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(If you have a special story you would like to share with us about your pets, please feel free to call us at 507-524-3748 e-mail us at allpets@hickorytech.net.)

TIKI!!!

Peggy Marks is one of those people who are leaving their mark on this world from what they do for animals. She opens her house as a foster home for the Blue Earth Nicollet County Humane Society (BENCHS), and believe me she does more than just feed and water the pets that are under her care. Whenever her foster guests need something, she goes to bat for them in her simple but tenacious way. Usually what they need is time and attention, and so that's what she gives them.

Which brings me to Tiki. Tiki came to Peggy's home pregnant, sneezing from an upper respiratory infection, and she also had a large umbilical hernia. Surgery to fix the hernia was not a very good option due to the pregnancy, so Peggy kept a close eye on her in case of an emergency until she had her kittens, which happened a week or so after coming to Peggy's home. Tiki had 4 healthy kittens and the hernia caused no problems during labor. But Peggy called one Sunday morning to tell me that Tiki's sneezing was worse and she was not eating, and that the newborn kittens still looked good but were also sneezing.

Upper respiratory infections in cats are caused by viruses that are highly contagious. Cats develop immunity from either getting exposed to the viruses or from being vaccinated. Some of that immune protection can be passed through the milk to newborn kittens, and lasts until they are several weeks old - just enough of a head start for their own immune systems to become strong enough to protect them from those viruses.

In Tiki's case, Peggy did not know if she had been vaccinated before or not. So the best way to save the kitten's lives was to keep Tiki producing milk and to keep the kittens drinking - so that they would get as much protection as possible from Tiki's milk. In order for Tiki to produce milk she had to eat, which she stopped doing because of her fever from the upper respiratory infection. We were not worried about Tiki's life - we knew she would recover - but we were worried about saving the kitten's lives.

We started Tiki and the kittens on fluids and medications to help with the infection and the fever, but Tiki still would not eat, and the kittens started to rapidly do down hill from starvation and dehydration. Peggy is an expert at bottle feeding kittens, but in this case they needed Tiki's milk. Milk replacer would not contain the protection against the virus infections that the kittens were already infected with.

We needed to get lots of food into Tiki right away. So we discussed some options and Peggy called the good people at BENCHS, who called on a Good Samaritan who was willing to "adopt" Tiki financially.

With this team behind Tiki, we moved forward and placed an e-tube - a feeding tube that went through the side of her neck into her esophagus (the tube that goes from her mouth to her stomach). This allowed us to feed Tiki the amount of food she needed in order to support her milk production while her appetite was poor. We also hospitalized her and the kittens, and provided lots of supportive care.

Tiki recovered from the e-tube surgery just fine, and she tolerated the tube very well. Within 6 hours of placing the e-tube, Tiki's dehydration was under control and her mammary glands were full of milk for the kittens. In spite of her upper respiratory infection, we could hear her trying to purr to her kittens as they nursed. They rapidly filled out as their bodies absorbed the nutrients from Tiki's milk.

Now everything depended on how much protection the kittens had received from Tiki's milk, and how well their young immune systems were able to protect them from the upper respiratory viruses. One kitten died, but the other three looked great, although they had runny eyes and noses. Then suddenly two other kittens died - they had been doing fine but once the viruses got the upper hand they went downhill quickly.

The remaining kitten continued to improve. By now Tiki was feeling lots better and we had removed the e-tube so she was back to eating on her own. We had sent them home and Peggy had worked around the clock trying to save the kittens, making sure that they were eating every couple of hours and getting their meds. She continued that effort with the one survivor, and with Peggy's efforts and Tiki's good milk that kitten continued to improve.

As you can see by the pictures, Copper is quite the little rascal. He is a normal little guy who terrorizes the other cats in Peggy's house. He definitely has his own personality, and will make someone a very good pet when he leaves Peggy's foster care.

As in most cases, the really hard things get done best when there is a good team that gets right after things. In this case Copper owes his life to Peggy Mark, to the people at BENCHS, and to the anonymous person who helped financially. And to Tiki of course, who tolerated more than any new mom should have to, and who definitely deserves to be the Pet of the Month!

Dr. Tim Klein

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Every other Saturday 8:00-12:00

All Pets Medicine, Surgery and Rehabilitation Clinic, PA
106 Hwy 22 South
P.O. Box 477
Mapleton, MN 56065
507-524-3748

After-Hours Emergency
(507) 524-3748

All Pets Technicians Lisa and Jo feeding Tiki.

Tiki showing off her new e-tube!

Tiki and Peggy watching Copper show off!