Neo's Surgery & Ongoing Treatment

Please consider donating to help Neo receive critical surgery for removal of one of his parathyroid glands. The surgery will be $5,000 and we look at this as an opportunity for those whose lives have been touched by Neo to invest some of that love back into him. Whether he has bumped your hand for affection, or knocked down your water cup in mischief, his presence is a joy to his humans and is worth fighting for. If you found this campaign through your connection to Billy or Kendra and haven’t met Neo, please consider donating for their sake, as his prosperity is theirs too.

Please read on to learn about Neo’s recent health odyssey. If all you needed to read was Neo + needs help, then hit that donate button and give as generously as you are able.

~~~STORY TIME~~~

Stats: Legendary rare cat. 15 years spry. Well-groomed, runs great with only oil changes and filter replacements. He charges around the house, he lounges in the sun, but most of all he is an appetite. No, that’s not a typo. This love of food is how Billy and Kendra first came to notice a change in his health and demeanor.

The weekend of February 8th, 2019 we noticed a marked change in his behavior. Friday, everything seemed normal, but on Saturday he was suddenly very lethargic. He was slow to move around the house and had to really steady himself before jumping at all. He stopped eating--not even treats. He was able to drink tuna fish water that night, but only a few sips. Rather than investigating his domain, he stayed in one spot and was asleep for most of the day.

We made arrangements to visit a vet that was open on weekends, which was the right call as Sunday came and he was worse off and not even grooming himself. We did a full exam at Banefield Pet Hospital and Neo’s blood work showed he had extremely high calcium levels--off the charts for the machine to even locate an exact reading. He was rushed to the Emergency clinic. That day we thought the worst.

The Emergency clinic ran their own tests and gave him fluid and steroids to lower his levels, but it only helped a little. We were able to stay by his side overnight. After a second night of worry, his calcium hadn’t dropped enough and he still wasn’t eating, so he was transferred to oncology at Olympia Veterinary Cancer Center (OVCC).

At OVCC they did an abdominal ultrasound and verified that he would be a good candidate for pamidronate, which is the same treatment they give humans with osteoporosis. They administered the drug via transfusion. They let us know the steps they were going to take, but the drug only lasts so long so he would have to go back for transfusions every few months. In the short-term, we went with this solution in order to buy time for a deeper look. During this initial intake, we couldn’t see or interact with Neo and were waiting for measurable results as soon as possible.

When we finally came in to meet with the oncologist, she pulled out her phone and said she wanted to show us a video. It was Neo scarfing down a bowl of food! After several days of limbo, we were ecstatic. Words cannot describe our relief. But while this was a big victory, it was still only a stop-gap solution to treat the symptom. Something else was causing his calcium to be so high.

Another ultrasound would reveal a nodule on one of his parathyroid glands. We don’t know the nature of this nodule, or if it will spread, and at this point there are no signs of growths anywhere else. The doctor recommends removal of the nodule. Since the parathyroid glands serve the function of regulating calcium levels, the removal of this nodule is the best method of relieving his host of symptoms that are presenting because of this imbalance. This is the best way to regain his quality of life and ensure that we are not just chasing symptoms.

The OVCC is one of the best in the field of veterinary medicine and people from across the state travel to Olympia for their expertise. We are fortunate to live close to a clinic that can give Neo this level of care and a high chance of full recovery. After weighing all the options, we trust that an investment now will yield several more years of health for our precious friend.

When he was born, there was a village of friends around Neo and now it will take a village to sustain him. Thank you for reading. If you are able, please share this campaign widely.