‘Vito’ suffered chronic nasal discharge and dental disease

Whether you’re human or a companion animal, the cost of medical care can be expensive – especially when the concerns are outside the realm of “normal”. For one-and-a-half-year-old Vito, his chronic afflictions proved to be too much of a financial challenge for his owners, and he was surrendered to the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL).

ARL is committed to the health and happiness of every animal that comes into our care by conducting a thorough behavioral and veterinary assessment, and in Vito’s case, it was the treatment of one chronic condition that led to the discovery of what was causing the second.

Vito’s gums were painfully inflamed, and the severity of his dental disease required the extraction of 22 teeth. The cat was also suffering from chronic nasal discharge which was not improving — even with antibiotic therapy.

At ARL’s Dedham Animal Care and Adoption Center, shelter veterinary staff sedated Vito for his dental procedure and simultaneous examination of his oral and nasal cavity. A hole was found in his soft palate (the tissue that separates the nasal cavity from the oral cavity), and the hole was allowing food and saliva into the nasal cavity, causing chronic infection.

With the root cause detected, Vito underwent a surgical procedure to close the hole and in the following days has shown rapid improvement.

While only able to eat wet food following surgery, Vito is now able to consume both wet and dry food, and now that he’s feeling better, his personality is on full display! Vito is playful, friendly and has a great desire to explore – he’s on the mend and will soon be made available to find his forever home!

Your Support Saves Lives

When you support ARL, you give animals like Vito a second chance. ARL’s shelter medicine program provides all facets of care – from wellness exams to complex and life-saving surgery.

ARL served 18,018 animals in 2017, and does not receive any government grants or public funding – we rely solely on the generosity of individuals like YOU to make our important work possible. Please DONATE today!