kitten with a broken hip joint?

Question

I just found a kitten on the street that I am adopting. The kitten has a broken hip joint. As I live in Kuwait there is only one vet hospital so I can't get a second opinion. The vet said there is no need for a cast and a cast cannot do anything to it just let it heal on its own and the kitten will be able to walk normally. Currently the kitten just drags his leg behind him and sometimes can move it a little. Any advice?

I want to thank all of you for your advice. I took the kitten back to the vet hospital and it was examined by another vet who, at least, did X-rays. This vet said it would take a few months to heal on its own but, again, no cast or operation is necessary. I really don't know what to do but I hope they know what they are doing. If anyone can provide me with the name of another vet hospital in Kuwait I would appreciate it. Thanks.

Answer 1

I cannot believe your vet said that, wow!! Broken hip joints usually require surgery. When I adopted my persian mix, she had the same thing. (rescued from a kill shelter that was going to put her down due to injuries - broken hip, 2 broken ribs, ear mites galore, fleas horribly) She had surgery to put 2 small pins in place to hold the joint in place and ensure proper healing. If it's left that way, circulation to the leg can be cut off and the leg could die which would result in lose of the limb if caught in time or death due to staph infection. It wasn't a cheap surgery, $700 US dollars at a low-cost vet that took payments, but it was worth it to save her life. 7 years later she's still with us, pins still in, and walks normally. Is it possible to drive further to another vet??? That poor kitty!!

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Normally kittens with broken hip joints have a surgery called a Femoral Head Excision. Basically it is when the the whole head of the ball joint is removed. I know is sounds barbaric but a cat lives a perfectly good life without it. Given your situation and the fact that we cannot see the xray you need to trust your vet with his findings especially that you have no choice. You should probably keep the cat well rested and confined to give a chance for the injury to heal. The things to look for is Swelling of the area, a bad smell coming from the area, any discolourations of the area and change in behaviour such as appetite. If any of the above happens or you are generally concerned take the animal back to the vet, you may have to face at the end of the day the cat being put to sleep if the proper help is not provided, as your cat may die as a result of its injuries.

Best of luck, let us know how you go

Answer 4

Get Joint Pain Relief Codes!

Answer 5

FHO surgery would be best. I guess you don't have that option, sadly. You can give the cat Cosequin, it's a supplement for joint health which may help him get around better with a bit less pain. It can be ordered online and you can give a capsule in the a.m. and a capsule in the p.m. Again, FHO surgery is really the best treatment.

Answer 6

Kitten And The Hip

Answer 7

The cat needs medical attention to get that fixed, that will not repair itself well on it's own and the cat will be in a lot of pain. That kind of injury requires surgery to correct, a cast will not fix it because of the location.

Answer 8

Did you look on the Internet, under a pet vet site or something? How sad, I hope you kitty is ok! Good luck!