Sunday, June 27, 2010

Options for feline double amputees



While prosthetic paws are out of my financial league, for people who feel time and mobility is just as valuable as money, this alternative to euthanasia or caring for a cart-bound kitty could be an option in the future.

I am the caretaker of a three-legged feline. I believe a single-leg injury is probably best managed via amputation. Three-legged cats get along quite well. I think Cricket actually appreciates the rapid pivoting power she gets with a single hind leg.

Prosthetic devices like this that are attached to the bone have infection concerns that would be life-long. However, some owners are now paying thousands upon thousands to treat pet cats for cancer, etc. Devices of this sort might not be out of the range of a person who would rather part with money than care for a cart-bound kitty.

It will be interesting to see how Oscar fares with his new footies. I'm curious to know if he leaves them alone when grooming, or if he fusses over the healing area between flesh and metal.

Thanks to Valarie (or Craig? I can never tell because they often use the same address) for sending this link!

3 comments:

Judy said...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/jersey/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8762000/8762326.stm

Here are some images from BBC News on-line

Judy

Chrissykat said...

I just sent Oscar's Youtube video to my friends and family yesterday. It's amazing! He seems to not have a problem with any infection so far. I loved the vets reaction to Oscar as he was getting up and around. Truly heartwarming.
p.s. my sister has a three legged wonder too!

Sharon McEachern said...

Little Oscar's story is so inspiring -- that so many would work so hard to help one little cat caught by a combine harvester while he slept in a maize field. Ethic Soup also has a good post on this story and raises some ethical questions about spending so much money on one animal, particularly when considered with the millions of people with cancer who can't afford medical care:


http://www.ethicsoup.com/2010/06/little-cat-loses-paws-to-combine-harvester-now-hes-worlds-first-bionic-cat.html

AND

http://www.ethicsoup.com/2010/06/millions-of-americans-cant-afford-cancer-treatment-go-without-medical-care.html