Treating Broken Bones In Cats
Posted on: 9 January 2015
If you have a cat, you may worry about how you would take care of a broken bone injury. Cats that spend time outdoors are more at risk for sustaining a bone injury. They may get into a fight with another animal, they might fall from a ledge or tree, or they may get hit by a vehicle. If you have a cat that spends time outdoors, you should be prepared on how to handle a broken bone injury should one occur. Here are some guidelines to follow in determining if your cat has hurt a bone and what steps you should take for repair.
Signs There May Be A Broken Bone
Cats are very good at hiding symptoms. Sometimes it is hard to tell if a cat has an injury. If you notice any of the following signs, you may have a cat that has a bone injury.
- Yowling, meowing, growling at random times or when touched
- Avoiding use of a leg or of the tail
- Swelling or inflammation
- Ceasing to eat or groom
Diagnosis And Treatment
You will need to bring your cat to an emergency animal hospital, such as Capitol Animal Clinic, to have an assessment before determining the proper course of treatment. The veterinarian may recommend your cat have surgery to stabilize the broken bone. It may need pins or rods to be inserted to keep the bone in place. In some instances, such as a broken tail injury, the veterinarian may recommend having the appendage amputated rather than repaired.
Amputating the tail will help protect the cat from an infection from soiling. When the tail is broken, it is difficult for the cat to remain clean. The tail will get in the way when the cat goes to the bathroom, possible causing infection from excessive bacteria in the area.
After The Visit
You will want to keep your cat as comfortable as possible when waiting for a broken bone to heal. The main thing you need to do is watch after the cat to make sure that the area that is injured is not moved around. You may need to put a plastic cone around your cats neck in order to keep it from licking or biting at the affected area. You will want to make sure that and bandages will stay dry and clean. They may need to be changed regularly to keep bacteria and moisture away from the broken bone.
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