PELASE HELP IF YOU CAN

Question
QUESTION: hello!
im desperatly looking for help. Last night my kitten (7-8
wks) was sleeping in bed with myself and my other, normally
we dont let him in the room at night because hes so small
we dont want to take any chances. well my boyfriend got up
in the middle of the night and he must have slipped in the
room.

I woke up this morning and found pete (my kitten) behind
one of the pillows in the bed, he was limp and at first i
thought ihad lost him. He must have gotten smothered under
the pillows during the night.

As soon as i realized it was him, i immediatly did all i
could to give him oxygen. His tail began to move, and soon
after his feet and paws did the same.

The majority of his body is still limp, his head mostly. He
is breathing fine now, and begining to meow and make noise.
which i took as a good sign.

He has not opened his eyes yet, when i touch his skull the
top feels---- (for lack of better word) inflated. like
there is some sort of fluid between his skull and fur.


i have no money to take him to a vet (litteraelly nothing,
i used dimes to buy canned cat food)

i know you cannot give out medical advice- i dont need to
know whats wrong with him, all i need to know is if you
have any suggestions on how i can make him better, or
atleast the most comfortable he can be.

Please help me, any sort of advice would be really great
even if its just 'keep him warm'

please.


thank you so very much
-audrey

ANSWER: Audrey,

This kitten needs to see a vet ASAP...I keep a list of resources for folks who need help with the financial cost of vet care, I can provide you with some names of organizations if you send your city and state my way....

For now I'm concerned that the lack of oxygen the kitten experienced has caused some swelling in his brain which could prove fatal, there's really not much you can do at home other than to keep him warm and check on him frequently...I don't like to be the bearer of bad news, but the truth is that this could prove fatal for this kitten....


One resource you can check into immediately is Care Credit, they finance vet care, you pay them back in installments.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much for your advice-

unfortunatly today he is declining, i would very much
apriciate a list- i live in Benbrook TX. 76109 is the zip!

thank you so much for all of your help.

Answer
Audrey,

It's possible that your local SPCA or humane society has an in house vet clinic and will offer vet care at a subsidized rate, in exchange for a predetermined number of volunteer hours within the shelter or they may completely cover the cost of treatment for your kitten. Veterinary colleges sometimes offer care at a reduced cost so that students have the opportunity to gain real life experience working with pets and their caregivers prior to graduation. The Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine may be a good place to check into for information about quality vet care at a reduced price.

I understand that you're in a difficult position at the moment because you aren't financially able to cover the cost of vet care for your kitten, but I feel that it's important to reiterate the seriousness of your kitten's condition - this baby is in need of immediate vet care, without it he's not likely to survive and unfortunately the longer he waits for vet care the less favorable the chances of a good outcome are for him. Young kittens can suffer serious internal injuries if a person rolls onto them in bed and when combined with the prolonged oxygen deprivation he experienced as a result of being crushed that can lead to some pretty serious injuries. You may want to see if friends or family are willing to loan you the money for this kitten's vet care because it may be faster than applying to charities for assistance. It's that this kitten gets the emergency medical care that may save his life immediately. I'm not a vet but I suspect that the injuries your kitten sustained are quite serious. I understand that you love your kitten and want what's best for him, my concern is that this kitten's condition may be deteriorating substantially due to the fact that he hasn't yet received medical care. It's certainly worth speaking to the folks at vet clinics in your area to see if they're willing to offer you a payment plan so that your kitten can be seen as quickly as possible and receive the treatment he needs. If your kitten isn't conscious, eating, drinking and eliminating on his own he won't survive for long - low blood sugar and dehydration combined with his injuries might be more than he can recover from. Care Credit may be willing to offer immediate financing for your kitten's care so I've provided their information below. Besides borrowing from friends or family or making payment arrangements with a vet Care Credit is probably the best way to get the money needed for your kitten's treatment quickly.

The list of resources I have that may be willing to fund part or all of the expense of vet care can easily be found on the internet. I can't begin to convey the seriousness of your kitten's condition and his need for immediate medical treatment if he's to survive. I know that you want what's best for your kitten, but if you can't get him seen by a vet quickly he could pass away and that's an outcome nobody wants.

It's important to check with the charities I've mentioned because you won't know for sure who will offer the assistance you need to pay for the kitten's vet care. I've included low/no cost spay/neuter clinics as well because your kitten will need to be sterilized soon enough if he recovers from this accident. Some low cost spay/neuter clinics may also be familiar with low or no cost veterinary clinics or local vets willing to offer a payment arrangement. Please bear with me, I realize that some of these places may not be close by, but I don't know what resources you have available to you in terms of transportation and I'm not familiar with Texas.

Organizations that may be of help in Texas include:

- Angels for Animals is an organization that believes pet parents shouldn't be forced to say good-bye to much loved animal companions purely on the basis of not being able to afford vet care. Their website is: www.angels4animals.org

- Cats in Crisis maintains a Nine Lives Emergency Fund which is in place to help pet parents who can't afford emergency veterinary care. This organization is funded solely by donations from the public. The website is: http://catsincrisis.org/nineLivesFund.html

- American Animal Hospital Association
www.aahahelpingpets.org
(866) 4HELPETS

- Care Credit
www.carecredit.com
(800) 859-9975

- Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program (FVEAP): www.fveap.org, Fax: (888) 301-4264
This organization offers help to seniors, people with disabilities, those who have lost their job, and folks who rescue a cat or kitten. The Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization that provides financial assistance to cat and kitten guardians who are unable to afford veterinary services to save their companions when life-threatening illness or injury strikes.

- Help-A-Pet: www.help-a-pet.org, Phone:(630) 986-9504. This organization makes the elderly, disabled and working poor a priority for assistance.

- IMOM: www.imom.org, Fax: (630) 214-8952. This organizations seeks to better the lives of sick, injured and abused companion animals. The goal is to ensure that no pet is euthanized simply as a result of a caregiver's inability to afford vet care.

- Shakespeare Animal Fund: www.shakespeareanimalfund.org, phone:(775) 342-7040. Anyone can apply for assistance from this charity.
SAF offers assistance to folks on fixed incomes or those who make less than $35,000/year. The funding received from this organization is a one time grant.

- The Pet Fund: www.thepetfund.com, phone: (916) 443-6007. This is a non profit organization that provides pet parents with financial assistance when their pets need urgent medical care. The following is a quote from their website: "Often animals are put down or suffer needlessly because their owners cannot afford expensive surgery or emergency vet visits. Companion animal owners must often make the difficult decision to put an animal down or neglect urgent medical needs because of the costs involved. The purpose of the Pet Fund is to work towards a future where decisions about companion animal medical care need never be made on the basis of cost."

- United Animal Nations: www.uan.org, phone: (916) 429-2457. A quote from the website: "The mission of LifeLine is to help homeless or recently rescued animals suffering from life-threatening conditions that require specific and immediate emergency veterinary care. We strive to serve Good Samaritans and rescue groups who take in sick or injured animals. In certain cases, LifeLine can also assist senior citizens and low-income families pay for immediate emergency veterinary care."

- God's Creatures Ministry: http://www.all-creatures.org/gcm/help-cf.html. This organization offers a one time grant of $50 per family.

- Piggers' Pals: A Foundation of Hope is a nonprofit organization that was started by Dr. Kerri Schwartz (a veterinarian from Montgomery, Texas) This organization requires you to apply for financial aid, I'm not sure how long the process takes, but in this situation your kitten needs immediate emergency care to save his life so I wouldn't rule out any organization because they have an application process.

- Tails of Hope Inc. is a charity focused on helping pets live longer, good quality lives through a variety of programs for pet parents, veterinarians, clinics, etc. This organization is based in New York, but it's certainly worth contacting them - you can do so by typing the charity's name into your search engine.

- McNeil Crossing Animal Clinic: This vet clinic apparently tries to keep vet care as affordable as possible, I've never dealt with them so I can't say for sure what services or arrangements they might offer for folks in your situation. Phone:(512) 836-9768, Mail: 6001 W Parmer Ln (at McNeil Drive), Austin, TX 78727 30.4424 -97.7417.

- Vet Gordon Parham, Office visit: $9, Medicines and/or preventatives extra. Web address: petcareexpress.net. Phone: 713-592-9977 Office hours: 10-7 M-F and 10-5 on Saturday, (He sometimes closes at 6:30 PM so call first). Address: 2501 W Holcombe Boulevard, Suite D, Houston, TX 77030-1955. This vet provides general vet care, he doesn't do surgery. According to the reviews I've read you may have to wait for awhile to see the vet, but he is apparently focused on treating pet parents and their companion animals with the respect and dignity they deserve and he makes an effort to explain things as thoroughly as possible.

- SNAP Mobile Clinic and Surgery is open to low income families. Websites: http://www.snapus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Houston_Mobile OR http://www.snapus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=fees . These resources are available to families of all income levels and they're low cost. If booking for spay/neuter or other surgeries appointments are required.

- Low Cost Vet Clinic, phone: 713-694-6257. Apparently this vet clinic does some surgery as well as routine care.

- The Houston Humane Society may be able to help defray the cost of vet care for your kitten - I'm not sure if they have a program that exchanges vet care for a set amount of volunteer hours, but it's certainly worth asking about. Services for cats can be found on the following website: http://www.houstonhumane.org/servicesforcats.aspx

Houston Humane Society also offers a low cost spay/neuter clinic. Web address: http://www.houstonhumane.org/spayandneuter.aspx. To schedule a spay/neuter appointment, please call (713) 433-6453.

- SPCA Affordable Veterinary Care and Spay/Neuter Clinics

1) Dallas (214) 651-9611 or (214) 372-9999

2) McKinney (972) 561-7297

3) Animal Defense League
11300 Nacogdoches Road
San Antonio, TX 78217
210-655-1481

4) Free spay/neuter for pets of low-income people.  
Spay Neuter Your Pet (SNYP)
PO Box 29435
Dallas, TX 75229
214-349-7697
Discount certificates for pet spay/neuter in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

5) Waco Humane Society
Waco, TX
254-399-9883 or 254-754-1454
Low cost or free spay/neuter for low income.  

6) Fund for Animals
Spay/Neuter Clinic
1603 Shepherd Drive
Houston, TX
281-863-0010

7) Humane Society of Southeast Texas
2050 Spindletop Rd
Beaumont, TX 77705
409-833-0504
Spay/neuter assistance certificates offered to all who want to spay/neuter a dog or cat. Certificates for low cost s/n for feral cats also available.  

8) Life Force Operation Spay
PMB 671
148 South Dowlen Road
Beaumont, TX 77707
409-838-0072
"We welcome all low income, elderly folks and anyone not being able to afford the full price" of spay/neuter of pets.

9) Humane Society of Williamson County
Leander, TX
512-260-3602
Low cost spay/neuter, some free spay/neuter for low income families 60-70 low cost spay/neuters each week.  

10) Animal Birth Control Vet Center
Houston, TX
713-450-1444

11) Animal Trustees of Austin
5129 Cameron Road
Austin, TX 78723
512-450-0111
Low cost spay/neuter and vaccinations.  

12) Emancipet Mobile Clinic
Austin, TX
512-587-SPAY

13) 713 Animals
Houston, TX
713-264-6257  

14) Homeless Pet Placement League
PO Box 273027
Houston, TX 77277
713-862-7387
Free spay/neuter for pets of qualified low income people.

15) Houston Humane Society S/N Clinic
14700 Almeda Road
Houston, TX 77053
713-433-6421  

16) Houston SPCA
900 Portway Drive
Houston, TX
713-869-7722 ext 136
Free spay/neuter and vaccinations for qualified low income.  
17) Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP)
Mobile clinic
PO Box 440304
Houston, TX 77244
713-522-2337
Mobile clinic goes to low income neighborhoods and provides free spay/neuter and vaccinations to pets for qualified low income.  

18) Long Drive Dog & Cat Hospital
Houston, TX
713-643-0633  Spay/Neuter Assictance Program II

19) (SNAP II) - See above
San Antonio, TX
713-862-3863  

20) Humane Society of North Texas
1840 East Lancaster
Fort Worth, TX 76103
817-332-HSNT
Low cost spay/neuter for qualified low income.  North Texas Spay

21) Neuter Coalition
Decatur, TX
877-FIX-SPOT
E-mail: ntsnc@yahoo.com  

22)Denton Low Cost Pet Sterilization and Vaccination Program
Denton, TX
940-566-5551

23) Animal Refuge Foundation ARFhouse
903-654-7056
E-mail: martha@arfhouse.org  

24) City Pet Rescue
E-mail: info@citypetrescue.com    

25) SPCA Affordable Veterinary Care(Dallas), phone: (214) 651-9611

26) SPCA Affordable Veterinary Care(McKinney), phone: (972) 561-7297

27) HSUS Animal Wellness Center, phone: (214) 372-9999

My thoughts are with you and your kitten, I hope that he is seen by a vet soon enough to save him. If you wouldn't mind I'd be interested in hearing how your kitten fares.