question re clinics' ability to meet emergency needs

[Kerry MacKenzie]

Ok group, now the dust has settled, at least for today, re Flavia, more opinions wanted, please. I was surprised to find that my vet clinic, while telling me Flavia urgently needed a transfusion, did not have the facilities to do it. I was amazed when I then took her to emergency services, who DO do transfusions, to find they had no blood! I mean, they're called EMERGENCY services, and they charge a hefty standing fee ($75) just for walking in the door.   Is this normal?   If it hadn't happened to be a Wednesday when the emergency occurred--the only day that the emergency place opens at noon, as opposed to 7pm--I don't honestly know what we would have done. It was also lucky that I had a healthy cat at home, to act as donor cat.   If that hadn't been the case, what wd others have done? Called a shelter, and offered them money to borrow a cat?   I need to find out if other clinics in the city (Chicago) DO do transfusions (and my vet just didn't want to mention that). Kerry