Often, animal shelters in Massachusetts and beyond contact the MSPCA-Angell for medical assistance if they lack resources or expertise. In Anna’s case, the 13-week-old kitten started treatment at Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center (TOJ) in Springfield, MA, and later transferred to the MSPCA-Angell in Boston. The staff at TOJ diagnosed Anna with a diaphragmatic hernia, a small tear in her diaphragm that causes organs to migrate to parts of the body where they shouldn’t. Heart and lung function can be seriously affected by this defect. However, TOJ could not perform the needed procedure on young Anna.
Once at the MSPCA-Angell, the medical staff acted quickly. “We were unsure if the diaphragmatic hernia was secondary to a congenital or traumatic cause, but we wanted to address it immediately,” explained Dr. Caroline Choi of the MSPCA-Angell’s Surgery service. Anna needed the procedure because most of her gastrointestinal (GI) organs, including her liver, spleen, stomach, and small and large intestines, were trapped in her chest.
Operating on such a tiny, young kitten as Anna was risky. But the MSPCA-Angell's medical staff knew they needed to do everything possible to ensure Anna's survival and good health. They whisked the young cat away into surgery and performed the diaphragmatic hernia repair. The operation involved moving Anna’s organs back into her abdominal cavity and closing the defect in her diaphragm.
“While risky, this procedure was necessary because, with her abdominal organs in her thoracic cavity, it made it difficult for her to breathe and expand her lungs fully,” said Dr. Choi. “On some occasions, when the GI tract is entrapped in such a small area, food is not digested and appropriately passed, so you see vomiting signs as well.”
Luckily, Anna handled the surgery like a champ and recovered smoothly in the MSPCA-Angell’s new state-of-the-art Supportive Care Unit (SCU). Dr. Choi reported that Anna is “thriving, breathing comfortably, eating very well – and acting like a very cute kitten.”
Anna will spend time in a foster home to recover before being placed in a loving, adoptive home.
