A stray cat showed up to Hospital Manager Courtney Dean's house in Tennessee like so many strays do–looking for food, shelter, and a little love. The sweet domestic shorthair, who they named Rio, also had a large scab on his neck that she figured he'd gotten in a cat fight.

After a few days of ointment that didn't improve the wound, Courtney brought Rio to Animal Medical Center of Greeneville for what she thought would be routine vaccinations and neutering. That's when they discovered he was FIV-positive–a condition that weakens the immune system and makes healing nearly impossible.

After nearly a year of trying traditional wound care treatments that weren’t working, Dr. McKennon Stoltzfus attempted something rarely seen in general practice–a xenograft skin graft procedure.

Rio's body responded well, and his wound began to close. He still needed medication twice a day for three months straight, but the whole team pitched in to help when needed.

“I feel like a lot of people would have given up, and I'm so thankful we didn't," said Dr. Stoltzfus. "Our dedication, creativity, and willingness to explore advanced techniques gave Rio a second chance at healing and comfort.”

Today, Rio lives his best life, sleeping soundly and roaming the halls as the team’s clinic cat. His wound is 100% healed, and his personality has blossomed.

When an animal feels loved and healthy, that’s when they become their true self, and this team made that happen with Rio. I’ve never bonded with cats before, but I have with Rio.

Everyone loves Rio. This experience helped our team grow and it united us around something special.

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