Our VetServis Experience: Neutering and a Bumpy Road

Our VetServis Experience: Neutering and a Bumpy Road

So, my husband and I decided to get our cat neutered this year. We chose VetServis, which is literally the only vet clinic in our area. I'd heard mixed reviews about it online and from friends, but we figured, why not?

We arrived at the clinic, which is located at Ulyanovsk, Gaya Prospekt, 59/2 - right next to the Vetapteka pharmacy, which is also super convenient. The clinic's working hours are pretty standard, but they do offer home visits on weekends for an extra fee if you need to continue treatment. We didn't need that, thankfully.

The waiting room is basically a small corridor, but it's not usually too crowded - except in the mornings and lunchtime, of course. In the evenings, it's usually pretty quiet. We were there for a while, but the staff were friendly and kept us informed about the progress of our cat's examination.

The examination room is where the magic happens - or, you know, where the vet does their thing. It's also where surgeries are performed, and I spent most of my time there, unfortunately. The vet was confident and competent in his examination of my cat, and there was no 'sugarcoating' or condescending attitude from the staff.

The cost of the neutering was 700 rubles, and we opted for Russian anesthesia. Not sure what the difference is, but we went with it. After the surgery, our cat was pretty out of it, so we put him in a warm place and kept an eye on him. The vet told us to let him sleep for a bit and not let him run around, since he might get disoriented from the anesthesia. And yeah, his back legs were a bit paralyzed for a day or two.

We monitored our cat's behavior for the next day, and he was back to normal - well, except for a few minor issues. The first bowel movement was a bit of a surprise, but he was eating and drinking like a pro. Fast forward a day or so, and our cat was back to his old self - running around, playing, and eating like a king. No 'hangover' effects or anything.

But then, about two weeks later, he started hiding under the couch and wouldn't eat or drink. I suspected he might have worms, even though we'd treated him for them before. And then he started vomiting, and his stool was all bloody and mucus-y. We rushed him back to the vet, thinking maybe something went wrong after the surgery.

Turns out, he had panleukopenia - or cat plague. I'd never even heard of it. The vet took his temperature rectally (with a thermometer covered in blood, ew), and it was over 39 degrees Celsius. Panleukopenia is a highly contagious viral disease in cats, characterized by fever, gastrointestinal and respiratory tract damage, heart problems, overall intoxication, and dehydration. It's not a threat to humans, thankfully.

We decided not to give up and took him to the vet every day for antibiotic and physical solution injections. We weren't advised to force-feed or -hydrate him, which was a relief. During his illness, he lost a lot of weight, his coat turned dull, and he smelled really bad. His stool was still bloody, and sometimes he'd vomit. He'd either be shivering under the radiator or hot and sit by the window.

The course of treatment with antibiotics and physical solution injections lasted around 5-7 days, and it cost us around 350-400 rubles per day. After that, we were prescribed and given a 'ВЕТОМ' powder, and we continued treatment at home. We managed to isolate him from other cats for about half a year, and later, when we took him to my parents' place, where there's another cat, he didn't get infected. We also disinfected everything with bleach and washed his bedding, just in case.

There's a common opinion that after this disease, you shouldn't get a new cat or let them interact with other cats for at least a year. I think our cat might have gotten infected at the clinic during the first visit. Nobody's immune to it, and even vets agree. That's why there's vaccination, but our cat wasn't vaccinated. Immunity after the disease is developed, but it's not lifelong; you're advised to get revaccinated periodically.

After a week of treatment, our cat started showing signs of improvement - his stool was back to normal, and his appetite returned with a vengeance, causing him to gain weight. It wasn't until then that we addressed his ear mites (we bought ear drops for him). I was really impressed with the vet's bedside manner - he treated me with respect and my cat with care. When I asked questions, he answered clearly, professionally, and concisely. Even when I called the clinic to follow up, the staff were friendly and helpful - no one put me on hold or yelled at me for taking up their time.

We left the clinic with a great impression - we'll definitely be going back there in the future. One thing they could improve on is accepting credit card payments - it's still cash only, which can be a hassle.

We're grateful that our cat is back to his old self, and we're relieved that we took him to the vet when we did. It's a good reminder to always keep an eye on our pets' health and to be prepared for any situation that might arise.

We'd like to thank the staff at VetServis for their care and attention to our cat's needs. We'll definitely be recommending them to our friends and family in the future.