Help Our Jumping Jax
Donation protected
This is a bit of a long story so please bear with me. if you don't wish to read it, skip to the part at the end that says TL;DR.
Jax is my Pokemon. He is my best friendcat and my constant companion. When I come home from college, he jumps into my arms and doesn't leave my side for hours. When I pull into my parents driveway he hops up on my car and meows at me until I hold him. He loves to run around the back yard, climb trees, and jump on everything in the house, he's a Jumping Jax.
On the morning of Saturday, April 20th, 2013 my best furry friend, Jax, did what was natural to him: hunt. He usually brings home small birds and voles but this time he bit off more than he could chew and we found the remains of a small bunny in the driveway. That night he was very sick, vomiting everywhere and my parents could tell he was running a fever. He had to be rushed to an emergency vet and over the next four days remained in critical condition. his fever shot up to 107.5 degrees and he was unable to eat, drink, or even stand up. My family was inconsolable, and we took him to our traditional vet. Here we were given the possibilities: Salmonella, Lymphoma. I was in the middle of finals in my last semester of college but this brought my life to a grinding halt. What would happen to my cat? What if he has Lymphoma? What will I do if my poor baby Jax dies?
I couldn't focus on anything scholastic, even being so close to my collegiate finish line. My kitty was tested, poked, and prodded, and hooked up to an IV. He wouldn't eat or drink and had to be taken to a specialist 40 minutes away. There, the doctor suspected Tularemia, also known as Rabbit Fever. This is a very dangerous infectious disease and Jax was immediately put into isolation and confirmation tests were sent out.
My parents couldn't even see him when they tried to bring him one of his toys the next day. It broke my heart to hear about all of these events and be powerless to help two hours away at my college.
The tests came back positive and at least now we had a diagnosis and a method of treatment, but Jax was not out of trouble yet. He came home on Thursday morning, five days after he first left my parents' house.
Jax is now recovering at home. He is in an isolation chamber with his own food and litter box, separate from my parents' other cat. Three of his legs are shaved from being on IVs. he has a tummy full of staples
and he can't run or jump for two weeks. He is starting to eat again and he can finally stand and walk on his own. We are so happy he pushed through, they told us if he were a lesser cat with a lesser will to live he would not have made it.
Now we are left to struggle with his astronomical veterinary bills.
The cost of his five days of care is upwards of $5000. My parents do not have this money. My father is a kidney transplant patient with diabetes and some long-term damage from dialysis. He is on many medications, including immunosuppressants which has further complicated his ability to care for Jax. If he is scratched or cut by Jax while he is still infectious, my father could easily become just as sick as Jax was. He recently had to retire because of his health and my mother is currently the only working parent. Additionally I have two more classes to take over the summer for my degree which will be quite a bit more on top if these bills. I work part-time but I make pennies in comparison to the cost.
TL;DR: My kitty was very, very sick this past week and racked up some hefty vet bills. We are struggling to come up with the money, and would love any assistance you can find in your heart to give.
Anything you can give helps. I know many of us are also struggling and if you cannot afford to give that is okay. I ask that you think of your pets and how you would feel to hear they were as sick as my poor baby Jax, and give if you can.
If you have a cat of your own, especially if they are an outdoor cat, PLEASE be careful that they don't start harassing or killing rabbits. This has been a nightmare to go through and at the very least we would like to spread awareness, especially if you live in the Virginia area, that at least one rabbit has been infectious.
Jax is my Pokemon. He is my best friendcat and my constant companion. When I come home from college, he jumps into my arms and doesn't leave my side for hours. When I pull into my parents driveway he hops up on my car and meows at me until I hold him. He loves to run around the back yard, climb trees, and jump on everything in the house, he's a Jumping Jax.
On the morning of Saturday, April 20th, 2013 my best furry friend, Jax, did what was natural to him: hunt. He usually brings home small birds and voles but this time he bit off more than he could chew and we found the remains of a small bunny in the driveway. That night he was very sick, vomiting everywhere and my parents could tell he was running a fever. He had to be rushed to an emergency vet and over the next four days remained in critical condition. his fever shot up to 107.5 degrees and he was unable to eat, drink, or even stand up. My family was inconsolable, and we took him to our traditional vet. Here we were given the possibilities: Salmonella, Lymphoma. I was in the middle of finals in my last semester of college but this brought my life to a grinding halt. What would happen to my cat? What if he has Lymphoma? What will I do if my poor baby Jax dies?
I couldn't focus on anything scholastic, even being so close to my collegiate finish line. My kitty was tested, poked, and prodded, and hooked up to an IV. He wouldn't eat or drink and had to be taken to a specialist 40 minutes away. There, the doctor suspected Tularemia, also known as Rabbit Fever. This is a very dangerous infectious disease and Jax was immediately put into isolation and confirmation tests were sent out.
My parents couldn't even see him when they tried to bring him one of his toys the next day. It broke my heart to hear about all of these events and be powerless to help two hours away at my college.
The tests came back positive and at least now we had a diagnosis and a method of treatment, but Jax was not out of trouble yet. He came home on Thursday morning, five days after he first left my parents' house.
Jax is now recovering at home. He is in an isolation chamber with his own food and litter box, separate from my parents' other cat. Three of his legs are shaved from being on IVs. he has a tummy full of staples
and he can't run or jump for two weeks. He is starting to eat again and he can finally stand and walk on his own. We are so happy he pushed through, they told us if he were a lesser cat with a lesser will to live he would not have made it.
Now we are left to struggle with his astronomical veterinary bills.
The cost of his five days of care is upwards of $5000. My parents do not have this money. My father is a kidney transplant patient with diabetes and some long-term damage from dialysis. He is on many medications, including immunosuppressants which has further complicated his ability to care for Jax. If he is scratched or cut by Jax while he is still infectious, my father could easily become just as sick as Jax was. He recently had to retire because of his health and my mother is currently the only working parent. Additionally I have two more classes to take over the summer for my degree which will be quite a bit more on top if these bills. I work part-time but I make pennies in comparison to the cost.
TL;DR: My kitty was very, very sick this past week and racked up some hefty vet bills. We are struggling to come up with the money, and would love any assistance you can find in your heart to give.
Anything you can give helps. I know many of us are also struggling and if you cannot afford to give that is okay. I ask that you think of your pets and how you would feel to hear they were as sick as my poor baby Jax, and give if you can.
If you have a cat of your own, especially if they are an outdoor cat, PLEASE be careful that they don't start harassing or killing rabbits. This has been a nightmare to go through and at the very least we would like to spread awareness, especially if you live in the Virginia area, that at least one rabbit has been infectious.
Organizer
Victoria Hall
Organizer
Prince George, VA
