Amputation: Uli, kitten with no front paws... *PIC*

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Debbie-Spain
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Location: Catalonia, Spain
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Amputation: Uli, kitten with no front paws... *PIC*

Post by Debbie-Spain »

This is Uli (short for Ulysses in Spanish). He was found wandering on the street in southern Spain last week. He arrived here a couple of hours ago after a 15 hour journey and I just left him with his foster mom (who may well turn out to be his adoptive mom judging by how she received him!)

He is very bright and lively, quite inquisitive, and playful, although he arrived with a bit of a cold. We think he is about 5 weeks old.

It appears (to us and to a vet who saw him after he was found) that it is a congenital malformation rather than an amputation because he appears to have what would have been toes that never developed. One of his front legs is quite a bit thicker than the other.

I spent some time watching him as he moves, and he seems to hover before putting each "foot" down, as if he cannot quite judge whether it is touching the floor yet and it shakes up and down very slightly and very quickly. He is fine climbing up things because he kind of bends his "arms" around them.

He will be seeing the vet tomorrow and we may have more idea then. I'm not sure whether his stumps could be soft now and will need to harden like those of an amputated leg or whether it will be necessary to make him some kind of prosthesis to protect them. If anyone had experience of similar cases (Bendy??!!) it would be useful to see what they did, if anything.

Thanks

Debbie
PS: This pic was taken with a mobile phone just after he was found, hence bad resolution but I think it shows enough to see the problem...



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critters
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Looks like syndactyly

Post by critters »

It looks like he, like Lefty but moreso, has an unusual variant; bilateral is quite unusual, and Uli, like Lefty, is missing one side of the clefted hand. I don't have a pic of Lefty's, but I'll try to get one soon.
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Bendy Kitty
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I'd make that kitten some booties!

Post by Bendy Kitty »

and see if it makes him more mobile.

we took care of a kitten who had a fron stump (from injury) that calloused over very well. but i'd try the booties out and see if it helps.

can't wait to see more picts

bendy
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