My foster, Mama Rosie - poor prognosis post 29

[fragrancehound]

Lizzie,

You have such a kind heart.

[columbine]

Thank you for taking care of this hungry little kitty! Warm cuddles to Rosie - mangia, baby!

Love, Columbine

[sasvermont]

Is there something we can contribute to, to help this poor girl have a good quality of life, and help you too? She looks so pathetic, but still surviving, thanks to you.

Gosh, such a sad story. She must have such a strong will to live.

Let us know about helping out with the cost. OK?

[rosethecopycat]

What a sweetheart. That's all she needs is a mommy, even at her age.

The geezers are the sweetest and most appreciative.

Let us know about a fund for her.

Bless.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Awwwwww what a sweetheart! It is heartbreaking to see her in those first pics..... . My Zazou was like that too when we got her from a shelter. But lots of love and good food will change your Rosie into a gorgeous cat

[rg_girlca]

Lizzie girl, you have a heart of GOLD.

I know that Mama Rosie will thrive in your care and I pray that they are able to do something about her tongue. What I don't get is how the other vets missed seeing that something was clearly wrong with her tongue.

[cassiesmom]

I took Rose to the vet this morning to weigh her and she has gained almost a pound (15 ounces) in the past two weeks!

The vet would feel comfortable now giving her light sedation in order to properly examine her mouth. I just have to get the funds from the shelter.

I too am waiting for word about a Help Rosie fund. Come on Rosie girl, you are almost at five pounds now, you can top five if you eat eat eat!

[kimlovescats]

Lizzie, God bless you for taking Rosie in and giving her a whole new life!!! I know that girl has got to be so very happy to have a warm, loving home and someone who is taking the time and effort to help her. I can't imagine someone letting her starve like this. Is the hairloss on her legs just from the drool and mess accumulating so long in her fur??? How very sad!
Is she able to drink water on her own? I know they move their tongues forward when lapping as well?

Does your vet think that he can make her tongue mobile again? That would be so wonderful! I know, so many questions! Sorry!

Give that sweet girl some love from me too!

Kim

[Lizzie]

I talked to the director of the shelter on Saturday and he agreed to fund the sedated examination of Rose's mouth and biopsies. There was a lot of hemming and hawing, and he could get it done much cheaper, but in the end he agreed. It wasn't that he didn't want to help Rose, he just wanted to use yet another vet linked with the shelter - though this time one with more experience. I think he was a little embarassed at the way Rose had been neglected. She will undergo the procedure on Wednesday.

As to how other vets didn't diagnose her correctly, I don't know how it happened. She was drooling heavily and not eating, her blood results were normal, she probably didn't like having her mouth examined, so they jumped to an easy conclusion - that's my guess. In fact, she drools because she is starved. Now that she is only hungry and no longer starving, she drools far less.

She's far more active now, which is great except that she jumps up on the kitchen counters all the time. It's very sad really, she's always trying to get into food that smells good but it's impossible for her to take up any at all, not a drop or a shred.

The shelter is covering all her medication, including fluids therapy, and all food. They reimbursed me for the vet visit and her pain meds. so the only money if my own I've spent on her is part of a bag of Feline Pine litter. She takes up a lot of my time, but she is a very cheap guest.

Thank you all for your good wishes and offers of help. Now that I've taken some photos of him, I'm about to post about another foster that was also severely malnourished. In fact, he was reduced to eating slugs to survive. Now, I'm being faced with surgery for him also so I hope you will feel like helping him instead.

[Pawla]

THANK GOD for people like you! You truly are an angel, and she is truly a beautiful, and lucky girl. She knew what she was doing when she meowed her way toward you. Please keep us updated on this special kitty with reports, and photos.

[cassiesmom]

Lizzie, it's about 3:30 PM in Chicago and I have been thinking about you and Mama Rosie all day. Did the veterinarian examine her mouth yet, and how did it go? Is she still putting on weight? Could you give her a gentle pet for me, please.

How is the other foster kitty (post #24)?

[catmandu]

The Found Cats Are Praying That The White Coats Can Help Mama Rosie Regain The Use Of Her Tongue And That She Can Live As Normal A Life As Possible. The Pet Angel Hospital Visitors Will Be There To Comfort Mama Rosie When Shes In The Clinic.

[cassiesmom]

bounce

[Lizzie]

Thank you everyone for your interest,it's especially good of you when I have so very little time to respond to other posts.

The news is not good. There is no way of loosening Rose's tongue. It is hard, thin, atrophied, very scarred and almost totally immobile. It is so completely adhered in place that they were not able to intubate her because they couldn't move her tongue forward. They couldn't even biopsy the main sore on her tongue because she bled very freely after just the needle biopsy. They had to ice the needle site to stop the bleeding. The vet called a few minutes ago with the needle aspirate results - waking up Rose who was sound asleep on my lap. She has a major infection inside her tongue, even though she's been on Clavamox for a month. The cells are mutated and show signs of squamous cell carcinoma. I had noticed that she had started to keep her mouth slightly open all the time and the vet told me they hadn't been able to close her mouth even when she was fully sedated. There will come a point, and it won't be far away, when she can't swallow as I feed her and at that point I know what I must do.

Until that time, she will sleep cuddled up next to my neck at night, she won't feel starved, and she can enjoy her sunny windows. And I need to stop writing now so that I can prepare her evening feed.

[Edwina's Secretary]

"blessings on your head, mama Rosie, mama Rosie....." May the days you have left be filled with bliss...and wonderful food...and love...who could ask for more, Mama Rosie?