Can a one-month-old kitten die from an untreated broken bone?

A broken bone can not be fixed at home. The kitten needs to see a veterinarian if you want any chance of saving her. Broken bones are not usually fatal so if she is "about to die" then something else may be going on (like she is in shock or has internal bleeding). She may have internal injuries if she sustained some trauma that broke her leg. Please get her to a veterinarian as soon as possible. It is cruel to leave her in pain and suffering.

It depends on the type of break and where it occurred on the bone. Kittens heal really quickly, and a 4 day old kitten doesn't have much actual bone formation quite this early. It may heal funny or it may heal perfectly normal. There isn't a good way to splint a leg in such a tiny kitten that won't affect the normal growth of the surrounding bones. In the worse case, if the bone heals oddly, amputation is an option.

I am so very sorry Willow broke her leg! I certainly understand being distraught and upset over this, it is an upsetting situation. Kittens have a great blood supply to their bones due to their growth, and broken bones tend to heal very well; in fact, cage rest is sometimes all that is needed. And yes, splints are often not needed! It can heal without a splint. Kittens can be good at hiding their pain, but one way to tell is if she is eating and drinking. A kitten in pain will not eat or drink, and if she is eating and drinking, that means she is feeling good, so she won't be in pain. If you do have concerns, however, you can give your vet a call to discuss things. I hope this helps!

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.

Since he's so young the leg may heal fine on its own. As long as he's eating let him rest and give him a day or two to get better. If he stops eating or the shaking and tremors worsen please take him in for an exam. There is no safe. human pain medication for cats or kittens. Hopefully he'll improve. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Mystery.

I am so sorry to hear Princess is in pain! Bones take 6-8 weeks to heal if they don’t move at all- like in a cast or splint. You cannot speed up healing. Without a cast or splint the bones will move and delay healing and keep her in constant pain. She also needs pain medication daily for the breaks. If you cannot afford the proper treatment, I would contact rescue groups to take over her care. I hope you can find her some relief soon. Kisses to Princess!

Great question! The only way to tell is by having an x-ray done by your veterinarian - this will show exactly what is wrong with the bone, and will also give the information needed to determine whether it can be fixed or not. I would recommend taking the kitten to your vet for an exam and x-rays as soon as you are able to - he/she will be able to advise you further on what can be done to help the kitten, depending on what the x-rays show.