While Keith was lucky not to sustain any internal injuries, x-rays showed that he had very nasty fractures in both of his hind legs. In his right leg he’d broken his tibia and fibula (the long bones in the part of the leg below the knee), while his left leg had multiple fractures of the tibia and tarsus (ankle). Keith was taken to the local vet who put pins in his legs and bandaged them.

Unfortunately there were problems with infection and the pins had to be removed. Keith was taken to the local orthopaedic specialist who used a serious of internal and external fixators (pins holding the bone fragments stable through holes in the skin connected on the outside, like a scaffolding) in a resin outer shell to stablise the fractures in his legs. He was also put onto antibiotics to help with the infections.

We first saw Keith for a check up and x-rays about 4 weeks after his accident. Our x-rays showed that his bones were just starting to mend and that the fixators were doing their job. We kept him on the antibiotics, to guard against any further infection, and sent him home with an appointment for repeat x-rays.

Right Leg

Left Leg

Two weeks later, Keith was back for more x-rays. Cats are not very good at holding still for an x-ray so they need to be sedated. We require an empty tummy as complications can result if a cat vomits its stomach contents while sedated. Keith was not at all impressed with having to miss his breakfast again, especially when it meant coming to see the dreaded “vet” again!

To top his bad day off, he wasn’t in the mood for the company of other cats and had some choice words to say to us before he was sedated.  His x-rays showed a bit more healing on the left leg but the right leg showed a spot of possible infection so we decided to continue his antibiotics. Keith’s owners were happy to hear about the healing in his left leg at least as he was coping a bit too well on his patched up legs – in fact as he was doing more jumping than any of us would have liked.

Keith’s next appointment with us was scheduled for 3 weeks later but a small “hardware” problem brought him in for a check sooner than planned. The scaffolding holding the bones in his legs together was being held in place by a pink resin material, very similar to car body filler. Keith has been running around and jumping so much that the resin material was starting to crack and fall apart. After a quick call to a car repair shop, not the usual phone call a veterinary surgery makes, we’d sourced some car body filler for Keith’s owner to pick up for repairing the damaged areas of the resin. Bet you never knew your local Halford’s could patch up your cat!

Two weeks later Keith came back in for x-rays. He was looking quite well in himself and beginning to jump onto furniture at home. The x-rays revealed the fractures in the left leg were healing very well and the right leg was doing better. A return visit was scheduled for two weeks, with hope that the fixators could be removed at that visit. Keith continued to be less than impressed with his visits to us and we think he might have taught some of our day patients some German swear words!

We’re sure it was a happy day for Keith when the x-rays two weeks later showed that the fixators could be removed from his left hind leg! While the right leg was progressing fine, it wasn’t as healed as the left and the decision was made to leave the fixators in place on the right leg for a few more weeks.