Here’s a story of a true animal lover — my listener Idella, who drives a purple 18-wheeler and whose two cat Irish and Yoyo sometimes take a trip with her. Here’s a story in her own words of how she spent Thanksgiving. To me, it gives real meaning to the word. The pets we have can be thankful for our love and protection, but those who have none are so lucky for the Idella’s in this world:
We had a flood a couple of weeks ago. We made it OK but we did have to move equipment and start evacuation. We had to rescue horses just south of us and there was a lot of people damaged. I had been seeing a stray white and yellow kitty but couldn’t get close. Finally Andy came and told me the cat was in front of the shop and looked pretty rough. So off I went to sit on the ground and talk and scoot closer to him. He was starved and has a puncture wound on the back leg in the hock that goes all the way through to the front of his leg and of course is infected. We decided to take him to the vet and see if he could be saved (in the trucking world we call that rebuild able so I named him Rebuild). The vet thought he was savable even though he had a fever of 105 — that’s pretty high I guess. Now I have him up here at the office and made him a home from a dog crate and a carrier for him because I do not want to expose my cats to him if he’s sick. So my Thanksgiving was up there at the office, hand feeding and doctoring REBUILD. He will become our office and shop kitty if he survives. He was moving around this morning and hungry and eating, but only lots of small amounts. I brought the Weruva up here (my trailer trash cats at home won’t touch it — the good stuff!). Rebuild chowed down on it. I gave him his antibiotic and Nordic Naturals fish oil I will be up here every day until Sunday and then Andy will take over — a friend who drove me to the vet. We are in this together. I told him the vet bill was his Christmas present — so the cat’s full name is HOLIDAY REBUILD. I strip my clothes at the back door and throw them right in the washing machine and scrub up because I do not want to take anything home to Irish and Yoyo. Cola the little dog I took in is very tolerant and the cat and him do not seem mind each other. I know this is a long letter but not everyone understands how I feel about the animals. My friend and I have decided if we die rich we will leave our money to rescue animals.
Idella wrote me back:
Rebuild is doing much better. I am soaking his leg every morning so that it will keep draining: he stands patiently with his back legs in a washing pan of warm water as long as he is eating. This gives me a good 5 to 10 minutes to do the doctoring I need to. But I need to do flea control! I am changing and washing the bedding everyday. But have heard something on your show about a flea control called Vectra (?) that will help with the larva and flea eggs. Please direct me so that I don’t make a mistake. I am also mixing an ounce or two of water into his wet food so he is getting more fluids he doesn’t like the water bowl much. Am also started him on about an ounce of warm milk. Seems to be tolerating it. Dr. Betty and her staff at the Maul Road Clinic are amazing and always see us without an appt.
Great news Idella! Here’s the scoop on Vectra – it is a brilliant system of a topical liquid (with a really neat applicator tip) which goes on monthly to end the whole life cycle of fleas – it kills them on Rebuild but also in his environment. Washing the bedding seems like it would help but save yourself the trouble: there are four life stages to the flea and most aren’t even visible. Vectra for cats has an IGR (Insect Growth Regulator) which ends the entire life cycle and soon- no more fleas! However, Vectra can only be dispensed through a vet, and the doctor has to sign an agreement with the company that they will not sell it on the Internet – but only to kitties who are clients and are well to begin with. You’ll need to send me Dr. Betty’s full name, the clinic name and phone number so that Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins can contact her and explain how Vectra works. Your other cats Yoyo and Irish should probably get it too, since fleas live year round and with all your traveling you could easily bring some part of the flea life cycle into your house.