Saving Princess

On a Wednesday afternoon, when most of the staff had gone home and the Pet Health Center was closed for the day, a frantic family appeared at our front door in need of help.  

Their young cat, Princess, was experiencing full-body tremors after her people had applied a flea-prevention product formulated for dogs the day before. Distraught, they explained that they had been told that the product was fine for their cat, but the information was incorrect.

Dakin staff members Lorie Benware, Luis Roche, and Dr. Rebecca Carroll immediately bathed Princess in Dawn soap to remove any remaining product. Princess was running a fever in response to the product, and the team figured that she had been since the reaction started. Since prolonged elevated body temperature is a danger, Princess would need to be monitored every few hours and cooled down if the fever got too high.

The anxious family was updated about Princess’ condition, and how unwell she was. Seeing their distress, Lorie graciously offered to bring Princess home with her to regulate her body temperature and keep a close eye on her overnight.

Thankfully, Princess recovered quickly. Her family was overjoyed to bring their sweet kitty home and grateful to Lorie for her compassionate care. When Princess saw her family come toward her cage to collect her, she gave a little chirp and perked right up.

During this warm weather season, please be careful to read the labels of pet products sold to prevent fleas and other pests. Some products formulated for dogs can be extremely toxic to cats, so always be sure to use a product created specifically for your pet. If you're not sure, always ask your veterinarian.