Sarasota, Florida. A mother called Ashley gave birth to seven kittens a short while later.
Seventh baby Ellie did not grow; the other six did. Her funnel chest deformity, which occurs when the anterior portions of the ribs and costal cartilages descend into the chest, was identified by the veterinarian as a distinct pathology.
“According to the veterinarian, this is the disease’s most severe instance in her experience. Typically, surgery for this diagnosis is postponed until the kitten weighs at least 900 g and ideally more.
But Ellie’s ribs had already begun to interfere with her internal organs, so she had to be operated on for the first time when she weighed less than 500 g, ”says Samantha.
The rib bones pressed against the heart and lungs, which made it very difficult to breathe.
“Many kittens live with this defect until they are a few months old and only then are they allowed to have surgery. Unfortunately, we couldn’t wait for Ellie to grow up, the days went by.”
Breathing was extremely challenging since the rib bones were pressing on the heart and lungs.
Many kittens are born with this condition, and it’s not until they’re a few months old that they may have surgery. Unfortunately, as time passed, we were unable to wait for Ellie to mature.
“She is a very sociable girl. She likes to be the center of attention and be sure to be kissed. If for some reason I don’t pick her up, she cries until I change my mind,” says Samantha.
Little Ellie did not let the guardians leave her even for a few seconds. “So we took shifts on duty so as not to leave her alone.”
After a little more than a week, Ellie abruptly had respiratory problems.
“The veterinarian then saw that one of her sutures had come undone. Complex sutures that aid in the appropriate bone development are used to treat a funnel chest deformity.
Ellie was taken back to the operating room.
“Everything was great until it was time to recover from anesthesia. It turned out that at some point in the operation, her brain experienced oxygen starvation, although the doctors gave her enough oxygen. She never woke up,” recalls Samantha.
When everyone had already lost hope, a miracle happened – Ellie opened her eyes and meowed.
“We didn’t believe what we saw. Everyone was just shocked! And she got up as if nothing had happened and began to breathe on her own! ”, Says Samantha.
For six weeks, she will need to wear a cast so that her chest can change form. Amazingly, a two-month-old kitten that weighed less than 0.5 kilograms avoided death!
Ellie is relocating!
Ellie is already eating, drinking and going to the tray on her own.
This girl is a real fighter!
