Have a Heart

He was brought to us - in a cardboard box - after being run over by a truck. The idea was we would "put him out of his misery". He was definitely in shock; mucous membranes were white/pale, he was unresponsive to basic physical stimuli, and he was trembling. After a quick physical exam I found no evidence of extreme external bleeding or injuries, no broken bones, and his pupils were responsive to light. Part of me agreed that his suffering should end; part of me questioned the idea that he couldn't recover from this... Do I put him down? Do I try to save him?

I decided to give him a shot at recovery.

Since we do not have the capacity to set up animals with IV catheters and deliver intravenous fluids at a continuous rate (which would be ideal for a patient in shock), I only had the option of giving him subcutaneous fluids. After inserting the needle into the skin of his scruff he reacted by trying to crawl away from me (a GOOD sign). I administered as much fluids as he would allow (about 15 mLs), and then I wrapped him up in a towel and held him close to keep him warm and monitored his progress.

I was going to give him a couple of hours and see if his mental status improved and then make a decision about his fate...

By the end of the afternoon, he had stopped shaking and was acting more alert. By the end of the evening, he was eating soft food from a spoon.

Within 2 days he was up and walking (though, abnormally [hypermetric in front left limb; ataxic in hind limbs] - the evidence of being squished by a truck tire was blatantly obvious).

Now, 3 days after his accident, it has become apparent that he is a feral kitten. He is making progress, day by day; he's still not the most affectionate guy in the world, but he's getting better.

As good as he is doing, he still has a ways to go... And as pliable and recoverable as a kitten body is, the fact is he was run over a truck and it might take months before he as good as new.

But, I'm in no hurry; I'm just glad he's getting better.