My cat has a severe leg fracture, but only one callus. Why?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Leo! Which bone is broken in the hing leg? I would try again with a splint and Leo needs to be placed in a dog crate, with an E-collar and sedatives. The only bones in the hind leg that will heal with a splint is the tibia and fibula. The femur usually need surgery to fix and can't be splinted well. So if that is what the vet is trying to splint I would stop. You can try just strict crate rest for 6-8 weeks if it is the femur. Cats are amazing at healing. But if the bone is in multiple pieces I would just amputate. Cats do well with 3 legs. I wish you the best!

The answer is a bit of a catch 22. Yes, fractures can heal on their own, however they don't always heal in a good position naturally, so letting it heal on his own could lead to greater issues long term. However, money doesn't grow on trees, and if you can't afford x-rays and surgery, I'd recommend talking to your vet about what your budget is and what the best plan will be within that budget. That is something that vets are very familiar with and can work around.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is unclear why he would have an open wound like that but likely due to some form of trauma. However, this does warrant an evaluation as soon as possible for further assessment and treatment. This will most likely need local treatment and possibly wound closure as well as antibiotics and pain control medications. Good luck and have a great day!

Ploffie is quite handsome. This could potentially heal on its own if it is a minor soft tissue injury or a minor fracture, but he needs to be confined and not allowed to roam or jump. My concern is that if it is secondary to an abscess or some type of infection or a large displaced fracture then it may not heal. If he isn't improving, I would try to figure a way to catch him and take him to your vet. Your vet will be able to determine the cause and get him started on the proper meds. I hope this helps!

Hello sorry to hear about Casper. It definitely sounds like Casper will survive especially since he is starting to be more like his normal self. You need to keep him rested without any running, jumping, or rough housing as this can exacerbate his injury. Continue his medications and wait until you can obtain his x-ray to confirm he doesn't have a fracture. Monitor the leg for any swelling, discharge, worsening pain, fever, a decreased appetite, diarrhea, or vomiting. If you note any of these then please have Casper evaluated by a veterinarian. Hope this helps and best of luck.

The only way to know if Yuki's leg is fractured is to have him evaluated and x-rayed by the vet. However, cats are amazing animals, and many fractures will heal naturally with time. But only with a vet visit will you be able to provide Yuki with appropriate pain control and help him stay more comfortable while he recovers. It's important to keep Yuki rested, and prevent excessive running/jumping. I recommend confining Yuki to a small room with no furniture to jump on, and keep his litterbox and food/water close by, so he has everything he needs with minimal movement. Hope this helps.

Sounds like Garth is still experiencing quite a bit of pain. While there may not be any clear fractures, other injuries involving soft tissue structures such as ligaments, tendons, and muscles can be equally painful. There are also injuries to nerves that can result in pretty severe pain. Lastly, dislocations can also occur (particularly in the hip) that are extremely painful. However, that should have showed up clearly on the x-ray assuming they shot all the way up to hip joint. I would continue to give him his medication as prescribed and make sure he is rested and confined. However, if matters are not any better by the time the prescribed course of meds is complete, he will need to be brought back in to the veterinarian for reassessment.