When Dolly the kitten was brought into the Cat Clinic of Chattanooga, things weren't looking up for her. She had little to no function in her hind legs, and her red blood cell count was life-threateningly low.
"When we took her blood, it wasn't even red," said Jennifer Allen, a Cat Clinic employee. "It looked like the color of a strawberry milkshake. That's how low her platelet count was."
Dolly's a fighter, though, and with encouragement from her fellow paraplegic felines at the clinic, Jesse and Willie, she may just make an astonishing recovery with the help of advanced medical treatment.
Dolly isn't through the woods yet. Several treatments and rehabilitative sessions are planned for the coming weeks, as well as surgical removal of the tip of her tail, which has become necrotic.
In a short two weeks, Dolly has grown from sickly and weak to energetic and playful. She's a fan of exploring countertops and batting at tissues.
Cat Clinic employees speculate Dolly was playing too rough or running from something when her tail got caught, resulting in her paralysis since the nerves extend all the way down the spinal cord.
"Even older cats have a risk. If their tail gets pulled too hard, it can lead to nerve damage," Allen said.
When Dolly was initially found along with four of her siblings, two of which ultimately didn't make it, those who rescued her told the clinic they suspected the kittens hadn't eaten in several days. They'd waited to see if a mother cat would return for her babies, but one never did. At just a few weeks old, the kittens weren't strong enough to forage for themselves, resulting in the low red blood cell count and the worms and fleas Dolly had when she was brought in.
Now, at six weeks old, Dolly's prognosis is good. Her blood cell count is healthy, and she's grown into a spry and energetic kitten who formed an immediate bond with Jesse, the 8-year-old paraplegic cat at the clinic affectionately called "The Wonder Cat."
"Jesse loved her immediately, as he always does with kittens," Allen said. "He sniffed her for two seconds and started licking her on the head. It was very motherly behavior from him."
The younger scooter cat, Willie, wasn't too fond of Dolly at first, but he wasn't fond of Jesse initially, either. Recently, though, Willie was caught giving Dolly tentative sniffs and meowing at her to communicate.
Dolly's paralysis isn't the same as Jesse's or Willie's. Jesse suffered a total spinal cord severance as a young kitten, and Willy's legs never developed properly in the womb. Dolly's spine wasn't totally damaged, and she may not stay like her newfound friends forever. Experimental treatment in an oxygen hyperbaric chamber could save her legs.
The Cat Clinic consulted with Cassy Englert, a physical therapist for humans who also has a certification for rehabilitation of dogs. Englert works with the Regional Institute for Veterinary Emergencies & Referrals, or RIVER, and recommended the hyperbaric chamber for Dolly.
The kitten will have roughly 10 to 12 treatments of around two hours each in the chamber, which is consists of pure oxygen pressurized to a few times stronger than normal atmospheric pressure.
"It hyperoxygenates the spine and assists with healing. There's some research science out there on it, but it's not mainstream yet," Englert said.
She also explained that much of the research is centered around human patients with spinal injuries using animal test subjects, such as rats. By combining hyperbaric treatment with other rehabilitation techniques such as aquatic exercise, the clinic is hopeful that Dolly can regain part, if not all, of the function in her legs.
If she can regain function, the clinic will look to adopt her out, although her prospective parent may end up being a clinic employee. Allen said Dolly's already endeared herself to the staff, and they will most likely want to keep her close if she makes a recovery.