Back in December 2010 very late in the evening, I found a black cat lying in the middle of a busy road. It was clearly hit by a car and left there, lifeless. Hoping to find a tag to notify its owner,... Read More
Back in December 2010 very late in the evening, I found a black cat lying in the middle of a busy road. It was clearly hit by a car and left there, lifeless. Hoping to find a tag to notify its owner, I stopped, picked up the cat and immediately felt a faint heartbeat. I called my regular vet whose after-hours service told me a vet could be there in about 30 minutes. I feared the cat did not have 30 minutes, and so the service informed me of Alliance, only a short ride up Rt 10 from where I was.
As I approached Alliance, the cat regained consciousness and I could feel him milling around. I could see he was bleeding from the mouth and his eye was swollen. A vet tech immediately came out with a towel and brought him inside. They found no collar, no tag and no microchip so I was told if I no one claimed the cat, it would be surrendered to animal control, who might euthanize him in his poor condition - if he didn't die first from his injuries.
I asked Alliance to do basic testing and evaluation to see if the cat could at least be stabilized. I was presented with a clear estimate range and likely procedures and treatments, which consisted of x-rays, and if required, steroids, diuretics and antibiotics. I consented, and within 15 minutes, Dr. Holland told me the cat had a fractured skull, which was very serious, but miraculously, no other broken bones or trauma. I told her let's just take things one step at a time and she agreed, but told me the cat's condition is very unpredictable and clearly warned of complications due to cranial bleeding and concussion. She also told me the cat was probably less than a year old, unneutered, and judging by his stomach contents visible in the x-rays, likely feral.
I agreed to basic treatment, and was presented with a clear treatment plan and cost estimate, which was not cheap, but which I ultimately consented to, which required steroids, diuretics and antibiotics, plus overnight boarding cost and constant monitoring.
Miraculously, the cat pulled through. I left him with Alliance for over a week for continuous treatment and was given twice daily updates on his condition and was immediately informed of any new charges. Overall, the costs were understandably expensive but honestly not much more expensive than my regular vet.
I was very happy with Dr. Holland and Alliance, so I ended up getting him all his shots and neutering while he was there in the hopes that I could find a shelter or family to take him, as I already had two other cats. Sadly, no one wanted him, and constantly calling the local police department and posting on the Internet, no one claimed him either. So I just took him home.
It's been almost six years and Nero is still doing great. He's such a big boy now and no longer skiddish or feral. He can still be a bit fresh but he's generally very mushy and cuddly. Many thanks to Dr. Holland and her team for saving Nero and giving him the chance to be part of our family. Read Less