Animals in Distress: Abandoned kitten with one eye gets a second chance
Sponsored column: Animals in Distress is a new What’s On column profiling the amazing animal shelters, veterinary clinics, carers and passionate team at Royal Canin UAE working together to save the lives of stray animals in the UAE. Every month, Royal Canin UAE has pledged to cover the costs of vet bills for select animals in need. These are their stories…
A bad start
Fivos had a tough start in life. At just four months old, this tiny kitten was all alone, with a terrible eye infection.
He was taken to Animalia Veterinary Clinic in Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi, where an emergency consultation with Dr Grizic confirmed that he was blind in his right eye, likely due to some sort of trauma, followed by infection and swelling.
With a lot fluid pressure inside the eye, Fivos was in a lot of pain. The team first needed to control the infection and reduce the swelling before there would be any chance of saving his sight.
The kitten was admitted to the hospital for stabilisation, and Royal Canin UAE covered the full costs of the treatment.
Initial treatments
As is common with stray cats and kittens during this time of year, Fivos was severely dehydrated and emergency stabilisation was necessary before any further options could be considered. He was provided with intravenous fluids and medicine to help treat the infection and manage the pain. He was also tested for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus and was given the all-clear.
During his time in the hospital, the loving nurses and vets were able to spend time with Fivos – getting him accustomed to human contact.
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Over three days, the swelling reduced, allowing Dr Grizic to better assess the infected eye. Sadly, due to prolonged pressure in the eye, the damage was too extensive – there was no chance that the kitten’s vision would return.
With the eye causing a great deal of pain to Fivos and having no visual function, the decision was made to remove it to allow Fivos to have a pain-free future.
A bright future
On September 16, Dr Grizic performed a surgery at Animalia Clinic called enucleation – which is the removal of the eye and the damaged tissues. The surgery was a success and Fivos has since made a healthy and speedy recovery, responding well to the treatment, care and kindness of the clinical team at Animalia Clinic.
In more good news, Fivos was adopted last month, and is settling well into his new family. A happy ending for a very special cat.
For more info on Royal Canin UAE, visit instagram.com/royalcaninuae or for useful vet advice, click here.
Images: provided