Zelda, a pure white 4-year-old cat presented to our Narre Warren Clinic a couple weeks ago for lameness on her right hind leg after being outside for the day. Her owners were very concerned t
hat she may have broken her foot but were unsure of what could have caused such an injury.
For an animal to appear lame, especially a cat, it is a clear indicator that they are in a lot of discomfort. Animals are instinctually wired to not show signs of weakness, so when they do, it is important to seek immediate veterinary attention, just like Zelda’s parents did.
After Dr. Jon performed his initial examination, it appeared her toe looked extremely displaced and quite mobile. Zelda being the beautiful, relaxed girl she is, enabled the team to perform some non-invasive conscious radiographs. It was discovered that she had in fact had a subluxation of one of her toes that could not be reversed by manual manipulation. The owners were given a few options for treatment, however it was decided that amputating her toe was the best course of action for Zelda’s ongoing comfort and mobility. Bandaging the foot and frequent changes for many weeks did not only have a poor prognosis for a suitable recovery, but would have been most traumatising for Zelda.
Her amputation was was booked in for the following day, and after a very smooth surgery, we are delighted to say that Zelda has made a full recovery at home and isn’t missing that toe whatsoever.