HELP BIG CAT RESCUE PURCHASE A STATE-OF-THE-ART ULTRASOUND MACHINE TO AID IN VETERINARY CARE PROGRAMWe are thrilled to announce a fantastic matching funds opportunity to help Big Cat Rescue purchase a state-of-the-art ultrasound machine so that we can continue to provide the best veterinary care possible.It has made a huge impact having our on-site Windsong Memorial Hospital operational. Our vets are now able to take x-rays and perform lifesaving surgeries and procedures on our cats, most of whom are elderly or arrive at our sanctuary with significant medical needs.However, we are missing a crucial piece of diagnostic equipment: an ultrasound machine.While our x-ray machine is critical for examining bone structure it has limited capacity for evaluating organs. An ultrasound machine is more suited for examining soft tissue.Currently our vet team relies on a physical exam, blood work and x-rays to determine the cause of a cat’s illness.  If the cause is not readily apparent using these tools, they must perform an invasive exploratory surgery.An ultrasound machine can be used, for example, to look at a cat’s heart and evaluate valves and chamber size; it can even be used to determine the type of heart disease present.In the abdomen, an ultrasound can be used to evaluate the stomach, liver, gallbladder, spleen and intestines. It can be used to look for stones in kidneys and the bladder. And if there is an internal mass, the ultrasound machine can be used to determine which organs are involved. Our vets can then do a simple needle biopsy of the mass guided by ultrasound and have it tested, which in some cases can save the cat from an unnecessary and invasive procedure.It is critically important that the person operating the ultrasound machine be trained and have extensive experience reading sonograms. If we purchased a standard ultrasound machine, we would have to incur the logistical issues and cost of bringing in an expert technician each time we needed to use it. This is not practical because in many cases we would not know if we were going to need to do an ultrasound until after we take x-rays.  If we did need to do it, we would have to do it immediately while the cat was sedated and would not have time to arrange for a technician.The specialized machine we need solves this problem in an ingenious way. It has a camera mounted to it and an Internet connection to a board certified technician who will guide our vet via camera to make sure they get the best possible sonogram images and will aid in correctly reading the images.But ultrasound machines are very expensive. The specialized one we need for our cats costs $50,000. The great news is that the SHARE Foundation has stepped up and pledged a dollar-for-dollar match up to $25,000!So your much needed and greatly appreciated donation toward our ultrasound machine for the cats will go twice as far! Thank you for continuing to support our cats and our sanctuary. This ultrasound machine will make a world of difference in the lives of our precious cats.If you would like to contribute to the matching fund, please donate here.  Thanks!