Sweet little Dobby needs surgery; *Update*; 5/28; post #54

[Medusa]

I received this email this morning from a friend who does cat rescue and TNR, so I thought that I'd post it here. It reads as follows:

Hello everyone. I’d like you to meet Dobby. This precious little boy was just tiny when he was injured. He needs surgery to correct a broken pelvis and leg, both of which have healed and are misaligned. His left rear leg and foot are twisted, and the ligaments of his right front paw are damaged.

To read his story, click here: http://www.tomballsos.org/animals/detail?AnimalID=1389799

He is the sweetest, purr bucket – just loves attention and cuddles. His fur is so soft, and isn’t that the cutest little face! I know times are tough, but I hope you’ll all be able to give a little toward his surgery. Every dollar counts.

Link where you can donate: http://dobby.chipin.com/dollars-for-dobby

Please share Dobby’s story, and thanks, in advance, for anything you can give. Please say kitty prayers for this sweet boy.

[kuhio98]

Thanks for posting this. Dobby is adorable. I sent in a small donation. :love:

[Laura's Babies]

What an adoreable little thing he is. All I can offer at this time is prayers that what he needed IS provided. (co pays for eye surgery isn't cheap!)

[pomtzu]

That poor little baby. Count me in, even tho I don't usually do this, but Law of Abundance paid off pretty big! I'll pm you on that one! :)

[katladyd]

What a darling little guy. I donated a few dollars that I was saving for some earrings. This is way more important!

[GILL]

I agree, I posted the info in Cat health and yes I made a donation. Things may be tight but this little guy is more important. If every one on pet talk sent 1-2 he will get the surgery he needs.
How could you say no to a face like that.

[Medusa]

I just got home and didn't realize that you had posted it, too, John. Thank you for doing that. I have high hopes that this little guy will get the funds necessary for his surgery.

[Catty1]

What a FACE!!!! After what this baby has been through - what a sweet, happy expression on that baby mug of his! :love:

I gave a bit - hope he gets it all soon!

[3Catcondo]

I will def chip in some for this boy, does he have a permanent home lined up? Where is he? I want him!!!!!!!!!


:love:

[catmandu]

Prayers :love::love:are coming from All Of US for that Little Orange Fellow,:love::love: that those White Coats can have him on the road to recovery soon.:):):)
:love::love::love:

[momtomany]

I donated also. We have to help this sweet baby.

[Catty1]

The link shows that 20% or $700 has been raised.

About 4 more people have donated since I did this morning, so I think the total will go up more...I don't know how often they update the amount.

[Medusa]

It's up to $740. I wonder if the vet would consider discounting the surgery.

[pomtzu]

I hope the good response continues. When I first looked at it yesterday, it was only $320!

[GILL]

Well lets keep pushing. I am sure that the money can be rased.

[Medusa]

I will def chip in some for this boy, does he have a permanent home lined up? Where is he? I want him!!!!!!!!!


:love:

He is adorable, isn't he? I love his ears. If you're serious about adoption, perhaps email at the address that's listed on the site. How wonderful if he would become a PT kitty. :)

[GILL]

I believe that he does, but we all know that could change in a flash. I know that I would take him in a hart beat.

[phesina]

I see they are collecting money through June 30. I will make a donation FOR SURE :love::love::love:, but I will figure out how much when I make more progress in paying off my own recent vet bills (~$3000! :eek:).

Little Dobby is ADORABLE, just PRECIOUS!!! Poor baby, his hindquarters crushed and his legs fusing all cockeyed like that. It sounds like what happened to my Sparkler, maybe even worse.

We will get you scampering, sweet little thing!

[Medusa]

I'm going to donate again but given that it's nearing the end of the month, I'm going to wait and see how my LOA check comes through. It hasn't failed me yet, so even though I have to wait to make another donation, I know I'll be able to do it. This little boy's face is haunting.

[3Catcondo]

I sent an email like you suggested, and I'll let you know what response I get. He is absolutely handsome. What a charming fellow. Regardless of his home situation, I hope he gets excellent vet care and can overcome his injuries to live a normal healthy life! He deserves it. :)

[pomtzu]

Just checked again and it's up to $885 - or 25 %. I'm sure they will get the needed funds at this rate. I'll send in more after the first of the month too!!! :)

[3Catcondo]

This is the response I got from my email inquiring about his adoption status:

He does, with a family who has a lot of cats, all very special needs kitties. However, they also cannot afford the cost of surgery for him. We would put him up for adoption, but he is never going to walk normally, and he’s always going to need glucosamine supplements and extra vet exams. Down the line he may need an amputation of the rear leg if he gets older and it starts to get arthritic. This family is prepared for that eventuality.



However, if a good home understanding of the future for Dobby comes forward, they would be happy to have him adopted out

[Medusa]

This is the response I got from my email inquiring about his adoption status:

He does, with a family who has a lot of cats, all very special needs kitties. However, they also cannot afford the cost of surgery for him. We would put him up for adoption, but he is never going to walk normally, and he’s always going to need glucosamine supplements and extra vet exams. Down the line he may need an amputation of the rear leg if he gets older and it starts to get arthritic. This family is prepared for that eventuality.



However, if a good home understanding of the future for Dobby comes forward, they would be happy to have him adopted out

Sooo, whatcha thinkin'?

[phesina]

I'm going to donate again but given that it's nearing the end of the month, I'm going to wait and see how my LOA check comes through. It hasn't failed me yet, so even though I have to wait to make another donation, I know I'll be able to do it. This little boy's face is haunting.

Speaking of the Law of Abundance, today (right after the new moon) I got a letter from the Social Security Administration saying I will receive $250, as my payment from the Economic Stimulus Plan, by late May 2009. I hadn't even written my L.O.A. check yet! (This reminded me to do that, which I just did.)

Sooo... I am going to send Dobby a donation right now! After I have a better idea of what bills I have coming, then maybe I can send some more.

I think I'll also light him a candle.

P.S., I just lit it: http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=8272985

[rg_girlca]

Oh my gosh, this poor sweet little boy.

Big time prayers on the way for little Dobby. He has a long road ahead of him and I pray that he does well in the long run. I'll see what I can send after I get all my crew their yearly shots and check ups.

[phesina]

Sparkler thinks little Dobby is hot! She hopes he will be adopted by a PTer or someone who will join PT. Then she can romance him!

[moosmom]

I'll be sending something when I get my stimulus check as well. How can you NOT, after looking at that face!!!

[Medusa]

The fund is up to $1145.00 That's really encouraging!

[GILL]

Let's keep it going, I will be sending more as bills allow, I just spent 280 to find out that Bart has a cold.

[pomtzu]

One third of the way there - $1155!!! YAY!!!! :D

[Medusa]

One third of the way there - $1155!!! YAY!!!! :D


It was at $1145 all day yesterday so I'm glad to see that it's moving again. I'll be able to contribute again in a few days.

[GILL]

I just sent more, we are getting there but we need everyones help even if it's only 1 dollar.

[pomtzu]

Hey - take a look. The amount needed has been adjusted down. Surgery is just around the corner!!! :)

[GILL]

Lets keep going, we are so close.

[kuhio98]

Testing to see if I can copy Dobby's Widget into this thread..

Not sure if it will update automatically, but when I copied it here we were at $1,235 or 61%.

<object width="250" height="250"><param name="movie" value="http://widget.chipin.com/widget/id/f8e5049058fff399"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://widget.chipin.com/widget/id/f8e5049058fff399" flashVars="" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowScriptAccess="always" wmode="transparent" width="250" height="250"></embed></object>

[momtomany]

I get paid Thursday and will contribute some more.

[kuhio98]

BUMP

Dobby is up to $1260 :D

[GILL]

I just sent more. This boy needs our help, every one.

[pomtzu]

Come on all - I'm certain everyone could spare just a dollar. This fund seems to have come to a standstill! :(

[Medusa]

You're right, Ellie. I just donated again, not much but I promised to help w/expenses for Narley if we find him a home. Every little bit adds up, though.

[phesina]

I just took a look at the Dollars for Dobby web page, to see how they were doing.. And GUESS WHAT.....


THEY MADE IT!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's from the web page (http://dobby.chipin.com/dollars-for-dobby):
-------->
We've done it!
Thank you to everyone who donated to Dobby's ChipIn! We've made our goal, and Dobby is on his way to that surgery table.

I cannot tell you enough how much this means to us to be able to help this fantastic, loving boy.

* today 3:40pm


Dobby goes to Austin
Dobby left for Austin on Saturday, May 9. Tomorrow, the 13th, he has a diagnostic appointment with Animal Trustees of Austin. Good luck Dobby!

* today 3:37pm
---------------------------


HALLELUJAH!!!!!!

[Medusa]

They must have adjusted the amount again because when I checked this morning, they were 65% there. Whatever the case, Dobby is going to get that surgery and that's what counts. YAY!!!

[pomtzu]

They must have adjusted the amount again because when I checked this morning, they were 65% there. Whatever the case, Dobby is going to get that surgery and that's what counts. YAY!!!

It was at 65% about an hour ago when I checked it too.

Whoopie!!! We here hope the surgery is a great success and he goes on to live a long and happy life. He looked so sweet in the video. :love:

Good luck Dobby!

[katladyd]

Wow! We did it! Dobby is on his way to have his surgery!!! We did good this time!!!

[Catty1]

I wonder if they got more donations from elsewhere and realized what they had from the website was enough...from reading the blog, it sounds that way.

NOW - this is serious surgery for this little guy, so I am starting up major PT Prayers that all goes well!:love:

Lit a candle here...but Dobby's name doesn't seem to show, only my initials, cc, at the top. http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=pet%20t

[GILL]

YAI just knew we could. I fell in love with his pic's, as I am sure that evryone did.
The CREW's prayers are with you little one, we know that you will be well cared for.

[rg_girlca]

I am sooooo happy to hear that precious widdle Dobby will be getting his much needed surgery.

This news has really made my day.:D

[Medusa]

Here is the edited email. (I deleted the parts that had nothing to do w/Dobby.)

...they got more than enough money – one lady just fell in love with him (wants to adopt him if his current foster mom doesn’t keep him) sent $2,000! He is currently at the vet in Austin. They have determined so far that he has no feeling in the twisted back leg and they believe both his right legs have been dislocated. They feel it was probably abuse instead of an auto hitting him, etc. He is being extensively x-rayed to determine if his right legs will support him if returned to position, etc. The twisted leg will most likely have to be amputated simply because since he cannot feel it, he could get it caught somewhere and literally tear it apart because he couldn’t feel it. A lot to be determined, and much to be decided. Poor little guy is in for a rough period whatever they decide. Mickey said two other people contacted them about adopting him once he is healed. He is stealing hearts right and left.

[Taz_Zoee]

Awww, this is wonderful! :D

[GILL]

I knew that we could do it. I also know that he will be fine. I just have too look at our Demetri. He can run faster then most of the 4 leggers. The only problem he has is jumping, but the stairs don't slow him down.
The "CREW" is wishing DOBBY good healh and lots of love in the future.

[katladyd]

I knew someone who had a 3-legged cat named Tripod. I didn't even notice he only had three legs until they pointed it out to me. He ran and climbed curtains with the best of them. I'm sure Dobby will be fine. Most likely much more agile than he is now. Hell has a special torture in store for anyone who abuses cats:mad:

[Medusa]

I knew someone who had a 3-legged cat named Tripod. I didn't even notice he only had three legs until they pointed it out to me. He ran and climbed curtains with the best of them. I'm sure Dobby will be fine. Most likely much more agile than he is now. Hell has a special torture in store for anyone who abuses cats:mad:

Yes, I agree w/you that Dobby will be fine w/3 legs. I just feel bad that he had to go through abuse. He's so adorable. I have no sympathy for abusers of any kind. Period. Don't want to hear their hard luck stories. We all have them but we don't take them out on animals or humans.

[katladyd]

Medusa, I couldn't agree with you more!

[Catty1]

There was no news on Dobby's blog, so I emailed Mickey to find out what was up. Here is the email I just got:


I have not been keeping up his blog. As soon as Dobby left for Austin, we took in a five-week-old kitten whose back legs were paralyzed. She was destined to go to Wichita, to a lady who specializes in paralyzed animals, but sadly, little Taco passed away tonight. However, she really kept us busy for the last few weeks.

So you’re missing a lot of news on Dobby—or some of it non-news, if there is such a thing. He went to Austin, had a diagnostic appointment. The vet called for x-rays. The vet said that he had a dislocated elbow on the right side, a dislocated hip on the right side, and a misaligned, fractured pelvis on the left side, and that that side also had tendon damage and nerve damage. They felt it might take three surgeries to repair, and one of them was an amputation of the bad leg on the left side. However, the amputation would have left him putting all his weight on the side with the two dislocations. It was problematic.

Rebecca at Cedar Forest Cat Ranch is hosting him, so she took him back for x-rays a the following week—the first appointment was on a Thursday, I think, the x-rays on a Tuesday. Then we waited. And we waited. Then she got a call a week later, on Friday, asking her to bring him back in the following Tuesday for more x-rays! We couldn’t get any details from the clinic. More waiting. Then another call, come back for an appointment.

As it turns out, during the diagnostic, they felt that Dobby had no deep muscle pain—when they stick a needle between the toes to see if there is any feeling way down inside. Well, then when they did the x-rays on Tuesday, they had to adjust his really bad leg, and the vet techs swore he whimpered in pain. The vet also saw on the x-rays that it looked as if the dislocations were healed, and that the joint had fused in such a way that he would have decent movement on his right side. The vet thought it better not to rebreak the dislocated joints at this time, but to wait and see. Either way, he would have arthritis down the line, but there is no predicting how bad it might be. The left leg was the big problem. After the vet techs said he whimpered, they did more x-rays, an ultrasound, and the vet re-examined him. Guess what? The nerves are beginning to heal. They don’t want to do surgery on the leg so as not to damage the nerves any further. So first, he gets physical therapy, which actually might cause the nerves to heal as well as help with the tendon damage. Whether he’ll end up needing to have the fracture rebroken later is anybody’s guess. The vet said that it might take many months for the nerves and tendons to heal sufficiently to risk surgery, and by that time, it may be better to leave the crooked leg the way it is, if he has a decent range of motion. So he’s looking at six to nine months of physical therapy. Rebecca and her husband John are in love with Dobby, who is super sweet (did you see his video on the chip in page?). They are willing to take him for the first phase, which is where the therapist works with the leg, and the second phase, where they work with the leg under supervision. Then they will teach his new mom, Mari, the lady who rescued him, how to do the therapy, and she’ll continue. In nine months, he’ll return for more x-rays, and we will all be crossing our paws that he’s sufficiently healed that he will need NO surgery at all.

The vet said he’s not out of the woods yet—he may end up losing his leg, but the vet doesn’t think so, if he can tolerate the intensive physical therapy.

[Medusa]

A good news/bad news scenario. Either way, Dobby is in for tough time but w/all the love he's getting and will continue to receive, I pray that he'll do just fine. Thanx for the update, Candace.

[GILL]

It looks like Dobby is in very good hands. I am so glade to hear it.

[Taz_Zoee]

This sounds like pretty good news for little Dobby.
Several years ago my sister was working at a vet clinic in Oregon (the first one she worked at) and they had a cat come through that they were going to euthanize because he had a deformed leg. My sister (who was originally a dog person) couldn't let them do that so she took him home. While his story is MUCH different than Dobby's, my point is he gets around just as good as any other cat despite his deformed front paw. So if Dobby can avoid surgery/amputation and not be in pain then this is wonderful!! I'm hoping since he is young enough that it will heal up nicely and then he will adapt and recover quickly. :)

[phesina]

Thank you so much for the update on Dobby, Candace. This sounds promising. What is most encouraging is that a lot of people are in there with him for the long haul, and no matter how it ultimately turns out, he has a loving home.

[Catty1]

I've attached one more email sent out to many people - it's called "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

It's an update that we all know about already...but since there are a couple of pics of Dobby on it, heck, it's worth repeating! :):love:

[katladyd]

Whatever happens, Dobby will be fine. He has many, many, people who love him:love::love:

[Medusa]

I've attached one more email sent out to many people - it's called "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

It's an update that we all know about already...but since there are a couple of pics of Dobby on it, heck, it's worth repeating! :):love:

Yes, I just received this email this morning. They must have sent it to each who contributed towards Dobby's surgery. That boy definitely is being prayed for big time!

[phesina]

How sweet! I love the new pictures of him, too. In the first picture, his left back leg looks just like Sparkler's.

[Anikaca77]

This is just wonderful that he may get a forever home. I'm saying prays for Dobby that everything go well with surgery.

Melissa

[pomtzu]

I received an email too. That's great that he might be able to avoid surgery. Hopefully the therapy will do the trick.

I just love that digitally painted pic of him - so much so, that I put it as my new background. Now I can see that sweet little face all the time. What a cutie. :love: