" I am not surprised about the local vets or the flspca. non profit group with the intent of caring for animals that fall into situations. They must not care that much if they can turn away a sick animal. They have a vet on staff that visits. they have a vet tech. or at least thier website claims to have all this. Maybe they should take some of the money out of "investments" . They ask for volenteers to help them. Then they go to help and are told to clean cat cages. clean the dog kennels. They want to walk the dogs, play with the cats, No No..... The only thing they want the kids to do is clean walls, windows, mop floors.. Yes this stuff has to be done. But they have paid employees to this... enough said i suppose. "

" P.S. You can get boric acid at a drug store -- I got mine at the place on the corner of Grant Ave and Standart, across from Dunkin Donuts (I just don't remember the name!)

If you feel nervous that you might not get the mix right and the solution mild enough, you can just use plain warm water -- get it good and warm, just not hot enough to burn, and gently hold it on the gummy stuff to soften it before gently wiping it away. You CAN save the little guy so long as he has no disease or internal injury, and you should be able to do it without the need for a vet (or his/her bill!) -- though it's not a bad idea to take the kitty to be checked out by a doctor when you have the money -- shots are a good idea!

Good luck and do keep us posted. "

" I am not sticking up for the vets or the SPCA but I understand why they charge up front- (I'm NOT saying I agree with it) there are so many people that just don't pay....EVER. Sometimes they just can't pay and other times they just don't care to pay.

I work in healthcare and have been told that someone that owes $ has to pay before they can be seen... well.. I don't agree with that. The Dr's don't agree with that but it is a policy that the office manager put into place. It is so embarrasing. But, on the other hand, there are the people that just don't want to pay even though they could afford to. It truly is a no win situation. "

" If this ever happens to anyone go to syracuse.com. click INTERACT click FORUM, click PETS. Then put a notice on that forum that you need help with the kitten. There are many of us who would've been willing to help. "

" 1. Use a very mild solution of boric acid and warm water to wash the kitten's eyes daily. Be very careful that it is very mild -- too much and it can be harmful. Soak a cloth, then gently apply the cloth as a compress, and when gobs of the gunk loosen up, wipe them away, again, very gently.

2. If getting the gunk cleaned up doesn't clear up the infection, try some triple antibiotic ointment. We had a kitten with exactly this problem, only perhaps a week old, earlier this summer, and the triple antibiotic ointment, which our vet had prescribed for a rabbit with an eye problem, worked wonders. A couple days of applying that across the eye area and the infection cleared right up.

3. Very small kittens cannot be given flea medicine, yet they can get fleas so badly it can make them die of anemia. If your kitten has bad fleas, use a nit comb, like they sell with anti-lice kits. Just comb the little fella several times a day and dispose of the fleas by ripping them in two (you can't just squish a flea -- they have incredibly tough shells).

4. I had some really kindly and not too expensive emergency weekend pet care from a fella with a little place in Union Springs, closer to Aurelius -- on Connors Rd -- Dr. Staehr. There's also Dr. Underwood in King Ferry, who is still excellent and still going strong -- even though I believe he will be 82 this year? Formerly of Union Springs and now in Auburn on Grant Ave there's Dr. Gill at Brookside -- they do very thorough work and I have liked all the people there, but they are NOT inexpensive. Hopefully that will give you some options!

Do write back in and let us know how your little one fares. "

" I will agree when in comes to injured/sick pets in Auburn the local vets and SPCA are USELESS!
There was only ONE vet out in the Union Springs/Cayuga are that would AID any animal. I believe he has either retired or passed.

I am glad that in my area of FL, there IS ALWAYS a vet available and willing to aid the animal first and their wallets second!

shame on your local VETS and SPCA! "