HandicappedPets.Net

My neighbor shot my cat yesterday evening. It passed straight through right behind her front leg and out the front. I took her to the emergency vet and he gave her a shot and said she should make a full recovery as far as the wound goes. But her front leg is completely limp. She cannot move it and it just hangs there. The entrance/exit hole is very tiny. But I'm curious if her leg will heal, if she will be able to move normally ever again.

I wonder if the nerve was damaged? If so, it CAN heal, but it takes a long time (months). Is the arm splinted? That's important to keep it in the position of function as the nerve heals; otherwise, having the hand curled up and flopping around can easily lead to skin breakdown. My Tristalyn had a brachial nerve injury from being hit by a car, and she eventually made a FULL recovery!

PS--If she took pred for a few days, it's my opinion that the nerve would probably heal a bit faster. MANY vets will proclaim that such an arm needs to be amputated, but it can always be amputated later--if necessary.

Her leg is not splinted, but she has started moving her toes again! The leg is still pretty limp but she slowly improving.

That's the way it works!! I'm surprised it's started so quickly, though. Watch her skin, and contractures are MUCH easier to prevent than to treat. I wouldn't expect contractures with that kind of injury, but it could happen. Also know that healing nerves can send weird/funny/creeping feelings to the limb as they heal (mine felt like a million millipedes in hobnailed boots), and it can lead to a critter biting or attacking the area. IF this should develop, gabapentin is a godsend.

It doesn't seem to be bothering her all that much. I've noticed she's using it a lot more now in the litter box and when playing. She's kept the skin around the exit wound very clean and although she lost all the hair around it, it seems to be healing fairly well. She's still not putting weight on that leg but she's not chewing on it or anything besides to clean it like usual.

That all sounds good!