My old cat is limping after vet visit. Could the vet have injured her?

I am sorry to hear about Luna. If Luna is limping there are many different possible causes, including soft tissue injury (such as a muscle sprain/strain, torn ligament), a fracture (it isn't always obvious when a pet breaks a bone if the fracture is not displaced), a torn or sore toenail, a skin infection of the toenails or bottom of the foot, nerve disorders, or in older pets tumors of the muscle or bone. I would recommend examination by a vet if the issue has been present since Sunday with no improvement. Unfortunately there are no safe pain medications available over the counter for cats, so I would just try to keep her quiet/restrict her activity/keep her indoors until she can be seen.

It can happen that a nerve was accidentally hit during the injections, causing the limping. There's a large nerve in the cat's hind limb called the sciatic nerve, and it can be damaged if the needle hits it. It doesn't mean the vet did anything wrong, however. There is a chance the damage can be repaired, as nerves do regrow, but they grow slowly. I would give it time for the nerve to regrow and repair itself, or you could talk to your vet about a referral to a veterinary acupuncturists. There are reports that acupuncture can help with nerve healing and regrowth.

Poor Kosho! She could have accidentally injured her limb at night while you were asleep. She could have severely strained a ligament, torn a ligament, broken a bone, or potentially could have an osteosarcoma. An osteosarcoma is a tumor of the bone in cats, the most common bone tumor cats can get. It would cause sudden and severe lameness. Unfortunately, cancer is always a possibility in an old cat. I would take Kosho into the vet today for an exam. The vet can do a physical exam, routine blood tests, a urinalysis, and x-rays to determine what is causing her limp and how best to treat it. She will also need some pain medication as well. Do not give her any human pain medications. Many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. Please take her into a vet now.

You didn't mention if it was a hind leg or a front leg. There are different possibilities for injuries based on which leg is injured. She may just sprained the leg but if she is holding the leg completely up and not putting any weight on it then it could be broken and she needs to see a vet. If she is putting weight on it but just limping slightly then just watch her for a few days. If it doesn't resolve then she should see a vet.

If the lameness has persisted for 3 weeks and you notice that there is a difference in the shape of the shoulder area and leg position, I fear that the injury could be more serious than a sprain. Muscle injuries normally recover in 4-5 days of rest and antinflammatories. I would recommend to have him reassessed, there is a medication that can be given at home prior to the visit to help with the stress, I would ask your vet. Hope this helps !

Poor Shadow! I would be very concerned she has torn a ligament or may have fractured a bone. It does sound like she is suffering from muscle atrophy if her left hip looks indented. Taking her into the vet is exactly the right thing, and I would bring her into one today.

Hi! Thanks for entrusting us with Nika's care today! Lameness can be a sign of a few things that range from a muscle sprain to even a fracture. This may be weakness as she recovers from her sickness but likely not. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian so that this can be further assessed which will likely include radiographs. Treatment will be dependent on findings though at the very least pain control medications can be prescribed. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!