A Really Great Dane Saves Abandoned Kitten’s Eyesight

Lori Ennis
by Lori Ennis
We know dogs are a man’s best friend, but for a tiny cat who needed some sight-saving blood, it turns out they can be a kitten’s best pal, too!


A sweet little kitten named Zephyr was found in Liverpool, England, with his three siblings, shivering cold and suffering from the flu, conjunctivitis (pink eye) and a raging case of flea infestation.


Related: Experts Say Canine Influenza Has Spread to Infect Cats


Steph Taylor is with the Rescue Me Animal Sanctuary and said the poor kittens’ flu led to pneumonia, as well as terrible conjunctivitis that ended up with the kittens’ eyes being ulcerated. As well, they were suffering from severe anemia and dehydration.


Vets took an unusual approach in treating Zephyr, using serum drops that were compounded from donor blood. Where’d the donor blood come from, you wonder? Why, none other than Harlie the Great Dane, a big old lovebug who wasn’t necessarily all that fond of cats, but gave his blood so that Zephyr’s eyesight could be saved.


After Harlie donated the blood, the serum was used to make drops that helped the surface of Zephyr’s eyes heal and for the tissue on the eye to stop breaking down. This came after several attempts to save Zephry’s sight with conventional drops failed.


The rescue originally tried to see if any of the four dogs at their rescue could be donors, but none were. The rescue then made public pleas for a donor.


Related: A Short Guide to Feline Eye Care


Harlie’s mom Jess Parr is from Liverpool and wanted to help, but said she was worried that Harlie wasn’t a fan of cats and shouldn’t necessarily meet sweet little Zephyr in person. She knew that Rescue Me was an organization who helped so many pets, she wanted to try and give back to them some and if Harlie could help, she wanted to try.

Thanks to Hero Harlie, Zephyr, and his brothers are happy and healthy and will be rehomed, together, in the next two weeks!

Lori Ennis
Lori Ennis

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