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Shop 2 (Lot 6) / 380 Cavendish Rd, Coorparoo QLD 4151
4 week old kitten
Fleabe was a 4 week old female domestic short haired kitten. She presented in a collapsed state with white gums and a severe flea burden. A blood test revealed life-threatening anaemia with a packed red blood cell volume (PCV) of just 7% (normal is >30%).
She was initially treated with oxygen via a face mask but soon stopped breathing and required brief CPR. Due to her critical condition, she was deemed too unstable for transfer to an emergency centre.
Diagnostic Assessment and Treatment
A blood transfusion was the only viable option, but donor cat blood was unavailable (as it often is, even in emergency hospitals). A single dog-to-cat blood transfusion is considered an acceptable emergency measure in such extreme cases.
One of our veterinary nurses’ dogs, Phoebe, kindly donated 5ml of blood. Due to Fleabe’s small size, the transfusion was administered intraosseously (directly into her bone marrow cavity), as gaining intravenous access in such tiny patients is exceptionally difficult.
Along with the transfusion, her flea infestation was aggressively treated to stop further blood loss.
A complete recovery
Soon after completing the transfusion and flea treatment, Fleabe was up, walking, and eagerly suckling from her milk replacement bottle. She made a full recovery and was named “Fleabe”—a heartwarming blend of “Flea” and “Phoebe,” her lifesaving donor dog.
Severe flea anaemia in young kittens can be life-threatening, but with rapid intervention, including innovative emergency transfusion strategies, even critical patients can make a full recovery.