Daisy’s a female Bengal tigress who came to The Wildcat Sanctuary in 2017. Though only 2 ½ years old, her life was already at risk.
Daisy had an undiagnosed neurological problem. It was obvious she had ataxia since she was having trouble balancing herself, stumbled, and walked with an uneven gait. She also suffered with stunted growth.
When authorities contacted us about helping two tigers at an out-of-state facility, they told us we’d probably have to euthanize Daisy. That’s how bad things had gotten for her.
Read an undercover expose about the facility Daisy and Mohan were rescued from.
We didn’t hesitate, jumped into action, drove over 700 miles one way, arriving to help Daisy 15 hours later. We drove her straight back to the University of Minnesota for diagnostic tests. It was extremely important to rule out a brain tumor, inner ear issue, or skeletal deformity that could be compressing her spinal cord.
Those were ruled out. But that just left more questions. She had good days and bad days. On her bad days, she couldn’t even stand up. Daisy was finally diagnosed as having spinal meningitis. When we noticed she wasn’t bearing weight on her rear foot, tests revealed an old heel fracture that had calcified, surrounded by thick scar tissue. In order to stabilize her foot, it was pinned and plated.
For eight weeks, we had to keep her confined to a small space for healing. Today, you’ll never meet a more vivacious and energetic tiger! You’d never guess all she went through, all she suffered. She has the sweetest disposition. We’ll have to monitor her closely for life, but what a life she’s enjoying!
Without our sponsors and donors, we couldn’t possibly provide the type of critical care big cats like Daisy need. Thank you for considering helping make the rest of her days the best!
