Routine Exam Prompts Miracle for Luna
Long about May 17, my friend and colleague, author Yasmine Galenorn took two of her cats for their routine annual examinations. Even though fifteen-year-old Luna seemed to feel fine, the veterinarian found a large mass in her tummy. An ultrasound showed lots of little cysts forming one big mass inside Luna’s liver.
Luna had been deemed healthy at her previous check up. But the liver cysts, even if benign, were growing so fast the little cat would die if nothing were done. Within a short time, it had already grown so much it made it hard for Luna to keep food down.
It was a miracle they found the mass when they did.
Luna
Like most of us, Yasmine wanted to get Luna help and didn’t begrudge the cost--IF surgery would help. But she had concerns over putting the aging kitty through traumatic procedures, especially if they would not help Luna’s quality of life. The agonizing decision was made when the doctors thought removing the affected part of her liver could save the cat--since that organ can regenerate.
Surgery was scheduled for early June--and took place just in time. “The big cyst was close to rupturing--it would have killed her if it had,” Yasmine said. The veterinarian drained almost two cups of liquid out of it, and removed almost all of the cysts. “If she comes through the recovery period okay, he said he thinks she has a good chance for at least several more good years.”
The dangerous-looking incision healed in ten days. With pain medicine and force feeding (she’s lost her appetite) Luna continues to make strides toward recovery. In fact, her strong-willed purr-sonality likely helped in her recovery. She did NOT approve of being caged.
“She figured out that if she acts like she's going to pee on the blankets, we'll open the cage door,” said Yasmine. Once the veterinarian gave her the official “get-out-of-jail-free” card, the cat clearly was happier.
The jaundice will take a few weeks to get out of her system. Luna still isn’t eating as well as she should, which means syringe feeding her until she's eating plenty on her own.
“From now on, we’re taking the girls in twice a year,” says Yasmine. “This condition was found during a routine annual exam and Luna would have been dead in three weeks if Dr. Singbeil hadn’t found the cysts and operated the next week.” She notes that he does wonderfully thorough exams, which allowed the miracle to take place.
“I just want to remind people to take their animals in to the vet every year, at the least—that annual exam can save their life."
“This has been traumatic on all of us, and it’s not over yet, but our girls are part of the family. We would not have put her through this if there was no hope, or only severely limited hope…while she’s not well yet, we’re determined to bring her back to health so she can enjoy another few years with us.”
Create a miracle for your own cats. See the vet.
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