By DANIELLE GALVIN
SMITHERS the cat won’t be Waylon anymore after vets removed a rubber stopper from his belly last week.
American cartoon reference aside, this little black and white cat is lucky his adventurous appetite didn’t cost him his life.
With the help of Green Cross Veterinary Clinic in Pakenham and the Pet Medical Crisis Fund (PMCF), Smithers is on the mend and back to entertaining the kids and terrorising his live-in mate Banjo.
His owner Natalie Bendall said they purchased Smithers from Green Cross Vets in Pakenham three years ago, just before Christmas.
“He was part of their adoption program and a cute bundle of fur,” she said.
“He would spend hours running up and down the Christmas tree and attacking the presents under the tree. Our whole family fell in love with him instantly.”
In recent weeks, Smithers’ health started to deteriorate and his owners knew something was amiss when he became violently ill.
“I thought it would pass and kept an eye on him, however he was soon off his food and lethargic, vomiting and glassy-eyed,” Ms Bendall said.
“I called the vet who admitted him immediately, thinking perhaps he had been poisoned.”
After two days in the pet hospital, attached to a drip, he slowly deteriorated before the Bendall family were put onto Jennifer Hunt at the PMCF.
“We were unable to find further funds for x-rays and surgery as it became clear he had some sort of intestinal obstruction that could only be helped with surgery,” Ms Bendall said.
“Our only option was to have our little man put to sleep.”
Smithers had surgery on Thursday which saved his life and the Bendalls won’t be forgetting the vets who operated on him or the PMCF who helped subsidise part of the expensive surgery.
“Thank the heavens that we were put in contact with the Pet Medical Crisis Fund who spent a
long time on the phone with me discussing options,” Ms Bendall said.
“We are a proud family and do not like to accept money from anyone, but I agreed with Jennifer to help us at our time of need.
“Words cannot express how much gratitude we have for her help. We are eternally grateful.”
When the scars from the surgery heal, Smithers will be back following his owners around the house and playing with his friend Banjo, the family’s Jack Russell.
Ms Hunt said Smithers is the 65th family pet the organisation has helped to save in the past two years.
“Instead of being unnecessarily euthanased on Thursday morning Smithers went to theatre to have an exploratory laparotomy – surgical opening of his abdomen and cutting into the intestine; and the veterinary staff were amazed to find Smithers had eaten a rubber stopper which was causing a blockage in his bowel,” she said.
“He made an uncomplicated post-operative recovery, aided with some intravenous valium to prompt his appetite and he went home on Saturday evening to a very relieved family.”
The PMCF assists pensioners and disadvantaged people to save their pets from being unnecessarily euthanased and tax deductible donations can be made online and rely on public donations to survive.
Visit www.petmedicalcrisisfund.com.au/donations.shtml to donate, or at any Westpac Bank.
