A titanic struggle to keep alive a baby kitten with deadly infectious peritonitis (Fip) is being fought by members of the animal charity of the municipality of Ampelokipi – Menemeni in Thessaloniki, delivering lessons in humanity and love for animals.
The reason for Hermes, as his name is. Hermes manifested the deadly mutation of the coronavirus about a month and a half ago and found him a member of the animal welfare and thus began a great effort to save him.
THE Cleopatra Karafotisfrom the animal charity of the municipality of Ampelokipi – Menemeni, explained to ThessToday.gr how he found the baby kitten, how he was diagnosed and how his experimental treatment began, as there is no official treatment, nor vaccine.
“I found him a month ago in a park near the workers’ housing of Ampelokipi. We had never seen it before, it was a six month old baby. He was not walking well but was eating with appetite. I took him and we tested him, where we saw that he has symptoms of Fip. But it was not certain because there is no specialized test for Fip. We gave him cortisone and he was walking a little better. I kept him at home and two weeks after we stopped the cortisone he started not walking well until he was completely immobile. He could only raise his head. I took him straight to the doctor, we put him in serum and did tests and a complete blood count, sending the samples to Germany. It is a disease that is not easily detected, so the doctors send the samples for testing to laboratories in Germany, because they want accurate values. He was finally diagnosed with Fip.”
Fip is fatal infectious peritonitis, caused by a strain of the coronavirus (FCoV). “It hits the nerves and leads to disability. There is no cure. Only this experimental one that comes from abroad”, says Ms. Carafoti.
She sent a call on social media to every animal lover to help with the experimental treatment, which the kitten started five days ago, which will last at least three months and is expected to cost the unaffordable amount of 1,200-1,400 euros. The treatment at this stage involves injections given by a veterinarian and later pills will be added.
“The bottles with the treatment liquid come from abroad, they cost 75 euros each and the dosage changes as the cat’s weight changes. As he puts on weight, the dose should increase, so the bottle will last fewer days. Now it lasts five days, then maybe three. He’s still young, now he’s growing.”
Ms. Karafotis expresses her concern as in the first days after she made public the story of Hermes and his expensive treatment, there was interest, which has now, however, faded. “There is awareness on such matters. It helps people but usually when it comes to something that will be done and finished. In other words, for this treatment that lasts months and so much money has to be found, I don’t know if people will be found to help systematically”, as he reports with concern on ThessToday.gr.
After the fourth injection Hermes received for his treatment he got up on his feet and is trying to walk. Still staggering though. She herself speaks of a very sweet and friendly animal, who is happy and enjoys people’s caresses and care. He is also cooperative and calm despite the difficulty of the treatment. “He is a very friendly and calm cat. As soon as I open the door of his room, – because he is away from other cats -, he comes with all his strength to welcome me, even though he moves with great difficulty.”
Ms. Karafoti adds that if the treatment is successful, the kitten will be completely fine and the next goal is to give it up for adoption, so that it can find a home and a family that will love it. Even the choice of his name came from the wish that he would get well and one day be able to run and play like the other cats. “I named him Hermes, because the God Hermes was wing-footed. I hope that one day he will become a wing-foot too.”
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