I'm wondering if the SPCA or the Humane Society has Vets. that do this type of thing free? I think I'll call on Monday. I had to take my red Abbyssinian cat to the Vet. this week, whom I love dearly, and came out with a bill of $434. I told him I had to do this on installments as I just don't have it. He looked at me like I had 2 heads.
Abby? (I'm confused because you signed your earlier messages with "Barb")
The SPCA and humane societies do not have vets who are employees; local vets donate their services, so that is not an option. There are sometimes low cost vet clinics that are available that charge on a sliding scale according to a client's income. You can phone your county vet association to find out if they exist in your area. There is a company called Care Credit that can issue a credit card to you for vet bills, and some of their plans are interest free. Many of my friends use Care Credit.
http://www.carecredit.com/
When was Molly's last vet appointment, and how is her health in general? Has she ever been diagnosed with a heart murmur? A cough can be caused by heart failure, upper airway disease, heartworm infection, infectious disease, or it can sometimes be related to allergies. If you open her mouth and look into her throat, do you see white foamy material? She really needs to be checked by a vet. Is she current on heartworm preventive, and has she been tested negative for heartworm since you've had her? Is she exposed to other dogs?
I can empathize as I'm in your same age bracket, live alone, and have multiple pets. But if your situation is not just something temporary, you may need to rethink your pet-ownership plan. Cavaliers are a very expensive breed to own, particularly as they become middle aged and then senior. (I've had many Cavaliers as well as other breeds. My current four dogs are 5, 10, 13, and 15 1/2.) Molly is going to require adequate vet care and proper medication as she ages in order to have a good quality and quantity of life. It is expensive and difficult in this economy. Vet care seems to keep going up and up, unlike my income. This is one reason that my current two Cavaliers will be my last two Cavaliers. It is really a tough situation because pets give human seniors so much companionship, but it's not fair if we cannot adequately care for them. I see myself moving to a single pet (probably a cat) as long as I can afford to keep insurance for that pet.
A sympathetic vet can be worth more than gold. I took my 10 year old Cavalier to my vet for a heart check on Saturday, and she did not charge me anything. But we have a 25 year history, so that helps. Perhaps the vet who just charged you so much might do a free office visit for your peace of mind?
Pat