If a cat breaks its forearm is amputation the only answer to fixing it?

Answer 1

No take it to the vet right away

Answer 2

It depends on a lot of things... if the break is below the elbow, it can be splinted or put into a cast (unless the bone is broken through the skin). If it is above the elbow, surgery is your only option because you can't get a cast high enough to immobilize the humerus.

If the bones have punctured through the skin and are infected... there are very few options and amputation may be the cheapest and realistically quickest healing option. For some people, plating and pinning (if it's the humerus broken) are financially not possible, and amputation can be a cheaper alternative.

Amputation of a leg in a cat is not the end of the world... I have seen lots of 3 legged cats come into the clinics I've worked at and they do fantastic! It's usually US that have a psychological problem with amputation, but cats and dogs don't have those hang-ups...

So in answer to your question... No, it's not the only answer to fixing the cat's leg... but it may be the most practical in some cases.

Answer 3

Definitely not. There are traditional methods of splinting to fix the leg, and more modern, expensive methods like pin-and-rod fixation.
Take him to the vet: you'll need the vet to do whatever you decide, unless you want your cat to be dangling around a painful useless front paw for the rest of his life.
The bill will be large to fix the leg, much larger than it would be to just amputate. Make sure you get a figure from the vet for both options, amputation and repair. If you can't afford to repair the leg, don't decide you have to put the cat to sleep. Animals do great on three legs. Get all the information, and don't get railroaded into doing something you can't afford, or losing your cat when you don't have to.

Answer 4

Not at all, unless a staff infection sets in and the skin below the break becomes necrotic or the blood flow is cut off to the lower limb. A break can be reset and casted and heal perfectly fine if it's taken care of in a timely manner. Bones start to mend immediately and can mend in a broken position causing tons of problems later on. Get it to the vet tonight or tomorrow!

Answer 5

Lord no, but it's pricey. My cat was shot with a pellet gun, the pellet was aimed at his heart (probably by some kid in the neighborhood), but ricocheted off his shoulder blade and went down his front leg shattering both the bones in the leg. He had to have pins in both bones and it was about $1700 all total and that was back in 1998. He's alive and well and you can't tell he ever had a broken leg, pins in it or the surgery to repair it. So yes, it can be fixed.

Answer 6

a cats bone can be set just like a human bone. However the cat may heal faster depending on the severity of the break. Get it set immediately it is the best for the cat and it will get better the sooner you act.

Answer 7

no, if its a good clean break and the skin and blood vessles arent torn, it can be imobilized just like a person with a splint, however if the blood vessles are torn or the bone came through the skin, or if the bone became infected by the incident it is often the only way, and its amazing how quickly a cat or any animal will manage to learn to deal with their new situation. best of luck, i sure love my cats and lost one at the age of 4 months lately because he was born with one kidney and it didnt function well, it was really sad. and expensive.

Answer 8

Agreed, absolutely not. I once had a cat that broke both front legs. X-Rayed and splinted. Healed nicely.

Answer 9

no. The vet can put a splint or cast on it. My cat had this happen.

Answer 10

it would depend on how sever the break is and if there is damage to the surrounding muscle and nerves,if it is just a break,then a cast would be all that's needed.