Should I/How do I wrap her shoulder?

[Snarky86]

Yesterday morning, I found a kitten on the shoulder of the highway. She was unable to move her front legs. I took her to the vet and the doctor said that while one leg may heal on its own, the other may have to be amputated. He said that it would be an option... It is is (I'm assuming) dislocated and all the muscle tissue is torn. He told me to take her home and watch her over the weekend to see if she got any better. She had been severely dehydrated and close to death at the time. He gave her a shot of steroids and pain medication. Today, she was able to put weight on one of the legs, but the "bad" one just dangles and I am concerned about her dragging it around while attempting to walk. I'd like to maybe wrap up her leg/shoulder in a way that doesn't cause her pain and keeps her from dragging it on the ground while she tries to regain strength in her other leg. Is this plausible? I had considered building her a tiny wheelchair at first... Any suggestions on how to go about this would be greatly appreciated as I can't find ANYTHING with Google searches.

 

[MissClouseau]

If it needs to be wrapped (and that's not clear), I think a professional should do it. Give the vet a call. I would get a second opinion from a different vet as well before deciding to amputate if it comes down to that.

 

[di and bob]

Yes, bring her back to the vet and have them wrap it, watching closely so you can do it too. The leg needs to be immobilized so it can heal. If it can't heal, watch her closely for signs of gangrene, or deterioration and have the leg amputated if she regains use of the other. I'll pray for her to heal, cats have a remarkable ability to heal impossible wounds, so don't give up, my prayers are with you!

 

[LTS3]

A vet should do the wrapping. X rays may be needed first to make sure bones aren't broken.

There are ready-made cat wheelchairs you can buy instead of DIY-ing one. Eddie's Wheels for Pets - The Pet Mobility Experts is a popular one but there are others.

 

[Snarky86]

Thank you all! I'll call the vet in the morning. Not sure if they're open due to the holiday. I just wanted something to hold her over for the weekend. She is doing so much better. She is eating and drinking and even hobbling around now on three legs! My husband just can't handle seeing her drag her bad leg. He gags because it's "unnatural".

 

[di and bob]

I'm so happy she is doing better! Good food and some loving care always help. Cats can do very well on three legs, even two. It's just so sad to see them struggle.....