Suffield Veterinary Hospital

December 2005 Patient of the Month

           Meet “Lips” a neutered male semi-long haired cat, living at Suffield Veterinary Hospital waiting to find a good home.

            We first met Lips in late September when a kind stranger found him on East Street in Suffield, injured at the side of the road.  He was weak and in shock, with a grotesque facial injury that had ripped the lip and skin off his entire lower jaw, leaving it dangling like a bib.  When his overall condition was stabilized, our Dr. Sabellico went to work, surgically clearing road debris from the wound, then carefully and tediously reattaching the damaged tissue back in place. 

            Often with an injury like this, good healing is dicey, as the blood supply is compromised.  But as we followed Lips day by day, almost holding our breath, we watched the wound heal beautifully.  The cat earned his name because we were constantly saying to him, “Come here, sweetie, let me see your lips.”  And today, his lips are indeed back to normal.

            Despite efforts made to find his owner, we have been unable to locate his original home.  We have neutered him, and given him his vaccinations.  He was briefly placed in a home, but was returned because of an allergy in that family.  So he has joined the small ragtag group of hard luck animals that live here full time.  And while he fits in well with the others, we would still like to see him in a loving home.

            Lips is an example of how even horrendous injuries can, with proper care, resolve and leave the patient whole again.  Perhaps his former owner will recognize him in this Motophoto portrait and call. Or maybe a reader will be able to offer him a new family.  For giving us the chance to boast a little about Dr. Sabellico’s surgical skills, and to perhaps find him a permanent home, we are happy to name Lips our December 2005 Patient of the Month.

Suffield Veterinary Hospital

Dr. Ann Huntington - Dr. Anita Sabellico - Dr. Dawn Burke

 Dr. Jean Herrman – Dr. Tracy Powell

577 East Street South (Route 159), Suffield, CT 06078 (860) 668-4041