這一切都始於幾年前，蕃薯爸爸的弟弟來看望他的姪子。
他忽然問“Crookshanks的眼睛為什麼好像穿了一個洞呢？”
叔叔的觀察力果然驚人！我們大家仔細檢查後真的在傻貓的眼神裡看到了一個小黑洞！我們感到有些內疚，因為作為忙碌的父母，蕃薯爸媽竟然都忽視了我們最大的「兒子」的眼睛。我們帶他去看對面街的獸醫，獸醫一邊檢查他的眼睛一邊伊伊哦哦地咕噥道：
' 糟糕了.......這可能會很變得很差，請經常給他滴眼藥水，並在 1 週後回來“
到了此時，我們都開始擔心他需要動手術。在與另一位寵物主人交談後，我們決定加入 SPCA (香港愛護動物協會)，希望可以合理的價格獲得優質的醫療保健（我們心理上覺得SPCA相當於寵物的公共醫療保健？）
還好， SPCA的獸醫經仔細檢查後判斷傻貓眼睛的潰瘍已停止感染。唯一不能完全復原的就是潰瘍做成的小洞，但已沒有風險了。我們為加入 SPCA 的偉大決定而感到慶幸，當傻貓需要洗牙（並為此接受全身麻醉）以及當他們在幫傻貓麻醉抽血時偶然發現的高鈣血症（高鈣）時，可以立刻跟進治療。
然而，最近我們收到了媽媽妹妹（Iz）發來的短信，說“傻貓左眼下側似乎有輕微的肉凸了出來！”
我們決定他需要去看獸醫。
Auntie Izzie 帶傻貓去看獸醫時診斷出他患有角膜潰瘍，需要滴眼藥水、口服止痛藥以及要戴頸圈。這時，我們想 “怎麼又潰瘍了？！”經過一番研究，我們發現異國短毛貓有扁平的臉和大眼睛，因此容易出現刮痕和潰瘍等眼部疾病。
1週後，Auntie Izzie帶傻貓去了SPCA。那裡的獸醫診斷後告訴我們“原來的傷口看起來正在癒合，但又出現了角膜潰瘍，而且鼓了起來，恐怕會破裂”
真是糟糕到無以復加，竟然有兩處潰瘍！
SPCA 獸醫問我們是否要繼續滴眼藥水，然後觀察潰瘍處可否自行痊癒，或直接去找眼科專家。我們非常驚訝，因為我們一向以為 SPCA 相當於寵物的公共醫療保健，因此會有眼科專家。但原來全香港只有一位貓眼專科醫生，而且還是私人執業！我們不想再拖延下去因此決定去看專家。天哪，養貓的費用突然變得比我們預想的要貴得多！
我們緊急預約了VSH 的專家，醫生處方了需要每小時滴的眼藥水（費用：3950 港元）。是每小時呀！幸運的是，我們家的傭人很快便掌握了滴眼藥水的技巧。但也有個缺點：她還有一個小孩要全職照顧，所以她不能總是記得每小時都準時用藥+她必須一直讓一個過於熱心的 小蕃薯 遠離傻貓（這個任務非常困難，因為 小蕃薯是個 非常快並且活躍的男孩！）……..然後過幾天便碰到打10號颱風，眼藥水就快用完了！
蕃薯媽媽靈機一動，跑到我們家附近的藥房買了一瓶成人用眼藥水……原來抗生素眼藥水不管是貓用還是人用都是一樣的！蕃薯媽媽竟然設法得到了與傻貓用過一模一樣的藥水！傻貓用的另一種眼藥水是血清，我做了一些研究並發現了這個：
https://www.rvc.ac.uk/act/act-news/serum-from-blood-donations-saving-the-vision-of-cats-and-dogs
難道他的血清是來自捐血（竟然有如此慷慨的寵物和寵物主人！）？這瓶藥的售價為 380 港元。考慮到藥物的價錢，蕃薯媽媽認為這有可能是提煉自捐出來的血......
話說回來，在覆診時，獸醫說潰瘍已經癒合，但建議對粉紅色隆起的肉瘤進行手術，因為肉瘤影響了大部分淚液的產生。顯然，這種粉紅色的凸物起被稱為櫻桃眼，這意味著他的第三眼瞼腺突出並且在異國短毛貓中很常見（有趣的事實：貓比我們多1 個眼瞼.... .. 3個！）
這時，我們才真正開始考慮買保險（最後……雖然實際上，我們不知道有哪個寵物主人真的買過保險！）但是獸醫也說他的櫻桃眼隨時可能變得更差，那時再動手術都無用了。因此手術是優先考慮....…
以下是手術的賬單：
有趣的是，獸醫的費用還不到帳單的一半（類似人類私立醫院…）
手術進行得很順利，只是護士建議當天接他回家，而不是按原計劃住院，因為他有點脾氣，不太配合（意思就是：他生氣地用力猛擊籠子）
當他回到家時，一開始非常激動，當袋子打開時，他用很大的力量從袋子裡激射而出，還撞翻了一個花盆。真是一個可憐的戴著頸圈的小毛孩......
現在的問題是要不要買保險。如果要的話，什麼時候買以及買哪一個呢？
考慮到傻貓會慢慢變老，而且可能會出現更多的健康問題，在這次之後，我們認為這將是一個好主意。不過，保險公司在購買時會詢問你的寵物在過去90天內是否有任何疾病。我問我的保險代理人朋友，如果我們手術後立即購買，我們的保費是否會增加。她的回答是肯定的
蕃薯媽媽做了一些研究並發現了這個網站可以比較寵物保險計劃：
https://www.10life.com/en/blog/Pet-Owners-Alert-Comparing-Pet-Insurance-Coverage
我們研究完後才突然意識到年齡限制有問題，傻貓的最後一次承保年齡據說是8歲，這是大多數寵物保險計劃的年齡限制！ OneDegree Pawfect Care 似乎對這兩者都是最慷慨的。然而，當我們必須回答他動過手術時，保費又會是多少呢？
Crookshanks' eye infection and surgery
It all started a few years ago when Dad’s brother came to visit his nephew (R).
“Why does Crookshanks have a hole in his eye?!”, he asked.
Lo & behold, he was right! We saw a tiny black hole in his eye! We felt somewhat guilty that as busy toddler parents, we had overlooked our very eldest “son”’s eyes.
We took him to the vet opposite us, who examined his eyes & muttered,
“Oh dear, this could be very bad, put him on frequent eye drops & come back in 1 week”.
At this point, we started to worry he would need surgery. After talking to another pet owner, we decided to join SPCA, to get reasonable quality healthcare for a reasonable price (the equivalent of public healthcare for pets?)
Fortunately, the vet at SPCA said his ulcer was no longer infected, even though the hole would probably persist. We patted ourselves on the back for having made the great decision to join SPCA, which was handy when Crookshanks needed dental cleaning (and undergo general anesthesia for it) & then when he needed to be treated for hypercalcemia (high calcium) which they incidentally found during the blood-taking for anesthesia…
However, recently Mama & Baba got a text from Mama’s sister (Iz) saying “Seems to be a slight fleshy bulge on lower side of left eye”
We decided he needed to see the vet.
Iz took him to the vet, who diagnosed a corneal ulcer, needing eye drops, oral pain killer & cone. At this point, we’re thinking again?! Having researched a bit, I find that exotic shorthairs have flat faces and big eyes and are therefore prone to eye disorders like scratches and ulcers.
1 week later, he went to SPCA. We were told that “The original wound seems like it’s healing but another corneal ulcer has developed and it is bulging, afraid of rupture”
Oh dear, 2 ulcers?!!
The SPCA vet asked us whether we would continue eye drops and hope would heal, or see a specialist. We were quite surprised, as we thought SPCA was the equivalent of public healthcare for pets and would, therefore have specialists. It turned out that there is only 1 specialist in HK & he’s in private practice! We decided to see a specialist. Oh dear, cat expenses suddenly became much pricier than we anticipated!
We took him to the specialist at VSH (urgent appointment) & were told to give him hourly eye drops (fee: $3950). Hourly! Luckily, we have a helper who easily picked up the skill of administering eye drops. Downside: she also has a toddler to look after full-time, so she cannot always remember to put them in every hour + she has to keep an overenthusiastic X away from Crookshanks all the time (very difficult, as X is a very quick & active boy!)…….. & then typhoon 10 happened & we ran out of eye drops just as it was about to be hoisted!
I had the brainwave of running down to our pharmacy to procure human eyedrops... It turns out antibiotic eye drops are the same, regardless of whether they are for cats or humans! I managed to get the exact same one that Crookshanks ran out of! Another eye drop that Crookshanks ran out of was serum, I did a bit of researching & found this:
https://www.rvc.ac.uk/act/act-news/serum-from-blood-donations-saving-the-vision-of-cats-and-dogs
Could it be that his serum was from blood donations (such generous pets & pet owners!)? It was $380 for another bottle. Given how precious it is, I think it’s possible….
Lo and behold, on follow-up, the vet said the ulcer had healed but suggested surgery for the pink bulge as it affected a large part of tear production. Apparently, this pink bulge is called cherry eye, which means his 3rd eyelid gland popped out & is common in exotic shorthairs (fun fact: cats have 1 more eyelid than us… 3!)
At this point, we really started to think about buying insurance (finally… although actually, I don’t know any pet owners who bought insurance!) But the vet also said his cherry eye could worse any time & then it would be too late to do surgery. So surgery 1st….
Here you can see the bill:
It is interesting to note that the vet’s fee was less than half of the bill (similar to human private hospitals…)
The surgery went fine, except the nurse suggested picking him up the same day instead of boarding as originally intended, as he’s got a bit of temper and not too cooperative (read: he was bashing himself against the cage angrily).
When he got home, he was initially very agitated, and he shot out of the bag with MUCH force once it was opened and knocked over a flower pot.. Poor baby in a cone…
Now the question is whether to buy insurance. And if so, when & which one?
Given that Crookshanks will age & probably have more health problems, after this time, we thought it would be a good idea. However, when buying the insurance company asks whether your pet has had any illness in the past 90 days. I asked my insurance agent friend whether our premium would go up if we bought right after the surgery. Her answer was yes.
I did some research & found this website comparing pet insurance plans
https://www.10life.com/en/blog/Pet-Owners-Alert-Comparing-Pet-Insurance-Coverage
I suddenly realized that there is an issue with the age limit and the last coverage age & Crookshanks is supposedly 8 years old, the age limit of most pet insurance plans! It seems that OneDegree Pawfect Care is the most generous for both of these. However, what will the premium be when we have to answer he had surgery?
