Caron Grundlingh was left devastated after years of undiagnosed symptoms led to a Kidney Disease Stage 2 diagnosis for her beloved Kenzie.
Knysna, South Africa (27 February 2023) – Caron Grundlingh is cat mom to 7-year-old rescue Kenzie. Kenzie is far more than just a pet, she is Caron’s companion and support when life’s anxieties creep in. Caron adopted her from the Knysna Animal Welfare Society and they have been best friends ever since.
Kenzie started showing signs of ill health in 2018 and after the vet took X-rays, Caron was told she had bad hips. Over the years, the pair visited the vet an unbelievable amount of times to address Kenzie’s back pain, bladder infections and more. Each time, she was given anti-inflammatories or antibiotics and sent away again.
Feeling frustrated, Caron insisted on another X-ray in 2022 when Kenzie’s pain was so evident she couldn’t stand to watch her suffer another minute. The X-ray revealed a devastating diagnosis for Kenzie and left Caron angered.
“In March 2022, after repeated trips to the Vet, I insisted that x-rays be taken for what appeared to be back pain. The Vet had taken x-rays in 2018 for the same symptom, but at the time his only feedback was “She does not have the best hips I have ever seen” and completely overlooked the development of her first Kidney stone. We had been in and out of the Vet a few times over the years where he would administer an anti-inflammatory injection or prescribe antibiotics for a UTI and we would be on our way.
Now, nearly 4 years later, left untreated, Kenzie has kidney stones in both of her kidneys, and one kidney virtually collapsed. I was told to prepare for the worst.”
Caron removed Kenzie from the care of her usual vet and sought out a new team to work through this diagnosis. Her new veterinary team got in contact with the vets at the Panorama Veterinary Clinic, which specialises in Kidney Care, and together they started making Kenzie comfortable again.
“Kenzie was subjected to many tests and put on a special diet to try and change the pH of her urine amongst other things. Kenzie has since that time (now nearly a year), needed 3 monthly scans. We undertook a seemingly impossible 7-hour car trip to Panorama to see the Specialists in November 2022. The Specialists confirmed that despite being only 7 years young, Kenzie has severe Osteoarthritis in her back hips and Kidney Disease Stage 2 as a result of the stones.
Unfortunately, as she only has one remaining “healthy” kidney, operating was not an option. The Specialist felt that because Kenzie is still so young, with adequate pain management, strict diet and a bit of luck, Kenzie could still live a good quality life for a few years.
Kenzie is so underserving of this and we can’t help but wonder if this had been diagnosed as it should have been, on time, where we would be now. She willingly comes and sits for her pain meds 3 times a day like the absolute champ she is.”
Having absorbed the costs of the diagnosis and care to date, Caron has realised, in order to keep up with the medical expenses going forward, she would need a little help.
“Despite the trauma and the immense cost to date in excess of +\- R85,000 Kenzie is and always will be my greatest blessing.
I have thought long and hard about creating this fundraising account knowing full well how everyone has their struggles and crosses to bare in these very trying times. I would really love to give Kenzie the best care and quality of life for her remaining time with us and for that, I do need some help and every little bit counts. The plan is to use the funds raised for her future care and ongoing tests.
Any unused funds will be donated to Knysna Animal Welfare from where Kenzie, her brother and sister were adopted.”
Caron’s main goal is to make sure Kenzie lives out the rest of her life, pain-free. Caron set up a fund on BackaBuddy with the hope of raising R50,000 which will cover the testing needed three times a month, for the next year, along with her pain meds. If they don’t use all the funds, Caron plans to donate them to her local animal welfare charity.
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