Just got back from the vet with Hope and we have decided to try her on Doxy and also pet tinc for now. I asked him what in the world non-regenerative anemia is and he pointed out her blood results. Normally, when people (and cats) are losing blood- the body (bone marrow) goes on alert and manufactures more. Her reticulocyte should be 7.0-50.0 and it is sitting at a 5!

In other words according to my awesome vet who makes this technical stuff easier to understand: Her bone marrow is chillin out and not worried about the blood loss. Why? Could be several reasons: cancer certainly in the forefront- lyme disease another concern although ticks aren’t common in the valley. Also a chronic infection that is just slowly bleeding her out. She isn’t a candidate for a blood transfusion yet- but she is darn close! She just needs prayer and time.

As with all of the cats here, I have to determine if she is adoptable, is she a lifer- or is she one who just needs to be put out of her misery? Right now, we are at a wait-and- see mode.

We have given her a two-week window of TLC and meds and then will run the hemocrit again (It’s a fairly cheap blood test) If it is up- then we are good to go- if it stays at 22.5 (should be 28.8-52.7) then we will assume it is cancer and once she starts to really suffer, we will do the dirty deed.

But through all of this since she has arrived (she came on the 23^rd) she is gaining weight rapidly. Even between vet appoints (42 hours ago) she has gained 2 quarters of a pound! Now there is a rare lymphoma where all the nutrients in the body go into feeding the tumor and that could be what is going on here, but I don’t think so. Years ago, I had a kitty with this type of lymphoma and she bulged in one spot on her side. Hope is gaining weight all the way around.

So that’s where we stand right now.

Just to let you know, the sanctuary is in need of money to cover the vet debt. But we also need canned cat and kitten food badly. Winter is setting in and the cats outside need the wet food to keep warm. Dry food is donated here now twice a week! YAY! So for now, we are good with that. But if I had to put out a wish list it would be:

donations of $
canned kitten/canned cat food
garbage bags
PAM cooking spray (makes cleaning litterpans a snap)

Thanks for listening, thanks for caring- please pray for Hope and Tweedledee and that the new kitty (Licorice) Isn’t pregnant! I can’t take her in right now. I wish I could.

One more thing. Because we are NOT a selective rescue. We take the hard cases, the ones who are sick, afflicted with PTSD not the easy ones, the beautiful ones (although sometimes we luck out and get some beauties here!) Our vet bill will always be high. If you want to cut out the middleman and send a donation to our vet clinic- here is their information:

Animal Clinic
185 North Santiam Highway
Lebanon  OR  97355

Make it to the attention of Eartha and say within the context of the envelope the monies are for CATS Inc., or Mary Anne Miller