Help Dusty A Wildfire Survivor Get Some Relief
Donation protected
All we know about Dusty’s life prior to November 8, 2018 is that he lived somewhere near 6626 Skyway in Paradise. That’s where he was found by rescuers after the Camp Fire, horribly burned over his face, feet, legs and ears.
For the next several months he was cared for at UC Davis, receiving frequent bandage changes for first, second and third degree burns. He had surgery to amputate burned toes and melted footpads, on his eyes to remove his inner eyelids and to treat his various issues, some fire related, some not.
When he left UC Davis, he came to FieldHaven (an amazing cat shelter and rescue in Lincoln California) sporting a roly-poly body, raspy snore because of fire damaged lungs, singed coat that felt like a Brillo pad, shortened, fire-scarred ears, missing toes and burn-scarred face, legs and tummy.
Oh yeah, did we mention that he is also FIV+?
Besides captivating volunteers with his cute button nose and raspy purr, Dusty did a few important things during his sojourn at FieldHaven. He spent time as a hospice cat for beloved FieldHaven volunteer Barbara during the last weeks of her life. He also made a very important FIV educational video.
At first, FieldHaven couldn’t understand why a forever family eluded Dusty, but now they know why. Dusty was waiting for his soulmate Elizabeth to find her way to FieldHaven from Virginia Beach. She had been volunteering with FieldHaven from afar for several months, working their found Camp Fire Cats data to get exposure to possible owners. She arrived in town on a Friday to meet the people and cats she has been working with so closely at FieldHaven for many months. She mentioned she was looking for a cool cat to share her travels. We thought of Dusty.
***********
Hi! I’m Elizabeth and now Dusty is in my care! At first he flourished as we traveled across the US, but through time strange neurological “tics” started plaguing him.
He has a severe allergy to fleas so at first we thought it was just some errant flea bite, but now it’s turned into an endless autonomous licking, biting and scratching.
First we tried steroids, but that did nothing but make him rather vicious (which is quite unlike his sweet nature) he bit me and then bit his fursister in the face. The next vet diagnosed him with hyperthesia, which is sort of like overactive nerve endings that causes an auto response to bite and lick as well as a weird rippling down the back, sort of like having a “lick spot” covering the entire back, so we put him on gabapentine.
That seemed to help for awhile, but now he must be on such high doses all he does is scratch or sleep.
After a round of clavomox and 3 different vets (all extremely great drs) and a cancer scare (he got a clean bill of health for lymphoma) I decided he needs to go to a learning hospital to be assessed and treated.
A cat going through such trauma as the burns and resulting affects of living through a wildfire, is just too unusual a circumstance for any regular vet, no matter how good they might be. His issues are highly likely a result from his extensive burns and he needs to be seen by a specialist.
The first vet visit at Tufts will cost $230, the second will be at the neurology department and that will be $260. That does not include the resulting tests and medication, or following treatment, and I just do not have those sort of finances right now.
Sadly, I was laid up due to illness for 6 months (well, a broken leg) and had blown through my savings working (well volunteering) in cat rescue and catastrophe response helping with rescue after numerous hurricanes then the Woolsey, then the Camp Fire, prior to adopting Dusty. But what is most important, is that Dusty gets what he needs.
After speaking to Tufts, a contact at UCDavis and a friend that recently went through something similar, we are guesstimating I will need about $5000 to keep on hand to see Dusty through this time. So... I am asking for your help!
If the money we receive ends up being more than we need, I will keep it in reserve since Dusty’s FIV+ will mean he will always need extra care.
I am working 10 hours a day, 8 days a week to get back on my proverbial feet and should be just fine in a few months, but Dusty just cannot wait. We need your help today.
Thank you to all of those in the cat rescue community for convincing me to take our need public. It’s not the first time I’ve asked for help on GoFundMe, I certainly hope that it is my last.
For the next several months he was cared for at UC Davis, receiving frequent bandage changes for first, second and third degree burns. He had surgery to amputate burned toes and melted footpads, on his eyes to remove his inner eyelids and to treat his various issues, some fire related, some not.
When he left UC Davis, he came to FieldHaven (an amazing cat shelter and rescue in Lincoln California) sporting a roly-poly body, raspy snore because of fire damaged lungs, singed coat that felt like a Brillo pad, shortened, fire-scarred ears, missing toes and burn-scarred face, legs and tummy.
Oh yeah, did we mention that he is also FIV+?
Besides captivating volunteers with his cute button nose and raspy purr, Dusty did a few important things during his sojourn at FieldHaven. He spent time as a hospice cat for beloved FieldHaven volunteer Barbara during the last weeks of her life. He also made a very important FIV educational video.
At first, FieldHaven couldn’t understand why a forever family eluded Dusty, but now they know why. Dusty was waiting for his soulmate Elizabeth to find her way to FieldHaven from Virginia Beach. She had been volunteering with FieldHaven from afar for several months, working their found Camp Fire Cats data to get exposure to possible owners. She arrived in town on a Friday to meet the people and cats she has been working with so closely at FieldHaven for many months. She mentioned she was looking for a cool cat to share her travels. We thought of Dusty.
***********
Hi! I’m Elizabeth and now Dusty is in my care! At first he flourished as we traveled across the US, but through time strange neurological “tics” started plaguing him.
He has a severe allergy to fleas so at first we thought it was just some errant flea bite, but now it’s turned into an endless autonomous licking, biting and scratching.
First we tried steroids, but that did nothing but make him rather vicious (which is quite unlike his sweet nature) he bit me and then bit his fursister in the face. The next vet diagnosed him with hyperthesia, which is sort of like overactive nerve endings that causes an auto response to bite and lick as well as a weird rippling down the back, sort of like having a “lick spot” covering the entire back, so we put him on gabapentine.
That seemed to help for awhile, but now he must be on such high doses all he does is scratch or sleep.
After a round of clavomox and 3 different vets (all extremely great drs) and a cancer scare (he got a clean bill of health for lymphoma) I decided he needs to go to a learning hospital to be assessed and treated.
A cat going through such trauma as the burns and resulting affects of living through a wildfire, is just too unusual a circumstance for any regular vet, no matter how good they might be. His issues are highly likely a result from his extensive burns and he needs to be seen by a specialist.
The first vet visit at Tufts will cost $230, the second will be at the neurology department and that will be $260. That does not include the resulting tests and medication, or following treatment, and I just do not have those sort of finances right now.
Sadly, I was laid up due to illness for 6 months (well, a broken leg) and had blown through my savings working (well volunteering) in cat rescue and catastrophe response helping with rescue after numerous hurricanes then the Woolsey, then the Camp Fire, prior to adopting Dusty. But what is most important, is that Dusty gets what he needs.
After speaking to Tufts, a contact at UCDavis and a friend that recently went through something similar, we are guesstimating I will need about $5000 to keep on hand to see Dusty through this time. So... I am asking for your help!
If the money we receive ends up being more than we need, I will keep it in reserve since Dusty’s FIV+ will mean he will always need extra care.
I am working 10 hours a day, 8 days a week to get back on my proverbial feet and should be just fine in a few months, but Dusty just cannot wait. We need your help today.
Thank you to all of those in the cat rescue community for convincing me to take our need public. It’s not the first time I’ve asked for help on GoFundMe, I certainly hope that it is my last.
Organizer
Elizabeth Whitener
Organizer
Lincoln, RI