Need help w Nerve Injury (Leg) Reccomendations!

Orthopedic/Arthritis: Problems associated with joints, bone, and connective tissue, and CH (cerebellar hypoplasia), or brain damage.
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robertos
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Need help w Nerve Injury (Leg) Reccomendations!

Post by robertos »

Hi everyone!!
This is my very first post. I was VERY happy to have found such awesome community. All the answers n threads i read are FULL of great feedback n comments. So i thought i might be just as lucky to get some replies :)

One of my cats (i have 5) had an injury to his front leg/paw. Althought the injury is only internal, outside everything is totally fine, he cannot move (i believe) his paw -but the whole limb does move though.
I just visited the vet and he told me he has a nerve injury that cannot heal and the only solution would be an amputation.

1) He did NOT scan/ex-rayed the paw, so how does he know the nerve is totally detached? Guess, i believe... (he is a very good doctor normally, but happens to everyone to oversee something or to give a "too-quick" solution.

2) I have read many of you mentioned that nerves will normally regenerate (slowly, fine). How "bad" was the injury of your healed cats?

3) The cat is totally fine, only one of its paw is...limp. Do you know of any tutors/solutions/bendage/anything that could be worn or applied to the cat's paw? in the same fashion you would bendage him after a broken bone issue, for instance.

I believe that nerves can heal with proper time and I am confident that a solution that will avoid amputation can AT LEAST be tried prior such no-going-back decision.

The cat does wander off normally in the big garden, yet since his injury i think he has calmed down a lot -if you are thinking bandages can become an issue.


I TOTALLY LOVE MY ANIMALS&PETS so I am ready to do the extra mile if needed, in terms of nursing him, if i can avoid an amputation (he is only 3 years old).


I wish to thank you in advance for you kind reply.
Please throw me whichever "crazy" idea you might have and feedback/experience with the same issue, I'd be very honored however.
All the best
Roberto
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critters
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Re: Need help w Nerve Injury (Leg) Reccomendations!

Post by critters »

robertos wrote:Hi everyone!!
This is my very first post. I was VERY happy to have found such awesome community. All the answers n threads i read are FULL of great feedback n comments. So i thought i might be just as lucky to get some replies :)

One of my cats (i have 5) had an injury to his front leg/paw. Althought the injury is only internal, outside everything is totally fine, he cannot move (i believe) his paw -but the whole limb does move though.
I just visited the vet and he told me he has a nerve injury that cannot heal and the only solution would be an amputation.

1) He did NOT scan/ex-rayed the paw, so how does he know the nerve is totally detached? Guess, i believe... Well, the evidence is there that the nerve is damaged, but nerves heal!!(he is a very good doctor normally, but happens to everyone to oversee something or to give a "too-quick" solution.

2) I have read many of you mentioned that nerves will normally regenerate (slowly, fine). How "bad" was the injury of your healed cats?Tristalyn was hit by a car, and vets I trusted (worked for, even) wanted to amputate. I said NO! Her paw was completely limp.

3) The cat is totally fine, only one of its paw is...limp. Do you know of any tutors/solutions/bendage/anything that could be worn or applied to the cat's paw? in the same fashion you would bendage him after a broken bone issue, for instance.Do you know about splints? By the time I was ready to order a splint for Tristalyn she was improving; this was about 15 years ago, and splints were a lot harder to find. I've had my paws on the splints here at HP, and I like them.

I believe that nerves can heal with proper time and I am confident that a solution that will avoid amputation can AT LEAST be tried prior such no-going-back decision.

The cat does wander off normally in the big garden, yet since his injury i think he has calmed down a lot -if you are thinking bandages can become an issue.


I TOTALLY LOVE MY ANIMALS&PETS so I am ready to do the extra mile if needed, in terms of nursing him, if i can avoid an amputation (he is only 3 years old).


I wish to thank you in advance for you kind reply.
Please throw me whichever "crazy" idea you might have and feedback/experience with the same issue, I'd be very honored however.
All the best
Roberto
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critters
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Re: Need help w Nerve Injury (Leg) Reccomendations!

Post by critters »

Is it her radial nerve? If so, these are the splints. Tristalyn's was radial--her arm. https://www.handicappedpets.com/walkin-front-splint/

PS-- :whale:
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critters
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Re: Need help w Nerve Injury (Leg) Reccomendations!

Post by critters »

Tripods are fine; I've had a bunch of them. With Tristalyn, however, I KNEW that nerves heal, and I was determined to give her time. The beauty of a splint is that it holds the limb in the position of function (so it can be used). Going without a splint means being on the constant watch for skin breakdown.
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CarolC
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Re: Need help w Nerve Injury (Leg) Reccomendations!

Post by CarolC »

:welcome:

I have no actual experience with this, Critters has a lot of experience with it. I just wonder, is there any way you can keep him in the garden with additional fencing? My cat has an outdoor enclosure that he cannot get out of, and other animals cannot get in. It is 10' x 10' and is under a tree in the shade. There is also a house inside of it that he can go into, and chicken wire over the top. I am a little worried your cat may be approached by a dog or something and be slower climbing a tree or running.

I would keep an eye on his claws on that foot. The outer layer of the claws usually come off by scratching on trees, etc. If he cannot scratch, you do not want his claws to grow too long and curl into his paw.

I agree an x-ray would be nice to be certain there is no fracture, but I don't believe x-rays show nerve damage. They are better for showing hard things like bones, not good at showing soft tissue injuries. As far as I know, the way to assess a nerve injury is by pinching the skin or pricking the skin with a needle, as well as observing the pet. That is good news that he can move his leg from the shoulder.

I am attaching photos of our kennel at our last house, and the one we have now. You could certainly improve it with additional places inside for him to climb on or hide under.
kennel1.JPG
new_kennel.JPG
robertos
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Re: Need help w Nerve Injury (Leg) Reccomendations!

Post by robertos »

TY ALL FOR THE AWESOME REPLIES!

1st of all thanks Critters, a splint (didnt know that was the name i should have looked for) is probably what I will do ASAP the only issue would be to "assess" the size of them.
Any recollections for cats size?
I also see from the link (TY!!) that there are additional "things" in addition to The splint. Any useful reccomendation maybe? :)

2nd Thank you for sharing you experience all. I am VERY much reassured now that i know a vet did say the same thing to someone else (amputation) and people refused that. DId he/she healed fine? Should i expect a 6-month period more or less?

3rd I really didnt think a good solution would have been to "cage him" someone. I never never use such things, but now that i need to look after him in order to avoid issues maybe that would be quite an idea. I am sorry for him he will have to look at the other cats playing n all....still i will try to work out a good solution. TY.
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critters
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Re: Need help w Nerve Injury (Leg) Reccomendations!

Post by critters »

robertos wrote:TY ALL FOR THE AWESOME REPLIES!

1st of all thanks Critters, a splint (didnt know that was the name i should have looked for) is probably what I will do ASAP the only issue would be to "assess" the size of them.
Any recollections for cats size? Not offhand. I don't know that I can find the splints and try one on Meez. He'd let me, if I can find them. We have a hurricane coming, so it'll probably be next week before I'm online again.
I also see from the link (TY!!) that there are additional "things" in addition to The splint. Any useful reccomendation maybe? :) That's what I've actually had my paws on. There are several critters around the board at the moment with nerve damage, and somebody was going to try the bootie splint. I asked the poster to be sure to post an update, since I don't recall anybody using that style.

2nd Thank you for sharing you experience all. I am VERY much reassured now that i know a vet did say the same thing to someone else (amputation) and people refused that. DId he/she healed fine? Should i expect a 6-month period more or less? Tristalyn took months, although I don't remember how many. Yes, she healed just fine!

3rd I really didnt think a good solution would have been to "cage him" someone. I never never use such things, but now that i need to look after him in order to avoid issues maybe that would be quite an idea. I am sorry for him he will have to look at the other cats playing n all....still i will try to work out a good solution. TY.
We have an outdoor house, too. It's a "chicken tractor," and I build "gerbil tubes" out of shelving wire and "zippy strips" (plastic cable ties) so Meez can get out in the grass without running amok. He's insufferable when he can't!
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critters
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Re: Need help w Nerve Injury (Leg) Reccomendations!

Post by critters »

Here's the poster trying the "booties." viewtopic.php?f=22&t=19998&view=unread#unread
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CarolC
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Re: Need help w Nerve Injury (Leg) Reccomendations!

Post by CarolC »

If you are completely sure he can't climb, then maybe he could just stay in the garden and he would have a large space, not a cage. Or maybe you could extend the top of the fence if he climbs, and he would still have the whole garden. Here are examples:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6jd4w2wSKs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDepZQ50HX0

If you look up "cat enclosure" on youtube, there are many types of enclosures to give you ideas.

I agree, it isn't as good as being free-roaming, but hopefully it is temporary?
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CarolC
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Re: Need help w Nerve Injury (Leg) Reccomendations!

Post by CarolC »

critters wrote:Not offhand. I don't know that I can find the splints and try one on Meez. He'd let me, if I can find them. We have a hurricane coming, so it'll probably be next week before I'm online again.
Yikes! I just checked and the mayor where you live has declared a state of emergency. You and all of your fur family stay safe!!!

:grouph:
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critters
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Re: Need help w Nerve Injury (Leg) Reccomendations!

Post by critters »

Thanks. The governor declared a state of emergency by last Monday, but it doesn't seem like it's going to do too much here since Florence has turned. Of course, she could well change her mind again and come get us!! Hurricanes like to ride up either the front or the back of the mountains (they ride the back when they come from the south, like from the Gulf). We'll see...
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Re: Need help w Nerve Injury (Leg) Reccomendations!

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Oops. In fact, I wasn't figuring to get online so soon (just hopped in this AM when it turned out that I could), so I didn't think about looking for the splint. I have to go to the library Monday, so I'm planning to go online then. I'll try to find the splint this weekend.
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Re: Need help w Nerve Injury (Leg) Reccomendations!

Post by critters »

I couldn't find the splint.
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