My best friend Maddy Ryan recently took in a very sweet, spirited 5-year old cat Bruce, who has since been going through a slew of health issues and needs comprehensive vet care that will end up costing her in the thousands.

Over the past few weeks, Bruce began showing signs of discomfort, scratching at his ears constantly. A visit to the vet revealed that he was suffering from particularly severe and painful ear infections.

Initial tests showed that Bruce had a yeast infection in one ear, while the other was so inflamed that the vet couldn’t even examine it properly. He was prescribed oral antibiotics and medicated ear drops in hopes of calming the inflammation enough to get a better look inside.

Bruce returned to the vet for a follow-up and gave everyone a scare by suddenly sneezing blood. The vet suspects a burst blood vessel from an intense sneeze, but if he continues sneezing blood, a CT scan will be needed to rule out more serious issues, like a possible brain bleed. At the same time, Bruce's ear infections were still present — both yeast and bacterial — and the more severely affected ear remained too inflamed for a full evaluation.

In addition to the ear issues, the vet noticed that Bruce had lost about 1.5 pounds since his last appointment — likely due to dental problems. The vet explained that in cats, dental health, ear infections, and even nasal issues can be closely connected due to the compact structure of their skulls. Bruce's teeth had already been flagged for treatment in the past, and this visit confirmed that his dental issues could be contributing to the ongoing ear and nasal problems.

Maddy had scheduled a dental procedure for him in October in Sioux Falls for affordability reasons, but with everything happening, the vet strongly recommended moving the dental treatment up as soon as possible. The cost of the procedure is currently estimated at $2,000–$3,000, depending on how many teeth will need to be removed. This is in addition to the $1.3K+ Maddy has already contributed towards his care.

If the ear infections do not improve after another round of treatment, Bruce will need to see a specialist — possibly a veterinary dermatologist — for more advanced care.

Bruce continues to be his sweet, silly self, even walking around like a "drunken sailor" after his vet-prescribed gabapentin. But underneath the silliness is a kitty who is uncomfortable and in pain — and in need of timely, comprehensive care.

Any support toward Bruce’s medical and dental expenses would make a huge difference in helping him feel better, heal fully, and get back to the healthy, happy life he deserves. Thank you so much for reading his story and for supporting Babe Bruce (as Maddy has been calling him) in any way you can.