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EXTRAORDINARY
Lorraine is not a baby, yet she is slightly larger than a computer mouse.
Here is what we mean.
While Lorrain is a tiny kitten, she has a couple of Really Big Problems.
Please carry on reading and join us in helping her overcome them.
WILL LORRIE GROW UP?
Lorraine came to us from rescuers who were perplexed by the fact that during the time she spent with them, she did not seem to grow. There was also something weird going on with her eyes — Lorraine did not blink..
We admitted Lorie to our trusted clinic, where after thorough examinations and tests by two senior vets, Lorraine’s situation became a bit clearer.
Lorrie may, or may not, be a pituitary dwarf. Pituitary dwarfism, also called growth hormone deficiency, is a condition in which the pituitary gland fails to produce sufficient quantities of growth hormone. This results in kittens who experience slow growth and who lag behind their siblings when it comes to growing. The condition does not affect brain development.
Time and a series of hormonal tests will answer the question of whether Lorrie is going to grow. She has gained a bit of weight since she came to us, so we are hopeful and waiting!
LORRIE’S EYES
Lorrie’s eyes are a more obvious problem. One of her eyes is underdeveloped and she also suffers from agenesis of the eyelid — congenital defect in which the upper eyelid is not formed properly.
To help you imagine what this means for the kitten, we will ask you to stop reading and look HERE. No, don’t carry on reading, look at the bold word in capitals in the previous sentence. And don’t blink. Hold it, hold it.. hold.. hold.
You can keep your eyes open for a minute at most, two minutes tops, and if you do it properly you should end this little experiment with teary eyes. Did your eyes start stinging? Did it hurt? And in the end, no matter how much you fought against it, your body took over control, bypassed you and forced you to blink.
There are 1400 minutes in a day, and healthy eyes blink roughly 4 times per minute. Lorrie, however, cannot blink even once — because her eyelids do not cover her eyes. This burning stinging sensation you felt for a second is her daily life.
Thankfully the underdeveloped eye may catch up and the eyelids can be reconstructed with special surgery! The vet team’s prognosis is very good, we are incredibly hopeful and asking you for help with raising the required funds for the operation.
UPDATE | August 14, 2017
Lorrie’s first problem was a possible pituitary dwarfism, a growth hormone deficiency which causes kittens to growth slowly and lag behind their siblings. Thankfully all hormonal test results came back reassuring and we have now established that Lorrie is growing and already weighs a considerable 963 grams!
Lorrie’s eyes are her second problem. One of them is underdeveloped and the other suffers from agenesis of the eyelid – a congenital defect in which the upper eyelid is not formed properly, and the kitten cannot blink. While we are giving the underdeveloped eye more time to catch up, Lorrie is now strong enough for anesthesia and reconstructive surgery of the healthy eye’s eyelid.
We have placed Lorrie in a foster home where she spends her time being an almost normal kitten, patiently waiting for us to raise the funds for her surgery. All through the tests, examinations, monitoring and checkups she remained patient, enduring the necessary procedures and attention, trusting us and waiting. Waiting to be happy, waiting to able to blink.
We promised her it will happen. Please help us keep that promise.
UPDATE | August 16, 2017
Good news but unexpected delay after Lorrie’s exam yesterday.
Kitty Lorraine had her check-up yesterday and the vets confirmed she now represents a full 1 kg of cat! Our baby however has been coughing a bit recently and after a chest exam and some Xrays she was diagnosed with upper respiratory infection, and prescribed antibiotics. In 10 days we are back at the clinic, and have decided to take this delay positively as it allows us additional time to raise the needed reconstructive surgery funds.
UPDATE | August 31, 2017
Lorrie is not getting better.
The respiratory infection is not clearing and Lorraine’s breathing is still very labored. She has now been started on a second antibiotic and also on topical antibiotic drops for her eyes and nose. If this respiratory distress does not clear within a week we will be scheduling a rhinoscopy to search the nasal cavity for abnormalities. Considering the fact that Lorrie has an eye with a congenital defect, the vets are not excluding this possibility.
UPDATE | September 4, 2017
Sometimes everything clicks, treatments work, animals are healed and then adopted. Other times.. things get complicated.
Our baby Lorraine has come down with a proper respiratory infection.
The slight rattle in her chest, present upon her very first admission to our clinic, was being treated with an antibiotic. The medication ran its course, however, and there was no improvement. In fact Lorraine has deteriorated. Last week more examinations and tests were done, and the vet team concluded that her airways have narrowed, possibly due to prolonged inflammation, or — and this is the really worrying part — the bones in her nasal cavity may not be developing correctly. Considering the fact Lorrie has a congenital defect in one eye the latter would unfortunately not be a surprise. If the tests return no indication of a viral infection, a rhinoscopy is scheduled to investigate the problem.
Please wish little Lorrie courage, and if you can help with her medical bills at the links below.
UPDATE | September 6, 2017
No virus for Lorraine! This answer however opens up new questions.
Last week saw a worsening of Lorrie’s condition, fever, breathing difficulty, and as tests results continue to come in they are negative for herpesvirus, calicivirus & viral rhinotracheitis.
Next on the list is a rhinoscopy, which will aim to investigate Lorraine’s nasal cavity and look for bone malformation, similar to her underdeveloped eye. Kitty is back with her foster where she will complete the antibiotic treatment.
UPDATE | September 28, 2017
Today Lorrie has a vet checkup.
We gave Lorraine a break from the cameras for a while and are glad to report she is ok. Relatively. After a worrisome period with high fevers, difficulty breathing, two antibiotic courses, two types of eye drops and a true battery of tests — Lorrie is doing well but her breathing is still raspy.
Next step is a rhinoscopy which will be confirmed and scheduled during today’s appointment, and will aim to investigate the state of kitty’s nasal cavity. Thank you for your patience to all adoption candidates while we deal with this unexpected delay, we will pick up the conversation soon.
UPDATE | October 11, 2017
Lorrie’s one seeing eye is now in danger.
Lorraine’s health troubles caused us to postpone her eye surgery and also used up all the funds raised for it. It seems now however we no longer have a choice.
The short stubby lashes of the underdeveloped eyelid have started causing damage to the kitten’s one healthy eye, despite the gels and eye drops we’ve been administering to prevent exactly that.
The rhinoscopy will have to wait and we have now scheduled the first reconstructive eye surgery for Wednesday next week. The operation will correct the congenital defect in the improperly formed upper eyelid which does not allow the kitten to blink normally, and is now also badly scratching the eye. The specialist surgeon will use tissue from Lorrie’s lip and enlarge and craft a new eyelid. The operation is complicated so wish our baby girl courage and keep her in your thoughts.
We do not have the funds to cover the cost of the surgery, but will go ahead with it regardless. Please if you can help us pay for the operation by donating at the links below.
Please help Lorrie get the long awaited surgery.
Donate with debit/credit card or Paypal in USD:
Donate with debit/credit card or Paypal in EUR:
(Other currencies will be automatically exchanged.)
Lorrie will need a great home — message our Facebook page or email adoptions@myletsadopt.com if you can provide it! She is in Bulgaria but transport to almost anywhere in the world can be arranged if the right home is found. Share the story, comment and stay with us for updates on Facebook: Let´s Adopt! Global.
* Let’s Adopt! Global is a 501c3 charity and your donation is tax deductible. All funds will go towards the animal’s care. Any remaining funds will go to support our other rescues and mission.
I am sending my thoughts and prayers for this sweet baby. I will be donating this week to help with her medical costs. Kisses an hugs for you sweetheart
Precious baby
Poor baby. I wish I could take her but I live in an apt that doesn’t allow me to have an animal companion (looking for a new place). Hopefully someone will be able to give her the home & love she deserves, that all animals deserve
I wish I could have her because I take in mostly handicapped cats. I had one blind one, one with only one eye, one with very few teeth, one with inoperable cancer, one with a very bad heart, one who had been left out in the cold and had frostbite, one whose ears were cut off by evil kids, one whose tail was cut off, and one who was born with twisted hind legs. He had one amputated and the 3rd one is bent in at a 90 degree angle. I bought stairs for him to get on the couch and bed. He can use the litter box fine and is now 14 years old. I have experience with handicapped sweeties. I would love to have her. But, I live in Chicago Illinois USA.
Lorraine can travel to the USA, we would love to discuss her adoption with you. We have sent you an email.
Read post and do not see where this sweetie is located…..also last post from august 3rd, update please and some pictures especially next to a computer mouse to see if she is growing. Thank you
Finally saw location in post, do you usually post the vet clinic that is caring for the cat or dog?? LAG may get donations made directly to the vet in the name of the animal being treated?? I know I would contact the vet to thank them for the good works and if they accept funds to be applied towards a particular animal may make a donation that way as well as the donations made via the links posted here.
There are always locations in our stories. We rescue in different countries and use different clinics in different cities. Apart from the language barrier when the rescue is happening in Indonesia or Bulgaria, for ex. the clinics are generally not geared up to receive donations and openly prefer not to do it, as multitudes of small transfers play havoc with their accounting. The clinics also prefer not to be contacted by individuals because their reception is not geared up to take the calls of all the kind people that may wish to phone and thank a vet.
ahh really wonderful!! how much should she weigh, will there be health issues in the future to count with? she is very sweet!!
why in God’s name would you put this poor little thing through this? I have watched many times when kittens at Vet Ranch(incredible animal rescue in Texas-check it out on youtube)have had to have dead diseased eyes removed and the kittens do absolutely amazing! In fact you can hardly tell that they don’t have eyes due to the way they are able to get around and function day to day perfectly and most importantly are very HAPPY little kitties! I’m sorry but I do not believe in subjecting small kittens such as this to anesthesia and a risky procedure.
It is not always in the animals best interest to perform these kinds of operations. If it dies from the operation will you have really done what is best? Please re-consider or are you just taking the more ‘extreme’ option in order to solicit funds? I think you know why and who that is a reference to.
Do you follow our facebook page? Lorraine is doing very well. Check it out! https://www.facebook.com/letsadoptglobal/photos/a.112429425448230.13265.111324518892054/1765918276765995/?type=3&theater
We appreciate your concern and hope you follow along with her recovery.