Help Ion Breathe Easier
When Ion was found alone and abandoned, he was already struggling to breathe. The approximately two-year-old cat arrived at Animal League America with severe upper respiratory congestion and a persistent ear infection. Each breath was labored and noisy, and at times Ion had to open his mouth just to draw in enough air. He was also running a fever and tested positive for FIV.
Your gift to our Help Me Heal program today will provide Ion with specialized surgery, medication, and the ongoing veterinary care he needs to survive.
Despite medication, Ion’s congestion did not improve. Our veterinary team suspected that something more serious was obstructing his airway, so they sedated him for a closer examination. What they discovered was alarming: a massive polyp was filling the upper portion of his throat behind his nasal passages. “It was probably the largest one I have ever seen in my career,” said Animal League America Chief of Veterinary Staff Dr. Mark Verdino.
Our veterinary team gently removed the growth, immediately opening Ion’s airway and allowing him to breathe more comfortably. But more was hidden beneath the surface. A CT scan revealed another polyp deep inside Ion’s left middle ear, requiring a specialized procedure called a ventral bulla osteotomy.
Once inside, Dr. Verdino found a severe infection and the remainder of the polyp. The enormous growth had likely been developing for quite some time, leaving Ion to struggle with untreated respiratory problems. Had the polyp continued to grow, it would eventually have blocked his airway completely.
Following surgery, Ion is breathing quietly and comfortably. He will remain under careful watch for several weeks while he heals and completes a long course of antibiotics. The infection and polyp also affected a nerve running through his inner ear, leaving his left eyelid slightly drooped and the pupil enlarged — a condition known as Horner syndrome. It may improve as the inflammation subsides or it may be permanent, but it will not cause Ion pain or diminish his quality of life.
Ion is still shy, suggesting that he may not have received much kindness or attention before he came to us, yet he’s gradually becoming more trusting. During his examination, this once-abandoned cat even began to purr. “He is definitely a happier cat now,” Dr. Verdino noted. “His days of neglect are over.” Your support of our Help Me Heal program will give Ion the continued care he needs until he finds his loving home. Together, let’s show this gentle cat that he will never be left alone to suffer again, and help more animals like Ion breathe easier, heal, and move toward the safe and secure futures they deserve.