Rescued Bend cat gets cleft palate surgery
Repost from: Bend, Oregon – June 25, 2008
By Tony Fuller, KTVZ.COM
Surgeon volunteers procedure typically done on children
Usually, we hear about cleft-palate surgery being performed on humans. But on Wednesday in Bend, it was performed on a very special cat – one rescued from a Dumpster just last year.
The oral surgery involves drawing tissue from either side of the mouth to rebuild the roof of the mouth.
Happy is the cat’s name, and according to the surgeons involved in the surgery at Bend Veterinary Clinic, this is the first cat they have seen with a cleft palate.
This type of birth defect on a cat causes frequent respiratory infections and food and water to lodge in the cat’s sinus cavity.
Needless to say, Happy, is happy to be alive.
It’s a special day at the Bend Veterinary Clinic. Meet renowned surgeon Dr. Joseph Clawson.
“I’ve done thousands of these is people, humans, infants particularly – that’s where this condition of cleft lip and cleft palate occur. This was the first kitten.” said renowned surgeon Dr. Joseph Clawson from Operation of Hope (www.operationofhope.org).
Named Happy by a cat rescue team, this cat was found in a Forest Service Dumpster near John Day.
“I have actually never seen a cat with this particular defect in my career, and I’ve done almost 15,000 surgeries, ” said Dr. Byron Maas of the Bend Veterinary Clinic.
Happy’s cleft palate is a birth defect that causes frequent breathing problems. But now, Happy should be even happier.
“What we wanted to do today is get, after the cat had grown up to adult size, is actually get full closure, get the fistular, that opening between the mouth and up into the sinuses closed. ” Clawson said.
Operation of Hope is a surgical team that travels around the world to perform cleft palate surgeries on underprivileged children. Clawson heard of Happy’s story, and volunteered to the surgery for free.
“We had connections with a nurse who has worked with me for 18 years and her sister, who owns the cat. And between that and knowing that I do cleft lip palates, we made the connection, ” Clawson said.
Now just waking up from his surgery, Happy now breathes a little easier. For Happy, it’s not just breathing, it’s living.
About Operation of Hope
Operation of Hope is a non profit (501 (c) volunteer surigcal team that has provided free facial reconstructive surgery for children in developing countries since 1989.
If you would like to donate to Operation of Hope, contact jennifer@operationofhope.org or visit the website at www.operationofhope.org.
PLEASE donate to pet rescue
