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Hearts Open Wide for a Puss Named Pride

Hello Fellow Cat-Lovers at Cat-Share,

A pussycat that I rescued named, Pride, was rushed to emergency animal hospital late last night. He had blood clots oozing from his mouth. He never quite recovered from a surgery that was performed as a treatment for Stomatitis, a condition he was diagnosed with, 2 months ago. At which time he was given a full dental extraction--a very traumatic experience that I was reluctant to allow, but he was in so much pain, I took the veterinarian's advice, after the medication therapy he was on for almost a year, was ineffective.

Pride was an abandoned stray that used to be a household pet. I witnessed him many times peering from behind the drapes of a window inside my former next-door neighbor's home. The neighbors left abruptly one night, in the dead of winter and left their puss behind.

I observed the car of Pride's previous owners coming back down the street a few days later, and thought they were coming to get their precious puss, but they only took their mail from the postbox and quickly drove off, much to Pride's dismay.

It was so cold outside and Pride turned to me for help, so I took him in. I all ready had rescued three cats, so I put Pride in a separate area, for his protection, as I worked long hours. Shortly after, I began noticing some strange behavior whenever it came to meal time. Pride would began to eat and then quickly recoil in fits of rage as if the food was attacking him or as if he was being challenged for his food and also, as if he was having trouble eating all together, I wasn't sure.

I immediately took Pride to a veterinarian, who referred him to a specialist, where Pride was diagnosed with Stomatitis. He was given three types of medication and was under the specialists' supervision for about a year, before it was determined that Pride needed surgery, as long-term use of antibiotics could compromise he immune system, leading to worse problems.

After Pride had the surgery, he didn't recover very fast and still had to be on pain killers, and a special type of soft food until his gums strengthened. But, I noticed he was under a tremendous amount of stress to the point where his fur was falling out in patches and he was salivating quite heavily. He was also having the same issues with eating that he had before the surgery.

I took Pride for two follow up appointments, but he hissed at the veterinarian and would allow him to examine him, so he was prescribed more medication as a precaution, and I was told he needed time to heal, but if there was no change, bring him back and the veterinarian would have to sedate him and keep him overnight so he could get a better look at him.

Finally, yesterday, late at night, I noticed blood clots oozing from Pride's mouth, so I took him to an emergency animal hospital where he they are keeping him overnight. They will sedate him and do a biopsy, and scope his throat to see what is wrong. I was told if bad came to worse, they would have to euthanize Pride, and I would need to sign a waiver stating that either A) They make the decision when the time came and not be held liable and I incur the cost, or B) they would have to call me first and ask permission. I chose "B" and also that if Pride's heart stopped, they would have to resuscitate him, even if it cost up to $4,000.

I may be crazy, but I have all ready spent $4,000 in order to keep Pride alive and free from pain. It's a moot point now, but I wish his previous owners had taken better care of him. Then again, with vet care being so expensive, and this being such a tough economy with folks losing their houses and being out of work, it's a hard decision, especially for a family to make between vet care and child care. Well, if you get a chance to read this, I am hoping for your prayers for little Pride. His life is in God's hands now and I hope the little furry fellow doesn't suffer, but survives to live a full, happy life. Please Pray for a cure and a speedy recovery him.

Thank you,

Avo

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Comment by Avo Love on November 18, 2012 at 10:58am: Thanks Donna for your kind comments and for taking the time to read my Blog. I did not see your post before today, as I have not been able to participate on cat-share for some time.

Comment by Ann Millikan on August 18, 2012 at 9:01pm: I am so happy Pride is survived by all that misunderstood medical help and the criminal care of his original owners. I cannot conceive why people abandon their pets when they move. I just cannot conceive this, and bless you with the best that you saved Pride and gave him a good home and health care and he is alive and well, bless both you and Pride with the greatest of prayers and a good life.

Comment by Carl Jones on August 18, 2012 at 12:48pm: That's Wonderful! (I am very surprised more people didn't comment on this.) Not many people would take the time and money to take such good care of him. Honestly, I thought he wouldn't make it, but didn't want to upset you by saying that out loud. (You probably had your doubts, too.) I have cared for some sick rescues myself... One little orange guy in particular: one cold winter evening, I was rushing out the door to go somewhere, and he obviously had the sniffles. But I didn't take the time right then to let him in, and get him warm. Later he came back to my door, and although I knew he would eventually have to be put down, I got to nurse him back to health (not his leukemia, but his cold) so he got to be as healthy as he could be before eventually saying goodbye. I would have HATED for him to die during an upper respiratory infection, feeling achy, feverish, etc. So I was thrilled he didn't go to Heaven sick. But back to little Clyde, congratulations!

Comment by Avo Love on August 18, 2012 at 12:37pm: Thank you for Carl and Donna for your kind and hopeful comments and prayers. To give you an update since I wrote this, after taking Clyde to emergency and learning that he was suffering from a botched surgery job, I was given the name of feline Cornell educated specialist in Connecticut who was conducting experimental procedures for treating stomatitis, which he believed originated in the bone. However, before he would perform the procedure, he required several tests be conducted from a cat specialist of my choosing in New York. I took Pride to a feline hospital and was so impressed with the specialist that I went with his recommendation to do the corrective surgery on Pride. He still conducted all of the tests, which revealed that Pride was completely healthy, except for the chronic stomatitis and results from the botched surgery, so there was no reason to euthanize him. He has since had the surgery and has experienced an amazing recovery, it's hard to believe it's the same cat. And to think he came very close to being put to sleep. Mind you, $10.000 over the course of 18 months was spent on tests, lab work, meds, various surgical & non-surgical procedures, boarding, shots, etc. as vet care does not come cheap, but his life was spared and I feel it was worth saving.

Comment by Carl Jones on July 6, 2012 at 8:53pm: Sometimes God takes them so they don't suffer... I believe that's what happened to MY little one last month. Either way, I pray for his health and happiness. Bless you for taking such good care of him.