Rascal’s sporo story (a sharing by Sau Yee)

On 31st March 2013, Sau Yee from Ipoh wrote to me requesting help and advice for her pet-cat, Rascal, who had just been diagnosed with sporotrichosis. I referred Sau Yee to two of our readers who have successfully home-nursed sporo-cats and since then, we have been in communication.

Upon my request, Sau Yee has agreed to share some of her experience, for the benefit of all our readers.

Here are some details:

On 7th April (after 7 days):

Hello Kahyein

It has been a very hectic week…. Yes, in fact the two readers are very very kind and  helpful. They were extremely generous with their advice and tips which my sister and I need badly. We bought the Lamsil cream, the Magtox spray to apply and  T factor and  Liv52 as supplements. Also he is on sporanox daily. Wound was only a tiny .6cm oval shaped lesion but it has gone to cover half of the larger soft pad and it seems the smaller soft pad is going raw soon. All these is because we just unable to put collar on. He licks them all and I am very hesitant to apply a generous amount seeing that he ingests them.

Rascal s name befits him! Real Rascal!!  I am sure u know how un cooperative they can be..(reading your blog is very entertaining, the tricks your ‘brood’ can get up to). But his lungs are not good so we are reluctant to put collar on as he does go panting for breaths on extreme exertion. Ras is about 18-19 months old. He was ok when he came as a stray but after his vaccinations, he developed chesty lungs. x rays showed shadows and vet said he has got o live with it. He is perfectly fine when he chases birds but after a few rounds, he will be panting,with a  grr gr sound.

Vet did put on collar at clinic (in fact vet said is not necessary but we insisted) it was off before we got home!! Tried putting it back on ourselves, he turned round to to engage a War….

I am rather angry with myself. Instead of improving, the lesion is getting worse. Collar!! This is what he must have but he tends to cause more injuries to his foot when he throws tantrums inside cage…..scratching the mats continuously. I suspected it started to get worse when we first caged him and he couldn’t accept it. It s a dog s cage, ample room for him to move around….

Tomorrow, I will get a vet o do house call to help us put collar on. He behaves perfectly in front of strangers…..frankly, in desperado, I even chant water for him to drink….he just doesn’t know he is  torturing his owners! I enclosed his pic just taken this morning. It was so small but u can see the smaller soft is getting raw soooon.

Thank you for your concern and your anonymous friend too, who has been very encouraging and supportive.

Please drive carefully as it tends to rain in d evenings (assuming you are going by car and whoever is driving)

Regards

Sauyee

Hi KahyeinJust an update on Rascal s condition. It hasn’t actually progress and I know it takes time. I ve been receiving a lot of encouragement from both Yong and the anonymous reader. They are ever so helpful and anon reader is so very thoughtful too. From your blog, I do understand that it takes quite a few months for the wound t o react to the sporanox. Actually, what is hindering the healing may be the site of the lesion. Whenever he gets excited, he scratches, and being such a young cat, he is obviously very active. I literally have to pick my poor heart up whenever I see much blood stains (which is d norm nowadays).  How to prevent him from being active!!

This was taken a few days ago and he s bleeding. Aiyo….this little boy is giving me real headache. A friend just advised me not to give cats litter as I was complaining that the litter get stuck on to the wound. Now, I am using shredded newspapers (as advised) and it is wonderful, cost effective and Eco friendly. And our little posh cat wrapped them up nicely….he is ever so clean, but wound still bleeds every now and then.Have a nice evening!!Sauyee

Hi

Yes, he is on T factor, Liv52 and of course, sporanox .  After speaking to the vet recommended by your reader, we ve increased the dosage to 75mg

Thanks for offering, I can actually get all his med from Ipoh. In my desperation, I thought of immobilising his leg. eg putting plaster of Paris like he has a fracture, but am sure d vet will think I am cuckoo or something!! Hmm…m on second thoughts his paw still touches the floor!! You see, desperate owner, desperation action.

Well, he just started sporanox and t factor on 30 Mar. Everyone says it takes weeks or months for medication to be fully effective…so meanwhile, I should keep fingers and toes X!!

Thank you  for the support and encouragement.

You have a Good nite and a pleasant day tomorrow!

Sauyee

Hello KahyeinI enclosed photos of Rascal.

The 2 above we’re taken about 2 weeks ago and the bottom 2 were taken today.  There is ‘slight’ improvement but still raw. It all boils down to this fella licking the lesion. The Lamisil cream is good but since he licks it off, i am not applying it regularly. Assessing it on day to day basis.I also enclosed a few of his photos taken a month ago when we house bound him when we saw a tiny lesion (before d diagnosis.). He loves to look out of window when he hears strange noises outside, his look out point.

Lovely little boy.Regards
Sauyee

From: Sau Yee
Date: Thu, May 9, 2013 at 10:24 PM
Subject: Rascal
To: kahyein <chankahyein@gmail.com>

Hello Kahyein

I must apologize for this very late update on Ras. With d election fever and the aftermath of the result, I am still following news though it is officially over!

Below are photos of Ras s healing which u can compare…starting from top left, going clockwise, the bottom left was taken last Thursday. As u can see it s only a tiny sore now.  Unfortunately, it hasn’t make much progress since last week, d reason being he tends to ‘self injure’ n forever licking his sore which cause it to bleed.  Despite all these I think we are getting there, albeit a bit slow. Not complaining, of course. I am really looking forward to d day that we can release him from cage.

Will give u further updates if I get a new photo of his Royal paw.

Good nite.

Sauyee

On 23rd May 2013:

From: Sau Yee
Date: Thu, May 23, 2013 at 10:27 PM
Subject: Rascal
To: kahyein <chankahyein@gmail.com>

Hi Kahyein

Happy Vesak Day to u!!

I am dying to inform u that Rascal’s wound is 98% healed. Just a tiny ‘pimple’ left. It took just about 2 months and honestly, it felt like 2 years.

Photo was taken more than 10 days ago. Now it s much much smaller. ‘Thank you aunty Kahyein for your concern’

Sauyee

Red hot photos of me!

And finally, finally, finally, on 5th June 2013:

From: Sau Yee
Date: Wed, Jun 5, 2013 at 9:44 PM
Subject: Rascal
To: kahyein <chankahyein@gmail.com>

Hi Kahyein

We took Rascal for  another check up and , yes, the paw is completely healed!!

Yes, pls go ahead to blog his case. I am so glad everything is back to normal now but we ve changed his routine. He is only allowed to be out for 3 hrs every afternoon. Better that way rather than 10 hrs of roaming.

Thank you once again for all the help and encouragement given.

Sauyee

Hooray and congratulations to Rascal for winning the battle against sporotrichosis and to Sau Yee, for her perseverance, patience and unrelenting efforts!!