Spook Update November 30, # 62

[Soapets]

OK, I'm going to see if I can remember how to do this:

Here is a picture of Spook taken yesterday evening, showing his right eye:


A picture that shows his "mitten toe":


Another picture of him from yesterday:


Picture of Annie looking in at Spook yesterday:


Photo of Spook next to my shoe at the Vet's (for size comparison):


Spook exploring at the Vet's office, by the door:


We will "foster" him for awhile yet after his surgery tomorrow---for sure until after Halloween. When we do turn him over to the Humane Society, we will ask that we be allowed to keep him at home with us unless/until they get someone who is interested specifically in him. They can put an ad out for him, and call us to have us bring him there to meet his prospective family if/when anyone shows interest.

I HAVE been thinking a lot of just skipping the Humane Society all together and keeping him. We already have four cats and two dogs---what's one more? But I'm afraid that if we DO keep him, I won't get any more foster kittens in the future, because I keep FAILING at fostering! I already have three cats that started out as "fosters" for the Humane Society, and I know that if I want to be able to successfully foster kittens, I have to learn to let them go. There's no way we could keep all of them.

Adopting Spook might prevent us from helping another kitten sometime down the road. If I can learn to give them up to adoption to other homes, I will be able to help a lot more of them over time. But if it comes down to having him euthanized because nobody else wants him, we would definitely keep him.

I think that whatever is supposed to work out WILL work out, so we'll just wait and see what happens for now!

[cassiesmom]

Awwwww, widdle Spook! Your poor eye. I'm glad it is not painful. Since he's having it removed at such a young age, I wonder if he will just adapt to not having it over the course of his life. I love the picture of him exploring at the doctor's office. What a tiny cutie.

[Catty1]

I am just curious - what causes an ulcerated cornea, did the vet say?

I am sure the little one won't miss his eye...but it is a shame to lose it.

He will need major cuteness warnings whatever happens!

[Soapets]

I work for an eye doctor, and humans who get corneal ulcers usually get them from some type of infection---bacterial or fungal. They can happen if there is a scratch or abrasion to the eye that gets bacteria or a fungus in it, or in humans, sometimes contact lenses and/or solution can contribute to them. We had a patient who lost an eye last year due to a fungal corneal ulcer. They are NASTY. In the early stages, it would have been very painful for Spook. But they can reach a point where the nerve endings in that area are dead, so nothing is felt. That's one of the things that bothered me about Spook when I first saw his eye. He didn't appear to be suffering any pain from it, and that's usually when it's pretty far along. I was expecting the Vet. to say the eye needed to be removed.

I was also expecting the cost to be a lot greater than she is charging for it. That's why I wanted to have the Vet. look at him before I took him to the Humane Society. I wanted to hear what a Vet. had to say about the eye, and the prognosis, and the cost, so that if the Humane Society said they would have to euthanize him, I would be able to tell them what the Vet. had said, etc.

The $196 she is charging covers the surgery and anesthesia, today's initial office visit, Spook's first feline leukemia virus shot, the fecal exam for worms, the flea treatment, the roundworm treatment, nail clipping, etc. And I didn't call ahead to make an appointment---I just went there and walked in. She isn't charging emergency charges, which add to the cost and which she would have every right to charge because of the urgency of the situation, if she wanted to. She said he's real close to having it rupture. THAT would be a lot worse than it already is. I think she gave us a price break because he is a stray and we aren't planning on keeping him at this time---we just want to do whatever it takes to give him a good chance of finding a furever home.

Anyway, remember the Vet. in your prayers---appreciation for her and her obvious love for the most vulnerable creatures that are brought to her!

[Catty1]

Prayers for that wonderful vet who loves animals, and gives them and their 'people' a break.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I sure hope that Spook's eye surgery goes well. His eye sure looks bad. I'm so glad that you took him to your vet asap. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent his way.

[Katjaye]

Spook is truly blessed! What a cute lil guy he is! Me and my hubby were ohhing and awwing over him tonight. It's too bad about his eye but such a wonderful thing that he fell into your wonderful hands!!!

[Pawla]

Poor baby! What a wonderful vet that woman is! God Bless Her & YOU! Please keep us updated.

[kuhio98]

I hope you decide to skip the shelter all together and keep him. Do you have a good working relationship with the shelter?

I thought I did with ours. I once took a kitty there and made sure all the paperwork said that if he wasn't adopted, they were to call me before euthanizing. They didn't call! They said it was a "clerical error". A kitten was needlessly put to sleep. If I had to do it all over again...........

[sandragonfly]

We already have four cats and two dogs---what's one more? But I'm afraid that if we DO keep him, I won't get any more foster kittens in the future, because I keep FAILING at fostering! I already have three cats that started out as "fosters" for the Humane Society, and I know that if I want to be able to successfully foster kittens, I have to learn to let them go. There's no way we could keep all of them.

I can RELATE.... you're not the only one. my little girl just brough in two little peanuts last night! maybe that's different but I already am up to 13... plus a dog, and sugar gliders and chinchilla, and and..

hey, mittens is a better name.. he does not looks as spooky as he is. he's so cute and I can tell he'll be so handsome ever after his surgery. hope all will go smoothly! give kisses to your little fella for me please ~ ((mwahies mwahies)).

good luck!!

[kimlovescats]

What a wonderful thing you and your vet are doing for this little baby boy! He most likely had a severe herpes virus in his eyes from birth. It happens often and it can get this bad when not treated right away! The good news though is that he was found and you, your vet and friend are taking excellent care of him!

Foster failure? Hmmm.... what's that?

Kim

[Soapets]

Spook's surgery to remove the right eye was done as scheduled today. The Vet's office called me a little after 11:00 a.m. to tell me they were just starting the surgery, and that the Vet. would call me afterwards to let me know how things went.

I was on pins and needles all morning, thinking the surgery was being done earlier, not knowing for sure, dying to pick up the phone and call the Vet's office, etc. After the call around 11:00 I was at least finally aware of what time they were doing the surgery. I waited and waited for the Vet to call me afterwards. My husband called me around 12:40 to find out if I'd heard anything yet, and I had to tell him no. She FINALLY called me around 1:00 p.m. to say things went fine, and he was awake and doing OK. She said they wanted to keep him there overnight tonight yet, though, so I could tell that he was still recuperating from the ordeal and that they were concerned enough that they wanted to keep him there a little longer than originally scheduled.

I called the Vet's office again just before their closing time of 5:00 p.m. to ask how he was getting along. The gal I spoke to then said he'd come through it "like a trooper" and had eaten, and used the litter box, etc. I asked her if he was getting feisty yet, and she said yes. I felt more reassured after talking to her.

I will take pictures of him tomorrow and get them uploaded and posted on here. (I am keeping it all on the same thread, but changing the thread's title with new updates, so that the whole story is on one thread and not spread out among several different ones. I hope that's OK, and not confusing or anything to anyone.)

[Medusa]

You have a gem of a vet there! I'm so glad that Spook is doing so well. I know that he'll thrive in your care, too. Certainly no pressure to keep him from me but I just have this feeling that you won't be able to part w/him. A friend of mine has a one eyed cat that she name One Eye Ota (one iota, get it?). He's her heart kitty. I'm just so happy for Spook. He definitely fell into the right hands. Bless you all!

[Katjaye]

Oh what wonderful news! I am so happy things went well! Thanks for the updates! Lucky you for such a wonderful Vet and such great caregivers at the vets office! Lucky Spook for finding you!

[kitten645]

That's wonderful. What a cute little fuzzball. I'm going to PM you for the address of this vet. I'd like to send her a thank you note for being so kind. These acts of kindness mean more than most people realize and I'm a strong believer in acknowledging those that go the extra mile.
Get well soon Spooks!
Claudia