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This fundraiser was created by The Oaks Veterinary Medical & Emergency Referral Centre to financially support a stray kitten receiving life-saving care at our facility. Any funds donated in excess of the cost of Robert’s medical bills will be donated to the Moncton SPCA. Robert will be available for adoption through the SPCA once he is released from the hospital and considered to be fit for adoption.
Here is Robert's Story:
Last week’s frigid weather and snow storm culminated in a
miraculous rescue of a stray kitten who was found frozen to a vehicle
engine. The good samaritan who refused to give up searching for the
source of the pitiful meows in the wee hours of the morning and the
subsequent rescuers raced against the clock to free the kitten and
give him a chance of survival, against all odds.
A frantic meow was heard in the quiet, wintery darkness which
got the attention of one of the residents. The good samaritan spent
hours outside searching for the source of the cry, on the coldest
night in Moncton so far this winter. The meow was finally identified
to be coming from inside the hood of a vehicle in the parking lot. The
rescue effort continued when the owner of the vehicle was contacted
and the hood opened to free the kitten, but what they found was very
unexpected: a grey kitten was lodged barely visible between the
alternator and motor, and he was injured and stuck. A phone call was
quickly made to the authorities, who dispatched a fire crew to assist
with the rescue. The Moncton Fire Department arrived, then called in
an officer especially to disassemble the vehicle engine. The
alternator was removed, and shockingly, the kitten was found to be
stuck to the fan belt by a large open wound, requiring the belt to be
cut in order to remove the kitten from the engine. During this time
the kitten's condition rapidly deteriorated due to prolonged exposure
to bone chilling -35ᵒC weather.
As soon as the kitten was freed, an officer from the Moncton FD
rushed the kitten to The Oaks Vet for emergency care. The kitten
presented cold, stiff, non-responsive, not moving and barely
breathing. His heart rate was very slow, close to stopping. There was
an open wound encompassing his entire left forelimb and a piece of
rubber fan belt was adhered to the wound. The kitten had evidence of
frostbite on the nose and lips.
He was treated in the ICU for life-threatening hypothermia,
severe shock, wounds and frostbite. He initially had elevations of his
kidney enzymes, and the following day he developed a fever, low white
blood cell count, electrolyte imbalance and severe pain in the
affected limb, in spite of strong pain medication. He also developed a
coagulopathy (his blood could not clot properly) and could not move
his tail, evidence that frostbite had set in, causing irreversible
damage to the blood supply of the tail. He was assessed as having
compartment syndrome in the severely damaged limb and the early signs
of a blood infection (sepsis).
A joint decision was made between the critical care veterinarian
and the surgeon to act quickly and have emergency limb amputation
before his condition worsened, as the limb was the source of his
deteriorating status. The surgeon was called in for emergency surgery
to amputate the affected limb, and it was also determined that his
tail was too damaged from frostbite injury to be viable. The kitten
did well during anesthesia and had a stable recovery in the 24 hour
intensive care unit.
In these days following rescue, the kitten’s critical condition
continues to improve. He has won the hearts of all involved in his
incredible rescue – the good samaritans who found him, the Moncton FD
and the staff at The Oaks Veterinary Emergency & Referral
Hospital. He has a purr that can be heard across the room, eats
ravenously when offered kitten food and enjoys being cuddled and
petted.
At the request of the Moncton Fire Department he was named
Robert, after the officer who spent several hours with his bare hands
disassembling the vehicle engine on the coldest day of the winter so
far.
Robert is an incredibly lucky kitten and has so far beaten great
odds, but his fight is not over yet.
This fundraiser has been set up in support of Robert and to
cover his on-going medical expenses and promote public awareness of
hypothermia injury to pets. Any funds donated in excess of the cost of
Robert’s medical bills will be donated to the Moncton SPCA. If you
would like to support Robert on his road to recovery, donations can
also be made in person at The Oaks Vet or at the Moncton SPCA.
Once Robert is stable enough to be released from the veterinary
hospital, he will be available for adoption through the SPCA. He will
be looking for a forever home suitable for his special needs,
inquiries for adoption can be made to the Moncton SPCA.
This incredible story has two take home messages – The first,
hypothermia and exposure injury are a serious threat to the pet
population on these cold winter days. Please make every effort to keep
your pets indoors during the extreme cold. The second, stray cats will
often be attracted to the heat of a vehicle engine and climb up inside
the engine or wheel-well for heat. Most cats in Robert’s situation do
not survive, and if not for the prompt rescue efforts, Robert would
have succumbed to exposure and hypothermia. Before starting your
vehicle and driving off, please give the hood a tap or honk your horn
to allow any stray cats the opportunity to escape before injury occurs.
The Oaks Veterinary Medical & Emergency Referral Center is a 24 hour veterinarian staffed emergency veterinary hospital. We are available 24 hours a day for emergency and general practice services, as well as accept referral patients from throughout the Maritime Provinces.
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