Smudge is Home and Healing

Editor's Note: .

At long last, shelter feline, Smudge, . She has many donors, supporters and veterinary personnel to thank for her new opportunities for seeing. College Park Animal Welfare volunteers made a five-hour trip to the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine on Wednesday, Jan. 25. 

There, a team of a senior veterinary student and a technician assisted in the preliminary, four-hour evaluation of her case for possible surgery with the small animal Ophthalmology Service. A talented Ophthalmology Resident, Karen Brantman, DVM, supported their findings that Smudge was a good candidate for cataract surgery on the following morning.  Dr. Brantman reported that surgery for Smudge was fairly routine in nature.

Dr. Valerie Ragan, another veterinarian working at the Maryland campus of the veterinary school system, returned “Smudge” to MD on Friday, Jan. 27. Smudge is currently being fostered, due to a strenuous medical protocol of post-op eye drops. Her first routine recheck was on Monday, Jan. 30, with her primary veterinarian, Dr. Laura Kressler of Lynn Animal Hospital. She will be rechecked for healing at a later time, by our gifted local ophthalmologist, Dr. Ann Weigt of Animal Eye Care in Laurel and Annapolis. 

Smudge appears to be recovering well, and has many individuals to thank for their donations of money, time, care and concern.

Sometimes, it “takes a village.”