07/26/2025
With heavy hearts, we share the devastating news that our sweet Daphne passed away yesterday morning. 🩶
Daphne had been hospitalized at Akeso Vet Clinic since July 18th, after her foster noticed she had become lethargic, wasn’t eating on her own, and had developed a large cyst or abscess inside her left cheek. Her temperature had dropped to a very concerning 95°F, and she was experiencing chronic diarrhea.
Under the loving care of Dr. Dorazio and the dedicated Akeso staff, Daphne received around-the-clock supportive care and medications. For a brief moment, we were hopeful as her temperature had stabilized, her stool had solidified, and she even began eating again. Her platelet count was even normal, indicating to us that the reason for her sudden decline was because her immune system was compromised in some way. But tragically, her condition took a sharp turn overnight this past Wednesday, and she passed during the night.
We don’t know exactly what caused her sudden decline. It could have been an internal infection that spread, FIP, or something else entirely that was affecting her immune system. When Dr. Dorazio lanced the abscess, the tissue appeared more firm and flaky than expected, which left us all with more questions than answers. Sadly, now we may never know what truly took her from us.
What we do know is that Daphne was deeply loved, both in her foster home and by the amazing veterinary team that fought to save her. She knew comfort. She knew care. She was not alone.
Her hospitalization and care totaled $275 - a small price to pay for the chance to fight for her life, even though our hearts are broken that it wasn’t enough.
Her sister, Velma, is now in critical condition as well, battling relentless diarrhea that passes through her almost immediately, leaving her soiled and needing constant cleanup every other hour. It is the most severe we’ve ever seen in a kitten... we are trying like hell to save her, following our vet’s guidance every step of the way and keeping her updated on how she's doing throughout the day.
Please keep Velma in your thoughts, and please remember Daphne as the beautiful, firey little soul she was, even if her time here was far too short. 🕊️💔