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Dollie, a four-month-old Munchkin cat, started feeling ill in late November while spending her first holiday season with her family, the MSPCA reports.
The kitten developed changes to her skin and ears that prompted the family to bring her to the vet. Dollie's condition ultimately shocked MSPCA staff.
“When Dollie came to us, her ears were sloughing, and they actually did fall off,” explained Mike Keiley, MSPCA-Angell director of adoption centers and programs.
“Parts of her skin were necrotic – the skin was dying. It impacted her extremities, including her tail, legs, and most of her ear tissue," Keiley added. "We had never seen anything like it.”
“I saw severe skin sloughing and necrosis, especially around areas with poor circulation like the extremities,” said Dr. Meagan Painter, a dermatology specialist at MSPCA-Angell West in Waltham. “This is typical for a problem called ischemic dermatopathy, which is usually caused by a reaction to something in the body that leads to widespread inflammation.”
Given the "complexity of her case," the family surrendered Dollie days before Thanksgiving, leaving her in the care of the MSPCA. Although she recovered, staff are still baffled by what caused Dollie's never before seen condition.
“We’ll probably never know what caused that reaction, but we diagnosed it in time to prevent progression and save two of her legs that were in danger,” Painter said. "We did have to amputate her tail and one leg, but we expect she’ll live a long, happy life."
Dollie is now ready to find her "furever " home and interested adopters can submit an application online.
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