Help Raise $ for Barbie's Asthma Attack and ER Visit

Hi Everyone,

Some of you already know that my friends and I have been trapping a feral cat colony behind CSAS School next to the fraternity house on Siskin Drive. These cats have been there for years and we are finally doing a trap-neuter-release on them. As of now, we have caught a total of 12 cats from this area and have at least 2 more to go.

Most of them have been fixed through McKamey's feral cat project at $25 per cat, but some have required other medical treatments and vet care.

First, Buster had a ruptured eyeball (suspected to have been caused by a BB gun) so he needed his eyeball removed during his neuter. This alone cost me about $250. Then, Brandy has needed daily cleaning and medicine applied to her head wound. Because we didn't want to keep catching the same cat twice, I kept them all in my bathroom till we got most of them. I was able to release 4 of them rather quickly, but the rest had come down with massive upper respiratory infections and needed antibiotics twice and day and some even needed subcutaneous fluids and anti-inflammatory medicine for a few days. Because Buster is a true "feral", i had to take him back to the vet and sedate him just to give him fluids and antibiotics; so they had become a rather time-consuming and expensive feral colony at this point, but i was in it for the long haul.

Now,Saturday night at about 3:30 AM, Barbie wakes me up with her wheezing and rapid breathing...so i rush her to the River Emergency Clinic and found out she was having an asthma attack. They did Xrays, gave her steroids, and kept her in the oxygen chamber while I worked on Saturday. Her ER visit and medical treatment came to almost $500...so i need help!!! This is a feral/free-roaming colony and I just happen to be the one housing and caring for all the cats before they get returned. I was not planning on them being so costly.

Buster is doing great after his eye removal and all but Brandy and Barbie have been released now. I want to hold onto Brandy until she is all healed and want to make sure Barbie has no more asthma attacks.

I greatly appreciate any assistance you all can give...THANK YOU!!!

*UPDATE*
Barbie had another asthma attack monday night (3/16). I gave her the bronchodilater injection and got up every couple hours to check on her. Gave her another shot Tuesday morning for St Patrick's Day because she had another attack and then ran her up to my vet because she was still wheezing and breathing fast. She is now on steroid pills for the next 3 weeks, so hopefully this will work.

As of 3/21/09, she seems to be doing better and eating well. Brandy is still requiring fluids, but is starting to eat a little better and seems to be healing well.

4/4/09 Well, I've been by the house several times and have seen all the cats I have released (including Buster with his one eye and he is doing great).

Brandy is eating well and no longer needing fluids, but is ready to be returned to the outdoors.

Barbie is in the last week of her steroids and is doing well with the wean, so far. If all goes well, i will be able to release them both next week some time...hopefully:)

Thanks!!! Ali

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