Momma cat with SEVERE mastitis...possible gangrene? WARNING - GRAPHIC PHOTOS

Her name is Tigger

She lost the scab last night and so now there is just a cavernous hole. Still quite a bit of pus but at least it will drain now.

However, she is still not eating much and she vomited the few temptations I was able to get in her (along with her meds)

The vet phoned for an update. I am taking her in to get a long acting shot of antibiotics (2 weeks) and an anti nausea med shot.

I'll bring home some sterile saline and gently irrigate the area to try and flush the pus out.

If I have to...I'll bring her in over the weekend to the shelter and they can give sub Q fluids.

Hopefully, keep her comfortable til the results come back.

*Sigh*
 

 Poor Tigger. She just has to eat.  If she goes to long, it's going to cause more issues. I hope once she gets the anti-nausea meds, she will. It mat be a good idea to mix water in with her food, to get

more fluids in her. It may be a little easier on her tummy as well. If she doesn't go for the food, maybe you can try crushing up some of her treats & sprinkle on top. Did they say anything about pain meds?

Oh, & I would warm up the saline a little when you wash the wound out.  Poor baby, give her a kiss for me!

OMG I really am extremely concerned for Tigger and a bit angry at the same time at the vet. Not you, hun.... please know that you are doing all you possibly can. I had a feeling that if she did not get help a few days back and that vet didn't take this more serious, things could get bad fast. I understand that this is a shelter cat that you are fostering. It just breaks my heart that they (the shelter and shelter vet) are not doing more for you so you can save this cat. I honestly think this is extremely critical now. Did you ask the vet about the possibility of Septicemia? Is that a concern? I am sorry and do hope and pray that I am wrong. Praying hard for Tigger. :rub: :rub: :rub: :rub: :rub: :rub: :rub: :rub: :rub: :rub:

http://www.petmanage.com/cat-health/mastitis-in-cats.html
http://www.vetinfo.com/mastitis-in-cats.html

Thanks for your support. The vet bill from yesterday was close to $500 and thankfully, a supporter of our shelter has offered to pay for the bill. The shelter would have euthanzied due to lack of funds.

I hope the vet gives us a break today and does not charge a consult fee and just charges for the shots. I will be paying for this bill as I know the shelter's position and I really want to give her a chance while we wait for the culture results.

I brought home some A/D wet food, which is the recovery (suppose to stimulate eating). She wouldn't eat it. I'll try some cooked chicken and rice.

As for Septicemia, yes she said we could do a full blood panel for $180 or just a CBC for $90. My response was...with her symptoms, lets just assume she is septic and treat her.

Can you give cats Gravol? I'm going to talk to shelter manager to see if she's working this weekend in case she needs fluids.

Let me say that I think what you are doing, the charity work you do for cats, is something that I admire and you are amazing. I thank you for trying to save this cat. I was worried about the cost involved in treating Tigger and wondering if that shelter would approve or just go ahead and euthanize. :shame: I do think there will be costs involved in saving her and honestly, at this point, I think that is where this is. Trying to save this cat's life. I agree with you, hun, treat her as if she is septic. Please know that my thoughts are not far from you or Tigger today. Bless you, dear, for being strong and putting your heart on the line on this one. :heart3:

Yes. She is a Mom - Hero.  If anybody has made herself worth saving, so this is this cat. Taking care of her kittens and letting them nurse with such pains and being herself severely sick...

Im glad she has now a chance. Im continuing to praying for her Tigger.

And of course, you Levi helping her and the kittens at your outmost. Please do accept my blessings.

Thank you so much for your kind words.

So, I just back back from the vet. She discussed a few more options, a honey/suger pack bandage and a wet/dry bandage.

She also said they have a laser that they use for various wounds, one setting is to kill bacteria and encourage blood supply.

I am hesitant to put any bandage on it as I do think that letting the pus drain and having it open to the air would encourage healing.

The laser sounded very expensive but to my pleasant surprise she said she would do it free of charge and again tomorrow!

So, she also had a shot of long acting antibiotics and a shot for her nausea/vomiting.

She is home and guess what she did..went right over to her kibble and started to eat! Now, let's hope it stays down and I'll offer her some wet food in a bit.

I'll be taking her back in tomorrow for her second laser treatment. I'll post some pics of her that I took when we got home. Just of her face this time unless anyone is curious about how her wound now looks.

I consider it a learning curve and it's good to gain knowledge as we go along as it could help other cats one day.

Bless you for taking such good care of Tigger. Sending lots of vibes your way for a quick recovery.

Yay, She ate!  What a releif!  Hopefully she will now start feeling better w/ food & the meds in her. "Good girl Tigger!"

I want to add a "bless you", too.  That is a such a severe ulceration and without your care, say if Tigger was in the wild, I cannot imagine what she would have gone through.  I do not have words to describe how wonderful I think you and the others pitching in to save this cat are.       

Can I do a happy "Tigger" dance!!! :hobbes: Wonderful to hear that she was willing to eat something. I know that she is not out of the woods yet, but I think we can all be happy about your last report, at least this is something positive for tonight. The vet seems to be really stepping it up to do what she can and NOT charging for the laser treatment!!!!!

You know, I think you have a lot to do with the care that Tigger is receiving. YES, because of you and your gentle persistence asking for help for this dear cat - people are waking up and realizing that this momma is SO worth the effort. I think Stefan brought up a very enlightening point in that Tigger IS a wonderful, loving, kind and tolerant mother allowing her kittens anywhere near her while enduring such pain and agony. Now, THAT is mothering. :nod: Tigger deserves this medical attention and I am thrilled to hear that she is going to get it. Sending more vibes/prayers/healing energy and anything else I can think of tonight. for being cautiously optimistic and hopeful for Tigger's full recovery. :cross:

What a pretty girl! Bless you for taking such good care of her and helping people to realize that she is worth the time, money, and effort. You're an angel. :]

Eating is a good sign - hopefully the antibiotics are getting on top of the infection.  Can see where the vet is coming from with honey/sugar, and wet/dry - they might both be worth considering down the line.  We can get 'moist healing' dressings in the UK and I used some when I grazed my knee badly, and they were brilliant. 

If only we had more people like you.  Having cared for sick and injured and special needs cats, I can relate to what you are going through.  Can I help with the vet bills.

Lesliecat said:

If only we had more people like you.  Having cared for sick and injured and special needs cats, I can relate to what you are going through.  Can I help with the vet bills.

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That is very generous of you . Through Tiggers illness I approached our shelter and asked if we could start a Foster Care Fund.  Where monies raised would help animals needing foster care. The majority are injured cats and dogs. Pregnant cats and orphaned kittens. The shelter operation manager gave it a thumbs up.

We do have a Honey Fund that is for animals in need of operations or other life saving things but I find they are stingy with this money unless it's a dog.

Fostering is my passion so I would def be out there fundraising for it. I want Tigger to be the catapult for the initial drive for money. She has such a tragic story..babies having babies. Then her health issues on top of it. The fact that she was only 5 months old when she got pregnant and the fact that she had 7 kittens should bring awareness for early spay/neuters. 

The bill yesterday was only $76 and I will drop some cash off at the shelter today.

In the mean while, if anyone did want to contribute, the website is www.hskl.ca and we take donations through Canada Helps. It should go into the Honey Fund for now and make notes to say it for Tiggers vet bills. Perhaps if we can get more raised, I can continue on with the laser treatments that would surely do her good.

I think I good name for my money drive is Give to the "Tigger Titty Fund".

An update for this morning: She didn't eat alot but what she did eat stayed down! I took her some chicken and rice late last night and she liked that.

Thanks again to everyone!!!

Tigger ate some wet food (a different brand) not alot..but..

So far, she has not vomited. I think her wound looks so much better after the second laser treatment. There was still alot of yellow/green discharge before and it looks drier tonight and I hate to tempt fate but ...like it's healing.

The vet will call on Monday, hopefully with the preliminary findings of the swab and she is going to try and give a good price to continue to laser. I really think if she was lasered once a day Mon-Fri she would be home free.

I am going to try and raise some money through my facebook friends.

Please continue to send your good thoughts her way...I think they are working!

 That's wonderful news!  It's great that she ate a good amount. It sounds like a good sign if her appitie is back, she must be feelng a little better.

                                                                                      GOOD GIRL TIGGER!!!!!!!!

 

Hoping she continues to improve.  How's she looking and feeling today? 

There was still quite a bit of drainage this morning around the hole, just crusty, mucky stuff. She was an angel and let me sponge it off with a sterile gauze pad and epsom salt soak. She didn't eat overnight but she didn't vomit either.

I offered about 3 tbsp of wet food and she ate more than half of it. I brought her some different kitten kibble (she had Iams) but I normally feed Royal Canin.

I was gone most of the day as I had to go out of town. When I got home, she had ate a good portion of the RC kibble! The wound looks so good! No discharge and just...good. She is more active tonight, grabbing the sheet that I tried to remove from the bed. (playfully) She's bounding around and rolling around like she's feeling so much better.

What a huge relief!

I picked up the babies from my friends house. They are all doing well, gaining and growing. They are 2 weeks today. 

I would still like to see her get one or two more laser treatments. It certainly wouldn't hurt .

Hmm.So happy.