :-)
 
Brian, Kitty, Ferrah, Bandit, Jake, Fletch, and Buddy
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[Posted in FML issue 0758]