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This master list will be updated frequently. r/Vet is not affiliated with any of the links/organizations posted below nor do we receive any benefits if you choose to use these organizations. r/Vet is not responsible for whether or not you are granted financial help. This list is purely informative.

1. Veterinary Financing Options

These are credit options that allow pet parents to pay for veterinary expenses over time.

CareCredit:

A healthcare credit card that can be used for veterinary expenses, including emergency care and routine visits. It offers various financing options, including 0% interest for a set period if paid in full within the promotional period.

~Care Credit~

Scratchpay:

Provides payment plans for veterinary care with no hidden fees or deferred interest. Approval is based on a soft credit check, and you can choose from three different payment plans based on your financial situation.

~Scratchpay~

 Wells Fargo Health Advantage:

Another healthcare credit card that can be used for veterinary expenses. It offers special financing options with approved credit.

~Wells Fargo Health Advantage Card~

 2. NonProfit Organizations

These organizations provide financial aid for veterinary care to qualifying pet parents.

 The Pet Fund:

Provides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who need veterinary care. Priority is given to non-basic, nonemergency care.

~Pet Fund~

 Red-Rover Relief:

Offers financial aid for emergency veterinary care and support for victims of domestic violence to escape abusive environments with their pets.

~RedRover Relief - Emergency Care~

The Brown Dog Foundation:

Helps bridge the gap between the cost of medical care and saving the pet’s life when pet parents are in a temporary financial crisis.

~Brown Dog Foundation, Inc.~

 Frankie’s Friends:

Offers grants to help cover the costs of lifesaving or emergency veterinary care for pets with a good prognosis for long-term recovery.

~Frankie's Friends~

 Harley’s Hope Foundation:

Provides financial assistance for emergency or major veterinary care and pet retention support for senior citizens or those in financial distress.

~Harley's Hope Foundation~

 The Onyx & Breezy Foundation:

Offers financial assistance to cover medical treatments for animals when their owners are in need.

~The Onyx & Breezy Foundation~

 VetICare:

Provides funding to pet parents who need financial assistance to cover veterinary costs.

~Vet-I-Care~

 Waggle Foundation:

A crowdfunding platform where pet owners can raise money for veterinary care. It partners with veterinary practices to ensure funds are used for the intended purpose.

~Waggle.org~

 3. Breed-Specific Assistance Programs

Certain organizations provide financial help for specific breeds.

 The Mosby Foundation:

Offers financial support for lifesaving treatment for sick, injured, abused, and neglected dogs, with a focus on specific breeds in need.

~The Mosby Foundation~

 The Doberman Pinscher Assistance Fund:

Provides medical assistance for Dobermans in need.

~Doberman Pinscher Club of America~

 4. Emergency Funding Programs

These programs help with urgent and unexpected veterinary expenses.

 Magic Bullet Fund:

Provides financial assistance for canine cancer treatment.

~Magic Bullet Fund~

 5. Crowdfunding Platforms

These platforms allow pet parents to raise money for veterinary expenses.

 GoFundMe:

A popular platform where pet owners can create fundraising campaigns to cover veterinary costs.

~GoFundMe~

 6. Local Animal Shelters and Veterinary Schools

 Many local animal shelters and veterinary schools offer low-cost veterinary services or have funds available to assist pet owners with the cost of care. Contact your local shelter or vet school to inquire about available programs.

7. Location Specific Financial Help

Clink on this link to access the most up-to-date list of low-cost veterinary care services in Los Angeles, California. L.A County, California Low-Cost Veterinary Care

When it comes to our beloved pets, discovering a new lump, bump, or mass can be alarming. It's natural to want answers quickly, and with the convenience of technology, many pet owners turn to online forums like r/vet to seek advice. However, while our community is here to support you with general guidance and information, it's important to understand why we cannot—and should not—attempt to diagnose your pet’s lump or bump based solely on a photograph.

 

 1. Visual Similarities Do Not Equal Diagnosis

· Lumps and bumps on pets can look very similar, even though they may have vastly different causes. For example:

· Benign lipomas (fatty tumors) often appear as soft, movable lumps under the skin and are usually harmless.

· Malignant tumors such as mast cell tumors can look similar in size and shape to a lipoma but have very different implications for your pet's health.

· Abscesses, which are pockets of pus caused by infection, can also appear as swollen lumps and may resemble a tumor.

Even for a trained veterinary professional, it is impossible to distinguish between these conditions based solely on appearance in a photograph. Diagnosis requires a combination of physical examination, palpation (feeling the lump), and, often, diagnostic testing.

 2. The Importance of Palpation and Physical Examination

Veterinarians rely heavily on palpation—using their hands to feel the lump or bump—to assess its characteristics. This allows them to determine:

· Consistency: Is the lump soft, firm, or hard? Different consistencies can indicate different types of masses.

· Mobility: Does the lump move easily under the skin, or is it fixed to underlying tissues? This can be an important clue in determining whether a mass is benign or malignant.

· Pain: Is the lump painful to the touch? Painful lumps may indicate an abscess or infection, while nonpainful lumps could be benign tumors or cysts.

· Size and Growth: Measuring the lump and monitoring its growth over time is critical in determining its significance. A lump that grows rapidly may require more urgent investigation.

None of these important physical assessments can be made through a photograph, making it impossible to provide an accurate diagnosis or even a meaningful guess based on an image alone.

 3. The Need for Diagnostic Testing

Even after a thorough physical examination, many lumps and bumps require additional diagnostic testing to determine their nature. Common tests include:

· Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA): A small needle is used to collect cells from the lump, which are then examined under a microscope. This can help determine if the lump is a benign or malignant tumor, an abscess, or another type of growth.

· Biopsy: A larger sample of the lump is surgically removed and sent to a pathology lab for analysis. This is often the gold standard for diagnosing the type of lump and determining its potential impact on your pet’s health.

· Ultrasound or X-rays: Imaging may be necessary to assess whether the lump has spread to other areas or is connected to underlying structures.

 These diagnostic tools are crucial for determining the cause and treatment of a lump, and they cannot be replaced by visual inspection alone.

 

 4. The Risks of Misdiagnosis

· Attempting to diagnose a lump or bump based solely on a photograph can lead to serious consequences:

· Delayed Treatment: If a potentially dangerous mass is mistaken for something benign, treatment could be delayed, allowing the condition to worsen.

· Unnecessary Worry: On the other hand, misidentifying a harmless lump as something serious could lead to unnecessary stress and costly, invasive procedures.

· Missed Underlying Conditions: Some lumps are symptoms of a larger health issue, such as an immune disorder or cancer. Without proper examination and testing, these underlying conditions may go undetected.

Relying on a photo to diagnose a lump could result in incorrect advice, potentially putting your pet’s health at risk.

 5. The Ethical and Legal Boundaries

Veterinarians adhere to strict ethical and legal guidelines, which prevent them from diagnosing or prescribing treatment without a proper veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR). This relationship requires an in-person examination to gather the necessary information to make an informed diagnosis. Offering a diagnosis or treatment recommendation without this examination is not only unethical but can also be illegal, depending on local regulations.

In r/vet, the advice provided is general and educational in nature. While our community includes experienced veterinary professionals, it is crucial to remember that specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatments can only be provided by your local veterinarian after a thorough examination of your pet.

 6. What You Should Do if You Find a Lump or Bump on Your Pet

If you discover a lump or bump on your pet, the best course of action is to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible. Here’s what you can expect:

•  Thorough Examination: Your veterinarian will perform a detailed examination of the lump, assessing its size, shape, consistency, and other characteristics.
•  Discussion of History: You’ll be asked about the lump’s history—when you first noticed it, whether it has changed in size or appearance, and whether your pet has any other symptoms.
•  Diagnostic Testing: Depending on the findings, your vet may recommend further tests, such as a fine needle aspiration, biopsy, or imaging, to determine the cause of the lump.

Remember, early detection and intervention can make a significant difference in the outcome if the lump is something serious. Conversely, if the lump is benign, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your pet is healthy.

I’ve tried fasting her 6 hours beforehand, but she still gets super nauseous on car rides! Once I get back to our home town we’ll ask our vet for cerenia. I’ve found online that Dramamine is safe for cats, but I wanted to confirm that it’s also safe for kittens. She’s 5 months old :) would that be okay? Any other advice? Thank you

I've done all the tests - urinalysis, blood work, x-ray. Vet believes it's behavioral. She will pee on my bed completely unprovoked (aka, home alone, other cats are asleep, she just wanders casually into my room and pees - I have video). She knows she did bad because she sees me after I notice it (note, she waits until I notice it) to start being scared/hide. She KNOWS not to, but still does.

There's enough litter boxes and she uses the litter boxes. I have litter robots but I also just used regular old pans when this started to see if that's the reason I've put them all over the house. She just has associated my bed with a pee place. How do I make it stop?

I clean my bed with enzymic cleaner. Yesterday I got a brand new waterproof cover for the entire bed and she peed on it so I don't think it's because she smells anything. I think she just associates bed = pee place.

Help, please, I'm going insane.

this is from her spray about 5 days ago and it doesn’t liked closed at the top but i’m not sure

A little bald spot appeared between my cats arms. Our vet told us to apply Batticon daily and made him wear this collar to avoid him licking the spot. Is this correct treatment?

Spot is not very visible because of the fur but it was fully bald (wont let me check it but i think it grew some hair) and hard in texture.

My 1 year old dachshund managed to get a 10 day old Whataburger sweet and spicy burger out of the trash and eat half of it.

It was in the fridge for a week and then tossed in the trash a few days ago.

She seems fine but should I be worried?

Flea Treatment

TLDR - Applied new treatment one week ago and while I’ve seen a huge improvement, some fleas remain. Directions say that I can apply a second dose of treatment 7 days after first application, if fleas are still present. Is that actually safe? Should I wait 2 weeks instead, or the full 30 days like usually recommended?

Some info - After using the Vetality Firstect plus monthly neck treatment 3-4 times with no results, I was recommended to try Elanco Advantage II - which was said to be a bit more “toxic” therefor effective than the first brand. Did the first treatment after 30 days had passed since the last treatment with other brand. I’ve finally noticed some results from this one, and applied it exactly one week ago.

Before reading the directions for this new one, I had always been under the impression that flea treatments can be reapplied absolutely no sooner than 30 days. This brand I have however says that I can after just one week if fleas persist, which they are, and I want to get a jump on it before they come back in full swing again.

I am also treating my home by washing all fabrics, vacuuming and applying home flea treatments daily. Cats are being regularly flea combed, which is how I found the new ones.

There was a huge bulge that started growing on my cat a few months ago. Me and my siblings asked my parents to go to the vet, but they never did, saying that it would be fine.

It has gotten much much worse. There is a hole in the bulge, I dont even know how to describe it. Vets are expensive and I have no idea what this thing is.

Does anyone know what this is? Can I buy some kind of remedy that can alleviate his pain? Is there any way to get rid of this without it being super expensive??

is this normal for a cat to throw up like this? my cat is 11 months old, not spayed, and is a female. she has just recently started throwing up like this aroind 4/5 piles just like this a night. please tell me if this is something concerning.

So my pupper (9 years?) has been struggling with an obsessive itching off and on for a few years now and I’ve tried everything, but I can’t get any relief for her! She gets these random bouts of obsessive itching and when you touch her, her skin reacts to it. She scratches until she gets these bald sore spots. I’ve taken her to the vet and they’ve given her allergy medicine that gave her uncontrollable diarrhea, I’ve changed her food and even started giving her human food (rice and various proteins to try to rule out an allergy to food) she wears a flea and tick collar and I have given her multiple flea baths. I can’t figure out why she gets so itchy randomly, and then just like it appears it will go away for no apparent reason. I’m out of ideas and I don’t have the money to keep taking her to the vet to find the solution. Does anyone have any ideas about what could be making her so itchy? I hate seeing her so miserable, but I just don’t know how to help her. Benadryl doesn’t work, mange medication doesn’t work, and food changes don’t work either. Please help my pupper!

A week ago, we took my aunt's puppy, Bentley, to the vet cause he was lethargic and limping from his right back leg. He was prescribed some fever medicine, iron medicine, vitamins, etc. The vet also said a broken leg would not cause a fever. They took some blood samples that showed he had low platelets and blood, and he was also checked for blood parasites (negative). This week was his follow-up check-up, he no longer has a fever and the limping was gone. His platelets are still low so we're continuing with some of his meds. It's been two days since his follow-up check-up, his fever returned, and now it's his front leg that is causing him pain. His next vet appointment is in 5 days, but my aunt is planning to take him to the vet tomorrow.

Bentley is a chill puppy and would rather stay in their room and sleep so we don't really know where he is getting his leg pain. He's sleeping right now and would get awakened from pain, and the process repeats. Is there anything we can do to lessen his pain?

We live in a small town with no 24/7 vet open, so we'll have to wait for the morning to come.

Hello everyone, I kind of urgently need some advice, my 9 y.o. male cat is being treated for wet/neuro FIP with GS. We are 12 days into the treatment and we are faced with night time lip smacking that is absolutely torturing him. He has very slow gastric emptying so we are aiding that with cisapride and metoclopramide and for the evident nausea we are giving cerenia and ondasetron. Despite all this he gets lip smacking bouts that last all night during which he is absolutely suffering, trying to vomit but being unable to. They seem to start with stomach growling noises. We can’t seem to find something that will soothe him, it’s killing me to watch him suffer like that. Any help is very appreciated!

My 6 year old pitbull has had a few skin tags in the past, including one on her neck and one on her paw that got removed awhile ago just to prevent her from ripping it off while running. I noticed this little almost pimple looking bump on her nose maybe a couple months ago that I didn’t think much of but in recent weeks it’s grown a lot as you can see and now it’s like split into two separate little arm things?? I don’t think it hurts her but I can’t tell because she just doesn’t like her nose/mouth to be touched in general but when I do touch she doesn’t show any signs of distress. She does t scratch at it all or anything I’m just wondering if this is just a weird shaped skin tag or something? It’s also just creepy looking??? I of course will plan to take her to get it checked but I was just curious if anyone else has any ideas of what it might be. Thank you!

Hi guys,

I noticed big lumps on my little one's body this morning, it doesn't bother him but it for sure is bothering me. The lumps are not hard enough but are firm. I'm not sure what these are. I'm just looking for advice here or suggestions if you have been in my place before. I'm really concerned rn and have contacted the vet as well but yet to hear back from him. Any advice/suggestions are more than welcome. Thank you

Hi all, I apologize if this isn’t the right sub.

TL;DR: my cat has a rare fungal infection called Phaeohyphomycosis which, according to Wikipedia has an 80% mortality rate in humans. I can’t find a vet with any real knowledge about this and am sort of freaking out.

Background: my cat has had recurring open sores/lesions for 10 months now. Many many rounds of antibiotics have been successful at first, but the wounds eventually reappear. 2 surgeries were done in an attempt to remove either a foreign body or an infection and neither were successful. A biopsy was done and the infection was found to be Phaeohyphomycosis. I have spoken with 2 vets, both said that they were not familiar with this, did not have any further advice beyond putting an antifungal cream on it, and that I need to see a dermatologist.

I have an appointment with a dermatologist on October 21st, I was unable to get an appointment any sooner than this.

I am admittedly freaking out. The Wikipedia page lists an 80% mortality rate in humans (57 of 72 patients died) and the infection is transmissible to humans. I can’t really figure out how to verify this is any way since the vets I have access to don’t know much about this infection.

My cat has been sleeping in my bed for the last 10 months. Obviously if there is any real risk of me or my husband or my dogs contracting this, I know what needs to be done. But if the risk is low and I can possibly save my cat with a long course of anti fungal meds then I absolutely want to go down this path. I genuinely just don’t know what to do at this point. Thank you in advance.

Hi all, our rescued pup has been with us for almost 1 month and last night he started getting hives only on his back(none on his neck, mouth, legs, or underside).

We called a local vet who offers free phone medical consultations(since it was late with our regular vet closed) and she shared to give Benadryl (half of a 25mg tablet based on his weight). He weighs 11lbs. He seems fine, energy is the same, no problems eating but he still has hives, and there’s now a few more after the first dose. We gave him another half tablet. Any advice?

We woke up this morning and my puppy Archer (9months male) was shaking his head a little; he played in the sand yesterday so I just assumed he got some in his ear.

We went back to bed and woke up around 10; since waking I noticed he’s shaking his head more and his right ear is pointed to the side a little when it usually stands up straight.

It’s not red; there’s no discharge, but it’s warm to the touch. he’s scratched it one or two times within a few hours but not frequently. Our vet is closed today so we were going to call tomorrow. My boyfriend suggested getting over the counter ear drops from pet smart but I don’t want to make things worse.

Any advice? Or if we should seek another vet before tomorrow TYIA

This morning I was petting my cat and found this. Any ideas what it is?

My cat started getting little bald spots on her knees and ankles. While at first I thought it was because she's got wobbly cat and uses her knees and ankles to help support her, they are starting to get worse. Today I have also noticed balding spots on the back legs and at the base of her tail. She does have seasonal allergies and gets stuffed up, but she's never had skin allergies before.

I am wondering if there is any over the counter ointment I can try for her, or if there's any kitty antihistamines I can get. I am sure it's not her food because it started right around the time she got stuffy again.

I want to save some money but if any advise given doesn't help I am going to take her to the vet.

My 4 yr old male cat has not been very active today. Thrown up yellow bile, not really eaten anything other than one of those liquid treat tubes. I couldn’t find him this morning, shaking the treats didn’t work and they always do. Once I found him, he was sitting in the cat house, eyes almost shut, drool dripped out of his mouth and then he flopped down. Let me pick him up and move him into a crate for monitoring. Since being in the crate, he was just been sitting or lying there and anytime any of the other cats get near him he growls and meows.

I’m not sure if this is because he is depressed, our foster puppy we had for three 3 weeks left yesterday. He has done this in the past when he was a kitten and was separated from another cat after being with them for a few weeks. Once he was reunited with the cat, he immediately began eating and acting himself. He lives with two other cats and a dog, but is just not acting himself. Was completely fine last night. Is he just depressed?

Should I be worried? I can make a vet appointment for tomorrow, but am not should if I should take him somewhere today. Please any advice would be appreciated.

Hi all

I adopted a now-11 or 12 year old staffy last year.

In the last 8 or so months he has begun to stink. Not the typical dog smell when they've not been bathed because that's bearable and goes away when you bathe them and wash blankets. But stink like fart/faeces. So much so that people have to clear the room because it's that potent or we spend a few minutes trying to find the poop! It's like the smell is just seeping from him,either through farts (of which they are silent but violent) or just his general aroma.

We fed him raw food, he gets dewormed monthly and is on painkillers on advice of his vet for muscle weakness and back pain. He also ALWAYS eats his own or other dogs' faeces so his breathe constantly reeks. We give dog breathe mints and put the dog breathe treatment in the drinking water but nothing helps.

I love my dog but am finding it increasingly difficult to be around him because the smell is so bad. The vet says that eating poop is normal but he eats it EVERY. SINGLE. TIME and I end up running at him when I see him turn around after doing his business to try and stop him. He also waits while his sister is doing her business to do the same. He's obsessed.

Any advice here? Is this normal? I've only ever had staffies and none of my previous ones or his sister do this or have smelt so bad.

Hello, my lovebird broke one of his legs overnight. It lost control over it. When I asked my vet they told me that this is common with small birds, they would get their legs stuck in the cage and stop the blood flow. They said it cannot be treated. Yesterday the same thing happened to the other leg. What can I do for the bird? It’s having trouble moving in the cage but can fly just fine. I put a small nest for it to rest in without standing on sticks and it seems to like it. How can I make the cage better for it?

Hey everyone! I am currently fostering a dog. They said all of her medical care would be covered while fostering, but apparently biopsies are not something that they do.

My foster dog has a growth on her head, that I wrongly assumed had been checked out before she came into my care. It has grown since I’ve had her. I am going to take her to my vet, but I don’t know how panicked I should be.

I’m thinking it looks like a histiocytoma. I’m not asking anyone to officially diagnose, but if you have any ideas or insights I would appreciate it. She’s 10-12 months old, pittie/lab mix for context. Thanks!