kitten has two legs broken - Answered by Dr. Slome

[Vas]

My mother's kitten jumped out of a window (third floor) when trying to catch a butterfly and broke two legs : the front leg and the rear one. Right now I'm not in Canada, and where I am there are no pet emergencies. Sundays everyone is closed. How can I help the poor kitten?

Tomorrow we'll take the kitten to the vet and try to have X-rays done (if it is possible). I really hope the kitten will be able to walk again...

[Vas]

here is a picture of our kitten. I don't know if we did it right, but we tried to strengthen the leg with a paper and some sticks so it won't move. We couldn't find the place where the rear leg is broken.

[chico2]

OH no,what a terrible situation to be in for this poor beautiful kitten,he of course needed to see a vet yesterday.
If no vet,is there not an animal-shelter that could help him,at least until the vet opens??
I don't know how to treat broken bones,other than an emergency-clinic,but I think you are doing the right thing bandaging it

[CyberKitten]

OMG and she is a Siamese!! Isn't there a wonderful vet clinic in Mtl open 24 hrs- I have seen it mentioned here. I'll do a search!!!

[CyberKitten]

Someone from Mtl must know - where is Lucky Rescue?

There is this one - DMV
24/7 Emergency Veterinary Clinic
2300 54e Avenue
Lachine, QC
next to Pierre Elliott-Trudeau Airport (Dorval)
Tel: 514-633-8888
1-800-463-8555

I know what to do with people fractures but my suggestion f you can't get to a vet till morning is:

Keep her calm so she does not scratch or bite- she will be very scared!

Gently lay the kitty on a board, wooden door, whatever, padded with blankets or towels.
Secure her to the support.
Do not attempt to set the fracture.
If a limb is broken, wrap it in cotton padding, then wrap it again with a magazine, rolled newspaper or a towel and two sticks. The splint should extend one joint above the fracture and one joint below. Secure it with tape and make sure blood flow is not constricted.


You really need to know if the leg is broken first before doing anything but splints would be better. But get her to a vet asap!!

I hppe she'll be OK. She is young so fast action should help her.

[raingirl]

I think Vas is from Montreal, but she is not in Montreal right now (I assume from the post she is visiting her mother, somewhere not in Canada).

I wish I could offer advice. All i know is to splint it, but not too tight. enough for the blood to flow freely, but to limit movement until it heals.

[petdr]

Fortunately the powers that be are usually very kind and I have even seen some bones healing without any intervention more in the 3rd world but also in1st world countries. I have personally been forced to try this here in Canada based on my past experiences, where I had to let a puppy’s back leg heal after a complete fracture, with painkillers and time only. This dog is still alive and walking fine as a 4 year old Pitbull and you would never say anything happened to it ever.

Unfortunately the owners could not afford surgery and they tried based on my past experiences to let nature takes it course and we were just very lucky. I am not suggesting that we do nothing with your kitten, I am just suggesting that many times the body is kind. Bandaging it is usually rec. for stability and it looks quite well bandaged.

After xrays, it can be determined if surgery is needed and this is still usually the best means of treatment in most fractures but all depends on how bad and how many places the bones are broken. The best you can do is provide TLC and bring food to the kitten and try and rest it as much as possible. There are not many human painkillers that can safely be used on cats so try and avoid them. Some eg. Tylenol products can cause a fatal anemia.

I hope by the time you get this reply, you will have managed to find proper veterinary care and the prognosis for the kitten hopefully will be favourable. Healing is usually much faster in a kittens than adults.


Martin Slome DVM

Centre Street Animal Hospital
7700 Bathurst Street Units 40-42
Thornhill, Ont.
L4J 7Y3
Tel. (905) 771-9855