09/18/2026
This is our latest "special needs" rescue. We were contacted by the shelter as a "last resort" meaning that it was either us or euthanasia. The kitten was diagnosed with a rare congenital deformity called "pectus excavatum" (don't bother, we already checked to see if it is a Harry Potter spell . . . ). With this condition, the chest cavity is deformed and can interfere with the animal's ability to breathe and put stress on the heart. The condition can range from mild to severe. If caught early (at 2 months old, for example) there can be some splinting and non-invasive stuff to correct it. However, when the kitten gets to be over 4 months old, correction of a severe case requires major surgery (easily $10,000 or more). Because Jordan was now 5-6 months old and experiencing breathing difficulties, it was assumed that he would likely need the major surgery.
We made a lot of phone calls, sent a bunch of emails, did a lot of research (joked a little about the Harry Potter references) to convince ourselves that this might be something we can help with. We talked to a special needs cat rescue who had some experience. They spent $13,000 on a kitten this year with the same issue. We wanted to get an opinion and advice from an orthopedic specialist, so we made a deal with the shelter that we would make arrangements for a consultation with Omega Veterinary Group, asking about options, costs, prognosis, etc. If we determined that it was something that we could take on, then we would pull him; if not, they would take care of euthanizing him.
The appointment was yesterday. They redid the x-rays and did their examination. We waited on pins and needles for the results. Much to our surprise, it was determined that his pectus excavatum was a very mild case, not warranting any surgical intervention. His difficulty breathing was a result of pulmonary inflammation due to a nasty upper respiratory infection (URI) - that we can deal with. So he is with us now, taking Doxycycline. As soon as the infection is cleared up, we will get him neutered and up for adoption. He is a very sweet boy.
https://youtube.com/shorts/8HWhbLniCn0?si=lceQUCPxRxoU7T7c
