Creamsicle’s Healing Journey has Fairy-Tale Ending
When Creamsicle was found outside of a dumpster in the parking lot of an apartment complex in November of 2017, she was a young kitten fighting for her life. With painful fractures in her left hind leg, severe lacerations to several parts of her body, and a badly infected tail that was nearly severed, it was obvious this resilient little tabby would need extensive medical care just to survive. She was treated for her injuries at Glens Falls Animal Hospital in New York’s Adirondack Region and entered into our one-of-a-kind Help Me Heal Program that transforms down and out dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens into happy, healthy, highly adoptable pets.
After undergoing surgery to repair the fractures in her leg and her wounds were treated, Creamsicle was placed in the care of the compassionate team at our Adirondack Region Cat Rescue and Adoption Center. For almost three months she was provided with everything she would need to not only recover from her traumatic injuries, but blossom into the peppy, loveable cat she was destined to be. Round-the-clock medical care, a warm, safe place to recuperate, and the love and compassion of people who wanted nothing more than to see her back on her feet – this was the recipe that transformed Creamsicle into the sweet treat she is today.
“During her recovery, Creamsicle was in the care of our wonderful foster parent Michelle Rathbun. Michelle is actually a Licensed Vet Tech at Ballston Spa Veterinary Clinic where Creamsicle had her surgery,” said Deb Oligny, Director of our Adirondack Region Rescue and Adoption Center. “Michelle was able to give her the medications she needed, do her regular bandage changes, as well as provide her with a stress free home environment with lots of TLC. She was also able to take her back and forth for her regular recheck veterinary appointments and provide her with everything she needed to make a full recovery.”
On January 25, 2017, Creamsicle’s long road to recovery was capped off when she was adopted by Michelle Hodges. She and her family fell head over heels for her as soon as they met the adorable tabby and knew she’d be the perfect addition to their pet-centric home.
“Creamsicle has the run of the house now. She gets along just fine with our dogs and her leg is fully healed to the point you’d never even know she was injured,” she said. “She’s able to jump and get to anywhere she wants. It certainly didn’t take her long to fit in around here and that makes us all so very happy.”
Thanks to everyone who continues to support our lifesaving Help Me Heal Program, Creamsicle is living the spoiled life that she was always meant to live. Here at Animal League America we believe that all companion animals, regardless of age or breed, deserves the same opportunity. By continuing to donate, you are ensuring that other sick and injured animals will receive high quality, nurturing care and a chance to be adopted into the perfect home.
Follow Creamsicle’s Journey
Located on the shores of Lake George, North Shore Animal League America’s Adirondack Region Cat Rescue and Adoption Center is one of our newest and most exciting lifesaving projects. Launched in 2015 to address the complex problem of feline overpopulation in ways that are humane, educational, and lasting, this initiative is blazing trails for the future of cat rescue in Upstate New York.
Recently, we took part in an emergency rescue of Creamsicle, a petite 7-month-old orange tabby found scrounging for food outside of a dumpster in the parking lot of an apartment complex in Warren County. Suffering from multiple fractures in her left hind limb, a nearly severed tail, and deep lacerations on her body, road rash presumably as a result of being hit by a car, this resilient kitten was in dire need of extensive medical attention. Luckily for Creamsicle, she was rushed to Glen Falls Animal Hospital for initial treatment and diagnostic testing. Once the X-rays confirmed the fractures in her leg, she was transported to Ballston Spa Veterinary Clinic to undergo corrective surgery in hopes of getting her back on her feet.
“The radiographs show Creamsicle had a pretty severe fracture of the left tibia. The bones were already starting to heal improperly when she arrived, so it’s likely she had been dealing with this injury for at least a week or two before she was rescued,” said Dr. Eric Andersen, the veterinarian at Ballston Spa who first examined the injured kitten when she arrived. “We used an external fixator, a device used for stabilization of long bone open fractures, to repair the leg. We inserted three pins of the bottom section of the break, three pins in the top and connected it with a rod to hold it in place. The surgery went very well and we’re hoping to remove some of the bandages and have her up bearing weight within a week or so.”
Aside from the corrective surgery on her leg, Creamsicle was spayed and also had the remainder of her tail amputated after doctors noticed maggots starting to hatch in the wound, which is an indicator of necrosis of the area. Doctor Andersen and his team ran this ailing kitten through the entire gamut of compassionate care to ensure she has the best chance to live a happy, healthy life after recuperating from her traumatic experiences. Once she is deemed healthy enough to be placed up for adoption, this adorable kitten with a new lease on life will likely find a responsible, loving home from our Adirondack facility.
Thanks to the generous support of our Help Me Heal Program, Creamsicle, and so many other animals just like her, can be provided the care they need to recover from devastating injuries. Whether it’s at our Port Washington, N.Y. Adoption Center, at our Adirondack location, or anywhere else in the world where there are animals in need of rescue, Animal League America will do anything it takes to make a positive impact on their lives.
Creamsicle’s journey in our Help Me Heal Program began when she was found scrounging for food outside of a dumpster in the parking lot of an apartment complex in Warren County, N.Y. Suffering from multiple fractures in her left hind limb, a nearly severed tail, and deep lacerations on her body, road rash presumably as a result of being hit by a car, this resilient 7-month-old kitten was in dire need of extensive medical attention. Thankfully Animal League America and our Help Me Heal Program was there to turn this little kitten’s life around.
We are happy to report that Creamsicle’s leg apparatus was removed in early January and she is well on her way to making a full recovery! Debbie Oligny, the Director of our Adirondack Region Cat Adoption Center, who has played a vital role in rescuing and caring for the ailing kitten, said Creamsicle is ready to find a loving, responsible home!
“After the external fixator was removed, the doctors recommended that she stays on cage rest for about a week,” she said. “Creamsicle has been through so much during her young life. To watch her prevail and overcome so much is gratifying beyond words. I can’t wait for her to write the next chapter of her life.”
