Inky's Surgery

Hello, my name is Kayla and I am hoping to raise some funds for a foster kitten of mine named Inky.

 

I acquired Inky and her three siblings (Blinky, Pinky, and Clyde) in the summer of 2021 when they were about 3-weeks-old, when a client brought them into the vet clinic that I work at.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the time they were 4-weeks-old, Pinky went downhill suddenly and upon taking an x-ray, we discovered she had a congenital peritoneal-pericardial diaphragmatic hernia. I euthanized Pinky that same day.

 

I've fostered plenty of kittens, but these four were already quite special to me. After the discovery we made with Pinky, I opted to radiograph the other three, as I did not want them to suffer like she did. Blinky and Clyde were in the clear, but Inky has the same condition her sister did.

 

Here is a picture of Blinky's x-ray (what a normal kitten should look like):

 

 

And here is Inky's:

 

A peritoneal-pericardial diaphragmatic hernia is when there is a hole in the diaphragm, which allows the abdominal contents (such as intestines, stomach, etc.) to go through to the chest cavity amongst the heart and lungs. As you may be able to guess, that is not a good thing. It impacts the heart and lungs' abilities to function, and can be fatal (as it was with Pinky). These hernias are more common with trauma, such as hit by cars. However, in more uncommon cases, they can be present at birth due to defects during pregnancy.

 

Despite the prognosis, Inky has been doing well so far. She's definitely not as healthy as her siblings (she is ravenous and vomits more frequently than your average cat), but she is active and one of the most lovable kittens I've had the pleasure of raising. I'm hoping I can give her a better, more normal life with surgery now that she is bigger and stronger.

 

The surgery itself is risky, but it's the best chance she has to normalcy. She can go downhill at any point like her sister did, but I want to give her a chance when she has so much life in her. She is such a sweet kitten and has a forever home if she survives this ordeal.

 

The specialist quoted me below:

 

 

Inky will be a more complicated surgery than most PPDH cases, as her sternum did not develop fully either, and she may need a mesh placed if there is not enough of her own tissue to use to close up the hole in her diaphragm.

 

Currently, I have her scheduled for surgery in two weeks, on May 10th. I would like to raise the majority of the low end of the estimate.

 

Even if I don't meet the goal, any little bit will be more than appreciated.

 

Thank you so much for your time and any donations!