Harry, a 14-month-old cat presented for lameness after being hit by a car. Radiographs (x-rays) showed he had a fractured distal epiphyseal tibia and fibula of the left hind limb (long bones of the rear limb), near the tarsal joint (known as the ankle in people). The fractures were complicated and not ones we could successfully repair at the hospital. Due to financial concerns, however, a referral was not an option for the client.
We talked about amputating his limb but our client was hesitant. I explained that cats and dogs can do extremely well on three limbs, especially if the hind limb is the limb that needs to be amputated. Following an in-depth discussion regarding the surgery and post-operative care, the client agreed to go ahead with the procedure. Harry’s hind limb was removed and he went home the next day on antibiotics and pain medication.
The amputation proved to be the best option for the young cat as he was walking around on his other hind limb within 12 hours of the surgery as if nothing ever happened. We rechecked Harry each week for the next four weeks following surgery confirmed that he was doing very well at home, running around on his three legs and has since become quite adept at chasing his fellow four-legged feline companions around the house until they give up!
Tags: Pet care, Pet Health, veterinary care
