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POURING CATS
As the saying goes, when it rains it pours. Despite the dry forecast and dry streets, this last weekend we got drenched. A second proverb mentions raining cats and dogs and we can only be thankful that at least no dogs fell..
What did land in our unprepared laps was a second critical cat case within a week — straight after Serdica whom we saved on Friday.
In the space of three days we had to make a second life-saving — or not — decision. Today we will tell you about it in the hope you would agree it was the right one.
Meet Rayne.
RAYNE
Rayne was kicked in the chest — the vet team was unable to find another explanation for the horrific localized trauma and the lack of surface wounds or scars, which the kitten was admitted to our clinic with. The impact from someone’s boot tore the muscles between Rayne’s ribs, damaging the delicate balance of her breathing and sentencing her to slow death by suffocation. The diagnosis is a severe ‘flail chest’ with gross chest wall deformity — a life-threatening medical condition that occurs when a segment of the rib cage becomes detached from the rest of the chest wall.
What this means — whenever we take a breath groups of muscles move our ribs along a trajectory which expands the chest cavity and allows the lungs to fill up with air. The damage Rayne’s chest suffered resulted in the torn muscles pulling the ribs inwards instead of expanding her chest out, and practically making her unable to breathing normally. Without surgery hers would have been a terminal condition.
If you are battling to imagine how something like this looks, watch this short video from Rayne’s examination. (NO GRAPHIC IMAGES IN VIDEO.)
A DIFFERENT TOMORROW
If you’ve been with us for a while by now you’ve probably concluded that we could not refuse to help.
You may have also guessed that we did not delay the life-saving surgery Rayne urgently needed because of not having secured funds in advance. Upon diagnosis surgery was scheduled and executed immediately. During the complex operation internal stabilization and fixation of the rib cage was performed, and torn muscles were sutured back together. Tube thoracostomy was also carried out, which is the insertion of a chest tube into the pleural cavity in order to drain the air from a space which should maintain constant and vital vacuum if the kitten is to be able to breathe.
You can view photos from Rayne’s surgery below but please first review the following warning in red.
WARNING! VERY GRAPHIC CONTENT BELOW!
We beg of you — if you are easily shocked by images of animals in distress, please do not continue to scroll down! Please do NOT report and mark as spam our Facebook publications, Facebook page and this story because you are directly impeding our ability to rescue animals.
So, here is Rayne and here we are — once again saving a life without having the luxury of running a fundraiser campaign in advance. Stay with us for an update on Rayne tomorrow and if you can, please help us save her.
UPDATE | April 6, 2018
Today Rayne woke up able to breathe!
The localized trauma the kitten suffered to her chest, the torn muscles and detached ribs could only have one explanation — Rayne was kicked. Someone’s boot and empty heart almost stole her future, but we are working to prevent that, and succeeding. Stay with us for more updates of Rayne’s status.
UPDATE | April 19, 2018
Just as we had relaxed and started working towards releasing Rayne into a foster home, a call from the vet team informed us they had discovered a hernia, with part of the intestinal lining already protruding through the gap.
Hernia could be congenital or can develop as a result of trauma; sadly, considering the fact that Rayne was undoubtedly kicked at least once the cause is most likely the latter. Hernias require urgent medical attention as the entrapped bowel can become ‘strangulated’ and a necrotic process may commence. Rayne is a loving kitten and a brave little soldier. She got through her first complex surgery and we are standing right by her through this new challenge.
UPDATE | May 15, 2018
Rayne has finally been cleared for discharge from the veterinary clinic and we have placed her into a foster home. She is feeling much, much better, both the first and the second surgery sites are healing nicely, and she has really come out of her shell and is showing her foster parents what a sweet kitty she actually is.
UPDATE | June 20, 2018
We are overjoyed to share that Rayne has been adopted! The little cat managed to reach all the way to the United Kingdom and to enchant a lovely family, who are ready to welcome her into their hearts and lives, and take over the medical care for her.
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Early this week Rayne was spayed and is now back in her foster home recovering well, getting lots of TLC and being properly spoiled.
We have booked a place for her on a trip to the UK, which is planned for July 15th, and she will travel if we manage to pay the ticket and settle her medical bills, so we ask once again for your help.
Rayne’s story started tragically and it almost ended right there, but it is now only weeks away from ending happily! Please join us in writing the final, happy chapter of Rayne’s story by donating today so she can travel home.
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