8/8/22 – Please remember Waffles in your prayers tonight. Tomorrow she will be having her surgery and finally her feeding tube will be removed. You might remember that Waffles was surrendered by a breeder who would have certainly euthanized her. Since that time, her foster mom has been raising funds to help with her final surgery. 4 Paws 1 Heart paid for Waffles consultation at Michigan State Veterinary Hospital and have helped as needed. We will also help with any funds as needed for her surgery or follow up. It has been a 5-month journey and she couldn’t have been with a better family! – Diana.
Thank you so much for everything! Your Love, support and encouragement has definitely played a huge part in her journey ! I will keep everyone posted tomorrow! Her Foster Siblings are cheering her on! Chicken Nugget, Jeep Renee and of course , Waffles. – Courtney
8/7/22 – And, two weeks later these five kittens were dropped off at Bonnie’s home and once again we covered their distemper vaccines and will be following up with the rabies vaccines, spay/neuters, and snap tests. Here is Lucy, Ozzy, Patches, Creamsicle, and Gizmo. All are in foster homes. – diana.
8/7/22 – A couple of weeks ago I received the following message from a person whom we’ve often assisted with rescued cats/kittens:
“I was tagged in a post on fb about 5 kittens that were posted for free. They were living outside in a cage on someone’s gazebo. I hate seeing animals posted for free; it always makes me worry where they might end up. So I met the guy that had them. He brought them to me in the bed of his pick up truck. They were terrified. I got them home, fed them got them water which they couldn’t get enough of either. They are boney with big bellies and one has what looks to be a bot fly. They are scared but some what friendly. I was told they were 10 weeks old but I’m thinking they are more like 6 maybe 7 weeks old. Can you please help with medical. – Bonnie”
Thankfully, we are still able to help in these situations and all of the kittens were taken in for an exam and their distemper vaccines. Fred did have a bot fly which was removed; the hole was a little larger than a quarter. Who knows how long that poor baby had that ‘beast’ burrowing in his body. When old enough, we will be covering the rabies vaccines, second boosters, and, of course, spays/neuters. Here is George, Fred, Harry, Buffy, and Ron.
Only with your donations can we continue to help these orphans and save them from eventual death on the streets. – diana.
Public Service Post. There are still many old school vets that do think a cat should be euthanized after testing positive but it’s important to do your own research.
Feline Leukemia virus, or FeLV, is one of the most common cat-specific diseases in the U.S. Unfortunately, it remains poorly understood by humans, and many still believe it to be a death sentence. Because of this, cats and kittens who test positive for the virus are often needlessly euthanized in shelters and veterinary offices. Here’s some great news: Feline Leukemia is not a death sentence! With proper supportive care, FeLV-positive cats and kittens can live healthily and happily for many years. FCS has placed several FeLV-positive cats and kittens into loving foster and adoptive homes to fantastic results. Learn about some of those cats (and the humans who love them) in our latest blog post. – Catfe Lounge
Our home is mixed positive and negative FeLV (and some FIV too!) and I have zero regrets here. We love these cats and they can and do often live many healthy years. So much fear over this disease but thankfully new research is proving it’s manageable! – Emily
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Some ‘old school’ vets are still very quick to recommend euthanizing and it’s so important for people to do their own research. – 4paws1heart
Best kitty ever! FIV+ Tho they’re all the best really!!! – Cindy
I’m a conservative FeLV cat mom. My 4 yr old tested positive (much to my surprise, shock, 3-negative tests as a baby) and was suffering IMA as a result. We managed to get her into remission, with Darbopoetin injections, Doxy and prednisolone. She was an AMAZING participant in her care, taking 2-4 pills twice daily for the 38 months we were blessed to have her post-diagnosis. FeLV is trick. I’m also a firm believer that if a cat CHOOSES to hate treatment it is our responsibility to respect that choice and not force it. FIV though…. Not once will I euthanize. Incidentally, she was the baby of my 5 cats- none of my other kitties tested positive to this day and they ALL bathed her daily, shared food and litter spaces and were NOT vaccinated for FeLV (which I will always do from here until eternity.) – Annette
8/4/22 – Prayers Please. This two-week old baby was seen being thrown out in a bag at a Meijer’s parking lot. There were 4 kittens in that bag. I’m not sure how this all played out but some people took 3 of the kittens and left one in the bag. A kind Samaritan took that kitten and brought her immediately to a hospital we work with, Groesbeck Animal Hospital which was close by. I was contacted by one of the staff and asked if we knew anyone who could take the kitten in to bottle-feed. Thankfully, our friend and very experienced rescuer, took in little Bambina and within an hour she was safe and secure and being given a bottle. We don’t know how long this baby was away from her mom and left unfed and she is definitely week. We know nothing about the other 3 kittens and their fate but pray the people who took them know what to do with such young babies who would require immediate bottle feeding which would have to continue every two hours or so. After 12 years of doing this, I still don’t understand the cruelty of some humans and worry about anyone who could so easily murder 4 little lives. – diana.
8/3/22 – Continued. More of the stray animals rescued, treated at All About Animal Rescue, and paid for by 4 Paws 1 Heart and our amazing supporters during the month of July, 2022. – diana.
8/3/22 – And here is one of the reasons why the need overwhelms my ability to post. Just today I mailed a $3,069 check to All About Animals Rescue for 47 stray animals who were either spayed/neutered, tested for FIV/FelV, vaccinated, flea/parasite treated, treated for minor miscellaneous injuries/illnesses including tooth extractions and upper respiratory infections or all of the above. This payment covered the period only from JULY 1 – JULY 28. And, every day, I truly thank God for the amazing employees of All About Animals who include the staffs of Warren, Flint, and Auburn Hills locations because without them we could not afford to help those we have and thousands more animals would have been born and died on the streets. Here are just a few of those 47.
This is why your donations are so very important to us and the animals and the many good samaritans/rescues who step up. Whatever your ability, we so very much appreciate your support. diana.
8/3/22 – First let me apologize for my lack of posting the many cases I work with every day. There are times when the day gets away from me because the cases can be so demanding. Our little Eddie is one of those cases. It was last Sunday when I was called about Eddie, a member of a feral community cared for by a a very kind woman who has spent thousands of her own dollars on the many stray cats who show up on her property–either dumped, lost, or just born. She is a person who we have successfully assisted on a few successful FIP cases involving the experimental drugs which have proven to save lives but not yet formally approved by the government.
Eddie, was a part of the community for a number of months. He started having breathing problems and he, along with a fellow member with a botfly, were noticed by the caretaker. To make a long story shorter, Eddie was given medication but he worsened and the caretaker took him to an emergency hospital and then contacted us. Unfortunately, after nearly two days in the hospital without a diagnosis and then a visit to one of our best veterinarian doctors, (all totaling $1,100). Eddie was humanely euthanized and is now without pain, breathing and playing normally while everyone who tried to save him is heartbroken.
P.S. And as an additional note, the little girl with the botfly has been taken care of and is doing well.-diana.
Gina’s Update: “One day I was in the parking lot at work doing curbside when a nice man named Jay Acosta pulled up asking about a stray he had found. The dog was sitting outside of a store and the staff claimed he’d been there for a few days. Jay scooped him up and took him home and then sought help. I told him I’d scan for a microchip, posting on social media, and if an owner wasn’t found I offered to assist paying medical through 4 paws 1 heart.
He was then named Walter. Poor guy could hardly walk, nails overgrown, skinny, stiff limbs, not neutered, and heartworm disease positive. Jay provided a stable home and love while getting Walter started on the road to recovery.
Fast forward to now.. Walter is in his forever home. Jay saved his life, 4 paws 1 heart helped give him a 2nd chance by paying all medical, and his new family adores him. Walter is in great health and I love happy endings.
And his mom’s update: “Current status. He likes a good 6-8 hour nap after he wakes up in the morning.”
We have 2 more weeks left of antibiotics and hopefully by then the drainage from her nose and eyes will stop. She’s a little fighter. Her attitude is good, appetite good, she’s gaining weight (2.7 lbs), and she is so unbelievably lovable. Mycoplasma is definitely hard to get rid of. Once the antibiotics are done I’ll get a blood panel on her, but that’s been extremely difficult because she is so congested. – Gina
