Marshfield Area Pet Shelter Helps Kittens Needing Emergency Eye Surgery

Shelters Reminds Public to Spay and Neuter, Welcomes Donations

OnFocus – In early October, nine kittens of various ages were found huddled together in one abandoned carrier at Pick n’ Save and turned over for care at Marshfield Area Pet Shelter (MAPS). All named after car brands, Chevy, Subaru, Honda, Jeep, Kia, and Dodge were particularly in need of emergency care.

“Like many kittens that come to us, they had fleas and upper respiratory infections.  The most concerning issue, though, was the damage to the eyes due to chronic eye infection,” said Holly Henschke, CVT and Medical Care Coordinator. “It is very common for feline upper respiratory viruses to cause damage to the eyes if left untreated, resulting in disfigurement and even rupture.  If treated early on, this can be avoided.”

Lucky for these kittens, MAPS provides thorough medical treatment to all strays that enter their facility.

“Every animal that comes into our facility gets vaccinated, dewormed for the duration of their stay, and treated for fleas and ticks.  Additionally, they receive the medical care they need to get them healthy enough for adoption,” said Henschke. “With these babies, medical care was a bit more complicated.”

Due to the kitten’s small size, shelter staff researched to find a veterinary practice able and willing to safely administer necessary eye treatment. So far, six of the nine kittens have undergone eye-removal surgery for badly damaged or ruptured eyes. In the interim, these kittens received oral and topical antibiotics and numbing eyedrops to keep them comfortable.

Though several of these kittens now have one eye, they will be able to live a normal life.

“It is incredible to witness the resilience of animals.  The day they got back from surgery, they were playing and happy, like any typical kitten,” said Henschke. “Cats have the ability to adapt to just about anything, and these little ones are no exception. These boys will be going up for adoption very soon, as they are recovering beautifully from their surgeries.”

For those looking to help these and other kittens, monetary donations are always welcome. Along with spay and neuter, the total medical bills for just these kittens was $1,667.

“Our community is so special to us because it was due to their generous hearts that we were able to afford all of these procedures,” said Henschke. “This is where monetary donations help us most.  As always, spay and neuter your pets.  You can also donate to low cost spay and neuter programs in your area.”

“This situation is another example why it is important to spay and neuter,” added MAPS Executive Director Karen Rau. “Many unwanted litters of kittens suffer from lack of medical care. By the time they do get the care they need (most likely from a shelter), the damage is already too severe, the kittens have suffered from their illnesses and the shelter has to absorb high medical bills. Spay and neuter!”

Though it might be easy to get angry at whomever discarded these kittens, Henschke maintains a compassionate spirit towards the individual.

“While I would never encourage abandonment of animals, my heart goes out to the person who made the decision to leave these kittens behind,” said Henschke. “It is easy to pass judgement in situations like this.  While I wish that these little ones had come to us sooner, I would like that person to know that these kittens are now happy, healthy and cared for.  Please call us if you need help.  We might be full at times and have to postpone surrenders, but we make the effort to help as often as we can.”

To help, please visit www.MarshfieldPetShelter.org/Donate

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