For an 11-week-old kitten, Mallory’s short life had been full of pain. Dr. Margaret Wixson, OHS veterinarian, performed multiple surgeries on Mallory’s tiny body to save her life. Watch the video and read her story below.
Just like you, helping animals in need is essential to who I am. That’s why I’m a veterinarian at the Oregon Humane Society. But my work is only possible because of donors. Without donors, pets like Mallory can’t be saved.
Mallory came to the Humane Society of SW Washington (HSSW) in horrible shape. No one knew the cause of her injuries, but clearly Mallory was in pain and desperately needed help. Her left hind leg was severely damaged, so she was trying to walk on her right hind leg, which was broken. She needed a lot of help, and quick.
Mallory’s injuries were so severe that HSSW contacted OHS to request a special transfer. Because of the generosity of donors, including you, OHS has the unique expertise to help animals even with severe medical issues. Local organizations rely on OHS to heal animals with medical issues too complex to solve elsewhere. And OHS relies on donors.
Donor generosity makes it possible to rescue medically needy pets.
Mallory needed her left hind leg amputated and surgery to repair her right hind leg. Multiple major surgeries on an 11-week-old kitten would be risky. Mallory is one of the smallest kittens I’ve ever had to perform these procedures on. But it was necessary. Without them, she was at risk of losing her life.
Despite her injuries, Mallory was playful and spunky when I met her. And when I saw how good her appetite was, I had faith that she could pull through. But I still had a job to do. With the help of the OHS Medical Team, I successfully performed the surgeries Mallory needed. The next morning, she was alert, happy and hungry. I knew this was the beginning of a new life for Mallory.
Given Mallory’s young age, I was optimistic that she’d learn to walk on three legs. But she didn’t want to use her remaining hind leg much after surgery, so it was important for her to go to a foster family that would do physical therapy with her.
Because of donors, animals can get the care they need to quickly find a home.
Luckily, Mallory wound up with the perfect family. They took care of her needs, continued physical therapy and dealt with any issues that came up. Clearly, they’d fallen in love with Mallory, and she was thriving. I was thrilled when I learned that Mallory’s foster family would be adopting her.
The past year hasn’t just affected people; it affected animals, too. There are more animals in need of medical care right now. I do my part to help animals in need every day, but I can’t do my job without your help. You can be a partner in saving lives, and pets in need are counting on you. Please give today to save the lives of pets like Mallory.
