Need info for “Easy” Editing Video Software

Mira, saved as a tiny kitten from euthanasia by Dr. D.

Lisa with 15 year old, Marley. Lisa found Marley as a tiny puppy in her neighborhood.

Hope, saved from euthanasia

Kit Kat is Lisa’s cat that she saved as a tiny kitten while working at an Austin clinic.

Elkie, attacked by dogs. Saved from euthanasia

Note to the good folks who “follow” me. I have been terribly busy and have not had the time to properly reply to comments on the post prior to this one. I hope to get to those soon.

I have had several ill cats and lost one of my favorites 2 weeks ago. She was 15 years old but possibly older. I treated/nursed her for 4 weeks and carried her around like a baby. I sat outdoors with her so she could enjoy the sun, the wind and all the sounds of nature and, then at the end learned she had cancer. Anyhow save your sympathies. I’ll do a post about Meri later- at some point in time. To note: I have 8 cats on meds and or sub cu fluids. They are all old just like me. My animals are either keeping me alive or killing me before my time. REALLY!

Getting to the crux of this post. I need advice from some of the smart folks that know computers, videos, You Tube, etc. and who can advice me about an “easy to edit” video software program.

You need not comment unless you feel compelled to do so.

I’ve had to cut my time on WP. Now and then I go to FB but it sure is crazy on FB. Not sure that I like it over there. I have limited my friends because I can not see the trees for the forest with so many postings.

The young woman with the dog is my daughter Lisa, with her dog Marley, who is now 15 years old. All the cats were saved by Lisa when she worked at one very busy Austin vet clinic about 10 years or more ago. They were brought to the vet clinic as foundlings and all were doomed for euthanasia. Hope was approximately six months old, pregnant and unable to birth her kittens that had died inside the womb. Click on the link below for Hope’s story. https://petspeopleandlife.wordpress.com/2011/11/04/from-hopeless-to-hope/

Cat photography by Yvonne Daniel. Photos are property of Yvonne Daniel and may not be copied or reproduced.

Photograph of Lisa with her dog Marley was taken by her neighbor.

Note: I have written Part I about all her pets except Mira. If my health continues to improve I hope to finish all the pet’s stories.

The Irony of the Accquisition of KitKat: Part II (Click photo to enlarge (Repost for a new subscriber)

This was posted in Dcember, 2012. I am very fortunate to have a new subscriber and one who has a sincere interest in pets. She read Part I of Kitkat’s story but could not find part II. I am embarrassed to admit that I had forgotten that I had added a category that says The Vet’s Pets. So this is for: (Lunar Euphoria). She has a really keen blog. Be sure to check it out.

KitKat, the wonder kitty

KitKat

This is the ending of The Aquisition of KitKat, Part II   

This story is written by me  (Yvonne)  from my daughter’s perspective who told me the story and asked that I write about KitKat’s rescue. My daughter is a veterinarian in Austin,Texas and all of her pets are dogs and cats that she saved from certain death or euthanasia. I have written all of her pet’s stories from her telling me about the details, mood of the day, other vets and techs, meds, treatments, etc. Initially I wrote these in Word process in second person but I think the mood of the story seems better as first person. Some readers think these are my pets but I have made a notation at the beginning that these are not my stories they are “The Vet’s Pet’s.”

With Dr. “M” helping, we inserted an IV catheter into her itty bitty leg and bolused some IV fluids (calculated on her weight) to help alleviate dehydration. There was no response, so we then gave an IV slow push of dextrose for hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) and to my astonishment, the kitten sat up and began meowing non stop. With that development, I surmised that she was extremely hungry. I quickly prepared a small bottle of kitten formula, thinking she might take one or two ml but she latched onto the bottle with her front paws and sucked down the entire 60mls (2 ounces) with as much gusto of any animal I’ve ever seen eating.  We were astounded and I said, “wow, this kitten has a voracious appetite.”  The kitten then attempted to stand up and walk a few steps but rolled over on her back and could not get up. Her tiny head tilted severely to the left and I noted that her left eye was swollen shut. I then gently pried the eyelid open  and the pupil was tiny, fixed, (meaning there was no movement of the eye), and unresponsive to light. The kitten had clearly suffered severe head trauma. With each new development, I began adding more treatments. I continued the IV fluids and gave a slow IV push of Manitol to reduce swelling of the brain.  Toward the end of the day, the once almost dead kitten had shown significant and unbelievable improvement

At 6PM, tired and ready to go home, I went to my desk to remove my lab coat and to get my purse. WAIT -A -MINUTE! There was a box  on my desk. I peered inside and there lay the kitten on a small portable heating pad with food, bottles, and medications ready to go home. “Dr. “M” what is this kitten doing on my desk?” She answered and said,”I thought you knew that my husband is deathly allergic to cats. I can’t possibly take her to my house.”  I immediately realized that Dr “M” had tricked me. I was angry at her for more than a few days.

The kitten required bottle feeding and ate more that any kitten I have ever seen. Gradually she grew stronger and stronger. However, she had severe neuro deficits and could only take a few steps before tumbling over and then unable to get back up. There she lay, on her back, looking like a little fat doodle bug.

Months earlier, I had planned with some friends, a vacation to the coast. My dear friend, Dr. “A” took care of  her while I was away. Her two daughters love cats and helped feed and care for the kitten. They named her Kit Kat in honor of the candy bar. 

Kit Kat grew by leaps and bounds and eventually over came  most of her balance issues. At three months of age she had become a pretty kitten with a very sweet and lovable personality. So, with a heavy heart I put up a poster at the clinic describing the kitten who was now ready for adoption to an indoor “catdom” only. Initially she went to a home with one other cat, but the lady of the house said the kitten just did not seem to adapt and she was returned in two weeks . After that she went to another home where she stayed for about a week and the man of the house said the kitten was just not what he and his wife had expected. So for the third time she went to a wealthy young couple who returned her within about two weeks. I could not imagine why people did not find the kitten appealing. She was so lovable with a quirky personality. After the third failed adoption I decided that she was meant to be my cat. I pondered the thought that the kitten had come into my life as a serendipity moment. When I first saw her I had deemed her hopeless and then she made what I considered a miraculous recovery. So what had seemed utterly hopeless, ultimately turned into an unexpected good ending.

Needless to say, I believe all of this as ironic for she is my favorite cat. She has an insatiable appetite and is ravenously hungry always! And yes she grew into a rather obese cat. Cats get virtually the same diseases that humans do and her chances of becoming diabetic are a real possibility. No food is off limits to Kit Kat and she will dive into any plate of food and scour the floor for a mere morsel. She even brazenly attempted to eat with my two dogs but I quickly put a stop to that. No matter how much you might trust your dogs it is not wise to allow cats and dogs to eat in the same room together. One never knows when a dog might suddenly turn on the cat and with one bite can kill a cat. But back to the problem of obesity I put her on a reduction diet and last Christmas my mother said,” Kit Kat looks slimmer so you must be keeping her on the diet.”  I am keeping her on a diet but she must be fed separately from the other cats, to keep her from scarfing down more food. 

Kit Kit continues to make me laugh every day, no matter how fatigued I am. She has provided unexpected entertainment and still has a quirky personality. She gives kisses to any one that visits by greeting the visitor nose to nose. Kit Kat also loves to go for car rides. I simply put the carrier on the floor and she crawls right in and waits patiently to go for a ride around the neighborhood. At night she crawls on my head and “kneads” my hair until it looks like a rat’s nest. 

So if it had not been for Dr. “M” I would not have Kit Kat in my life. And by sheer luck or fate, no one wanted her when I tried to give her away. I sometimes wonder why I thought I had to give her away.  One more pet to feed would not have “broken the bank.”

My experience treating Kit Kat that first day she entered my life, taught me  a few things. I learned that the brain of a kitten has the ability fo heal, given sufficient time. Sometimes the brain does not heal completely and some of the balance issues remain.  It took several years for KitKat to overcome her neuro deficits. Her head tilted to one side and then after a few years,  I noticed that she was walking in a normal manner.  KitKat’s  has taught me both medically and spiritually. I learned never to give up, even when things seem hopeless. I have since applied that to my own life. As things have gone from bad to worse I look at KitKat and remember how sick she was years ago.

I feel fortunate that she is my cat and I shudder to think that I almost euthanized her. I can not put into words how much I love KitKat. And for certain, I think that she loves me.

Post and photographs: Yvonne

The Acquisition of Kit Kat: Part I (original post January, 2011)

                                                                                                                             

KitKat perches on the back fof the recliner each evening while her “Mama” watches TV

The Day Fate Stepped In

My daughter told me this story about KitKat’s rescue. I can only write her stories in the first person. I’ve tried writing her stories in a different manner  but for some reason the words just are not the same and the story doesn’t read the way I think it should. This story has an unusual twist for an ending for this cat is so loved by my daughter and the love is mutual.                                                                                                                                                                                                     

About five years ago I was working at a large multi veterinarian clinic. For some inexplicable reason, this clinic had more than its share of challenging cases that were accompanied by the most bizarre stories.  During our rare breaks, my fellow veterinarians and I often mulled over the strange cases, that came through the heavy doors. 
Midway through my already weary day, a woman rushed into the clinic carrying a tiny kitten in one hand. She told the receptionist that she had been out jogging and the kitten had fallen out of a tree.  A very strange story!  How did a tiny kitten climb a tree? I don’t think that the kitten had actually fallen out of the tree. The jogger just happened to find the kitten at the base of the tree or maybe the kitten really belonged to the woman and it had somehow been injured.  As she handed the kitten over to our receptionist, she said, “I hate cats and I’m not going to pay for its treatment!” With those parting words she made a bee -line for the door, gave it a shove and was gone in a New York minute.  Our receptionist rushed the tiny ball of fur to the back and then handed her to me. The kitten was a tiny, limp, and pathetic looking bit of dull grayish blue fur that fit in the palm of my hand. I gave it a hasty exam and noted that is was a female, severely dehydrated and in a non-responsive coma.  Clearly this was a rescue case and one that I saw as totally hopeless. I saw no hope for a tiny kitten that was barely clinging to life and looked as if it would die within minutes. And I reasoned, if by some miracle it lived, I simply could not afford to spend anymore money trying to save it’s life. I had just rescued two other cats that had cost me a great deal of money. Each one had needed a surgical specialist and even though their surgeries, medications, treatments, etc. were discounted, these rescues had put a deep hole in my wallet.

 Based on my findings and the opinions of two other doctors and  some techs, we all concluded the kitten as hopeless and that euthanasia was the only logical answer. So with a sinking feeling, I began preparing to euthanize the tiny waif. I wheeled the anesthetic machine over, turned on the gas, and began to “mask” her down. I then prepared an injectable euthanasia solution. I had the syringe in my hand and as I was ready to do an intra-cardiac stick, Dr. M. the very new graduate from Texas A & M vet school walked past. She suddenly stopped, peered over my shoulder, and said, “hey Dr Daniel what are you doing?” I explained that I was going to euthanize the comatose kitten. In a rather horrified voice, she said, “Oh my God! How could you? I thought you loved cats. Aren’t you a huge proponent of rescue. Why not try to save her.? I’ll help you with the cost and I will help you with the care of her.” I mulled over her words for a few seconds and I thought that translated into, “I’ll take her home with me.”  

    

Continued as:   The Acquisition of Kit Kat, Part II 

Post  and photograph  Yvonne               

       

      

  

Annie, the Aussie Clown- Learned How To smile (Monday, October 22,2012 @1016am)

 You can find Annie’s  rescue story in the category The Vets Pets

Annie has the stocky build of an Australian shepherd but to me her ears are not quite right.  But everyone that meets Annie thinks she is a pretty dog. And for the most part she looks like an aussie. Her coat is a beautiful russet red and that color is sort of rare among aussies. 

Since she is my grandpet, I’ve been around Annie a fair amount of time. During one of my visits in early  summer I noticed that when she wanted my attention she would show her teeth as if in a ” smile.” I under estimated Annie’s intelligence.  A few times a day when ever Annie wanted to be petted, “I would say smile for grandma,” and Annie would dutifully obey.

Well it seems that after I returned home she began performing her new trick for my daughter. Not long ago I was visiting again and my daughter said,” Mama you turned Annie into a pest. She shows her teeth where ever I go and wiggles and gets in my way until I give her some pats on the head. I finally sort of broke her of that because it became down right annoying.

The problem with Annie is that once she learns something she contiunues to ” act out” what ever she learned as a means of gettting more attention.  Sort of like a kid that learns something new and keeps it up all day.   

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Annie, a smart Australian Shepherd

Annie loves playing with this orange toy

Annie looking dreamy-eyed in this pic. (Required sedation for grooming)

Saving Annie

Annie      March,2011      Age: 4 years

This little story was told to me by Dr. D., my daughter. I wrote the story as she would have written it (first person). It seems that I can only write these stories in this manner. Maybe the wording comes easier for me this way. This is also one of my favorites and actually to do justice to Annie and my daughter there is another story to be added to make Saving Annie complete. Sometime in the future I will write another.

Another week-end day spent working at the emergency clinic. Known to most veterinarians as plain EC. I worked part time at the EC with the intent of learning from veterinarians who worked there as a steady job. All EC vets are extremely smart, fast, and know their stuff. Most of them thrive on the fast pace and the adrenalin rush. I can honestly say that I learned a great deal during my part time stint there. But it is not my steady cup of tea. It takes a special person to work in EC just as the nurses and MDS that work in the human version of the emergency room and the EMTs that bring in the sick and injured.

The day began fairly routine with some animals that were very sick and others that were not so sick or hurt. I always tried to mentally prepare myself for any and all challenges but if a vet needed help there were three or four of us with great vet techs who were super fantastic at their jobs. Two lucky veterinarians are on the job from 10pm until 7:30am. Those hours are not necessarily slow. The EC in Austin is almost always busy, regardless of the time- day or night.

About mid morning I was about to take a short break when I was told I had a case waiting for me in one of the exam rooms. As I entered the room I saw 4 children that appeared to range in age from toddler to about 10 years of age. Their mother was standing with her back to the door. She did not turn around to look at me as I spoke her name, Mrs—– , nor when I introduced myself. I maneuvered through the maze of four children so that I was facing Mrs —. Her dress and demeanor exuded the quintessence of wealth.

After speaking to the lady I then saw a small red puppy that was sitting on top of its carrier. The pup made direct eye contact with me. I have no idea why- but I knew this puppy was going to end up as my dog. I’ve been told that I have ESP but I do not always have the special gift. This day, the feeling about the puppy was quite strong.

The lady said that she had bought the puppy from a breeder and paid $700 for her. “I have her registration papers and proof of vaccinations that the breeder gave me. We’ve only had the puppy for two days. Yesterday, late afternoon, she began having loose stools with a little bit of blood. She has been eating but not very much and this morning she did not want to eat her puppy chow.” So I explained to the lady that first we would get a fecal sample and test for parasites and also test for the parvovirus.

In the mean time the lady showed me the pup’s papers. I quickly scanned the papers and they were really nothing. There was no AKC registration and no proof of vaccinations. To be honest the lady had been had. As I waited on the test results I questioned the lady about the breeder’s home and if there were lots of dogs, cages, etc. She told me what I suspected. The breeder’s home and set up, sounded as if it were a puppy mill. The lady appeared angry after I told her that the puppy was not an AKC registered dog.

A tech brought me the results of the fecal and the parvo test. Well there was good news and bad news; as far as the lady was concerned. The parvo test was a weak positive. The fecal test- well that was a doozie. I had never seen such a wide range of parasites in a dog before. But this was just an example of what you get when you buy a dog from a pet store or a puppy mill. The lady’s facial expression changed from horrified to total disgust as I continued to explain the parasites and the parvovirus. The puppy had roundworms, hookworms, tape worms, whip worms, coccidi, and giardia. After telling the lady the news of the worms she then said, “well the breeder said I could bring her back when I talked to her this morning. That is really what I should do.” At that point I wanted to yell. So I then had to convince her that all was not lost because the parasites would be fairly easy to treat and since she had a mild case of parvo, the puppy would be on the road to improved health within 4-5 days if not sooner. Her stay at the EC would just be overnight and then she would pick up the puppy in the morning and take it to her regular vet to finish out a round of IV fluids and medications. During that process she would receive other instructions and medications for further treatment of the parasites. But the lady persisted that the puppy should go back to the breeder. “I don’t want to spend any more money on this dog.” I then said, “if you take her back, the breeder WILL NOT treat the puppy and she WILL DIE! Please understand that her treatment will not be that expensive.” Then the lady said, “I’ll call my husband and ask him what to do.” I left the room and when I returned a few minutes later, she told me that her husband had given the okay to begin treatment.

I explained the treatment of the parasites and parvo. The puppy would need some IV fluids that contained some special meds that would help knock out the parvo. The IV fluids would provide electrolytes, re-hydrate the puppy and as a bonus, IV fluids help a sick animal recoup faster and just plain make the animal feel better. I told the lady that she and her husband could return for a visit to see the puppy or they could just call. I assured her that the puppy would respond very well to treatment.

The puppy’s owner finally left with her unbelievably well mannered four children in tow. I called for a tech, who helped me weigh the puppy, I calculated the drops per minute for the IV fluids and set the rate on the pump. I then shaved a spot on one front leg a few inches above the paw. I applied the tourniquet so that the vein would be easier to find. I palpated for a vein (sometimes the vein is not visible, so you feel (palpate) for the vein and I was in luck when I found a tiny vein on my first try. I pushed the needle in and then removed the metal needle leaving in place a small plastic pliable needle (this plastic needle stays in the vein better than just a metal needle). I then connected the IV tubing to the plastic cannula. The IV fluids with the added meds were then ready to begin flowing. (I’d like to add that it is no easy feat to start an IV on a puppy or tiny kitten. It requires a steady hand and lots of patience.) Medications were then given to the puppy by mouth to treat the wide range of parasites. The tech and I were still in luck because the puppy readily swallowed the not so good tasting medications. We then carried the puppy with the attached IV and pump stand to the back and placed the puppy on towels in a cage. I asked the tech to watch the puppy for a few minutes to ensure the puppy did not vomit the medications. With the puppy cooperating with the meds and the IV, I left the treatment area quickly since I had another case waiting to be examined.

That evening I checked on the puppy before my shift ended. She was sleeping peacefully. My day had been tiring. Dealing with the puppy’s owner had been an ordeal. When I got home I tended to my brood of pets and ate a bowl of cereal before falling into bed at 8:30 pm. I was in deep sleep when my cell phone rang. I looked at the time on my phone before answering. It was 11:30 pm and who in the world was calling me this late. It was one of the vet’s from the EC. He said that the parvo puppy’s owner was there and wanted to have the puppy euthanized, “because his wife feared that they would get attached to the puppy and it would then die.” With those words, I was then fully awake. I almost shouted, “What did you just say? That puppy is not critically ill and she will be just fine after a few days.” Dr. C. said, “well, all of us here tried to persuade him not to have the puppy put down but he said his wife was adamant that she no longer wanted to get more involved with a dog that could die. We have called several people and tried to get someone here to take her and then we thought of you.” Holy cow! I could not believe what I was hearing. “Okay. Tell the man to wait there, have the release papers ready for him to sign the puppy over to me. I’ll be there soon.”   

Hastily, I got dressed and drove the 30 minutes it takes to get to the EC. The man was waiting. I greeted him as I entered the waiting room. He merely nodded his head in response. Someone handed me the papers to sign and then he signed his name to release the puppy to me. He handed me the paper, and without saying a word, walked out the door. I went to the treatment area and asked one of the techs to get the puppy ready because she was leaving with me. I did not want the expense of the EC and I could easily treat her at home.

As I drove home with the puppy in a large dog crate in the back of my SUV, I remembered my thoughts when I first saw this little red dog. My ESP had been right again. Since this is proving to be a long post, I’ll continue with the puppy’s story in a future post. By the way- the former owners had named her Annie, which I thought was a fitting name for this little red haired Aussie.

Post and Photograph:  Yvonne

My Dog Marley

 

Marley March,2011

 

  Note: This story about Dr. D’s found dog Marley, is my first attempt to write in many years.  I realize that the content and style of writing could use lots of improvement. In fact I had thought about re-writing all of it but I don’t have the time until much later. I wrote Marley’s story in Dr. D’s perspective with information that she provided.

 

Years ago, ten to be exact, I was walking in my neighborhood with my usual destination of about three miles. My walk was sort of a loop from my house and back with lots of dogs running loose. For some reason either owners didn’t care or these were dogs that simply had no home and were being fed by various people. My neighborhood is an eclectic mix of the old with the new and some with money with the house and cars to prove it. I was just eking by as a veterinarian and driving a used Toyota land cruiser.  On this particular day it was cold and windy with skies that were a dull gray which lent itself to me feeling as if I were enveloped in a shroud of gloom.

As I walked along, my thoughts returned to my dog Holly who had passed away six months earlier. I missed her terribly. She was a Border Collie that I had adopted from the Bryan-College station shelter when I was a junior at Texas A&M as an undergrad. Holly was not the usual Border Collie. She was so different from any BC that I had ever seen or known and I had seen my share of them as I had worked for a local vet all through high school and during summer hiatus from college. Holly was one of a kind; sweet, gentle, calm, and despite the proclivity of Border Collies being  hyper and always wanting to play or chase something and in need a “job” to do, she was totally the opposite. She stayed glued to my side and almost always underfoot. She was an excellent watch dog and never forgot anyone that just did not look or act “right”. I never taught her any basic commands except to “potty train” her to use the bathroom outdoors. Holly was not only an ideal companion but she was really one beautiful dog. Her coat was long and shiny.with a beautiful ruff of fur that looked almost like a mane. In the summer, I shaved Holly so that she would be more comfortable. It always seemed  that she relished the short hair cut. 

I had walked for about an hour and passed near several old houses that were run down to the point of almost total disrepair. The yards were littered with old wrecks of cars,  junk, and pieces of trash that moved back and forth between the houses with each gust of wind. There were chain link fences that at one time had been erect but now were fallen over. I never saw any people in the yard but it was apparent someone lived in these old houses because the porches generally had a dog or two sleeping on the bare floor with only the wood beneath as a bed.  

I continued my walk in deep thought and had long passed the old houses with the sleeping dogs. I plodded along and with each step my thoughts continued in the same gloomy state as the sky above me.  Holly would be walking beside if she were alive. And then about a quarter-mile from my home, sitting in the guttered side of the street was a small puppy. Alone! No other dog or human in sight. I began knocking on doors to see if the puppy had escaped from some one’s yard but nary a soul laid claim to the little urchin. What does one do in this situation? Leave the puppy that would either be HBC (that’s HIT BY CAR in vet terminology), eventually meet its demise at the hands of some cruel person, starve to death, or eaten by a predator such as a coyote?  The neighborhood was bordered by woodsy areas of thick cedar and scrub oaks- typical Texas hill country and habitat for predators. I picked the puppy up and it was very underweight- I could feel  its tiny ribs and backbone as I ran my hands through the puppy’s very dull and slightly matted fur. As various puppy diseases trickled through my brain, I just hoped that this pup did not have parvo or distemper and had not shown signs of these diseases yet. Clearly one thing was certain the pup was malnourished. So without pondering the dilemma, I continued my walk, with of course, the puppy tucked inside my jacket.  This time I was not merely walking but almost running toward home. I was breathless by the time I had entered our back door. It was a Saturday and my then husband was at home. After I gave him the “save the puppy” story, I soaked some dog food in water for a few minutes so that it would be palatable for my new acquisition. The little waif ate with as much gusto as its little body could muster. By the time the puppy had finished eating I was lying prone on the floor with a pillow under my head.  My head throbbed and as I contemplated what to do with the puppy it came over to snuggle on the pillow beside my head. At that point my husband said, “why don’t you keep the puppy?”. Within short order I learned that the pup was a female. She continued to lie on the pillow next to my head. Was it providence that I found her? Her tiny body next to my throbbing head was warm and soothing. I found that I was no longer concentrating on the pain of  my neck and head.  And so, Marley slowly began to take Holly’s place. I felt guilty about loving another dog and at the time and I did not want another dog to fill the void that Holly had left.

Marley is now 10 years old and her muzzle has grayed. She loves me as Holly once did. Marley is as sensitive as Holly. She reads my emotions and will sit by my side when I am upset. Yes, I have been truly blessed to have another dog who filled Holly’s absence in such a loving way.  I have a treasure trove of  Marley’s various behaviors. In the future, you will learn how I selected Marley for her name. And no, she is not named for the Labrador of the book and movie.   

Post Yvonne  (original post November, 2010)    Co-author  Dr. D      

Photographs  Yvonne 

Marley daydreaming on a blankie (September, 2012)

marley walking in the back yard

New Photos of Dr. Daniel and Some of Her Pets (December 22,2010)

Annie (L) Marley (R)

Hope (read her rescue story) “From Hopeless to Hope”

Dr. Lisa Daniel and Annie who loves her Mama

Tassie, cozy on a dog bed behind Dr. D’s chair

  

 

  

 

  

From Hopeless to Hope (click to enlarge photo- click again to reduce to thumbnail)

Hope “the queen bee.” See her story, “From Hopeless to Hope.”

Hope “The Queen”

 Beautiful Hope, ” queen of the house”

 

 I was in the break room drinking coffee and gossiping with my friend and fellow veterinarian, when the receptionist called. Since I was sitting nearest the phone, I answered.  Ann, our receptionist told me there was a very sick cat that an elderly couple had brought to the clinic in a card board box.  Dr M and I went to the first exam room and on the table was a box with an elderly couple on each side of the exam table. I introduced myself  and Dr. M.  The little grey haired lady began telling me the story of the cat. Her eyes filled with tears and in a trembling voice she quickly told me the story. About a month ago just as dusk was falling, the couple heard a faint meow. They both went to the door to find a small calico cat sitting on the bottom step. They immediately noticed how thin she was and so they began feeding the kitty.  From the beginning is was apparent that she was wild. The couple put food out for her each day and she would appear from somewhere to eat and then retreat to the hedges. About 2 weeks ago they had begun putting card board boxes on their back porch. They put old towels in the two boxes thinking that eventually she would use one of the boxes for sleeping. The past week or so the lady said she could tell that the little kitty was pregnant.  They had found her lying inside one of the boxes about three days ago. They knew she must be ill because she made no attempt to leave the box and run away.  They had watched her for three days and it was appparent she was in labor.  The little lady turned to look at the little cat and said to me, “I named her Hope and I have been praying for a miracle. There is nothing that we can do for her- it is out of our hands.” I looked at the kitty and back to the couple. I just knew this sweet couple would not have the money for whatever it would take to try to save this kitty’s life but I quoted the price anyway. They just shook their heads but were no longer looking at me. I hesitated for about 30 seconds before saying that I would try to save her if they would sign her over to me.  With those words the little lady grabbed my hand and said, “thank you, thank you. My prayers have been answered. I know she will be alright now.” I called the desk and asked the secretary to bring the forms. The couple and I quickly signed our names and Hope officially became my cat. They each touched the little cat on the head then turned to squeeze my hands before leaving the room.   

Dr.M. had not said one word.  At the time we were examining the very ill kitty Dr. M. and I just exchanged glances and she would nod in agreement.  Dr. M.  had flashed a huge smile when I told the people that I would try to save her.   As soon as they left the room, both Dr M. and I went into over-drive.  We took a quick x-ray and soon had what we needed to know.  The x-ray showed blurry looking globs in her uterus.  Her temperature was taken and it was elevated- about 2 1/2 degrees above normal.   This little cat was indeed very ill. She made no attempt to get away as we handled her. But, I also believe that she knew we were helping her. I called for a tech who was in the exam room almost immediately. I told her to get everything ready for a c- section. We moved to a surgery room with Dr. M.  carrying Hope. The techs at this clinic were unbelievably smart and capable.  Katy had the intubation tube ready, the anesthesia machine, the drapes, gowns, gloves, and masks and battery powered razor, and the surgery pack- the whole works ready in about 5-7 minutes time. The plan was that Dr. M. would handle the intubation, get the anesthesia going and the machine hooked up to the heart monitor. Katy our tech got the IV fluids and set-up and IV pump which she rolled over to the table. The little cat looked so young- could not have been more that 7 months, was our guess. Much too young to be pregnant- she was still a kitten herself. (Cats are considered kittens until one year of age) I shaved a small spot on a front leg and began palpating for a vein. Finding a vein was not easy- she was dehydrated. Veins are not prominent on animals or humans if dehydrated. Finally I was able to get a “back flow” of blood which meant the needle and cannula where in place. I pulled the metal needle out and the white plastic cannula remained in the vein, IV tubing was connected to the cannula; I stepped back to straighten up and then took several deep breaths.   

Note:  To be concluded at a later date. There will be lots of details of the difficulties that I encountered as I tried to save this beautiful little cat.        

Post and photographs: Yvonne Daniel         Co-author:  Dr. Lisa Daniel