Yuki came to Helen Woodward Animal Center with a collapsed lung.
The roughly two-and-a-half year old Siamese cat had traveled over 100 miles from Los Angeles County with a gnarly cough. By the time our medical team could check up on her, she was coughing up blood. The medical team performed a radiograph on Yuki to get a better look at what was going on. It didn’t look great. Based on the results of the radiograph, Center Medical Director, Dr. Alexis Siler, diagnosed Yuki with atelectasis. Put simply, a portion of the Siamese kitty’s lung collapsed.
Yuki shortly after her final checkup.
Atelectasis is a condition caused by a variety of factors. Common causes include a build up of mucus, infection, or even fluid outside the lungs. The radiograph didn’t show a build up of mucus and it didn’t look like there was fluid around her lungs. So, Dr. Siler decided the best way to proceed would be to treat a possible infection and see if Yuki’s condition improved. They prescribed her various medications and sent her to foster care where she could recover in a lower stress environment.
When Yuki came in for her weekly checkup, her cough had vanished. It looked like the combination of medication and a lower stress environment had paid off! Dr. Siler examined the Siamese kitty again and concluded her lungs were in recovery. She recommended another week of foster care before making Yuki available.
It took a little over a month for Yuki to complete her recovery. Once Dr. Siler gave her the sign off, she was made available for adoption. Normally, Siamese cats don’t stay at the Center for very long. But many potential adopters were scared away by Yuki’s medical history. Yet she never lost her spirit. Despite watching younger and healthier kittens find their forever families, Yuki kept her heart open to happily ever after. Just under two weeks later, her striking beauty and lovable personality won the affection of a local family who took her home the same day.
Now, Yuki has two furry siblings who keep her company in her storybook ending.
