Farewell, Dexter Two

Yes, I know that Dakota should be next, but although I was aware of Dakota through comments and mentions, I never read her blog and need to read up on her before I can do a good tribute to her.

Whimpurr had decided that she needed to really cut down on her rescue work because it was so draining, both emotionally and financially. She still helps when she can and when she found out about Mr. Kitty, she just had to step in. The family had kept Mr. Kitty as an outside only cat and basically just gave him food and water, with minimal vet care, for two years. I guess they decided that they really didn't want him any more when Whimpurr offered to take him in. She did this because he reminded her so strongly of Dexter, a kitty who came before. Whimpurr named him Dexter Two and whisked him off to the vet for a checkup and treated him for fleas and ticks, as he had been outside his whole life. Things looked great for a week, then he got very sick. Off he went to the vet again and this time he was diagnosed with a tick-bourne disease that had basically destroyed his liver. He must have been suffering from the disease when Whimpurr took him in, but he appeared healthy and the vet missed it. It doesn't really matter, because it would have been to late to save him anyway. All this could have been prevented if his previous family had given him his monthly flea and tick prevention treatment. It is really heart-breaking, especially because he had been taken to the vet for tick problems before and I am sure that the vet told them about his needing regular treatments to prevent tick bites.

                                    Dexter Two was sent to the Bridge by a tick.
                                    It bit him and bit him and made him so sick.
                                              He could have been spared
                                              If his "owner" had cared.
                                    Now he is gone and we are all heartsick.