The Snickers Saga

When last we spoke Snickers was in a bad way with her rear right leg. The $600+ trip to the emergency vet resulted in a diagnosis of a displaced hip and a torn cruciate ligament, as well as a recommendation to have a $1000 surgery to reposition the hip. The $300+ trip to our usual vet resulted in a diagnosis of a displaced hip and a torn lateral ligament, as well as a referral to an orthopedic vet two hours north.

The $100 consultation with the orthopedic vet resulted in a diagnosis of a displaced hip and a damage to both the cruciate and lateral ligaments. The surgery to reposition the hip and fix the ligament damage is $2600 (not $1000), and there is no guarantee that Snickers will use the leg again. Alternately, amputation -- a mere $1800 -- is an option that guarantees at return to a certain level of normalcy. There is a third option, but neither Joe nor I believe that "putting down" an otherwise vibrant and healthy animal is an option. Call us sentimental fools.

Joe has an appointment tonight with the regular vet to discuss the surgical options. In the meantime, I have been rounding up anything and everything I own that can either be returned and/or sold. This is as much an exercise in fund-raising as it is eye-opening. The fact that I own $70-worth of unused MAC cosmetics is ridiculous. RETURN!

To you sweet souls who sent us help for Snickers, we are forever grateful. Joe is utterly dumbfounded that strangers sent money to help our cat. This man underestimated the compassion of knitters.