Pectus Excavatum Part II
Today we set off bright and early in the morning to take Miss. Petra to the veterinarian surgeons at Blue Pearl in Edin Prairie Minnesota. It’s just under a two-and-a-half-hour drive for us. Because of the long trip we brought Mickey (Petra’s mom) and the rest of the litter with us. Due to the young age of the kittens we didn’t want separate everyone for that long. We brought their bed and a litter box and we headed out!
The drive was smooth sailing Mickey, Petra and the kittens did great! They slept most of the way down, but also played a bit too. It sure was fun having a vehicle full of cats! We got checked into out appointment and waited to see one of the surgeons for the consultation. While we were waiting a few people were quite interested in little Petra. She was making adorable little meows in my arms. I even let a few people hold her because I’m always willing to share kitten snuggles!
When we were called back to the room, the vet assistant took our information. She then brought little Petra back for the exam with the surgeon. I could hear her tiny meows as the brought her down the hall. It was sad to hear, but I knew she was in good hands. A short time later the assistant brought Petra back to me and said the surgeon would be in shortly to discuss her findings. I was happy to wait because I had sweet little Petra to hold and keep me company!
When the surgeon came in, she discussed Petra’s condition in more detail. She explained what makes her chest different and how they can correct it. In the case of Pectus Excavatum the rib cage points inward rather than making a more oval-like normal rib cage. (This is a condition that also affects humas, dogs and other mammals as well.)The potential problem lays in how severe the deformity is. If the inward point of the ribs is severe then it can place too much pressure on the lungs, heart and stomach causing problems with breathing, heart function, and eating. In severe cases they can intervene with a special chest corset that gets sown into the chest to help pull the ribcage into the correct position.
Fortunately, in Petra’s case she only has a mild form of Pectus Excavatum and at this time they are not recommending surgery. Since she is eating and breathing just fine the risk of surgery on a four week old kitten isn’t in Petra’s best interest. They would like to see her back when she is 8 weeks old for a re-evaluation. It is possible that she may never need surgery and her chest may grow into a more normal shape as she gets bigger. The possibility that she may need surgery is if she develops problems with eating and or breathing. I’m really holding on to hope that she won’t end up needing surgery and her chest will get better as she gets older!
The surgeon also said there is no reason why she couldn’t be sold. She said just make sure new owners are aware of her condition. To which I replied most definitely. I would absolutely not sell my sweet Petra unless someone knew of her condition so they would be prepared to deal with any interventions that may arise in the future. If no one wants to own a cat with this condition than I will happily keep her! She has already won my heart with her beautiful big eyes and sweet, playful personality. I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the “underdog.” In this case it’s the under cat. <3
As we said goodbye, they thanked us for coming in. They all enjoyed seeing Petra. She won their hearts too with her adorable looks and tiny meow cries.
Stay tuned for more updates! I’ll be sharing more about Petra after her follow up appointment.
For more information on this condition check out the pictures and links below: