Lucky Update- the Atresia Ani Kitten

A few people have written to ask how Lucky was doing.   So here's an update.  Lucky has gained some weight and is now about 5 lbs. 

Did I tell you that we know think she is a he?  I can't remember. I know I mentioned it on Facebook. If I did, you get to hear it again . . . . .

Let's back track a little.  Lucky had surgery to fix the atresia ani birth defect right at the end of Feb and first of March.  The sutures came out from that 2 weeks later on March 16th.  That was all fine.  So we were waiting for all that to heal a little further, get a little bigger, gain a little weight to "spay" Lucky.  So sometime around the 2nd week of April, Lucky had gotten up to 4 lbs.  (which is still little, so I decided to spay her).  From the outside, Lucky appears to be a female.  Inside, I couldn't find a uterus.  So I sewed he/she/it back up.   We could feel 2 little blips down his back leg that I "think" might be testicles.  Asides from being born with no colon,  he/she/it is far from being anatomically correct. I sort of suspect that he might be a hermaphrodite,  with both sex organs, or some bizarre genetic something or other-  like an extra X chromosome-  XXY instead of a XX or a XY.   (There are tests available to identify this, but they are expensive ($100-250) and they take a huge blood sample.  Testing really wouldn't change much at this point, so I'm holding off on those for now.)

After rooting around looking for a uterus, I didn't feel like chasing blips, so I decided to leave them alone for a little longer till he is a little older and larger.  Making them (the suspect testicle blips)  easier to find and identify.   And I still might have to send them to a pathologist to confirm they are in fact testicles. . . . .


So over the past few weeks, I've kept the camcorder out just making little video clips of Lucky and the other cats.   Well, them and the 13 year cicadas outside.  (You won't believe when you hear those videos).

 Someone asked about a Lucky update, so I strung all the little videos together into 17 minutes of Lucky.  Way more of Lucky that you ever wanted to see.  You'll be sorry you asked.   It took almost 6 hours to upload to Youtube.  All the while I'm hoping that the lights don't flicker off and knock off the modem.  And have to start all over.  (You're Welcome. . . .)

I almost neutered him this week, but then decided I was too tired (read lazy) to play, "Find the testicle" so it's on my to do list for early next week.   After that,  he'll be officially up for adoption.   Don't everyone fight over  he/she/it.   I know you are just imagining what fun dinner conversation you'll be having with your guests, trying to explain that your cat was born without a colon AND  both man and lady parts.

Enjoy-

Lucky Update- 2/25/11

Okay y'all.

Lucky's fund has grown a little more.  It takes a few days for any online donations to show up. The same with donations mailed in.  We are closer to her estimate, but not totally there.  I think with what I've sent in, and with what people have said they sent in, we are around the $1500 mark.  The official total is still $1050 when I called the office today.  That's when I found out that it takes a few days for credit card payments to show up.

So, I have decided to go ahead and schedule her surgery for next week. She's getting dropped off on Monday with surgery probably happening on Tuesday.   Thanks for everyone's help so far. Donations or just spreading the word about her.

I originally thought I wouldn't be able  to schedule her surgery until the funds were totally raised. Between 2000-$2500.   But now that we are a little closer I think it's wise to go ahead with the surgery and let the surgeons actually see what we (they) are dealing with.  With the knowledge that I (we) might need to raise a few more funds. 

Here's a little video clip I shot of her earlier.




Thanks again for everyone's help so far.  Lucky OWES everyone a LOT of chores around the house.  I'm just sayin'.

I'll keep you updated on her surgery next week.

Lucky Update

Just like the Jeffersons, Lucky moves up to a Deluxe Apartment in the sky. 

 

After Lucky's bath on Sunday, she moved to an upper apartment.  Just like Weezie. 

Thanks to a uber generous donation this week, her fund has grown up to $877. 

Lucky Had Her Surgery Consult Today

Some of you are familar with Lucky the kitten that I took in on Christmas Eve.  She has been here at the hospital waiting for a surgery consult at the University of Georgia and had that today.  But let me back up and tell you how we got here . . . . .

We first saw Lucky back at the end of August with what appeared to be a wound on her tail and some type of wound in her perineal region next to her rectum. Her family thought it was some type of trauma.  Over the few weeks, while Lucky was coming in for her vaccinations, the wound wasn't healing. 

November went by and most of December.  On the 22nd of Dec, Lucky's Mom called and her husband brought Lucky in.  Lucky had weeks worth of poop all over her rear end, flanks, and rear legs.  Once we got her cleaned up the best we could, she appeared to have some type of fistula as she had a vaginal discharge that looked a lot like poop.

In talking with the family, it wasn't looking good for Lucky. Some of the family wanted Lucky euthanized.  Some didn't. And some felt that the most humane thing to do would be to throw her out somewhere.   And it seemed that the dumping her somewhere was going to be her fate.   On Christmas Eve.  With it being 22 degrees outside.  With poop on her rear end.  And it was going to snow the next day.

So I took Lucky in to get her out of harms way.

 in the dryer cage after her bath

The Teaching Hospital is on a holiday schedule the week before Christmas until after News Year.  Most of the students are gone, and most of the cases are emergencies only.  Lucky  originally had an appointment last week when the 2nd snow storm hit.  And was rescheduled for today.

Here's a Short Video of her on Flickr. 

I think it's in the Movie Dirty Harry,  there's the line,  

" Opinions are like ass holes. Everyone Has One."  

Well, it seems that Lucky was born with no opinion.  And no ass hole. 

"Atresia Ani" is the fancy name for it.  If you insert a thermometer into her rectum, it's like a closed pouch.  And that's where the fistula developed into her vagina.   (I hope no one is about to eat dinner after reading this by the way. . . .)  Rectovaginal Fistula.

The next time you feel like calling someone an AssHole,  take the fancy route and tell them,  "You are so NOT ATRESIA ANI."  By the time they google that, you will have safely left the building.

So, at this point,  Lucky has 2 options.
1. Euthanasia.
2. Surgery to try and repair the fistula.

Surgery Estimate-  $2000-2500.   There are possible complications as even routine surgeries have risk of complications.   Colons don't like surgery.  Surgical sites don't like poop on them.  There is also the risk of nerve damage to her sphincter muscle resulting in fecal incontinence.  But at least I (we, they) tried to give Lucky the best quality of life in the first place.

Now I know that some of you are thinking,  "That sounds like a beautiful case for surgery students to study.  So much better than a routine spay.  Why can't they do it pro-bono or at a really reduced rate?"

And it is a fantastic case.  You just don't see things like this everyday.  But I can't expect the teaching hospital to do the surgery for free.  They are too many expenses involved-  salaries, utilities, medical lucky supplies, etc.   It can't all be covered by tuition alone.  Poor college students pay a lot as it is.  However, sometimes when cases go way over the estimate, the hospital does try to write some or all of that off. So I personally think it all works out in the end.

When I posted the first photos of Lucky of Facebook and Flickr, people offered to donate some funds to help her out, but I had to first find out if surgery was even a possibility.  And it is.  So, the University has set up a fund for her.

It is set up through Sundown Surgery Fund at the University website so any donation is tax deductible.  It is important to note in the Notes or Comments section that the donation is for the Lucky Fund.

If you would like to help with an online donation, here's the link to the page.  

If you would prefer to mail in a check, please make the check out to The UGA Foundation for Sundown Surgery and make sure to note For Lucky on the check.  The mailing address is

Veterinary External Affairs Office- Sundown Surgery Fund
501 D.W. Brooks Drive
Athens, GA 30602 USA 

I would also appreciate if you would take the time to pass this post around.  Post it on Facebook. Tweet it.  Email it.  Lucky can't have surgery until the funds are raised.   The Foundation Office will let me know when donations come in so that I can share it with you. 

Any questions?  Drop me an email at andy@andymathis.com