Any Veterinarians Out There? I Need Help.
NOT FOR U IF YOU GET SQUEEMISH!
Ok I need some advice....
Yesterday I found a kitten. I stopped my car thinking she was dead, gonna move her out of the road. She kicked her legs and popped her head up. She hadn't been hit! But I knew there was something severely wrong with her. I picked her up and brought her home with me. First, she had a collar that was way too tight so I removed it, it had been clawed at and frayed to peices anyway. I noticed a hole in her neck, looked closely and realized there were maggots in it. I shaved it and removed the maggots and there was also a HUGE one in there (think it was a "warble") and my husband and I removed it as well. We rinsed the hole with peroxide and have been keeping a check every 2 hrs for anymore maggots to surface - there have been none. I've also put neosporin on it twice. I gave her a flea bath and then later last night, I noticed another 2 holes. One in her leg and one in the fold between her leg and abdomen area. I had to manually remove maggots from them as well, rinsed with peroxide, then put neosporin. Those two holes are closed today. The one is her neck was pretty big, but it is healing quite well evenhough it isn't closed yet. I've tried looking her over for more holes, but haven't found any. She doesn't want me to lift her tail though. She growls and twitches when I do it. It stays very wet around her vaginal/anal area. There were 2 maggots under her tail I can't find any wounds. I did pour peroxide and it bubbles like crazy all over under there.
She maybe weighs a pound soaking wet. She has no muscles and her head is fixed in a sideways position, probably due to the warble/maggots. Her balance is off and she is very weak. She has fallen in her food bowl trying to eat. She looks terrible. I have no doubt in my mind that when she laid down before I found her, she would've never gotten back up.
Since she hasn't wanted to drink anything at all, I got a kitten bottle and some kitten formula and have been bottle feeding her. This should keep her hydrated along with giving her some much needed nutrients.
I know all of this sounds really REALLY bad, but I don't want to give up on her. If there is a vet or a vet tech that can give me some advice, I would more than appreciate it. I've recently spent a ton of money on vet bills with another cat. I absolutely cannot afford anymore vet bills. My local shelter will just put her down. I don't have the heart to do that.
Bright side:
She has been eating like crazy today. Yesterday she wouldn't do it. She has also walked around (just a little bitty bit). And, she PURRRED today! I was holding her and bottle feeding her and she kept purring in between swallows. It made me feel great. At least if she dies, she won't die alone. She knows she has someone there that cares and wants to help her make it :) Though it makes me cry to think about her not making it. I'm already attached. Sounds kinda pathetic, but I am such a weenie. I fall in love with animals, and it would break my heart if she didn't pull through.
What I need help with:
1) will the holes heal or close if there are maggots in there? I can't imagine the holes closing on top of them, so hopefully they are gone. I am almost certain that I got them all out, but I can't ever know for sure. I don't want to re-open the holes to check. And if there are some still in there, what harm could they do? They are supposed to vacate the body when they are finished feeding. Some websites say it takes up to 72 hrs.
2) Her paws and ears are cold. I am keeping her wrapped up with "HotHands". Not directly on her skin, of course, but i have them placed around her blanket. Does this mean her temp is below normal or is this a big issue for her to be so cold? She does shiver, but she may be nervous. I have 3 cats. They aren't bothering her but I can tell she is uneasy around them. This may be why she shivers. Or because she doesn't know me very well.
3) Is there anything else that I can be doing for her (that I can afford)? Please don't ridicule me about not being able to take her to a vet. I'm still on my payment plan from my cat with asthma.
4) I have an antibiotic (amoxicillan) that the vet perscribed me for one of my cats when he had a sinus infection. It is not expired. Will this help her fight off any infection? The dropper for my full grown cat was 1.0 so what dosage, if any, should I give the warble kitty? Keep in mind she is weak, small, and young.
If you all can help me, I will forever be in debt to u! I really want to save this kitty.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by scLovely on -
Update on Maggie:
Her vet visit was at 8:45 this morning. She had ANOTHER huge larvae inside her neck - Dr. Turner called it a Cuterebra. I had no idea that 2 could live in the same place. We already removed a huge one. And I also had no idea that a hole could begin to heal with one of these inside. There was just a tiny air hole for it to breathe out of and the rest was scabbed over.
He has decided to keep her there for a while today to monitor her. They are doing the stool test, FeLV test, FIV test, and removing the other warble thing. I am so nervous for her! And I miss her too! They said that if she is ok, we can pick her up sometime after lunch today.
I will let you all know how everything is going as soon as I find out. Thanks for caring guys!
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Permalink Reply by Jen Henderson on -
Hey Maggie,
Thanks for the update. Can't believe another nasty critter was living in her neck! Yikes! Fingers crossed that everything else checks out okay--and if she needs other treatment, do please let us know. I'd be happy to help, and I'm sure others would too. :)
Best,
Jen
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Permalink Reply by Jean Clelland-Morin on -
Bisous to sweet Maggie from Jean in France. And a Bisou to you too Becky.
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Permalink Reply by K_R on -
I couldn't donate much, but I did what I could!
Thanks for being a compassionate person. There are a lot of people out there who wouldn't have cared enough. Thanks for not being one of them. :)
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Permalink Reply by scLovely on
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Just got off work. Maggie is at home :) She was negative for Feline Leukemia and they tested her for FIV (feline aids) which was also negative! Her stool sample showed that she had other parasites, so they prescribed her some meds for them (hookworms and I think something else). The meds are Strongid T and they gave her Capstar Blue. They also gave me some frontline to take home because her fleas aren't going away with the over-the-counter stuff. They re-opened her neck wound and removed the cuterebra that surficed and cleaned the wound. She has Clavamox to fight infection. She is also anemic.
Bad news:
The day that I found her, she had, in fact, been hit by a car or someone possibly threw her out the window while the car was in motion and her head hit the pavement...hard. It caused head trauma, which is the reason that she is off balance and she falls in her food and poop. It also explains why she can't see. She may never recover from the trauma. But that is ok, I love her whether she can see or not and whether she can walk straight or not.
Her total bill for today was $155.20. That includes frontline for my other cats because they said they wanted to ensure that they don't give the fleas back to her. They said that she had fleas so bad that it was causing her to be anemic and we have to build her blood levels back up. (this explains why she gets so cold).
She has to go back next tuesday for them to check her weight. Once she gains enough, she will have her vaccinations. She also has another appointment in 3 weeks to do another stool sample to ensure that there are no more parasites and she will have booster shots for her vaccines.
I am so proud to tell you guys that your donations covered this visit, and there is even some left over to go toward her next visit. All donations go to her and only her. If it were not for you all, I would have never been able to get more than just the one test done on her. I am forever in debt to you guys and I love u all to pieces! This is a wonderful thing that you have done for this kitty and I am so glad that you have helped her make it. She has a forever home and she will never be mistreated again. I look forward to having her around for many years and watching her get plump lol. She will be spoiled just like my other 3 fur babies.
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Permalink Reply by scLovely on
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I said the same thing, but they said that the car may have side-swiped her head or something. Otherwise she must've been thrown. I really can't think of any other reasons for her to be in the road and have head trauma at the same time. It makes me sick to think about it as well.
Thank you so much for caring :)
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Permalink Reply by Kairan Nierde on -
Thank you for the update Becky and thank you so much to everyone who has donated! I'm so glad she has such a good family now!!!
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Permalink Reply by scLovely on
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No prob. I will update again on when she will be able to get her vaccinations and whether or not there are anymore parasites. Thank you for caring!
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Permalink Reply by AntiChristianLeague on -
It is heartbreaking to think that some dipshit could be so cruel to another living being. Just thinking about it makes me livid.
What you have done for Maggie is wonderful beyond words. And I have high hopes that she will make it through everything ok, and live a long happy life.
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Permalink Reply by K_R on
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I'm so glad that she's going to be okay. A better person could not have found her.
I can't imagine someone throwing a poor, sweet animal out of a car. At least she now has a loving home with you. :)
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Permalink Reply by scLovely on
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Yeah people can be so cruel sometimes. Thank you for your kind words!
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Permalink Reply by Ron V on -
Thanks for all you've done and good luck.
Being in the medical field, I would recommend you ask the all too important question regarding tests, etc. (at the doctor or the vet's) - how will it change the overall treatment plan and is it really necessary?
For example- diarrhea - it can be presumed the cat has worms and you can simply treat her. Most of these are common infections that are easily treated (without needing a test). Similarly, why repeat stool testing if her diarrhea improves? This approach can save you and others alot of money in the long run (I avoided ~$100 in tests, etc. the last time I went to the vet simply by pointing out that no matter what the results were, the management plan didn't change).
With that said, the vet's opinion may be very helpful, but it is always wise to question the utility of tests that may not actually be necessary. If there is a fee for the follow up stool test, I would not have it done if, as I said, she is improving.
I'm sorry to hear she suffered a traumatic injury - I have a Husky from a rescue who was also thrown from a car or apartment window, injuring her hip. She is doing much better than anyone hoped. Hopefully, given your care and Maggie's youth, she will also do better than anyone expects.
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