SPOKANE, WA – For more than a year, Spokane resident Darren Bass searched for answers as a stray kitten that had worked its way into his heart struggled with puzzling symptoms that stumped veterinarians.
The kitten, later named Spot, was eventually diagnosed with a rare congenital liver defect known as a portosystemic shunt, which causes blood to bypass the liver instead of being filtered. Referred to Washington State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital for specialized care, Spot underwent a complex and risky surgery to correct the defect, with assistance from the hospital’s Good Samaritan Fund helping Bass manage the cost of treatment.
“It’s just been a wonderful experience for me at WSU because I was so frustrated not being able to figure out what was going on with Spot,” Bass said. “Without surgery, they said she probably would have lived only a few more years. But now she’s doing great, and I’m excited to see how much she continues to improve.”…