Meow, one of two tigers that Tiger Mouth regularly adopts for our clients through the charity Care for the Wild, recently stunned patients at a hospital in Bangkok when he checked in for a MRI scan.
Meow, aged 12, who weighs around 135kgs was just too big for any veterinary hospital, so instead had to use human facilities! He was brought in by his carers, the Wildlife Friends Foundation of Thailand (WFFT).
Following a 200km journey in an animal ambulance, five vets and a nurse oversaw the risky process which saw Meow having to be anaesthetized for a 40-minute scan in a machine, into which he only just fitted. Throughout the process Meow remained calm, despite the presence of many hospital staff who couldn’t quite believe their eyes. At one point Meow stopped breathing, and for a moment staff feared they had lost him, but the vets were prepared and got him breathing normally soon after.
One patient who saw Meow was heard commenting: “”I hope he’s not in the bed next to me.”, and Nurse Pim who helped with the MRI said: “I only saw his big sharp teeth after the scan was done, otherwise I wouldn’t have gone near him!”
Meow was rescued at a young age, suffering from malnutrition, pneumonia and septic injuries and was considered ‘hurt beyond repair’ by the local vet. CWI’s conservation partner in the field, the WFFT were determined not to allow Meow to die, so with public funding fought to bring Meow to their sanctuary in central Thailand. Since then Meow has been living happily in the sanctuary, supported by donations from kind hearted members of the public who have purchased adoption packs from the charity.
The MRI scan revealed Meow has a fractured spine, most likely as a result of the terrible time spent chained up at the petrol station. This appeared to be an old wound which is now putting pressure on his spinal cord, causing problems with him standing up.
The good news is that the doctors are confident they can successfully perform surgery on Meow to rectify this. However, this will be expensive and is certainly something that isn’t routine.
Philip Mansbridge, Chief Executive Officer of Care for the Wild International said: “Everyone at CWI has a real soft spot for Meow, and we knew paying for the MRI scan was the right thing to do. In the end it cost around £1500 which has hit the charity hard just a few days into the new year.”
“We want to do all we can to support the operation that Meow desperately needs, but we just can’t budget for additional costs like this. We are so grateful for all of those that support Meow with annual adoptions, but like all charities at the moment times are tight.”
“We would be so grateful if anyone reading this article could donate a pound or two to help us find the money to fund the next stages of the operation, so Meow can continue to lead the happy life he deserves, safe from harm and with the daily loving care of the team at WFFT.”
If you can help towards costs for Meow’s treatment, or to help support other tigers in need, you can make a one off donation, or adopt him for just £25 per year from Care for the Wild International by calling 01403 249832 or by visiting www.careforthewild.com/adoptions.
Click here for more information about Tiger Mouth’s adoption programme.