Anyone who has visited the NS SPCA can attest to the love and kindness that shelter staff show to the animals they care for. Believing in the SPCA’s mission, staff work tirelessly to mend broken bodies and spirits. And sometimes, they take their work home with them. So it was with Staci and a tiny white kitten named Casper. This is their story.
On September 3, 2023 a Good Samaritan brought a litter of sick barn kittens to safety at the Colchester Shelter. One of the kittens was severely underweight and was unable to use his back legs at all. He also had an infection with open wounds in his feet and had lost all of the fur in that area. Because of his small size and medical conditions, staff weren’t confident he would survive. But they hoped that once a diagnosis was made and a treatment plan started, he would be strong enough to become his best self. They named the kitten Casper and sent him to the SPCA’s Dartmouth Hospital for further tests, x-rays of his legs and evaluation of his overall health.
The veterinary team diagnosed Casper with Swimmer’s Syndrome, a congenital condition that can occur in kittens causing the hind legs to splay laterally with feet facing sideways rather than under the body. He also had hind leg deformities, with no nail beds in his hind legs. The team developed a treatment plan that would involve medication for Casper’s infection and physical therapy for his legs. They knew that early intervention was critical and through it, Casper could be given the gift of a lifetime of mobility. 
Casper was definitely in need of more care than could be provided at the shelter. He needed someone with knowledge, experience and patience to help him. Enter Staci, one of the Colchester Shelter’s dedicated staff members who agreed to become Casper’s foster mom that same day. Staci had an undergraduate degree in animal science and had gained lots of hands-on experience working at the shelter. She said “I had fostered a lot of sick kittens and had the capacity to take Casper in, so I did. I love fostering sick and orphaned kittens and find it rewarding to play a part in their journey to happily-ever-after.”
“Casper was very sweet from the get-go,” shared Staci. “He had a spunky personality and a curious nature. You could tell he wanted to move around but just couldn’t do so. His foot infection was quite painful and further hindered him from walking. Casper was on antibiotics for quite some time and received medicated foot baths. I was able to correct his posture when eating and standing (typically done with Swimmers Syndrome). We did some physical exercises including ‘bicycles’ to stimulate his hind legs and I used toys with lures to get him moving. We also practiced climbing on a large upright cat scratcher to help rebuild muscle mass and hind limb mobility.”
Staci related “Casper received all the care a typical kitten would get – feeding, love, affection and playtime.” She humbly said “He just needed a few extra things. Medication was once daily, foot baths were twice daily. We practiced posture at every feeding and our physical therapy sessions were 3-4 times daily. I would do 15 minutes at a time so he wouldn’t get too tired. Because Casper was a ’singleton’ and had no siblings to play with, he got extra playtime and attention.”
Staci went on to say “Casper had a cardboard litter box and was in a playpen when not doing physical therapy so that all necessities were close to him and he could feel safe and comfortable. He started walking decently within a few days so I began to allow more and more time out of the playpen until eventually he had access to the full room so he could move around as much as possible. He could not climb well but once he got going (within a week or two) he didn’t really need many modifications besides making sure he was on a clean surface (no carpet) to protect his feet. I did have to keep the environment very clean to make sure his feet healed well.”
Casper had a lot of re-checks with the SPCA veterinarian and after six weeks in Staci’s expert care, Casper was officially cleared of Swimmer’s Syndrome! Because of Staci’s love and dedication, Casper was able to walk, run, climb and play like any other kitten. He was put up for adoption on October 20th and four days later, Casper went to his forever home. His adoptive family received a list of Casper’s favorite toys and activities along with instructions for managing his hind leg deformities. Casper was able to find his perfect people with Staci’s help.
Animals like Casper often need extensive and expensive medical care on their journey to happily-ever-after. But the SPCA never gives up on them. Neither do the SPCA’s staff. And donations from animal lovers like you are what make these happily-ever-afters possible.