SPECIALIST staff at a Solihull vets have been hailed as “phenomenal” after saving the life of a kitten suffering from a catastrophic bleed on the brain.
Norris, a seven-week-old Ragdoll kitten, was rushed to Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service in Shirley after being left “lifeless” and “unresponsive” when a routine microchip procedure at a pet store had gone severely wrong.
There seemed little hope that tiny Norris would survive the trauma but specialist clinicians at the Highlands Road animal hospital battled for five days to stem the bleed and nurse him back from the brink.
Relieved owner Steven Stringer said: “I can’t thank the staff at Willows enough – they were phenomenal.
“I’d taken Norris to a local pet store to be microchipped and it all went disastrously wrong. He was left lifeless with a bleed on the brain.
“They advised me to take him straight to be examined by a specialist and the next thing I knew I was driving with an unresponsive cat beside me wondering whether he would survive the journey.
“When I arrived at Willows, I knew it was a bad situation and he might have to be put to sleep but I said: ‘Please can you try? Do whatever you need to do to save him’.
“It was the most stressful time, absolutely horrible. I was in tears for two days wondering whether he could make it through but the Willows team were brilliant.
“Norris was in intensive care for five days, but after three days they said he was starting to come around, so there was suddenly light at the end of the tunnel.
“Finally I got to take him home and he’s now 95 per cent back to his normal self, which is incredible.”
Toby Gemmill, clinical director at Willows, said: “When he first arrived he was lifeless and disorientated and it was clear the first 24-48 hours were critical in determining his recovery.
“Norris was discharged after five days and he was able to walk unaided for few steps and eat and drink on his own.
“He was re-examined at Willows two weeks later and he was still mildly wobbly on the back legs but he showed a marked improvement.”
