Cat eye surgery – enormous potential vet’s bill – any advice?

[catlover2015]

Our cat (age 9) has a long-standing herpesvirus infection of the eyes. She screws her eyes up a lot with the discomfort, which has caused the fur around her eyes to turn inwards and scratch the surface of the eye. She also has a couple of spots of dead tissue on the cornea. It isn’t clear whether one of these conditions has caused the other.

The vet has suggested microsurgery which is likely to clear up both conditions for the foreseeable future, but it will cost around £2500! No pet insurance. A smaller operation costing around £1300 should solve the eyelid-fur problem, but with no guarantee that it won’t recur. Medication will not help this problem, although it could help the cornea problem a bit, and the cost adds up over time, as we already know. I can see the second operation easily coming out as expensive as the first in the long run.

We could afford the surgery (and in this we are much more fortunate than many other people, I realize), but we have much better things to spend the money on, and it seems a stupid amount to spend on a cat. However, I don’t want to do nothing and leave the poor animal in “chronic pain” (vet’s words). Can anyone think of any other options? Is it worth asking for a second opinion from another vet, and is it etiquette to tell the first vet that that’s what I’m doing? All advice gratefully received!

2nd opinion, given those amounts of money, is entirely reasonable to seek.

I'd want a % probability (with confidence intervals) on the 100% success rate of the microsurgery. For that money I'd want to hear something like ... there's an 80% chance (with + or - 5%, 95% confidence interval) that this surgery will completely cure her infection AND fix her eye damage.

If the surgery not likely to completely cure the infection then I'd have to think very hard about what to do.

Yes, you are definitely entitled to seek a second opinion or to request a referral to a specialist if this is not surgery which your vet routinely performs. If you are seeking a second opinion, it is good etiquette to inform your vet but not essential. If you request a referral, then your current vet should arrange this but may charge a referral fee.
Have they given you alternative options to this surgery?

Sorry, I meant to either surgery? Such as removing the eye, maybe?

FFS, I am too tired to be replying to threads, aren't I? Just realised it is both eyes so that wouldn't be much of an option for your poor cat.. Go for a second opinion if you can.

Thanks for the replies - will ask for a second opinion and keep my fingers crossed!

Let us know how you get on. My cats have a condition that may require surgery later, too, eek.