It's definitely better to be safe than sorry in this kind of situation. I know you have advice coming from every direction. Hang in there! You'll get through this and so will Bash!We are gonna bring Bash to the vet now. We are so worried. Ill keep hou posted.
Distemper is extremely common among the rescues there in the Philippines and it is highly contagious. You will need to disinfect any room or items that Bash came into contact with that your other cats may also have contact with, especially if they are not vaccinated.
NOT A GOOD NEWS:
Bash is very weak, they immediately put dextrose and injected vitamins. I can see it was very painful for him because he started kicking their hands away from him. I talked to them and they said, there's nothing wrong with the healing of his eye. She said it's not infected. I told her it was color yellow, and she said, it's normal, (the pus), because it needs to go out of his eye until it dries and heals. She said Bash was having a seizure but for me, it wasn't a seizure. He was just very scared and in pain. Then they said he might have this virus called distemper. And then the vet explained to me what it is, how it can infect our other cats too, and told me it doesn't have cure. They said he might have acquired a disease because he doesn't have vaccines. As of now, Bash is there to gain strength. He will need to undergo some tests to know what disease he is suffering from. (If there are any). I also told them that he started not eating last night and he was panting and kneading so much I think it's because of pain. I asked them if he has any pain reliever and she said he only has this antibiotic medicine to take. I told her about my idea that Bash is in pain so I want them to prescribe him a pain reliever.
The problem is, my sisters and I paid for the expenses when he got operated. When we were at the vet, I deposited a thousand, but I doubt it would be very much helpful because just the 1 day confinement costs 750.00 so we only have 250 remaining from the money. He won't be well for a day, I know it will take time but I have nothing else to pay. I dont have anyone else helping me with the financial needs. Im so broke. My aunt also told me that the expenses are being impractical already. I doubt it that they would help me with Bash. Im so stressed because of that. Bash's medication is unsure and I'm much more stressed because there's a high possibility of deadly viruses. And Im growing tired of it. (You might not understand because all of you have the ability to provide your pets' needs and wants) I'm still a student, being concerned about a pet that's not even mine and trying my best to give him what I have. It's very difficult, you know. Im in this situation where I just want him to be well and be happy but I don't have the upper hand and I can't do a thing. Im thankful my sisters helped Bash with the operation. But now, I don't think they still can.
Missed this earlier. I spoke with the co-founders and fellow board members and PART will definitely still accept Bash if it comes to that. We would have to get him to transferred to Pendragon in Quezon City. But let's cross that bridge if we get there.
Right now, Im considering to surrender Bash to PART or if they dont want to accept him, I'll talk to other Animal Welfare Associations. I don't know what's left to do. We cannot provide his needs. Im in pain knowing that he's not in a good condition and Im in pain knowing that I have to give him up soon and give him to someone who can take care of him. I love this cat very much. It makes me so sad to even think about it. And what I'm more afraid of is that I'll lose him because I didn't give him the medical treatment he needs. It breaks my heart to see him like this.
That's really interesting to know. Thank you for sharing.
Distemper is what we here in the US know as panleukopenia. Same as puppy parvo but kitty version.
The only test I know of is a snap test designed for puppy parvo, it is more accurate then not, but not 100%.
False negatives happen but rarely false positives.
This is not an expensive test.
The only chance of survival through this as it is highly deadly, is with strong supportive care.
If you think that he has a better chance being turned over to PART, then perhaps this is the way to go now.
If this is that common in cats in the Philippines, all kittens should be vaccinated just as they are here to prevent this ugly virus.
Yes, it is highly contagious, a VERY strong, long lived virus that lives hidden in tiny cracks and crevices for 18 months.
The only right thing to do is to NOT allow another unvaccinated cat to the home during this period or they stand a great chance of getting it also and can die.
My eye kitten as pictured in my posts above also has swelling and drainage today now, I have not seen this happen ever before, but all of the previous ones I've had done were covered in a thick gauze bandage their first week, I was surprised to see it uncovered this time (different vet) and I just spoke with her, she said warm compresses several times a day allows that eye to drain rather than getting backed up around the eye and is a normal part of the healing process.
100% agree...which is why we try to get animals turned over to our partner vets ASAP...they know the drill and do all the blood work and vaccinations at cost for us, saving considerable fees. This is the tricky thing about rescue work in developing countries. Spaying and neutering are less common...either because people can't afford it or they have a backyard breeding operation (HUGE issue). Vaccinations are even less common, a nice to have rather than a need to have...again because many can't afford it. As such the animals we take in are riddled with highly preventable, usually contagious, diseases. We have an isolation protocol we follow when new animals come in, and we intervene with deworming, antibiotics, vitamin supplements and immune boosters from the jump. I have a vet practically on call (even does house calls for me) where I live, and I've got a war chest of medicines that almost rivals what they keep at the clinic. Despite all that...the survival rate is still appallingly low because of problems stemming from such a large, unvaccinated animal population reproducing so quickly. I'm sad to say I've buried as many cats and kittens as I've saved.If this is that common in cats in the Philippines, all kittens should be vaccinated just as they are here to prevent this ugly virus.
Wow......I have saved SO many, countless, yet those I was unable to save, despite it being a very very small number compared to how many saved, each time it happens it tips the scales dramatically for me.100% agree...which is why we try to get animals turned over to our partner vets ASAP...they know the drill and do all the blood work and vaccinations at cost for us, saving considerable fees. This is the tricky thing about rescue work in developing countries. Spaying and neutering are less common...either because people can't afford it or they have a backyard breeding operation (HUGE issue). Vaccinations are even less common, a nice to have rather than a need to have...again because many can't afford it. As such the animals we take in are riddled with highly preventable, usually contagious, diseases. We have an isolation protocol we follow when new animals come in, and we intervene with deworming, antibiotics, vitamin supplements and immune boosters from the jump. I have a vet practically on call (even does house calls for me) where I live, and I've got a war chest of medicines that almost rivals what they keep at the clinic. Despite all that...the survival rate is still appallingly low because of problems stemming from such a large, unvaccinated animal population reproducing so quickly. I'm sad to say I've buried as many cats and kittens as I've saved.
All that said, Lorena don't give up hope on Bash. I've seen kitties come back from much worse. He needs to stay confined at the vet for now and let them do what needs done. Moving him back and forth from clinic to home puts him and other cats at greater risk.