Tom, Recovering Sporo-Cat
AnimalCare 
Jul 2, 2016 
AnimalCare, NGOs 
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Ever since we stopped our medical treatment fund, we haven’t published many sporo-cat cases. But this doesn’t mean the number of sporo cases have decreased. In fact, we get queries for help for sporo-cats almost on a weekly basis and we would share our link with them: https://myanimalcare.org/2014/04/29/tiger-day-54/
Sadly, the first email we receive from almost all of these cases would be a frantic appeal for help because their vets refused to treat sporo cases and only recommend euthanasia. The desperate owner doesn’t know what else to do, thinking that there is indeed no cure because their vets said so.
So, we send Tiger’s link (which also includes many other cases we’ve helped in the past) and if it’s in the Klang Valley, the owners will almost always ask for Tiger’s vet, so we share the information.
In many cases, we only get one feedback from the owner – and it is always good news – their cat is recovering. After that, there is no more news and we can only hope that all is well. Of course we hope the owners will share their experience and give us consent to publish their story (all sporo-cat links are in Tiger’s Day 54 link above). Their invaluable experience will surely encourage and motivate other owners not to give up on their sporo-cats.
Now, we can no longer help financially with medical treatment (as we are only offering neutering aid now), but we can still share all that we know from our previous experiences.
Adibah is one owner who wrote to us on 3rd May 2016. She has been very kind to allow us to share her story. Here it is, below, in her own words (taken from her emails).
Please also note that this is only a sharing and if your cat has the same disease, it is very important to consult a vet who is willing and interested to treat your cat. Then, even more important, you must always follow the advice and instructions of your chosen vet. Kindly note that each vet would have his/her own protocol for treating the same disease. Please do not self-diagnose, self-medicate or self-treat, unless you are a qualified vet.
Here is Adibah’s sharing:
Dear Dr Chan,
My name is Adibah. I have been rescuing stray cats according to what I can afford. To-date, I am taking care of 13 cats – 6 cats I took in as pets and put them in 6 three tier cages and 7 more stray cats are being fed 3 times daily behind my house.
My issue is, the last of the 6 cats I rescued had a wound on one of his left elbow. For 4 weeks, my vet tried to nurse the wound but it did not improve. Last week, they ran a test and discovered that Tom has the dreaded Sporo. They advised me to euthanise Tom, but I refused. I don’t have the heart. I told the vet I want to try and treat him. A week has passed and his wound has not improved much. And everyday, watching him in agony brought me to tears, so much so, I am beginning to think its best to leave his wound alone, but to just feed him with his medicines orally. Treating wounds I must say, is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
Tom has been vaccinated, dewormed and neutered (the neutering was done before we discovered he had sporo). Since the wound has not healed, the vet still advised me to euthanise Tom. I am writing to you to find out if you can help Tom, as my desperate and final measures to try and keep him alive. Please. I read in your website that there are others with similar disease and were saved.
For the love of Tom, please let me know if it is possible for you to help him. He needs help urgently before his wound gets worst.
Thank you very much Dr Chan.
I met Tiger’s vet and I must say, he is such a lovely man. I didn’t get the other lady’s name but she too is a nice lady. They are both very simple people and so is their clinic. I could straight away that the vet is very sincere with his consultation too.
He gave me Vetri DMG to boost Tom’s immune system, Liv 52 to protect his liver (both 1 tablet daily), an antibiotic Clintamycin (1/4 capsule 2 x daily), and told me to buy Sporanox (1/2 capsule daily). I bought Sporanox from a pharmacy at Taman Sri Gombak which costs RM280 per box but later found out that AA Pharmacy is selling it for RM246. Since Tom only need to take half a capsule daily, I thought the price isn’t too bad for 2 months.
As for the huge open wound on Tom’s elbow, the vet said to just apply Olive Oil. He said to handle the wound gently or it would flare up. Also to just wash off the litter stuck to the wound with water. Problem is, Tom will not let me touch it at all, so I just spray it with Olive Oil.
I also noticed the spores have spread to his other arm and other parts of his body. The vet said to expect Tom to shed some weight too during this couple of months. This 2 months onwards would be a trying time for both Tom and I. Either he shows signs of recovery or his condition might worsen. Its going to be heart breaking for me if he gets worst.
I will inform you of Tom’s progress from time to time. Thank you very much for recommending me to see Tiger’s vet. It is well worth the 35 minutes drive from Gombak Permai where I live to his clinic.
Dear Dr Chan,
I have not taken pictures of Tom or his wound because I don’t have the heart yet to do so. I used to hug him whenever I could before, but I now had to minimise that because it hurts his wound. He hates his medicines and have been avoiding me eversince. Its always a struggle luring him out of his cage recently. I always talk to him and tell him I love him very much and what I did is for his recovery.
I hope you’re in the best of health. Just top update you on Tom’s progress. Took him for his second visit to be seen by the vet. He is pleased with Tom’s progress. Tom is recovering! The wound on his elbow is now reduced to a 20 sen coin and hairs growing around it. It does spread here and there but they are just tiny little lesions and healing.
The vet said though the wound appears like its healing, Tom still have to be on his medication for a couple of months.
I am very pleased he is getting better. Tom’s next appointment is 17 June 2016.
Thank you Dr Chan. May God bless you.
Dear Dr Chan,
I took Tom to the vet last week and he was very pleased. In 6 weeks Tom’s wound is almost gone. The vet took him off the antibiotics (Clintamycin) but Tom still have to be on Sporanox, Liv 52 and Vetri DMG. Tom is looking healthier now. Maybe after Hari Raya, I will take him there again to be vaccinated. I wanted it done the first week but the vet said to wait until his wound improves.
Have a nice holiday Dr Chan!
Dear Dr Chan,
Yes of course you can publish Tom’s case and cut bits from my email or rewrite your own. Maybe you can tell them too that Tom had 3 lesions all over but the biggest was the open would.
It is also important to note this: His cage is 3 tiered and netted all around and the top with the Mosquito Wire Net to prevent mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, lizards and other insects attacking his food and especially his wound from further infestation (especially flies). Right below, I put a piece of the green wire mesh (do not use Mosquito Wire Net at the bottom cos difficult to clean the litter box later) and his litter box on top of that. The other half, I put a piece of tile 24″ x 24″ (according to the size of the cage). This is to prevent lizards crawling in from below. The tile would be bloodied and dirtied with his litter, etc. Its better that way so the dirt is always visible and we can clean them with wet tissues. I normally spray (just the bottom most area) with the canned dettol spray (from the pharmacy). The bottom most tray needs to be emptied and washed, at least once a week.
I net the other 6 cages the same way as well but I don’t spray their litter area with dettol – only Tom’s. I thought this help kill whatever bacteria there is. It is always useful to buy lots of those baby wipes or wet tissue. Once a week, my maid would vacuum inside the cages, removing hairs and dust. I also put two industrial fans so the cats don’t get too hot. Some people may think this is a bit over the top, but nothing could be worse then having their food full of fly eggs and they swallowing the eggs, I guess. The fan is necessary if you put mosquito wire nets cos they can get really hot (unless of course, they let their cats roam free.
One box (2 strips) of Sporanox cost about RM246 if you purchase it from the AA Pharmacy. Other pharmacies charged RM280. Some pharmacies would allow you to buy one strip. One strip of 15 capsule is for a month’s treatment cos we only need to give them half a capsule per day (unless prescribed otherwise by the vet). Tom’s vet would provide the rest of the medicines. In case he runs out of Liv 52, other Veterinary Clinic sells that at around RM34 per bottle.
Thank you Dr Chan for the wishes.
Source: https://myanimalcare.org/2016/07/02/tom-recovering-sporo-cat..
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