My cat's leg fracture healed wrong. Is amputation the answer?

I would also likely recommend amputation if the wound is not healing as the possible complications and pain involved would likely be much worse than the surgery. Cats do very well with three legs, especially if it is a young cat! If you would like another opinion I would recommend consulting with a boarded surgeon as they have more training in fracture repair. Good luck!

It's a little difficult to see in your copy of the x-ray, but it looks like the left femur might be fractured. If the broken bone is above the knee then a cast won't help because it's not possible to stabilize the fracture. If they have recommended pain medication and rest I think that probably is the best option with a broken hip - kittens can heal quickly and it's possible that he will have decent function in the leg. If not, then a surgery called a femoral head osteotomy might be an option once he's big enough for surgery.

Without having an xray done it is almost always impossible to determine if it can be repaired surgically or if amputation is needed, i strongly recommend having the leg xrayed before getting to such a conclusion.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Stitch! I think you are doing the right thing. If her bone density isn't normal then she will have a hard time healing and it will take her longer, could be more painful and put her through more. Amputating the leg will be uncomfortable for her for 5-7 days then she will do great. Cats do well on 3 legs! I wish you the best!

Hello. I can not see what you previously wrote, so you may need to provide the history again. Your poor dog looks like she suffered a badly broken leg that has healed in a totally inappropriate manner. If this is the case, the easiest solution ( and fastest ) is to amputate the leg. This sounds harsh, but I am looking at the way she is putting the top of her paw on the ground & not only is this uncomfortable, it can lead to skin damage resulting in infection. Dogs can do wonderful once a bad & painful injury like this is taken care of. It is, of course, only one possibility. X-rays & a consult with an orthopedic surgeon may show a potential different outcome, but if this leg has been this way for some time, any meaningful correction to normal is unlikely. I hope I have addressed your concerns, & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am so sorry for all of Luna's trauma! I would recommend taking her back to the vet to be evaluated. They may be able to tell if she just has muscle contracture causing her to be unable to bend the foot if or if it's a complication in the joint. Physical therapy may be able to help in some cases but she needs to be evaluated to figure out what may best help her. In the worst case situation if amputation ends up being recommended, three legged cats do remarkably well. I have a 17 year old tripod due to an injury as a kitten. But hopefully it won't come to that. Get her re-evaluated and find out what exercises you can try to help her with at home. good luck to Luna!

Poor Abbott! It sounds like he had a pretty nasty infection with draining tracts! I'm so sorry that this happened to him! Unfortunately, the infection may have infiltrated the bone at this point, making it even more difficult to treat. Amputation is definitely an option, and most cats do great following the procedure (they are not very concerned with looks)! Abbott will have to be placed under general anesthesia, and the surgery itself typically does not take more than hour. He will likely need to be hospitalized for a few days following the procedure, but will go home shortly with an E-collar to prevent him from damaging the sutures. His mobility will likely be just fine, most cats continue living absolutely normal lives following an amputation. One of the concerns would be to keep him from getting overweight throughout the rest of his life, as he will have three legs to support himself. I hope this helps!