Tabby Tales Rescue, Inc.: Emergency Medical Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
The money received with this grant award was used for the medical care of Mahi, a cat who has chronic bowel- and bladder-control issues. She has received two abdominal ultrasounds and an MRI, as well as consults with veterinary specialists in internal medicine and neurology.
The grant helped with Mahi's medical costs.
How many pets did this grant help?
Mahi was the one pet for which we specifically requested assistance, so she is the one to benefit from the Emergency Medical Grant.
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Mahi and her bother were orphaned kittens found by a good Samaritan a couple of weeks after Hurricane Matthew struck our area. Sadly, the little boy had no use of his back legs with no hope of recovery, so his rescuer made the tough decision to let him go peacefully. We immediately took Mahi into our rescue, but not long afterward noticed that she was consistently having bowel and bladder issues, and could not quite seem to get the hang of using the litter box. After a couple of emergency vet visits for severe constipation, Mahi went to see a specialist and was placed on several medications to alleviate her symptoms. We were able to successfully manage her bowel issues with medication and some diet changes, but her bladder emptying still remained unpredictable. During this time, we realized that Mahi was also deaf. We sought counsel with a veterinary neurologist, who performed a hearing test to confirm Mahi’s deafness. We also had an MRI completed to see if there were any structural or nerve-impingement issues that could be the source of her bladder-control problem. While there was a tiny spot that could be causing an innervation problem, we opted for a trial period of medication, which would give us an indication of how successful a surgical correction would be. Unfortunately, while the medication helped some, Mahi still cannot determine ahead of time when she needs to urinate. At this point, we will be trying one more medication to see if we can “train” her brain to recognize that she needs to urinate prior to her voiding. If not successful, we will try implementing a regular schedule in which we express her bladder for her, so she’ll be eliminating at an appropriate time and place.
On a positive note, Mahi is such a delightful, sweet and playful kitten, you cannot help but fall in love with her. Her delicate features, prominent ears and childlike wonder make her a pure joy to watch. Her bowel problems are completely manageable at this point with a consistent diet, regular feeding schedule and only occasional medication on an as-needed basis. We are hoping that someone will see this darling little girl and she will steal their heart, just like she’s stolen the hearts of our volunteers. She is still available for adoption to the most special home. Meet Mahi: www.petfinder.com/petdetail/38331713
