Eleanor's Life Saving Surgery and Veterinary Care

Meet Eleanor

Eleanor was adopted by Krys from the local SPCA just over 10 years ago, when Krys was struggling with mental illness as a teenager. Eleanor kept Krys safe and feeling loved in a way that nothing, and no one else, really could. At 11 years old Eleanor is still an adventurous cat who helps Krys make it through the hardest of days. Eleanor has been by Krys’ side through significant mental and physical illness and doesn’t mind staying in bed all day if Krys can’t get up. Aside from cuddling in sunbeams, Eleanor also loves going for walks outdoors, travelling cross-country, and rolling on top of bagged carrots.

"I know she's not ready to go. She wants to live and we need to help her stay."

About 6 months ago, Eleanor was diagnosed with Immune Mediated Erosive Polyarthritis , a rare auto-immune disease in cats where the body's immune system attacks and erodes its own joints. X-Rays showed that bones in her back left leg were disintegrating and floating inside of her foot. Her open wound was leaking fluid and after doing a test, learned that this was actually joint fluid that was leaving her leg joints. Her right leg is also end-stage arthritis and her other joints have no or minimal inflammation. After the appointment the veterinarian gave some news that no pet parent ever wants to hear: Euthanasia may be the most ethical option.

Krys, who is disabled and lives with chronic pain, spent time reflecting on what the veterinarian said and realized that Eleanor is not ready to go. Krys knows from experience that life doesn't need to be pain-free to be worth living. Eleanor, though all of this, is still active and loving. In the days after that appointment, Krys kept saying "I know she's not ready to go. She wants to live and we need to help her stay." This phrase became a promise of Krys's commitment to Eleanor, one that began hours and hours of reading, trying to understand what was happening and what could be done.

Saving Eleanor

After deciding that euthanasia was not the option for Eleanor, Krys started to better understand how to help her, which also started the very steady, and very steep, accumulation of medical expenses.

From that point forward, Krys continued to provide Eleanor the best care possible, even if it was not affordable. This was made possible by the ongoing care and support from Celtic Creatures in Sydney Nova Scotia, Draper Veterinary Clinic in Halifax, and K-9 Orthotics and Prosthetics in Beaverbank.

Eleanor has had two rounds of medical closure on the wound, each time, re-opening. Rounds of antibiotics to do our best to reduce chance of infection, as well as daily wound care, and medications for pain and inflammation. Over the past few months she has been wearing an orthotic on her right foot (made by K-9 Orthotics and Prosthetics) and has tolerated it more than all the veterinarians and specialists Eleanor saw thought possible. Because she accepted the orthotic, her team was then able to make a plan for possibly amputating her left hind leg and using mobility aids to support her right hind leg.

Months passed and even with all the medical intervention, the wound will not heal. Eleanor’s veterinary team advised amputation as the only option and grew increasingly concerned for the risk of systemic infection from the long-term wound. Her amputation is set for July 13th. She may be able to have surgical stabilization of her right leg at a future date but that will involve specially making metal plates for her tiny bones. The cost of this is so high that an estimate could not have even been given until we were sure we wanted to go through with it.

Impact of Donations

All of this care comes at a cost, one that causes a significant financial struggle. By Eleanors amputation surgery in mid July, as well as the arrival of her wheelchair from K9 Carts , Krys will have spent over Nine-Thousand Dollars (CAN) in medical bills for Eleanor this year to give her essential care that saved her from being euthanized. Being Autistic, living with mental illness and trying the best that Krys can with the limited financial resources available. While Krys does not regret these decisions they still are financially challenging. These decisions have only been possible thanks to the generosity of Krys's parents for allowing Krys to move in with them as well as Krys's Line of Credit. Krys has become too unwell for paid employment since earlier this year.

These decisions, and these costs have already given Eleanor and Krys several more months with each other and have changed the way that her medical team views quality of life and using mobility aids as options for cats. Krys was told that Eleanor would not tolerate any of it, that she would no longer be a happy cat, and this just isn't the case. Eleanor loves adventuring in her brace! Eleanor loves playing with her favourite toys, sunbathing at the window, joining us for adventures outside, getting head scratches, cuddling, sleeping with Krys every night. She is a very happy cat.

I ask that if you have the capacity and resources to donate to the current 9k overall cost of medical care for Eleanor , that you would contribute financially. In exchange for supporting Eleanor I would like to send a personal thank-you card and as well as a picture of Eleanor to express our appreciation towards your generosity.