Please help us save Penny, our 16.5 year old kitty who collapsed Thursday evening. She’s in diabetic ketoacidosis, anemic, has a mass on her spleen that will require removal of her spleen once she’s stable, and will require several days in the hospital in intensive care to recover.

We normally wouldn’t ask for help like this, but I was impacted by layoffs 6 months ago and still don’t have work. We are trying so hard just to pay rent, and now we are facing a $10,000 vet bill to save our precious Penny.

This fund will help pay for:

Thursday 11:30pm Update:

Here is Penny tonight. She’s currently on an IV and in a little cubby where oxygen is being pumped in. Her blood transfusion will start tonight, and they’ll do more imaging tomorrow.

Friday 6:30am Update:

She’s stable right now. They haven’t had to do a blood transfusion yet, but that’s still on the table should she need it.

They focused on fluids first and

are starting the insulin / Diabetic ketoacidocis treatment protocol soon. They had to make sure she was stable first.

She ate some wet food and has been able to urinate.

She will get an ultrasound around 9am.

Friday 10:30am Update

Penny’s red blood cells dropped further, and so she’s been started on a blood transfusion.

Her blood sugar was over 400 last night. It’s down to 300 right now, which is still way too high.

The doctors confirmed they feel a mass in her abdomen, so she’s going in for an ultrasound and x-ray now.

Her kidney levels are off, so the testing will help us learn why.

Friday Noon update:

Penny has a mass on her spleen. She will be having a small prick sample taken today to see what type of mass it is.

It’s likely she will need her spleen removed, but she’s too weak for surgery right now.

Her heart rate is doing a little better.

She’s going to need a longer hospital stay, so the cost of saving her is likely going to get even higher. We are going to visit her shortly.

Friday 4pm Update:

Penny has a large mass on her spleen. Her best option right now is to get strong enough for surgery to remove the spleen.

It’s likely that this mass is the exacerbating factor for her issues.

Her blood transfusion has finished, raising her red blood cells from 13% to 18%. Cats are normally at 25% or higher, but she’s north of 15% now, which is the most important thing.

She is now on treatment for the diabetic ketoacidosis. Once that treatment gets her blood sugar and pH values in check, then she can have surgery. She’s also on supplemental potassium right now.

She has eaten and drank today. She’s also peed today.

She perked up when we pet her, leaning into pets, meowing at us, and purring gently when the chin pets were to her liking.

We brought her one of her favorite blankets to lay on, which she seemed to approve of.

She’s looking better today than yesterday, but it’ll likely be a while before she can come home, as even once she’s strong enough for surgery, she will have to be monitored for a day or two after.

Friday 5pm Update:

Penny doesn’t have any growths in her chest! It appears to be the spleen only.

Her blood sugar is already down to 240 from the 400 it was at.

Now, we just need to keep her red blood cells up and get her blood acidity to come down, which the treatment she’s on now will help with.

We are hoping she doesn’t need more transfusions before surgery, but she will be monitored closely.

Friday 9:30pm Update

Penny responded a little too well to the insulin, and her blood sugar had dropped to the 50s, so they gave her dextrose and a Churu (treat) and she spiked again.

They are adjusting her insulin IV and will be monitoring her throughout the night to get her balanced.

The catheter in her leg was giving some trouble, so she’s getting a more stable one placed in her neck.

She continues to purr and nuzzle into our hands when pet and was thoroughly enjoying being brushed this evening.

Please keep Penny in your prayers.

Saturday 2pm Update

Penny is out of diabetic ketoacidosis!! Her pH levels are back in the range of normal.

Her blood sugar was 210 recently, which is great progress from yesterday.

Her red blood cell count is also holding steady!

Penny wasn’t eating this morning, so they gave her an appetite stimulant and she’s willing to eat a little again. We are spending lots of time with her today and giving her food as she’ll accept it. She’s already had two of her big delectables packets and one Churu since we have been with her!

Saturday 6pm Update

Penny ate another 40 calories of food off my fingers this afternoon! Her blood sugar is holding steady amid eating, so we are so so happy for her.

If she continues to eat and build up her appetite, she’ll be able to transition from IV diabetes management to an injection formula.

We will be going back in to spend more time with her after evening doctors’ rounds are complete, and I’ll try to get her to eat some more.

Saturday 9pm Update

Penny ate more for us this evening! We blended nutrical with Churu to feed her. She wasn’t a huge fan of the flavor (nutrical is as stinky as it’s nutrient rich ) but she tolerated it and ate about 50 calories worth.

Now, the night time crew is taking over at the hospital, so we will see Penny again tomorrow.

Thank you, again, to everyone who has wished her well, kept her in your thoughts, and of course donated to our GoFundMe. Your warmth and kindness mean so much right now.