09/01/2025
For this months Medical Monday, Dr. Amber is going to share the story of Hei Hei (like Moana!) who came to our facility in rough shape. Hei Hei is still looking for a loving home!
"Hei Hei came to us very wobbly and clumsy. At first, we thought he might have cerebellar hypoplasia which is a congenital (born with) condition where the part of the brain that is responsible for coordination is underdeveloped. However, within about 24hr it became clear there was more going on."
"He became less and less wobbly and more and more yellow. This yellow coloration is called jaundice and it primarily comes from either destruction of the red blood cells or damage to the liver. Well, Hei Hei had evidence of both. His red blood cell percentage was 10% lower than it should be. One of his liver values (ALT) was at 726 when it should be high of 130 and his bilirubin (which is what actually causes the yellow skin) was at 4.7 when the high end of normal is 0.9!"
"Since we are lucky enough to have a vet team on staff and the ability to now run bloodwork at the shelter, we are happy to report that with weeks of treatment Hei Hei's numbers have completely returned to normal and there is no yellow in sight! Prior to the vet team, this bloodwork and treatment would have been hundreds of dollars out of ECCHA's pocket."
Hei Hei is so sweet and adventurous. Now that he is healthy, he's just waiting for the right companion to take him on his next journey! Hei Hei would enjoy being an only cat, though in a home with more space he could learn to coexist with another buddy.
Learn more and apply for Hei Hei at eccha.org/adopt
Photo by Bettie Scott Photography.
