Xiao Hei snapped his thigh bone!

[Aliya]

Last night XH was limping and his leg was a bit painful to touch but he was OK, not hot but not happy. He had clearly been in a fight but didnt have a temp so I thought I would just watch him and take him to the vet today because I suspect he has an abcess developing in his leg. I gave him one of his cat prozac tablets to keep him quiet last night. He sleeps all night in his little bed.

This morning I take him to the local vet. They say they will put him under and find out what the problem is. They ring me and say "oh we don't have an xray machine and dont think he has an absess but suspect he could have a fractured leg. So can you come and take him to another vet that has an xray machine and can do bone surgery". WTF couldnt you tell me this when I brought him in I say.

So I take him off to Companion Vets in Balestier. The first vets consultation notes show I have given him Prozac. "what" shouted the very kind and caring Scottish vet "you've given your cat Prozac???" with a what a silly bitch look on his face. I explained it was actually the cat version of Prozac that I got from them before and no I am not on Prozac and no I haven't give my cat human prozac.

His humour restored and reassured I havent been drugging poor XH up with weird things he takes one feel of his leg and says definately a fracture. He is actually quite annoyed the ealier vet couldnt confirm that as it is clearly a bad break. I start to feel like shite for not taking him last night. To my absolute horror they bring him back with the xray and he shows me what I can only describe as the pencil snap of fractures. The thigh bone has completly snapped and the two ends are actually almost parallel with each other. I start to feel physically nauseous. My poor little XH! All last night with a snapped leg!!! Not to worry said the vet kindly, it is a great break to have, easy to fix, a rod up each end of the bone and we will join it all together. He graphically cheerfully describes it to me. I feel like I am going into shock. He says not to worry he will be fine. 6-8 weeks and then back to have the rod out.

Well he says the op will have to take place tomorrow, so he gets the nurse to ring around two of the non urgent morning patients to ask if they can postphone their surgery as he has to be operated on no later than tomorrow morning. One says yes, the other one refuses because she has to wash the dog 10 days after surgery and that co-incides with the CNY holiday auspicious day and moving surgery will upset that. She doesn't care that this is quite urgent. He gets on the phone and chats to her and convinces her to agree.

I hope to pick him up tomorrow hopefully. I ask him how could this have happened. It is not a car hit because no bruising. He thinks he was in a very tight place during or after the fight and somehow broke his leg escaping. Both of us agree it is a very bizarre break.

Oh and the bill will be about $900. Sob. Poor little XH I feel so terrible the first time I have never rushed an animal to the emergency vet and look at what it was. Sob. Poor little AMEX card.

[cromasaig]

It's horrendous to have an animal in pain. I'm so sorry. As you say, difficult to imagine how something like that happens without anyone knowing. I hope he's on the mend soon. Ditto your poor, battered Amex...

[azzam]

Oh, poor baby. Hope he heals fast.

[Lili Von Shtupp]

Wow, I need Prozac after that story, you poor thing. Poor kitty, so awful but you've done fine by him and he will be OK, don't feel so bad! He's obviously made of bravery and all kinds of macho stuff, that one.

[Kooky]

Ohhhh! Poor little thing. Is he having new territory wars?

Don't beat yourself up, sounds to me like you got him there pretty quickly.

[Fat Bob]

$900? Is that all? I'm going to that vet when I bust my arm/leg whilst playing rugby!

[daffodil]

Is this the start of the all new, caring FB I wonder?

I mean, posting on a moggie thread with no mention of cs/bricks/water? Be afraid.

[Pinklepurr]

OMG I just read this. The poor thing, and you too A. You may not have given him the treatment right away but I'm sure his pain was well and truly dulled with the Prozac. It is so frustrating at times like this that you can't speak cat. I do hope all goes well for the op and he is on all four paws asap.

[FurBaby]

poor XH and poor Aliya

don't you sometimes wish that they could just talk to us and tell us what's wrong?

[Aliya]

Op was successful and I am picking him up tomorrow. Vet impressed with huge cat cage that I have that he wants me to keep him in for a couple of days - ex dog cage - because none of you lot who have taken a cat off me has ever brought the bloody cat cage back!!!!!

[Morrolan]

Op was successful and I am picking him up tomorrow. Vet impressed with huge cat cage that I have that he wants me to keep him in for a couple of days - ex dog cage - because none of you lot who have taken a cat off me has ever brought the bloody cat cage back!!!!!

you gave cat cages with the cats? we never got one! when can we pick ours up?

[Kooky]

because none of you lot who have taken a cat off me has ever brought the bloody cat cage back!!!!!

Did so! I might even have brought you another kitty in return (H's Maia), can't quite remember now.

[Aliya]

Didnt mean you lot, just others .

Here is the before:

[Aliya]

and after:

[Lili Von Shtupp]

Oh, I'm so glad he will be fine, that break looks scary, A!

[Morrolan]

that's a fat cat...

[Batwoman]

I have a spare cat cage you can have

[diana]

Aliya, how much does your cat weigh?

[azzam]

Three shillings and sixpence

[BoD]

oooh, the hip bone's connected to the thigh bone. The thigh bone's connected to the knee bone... (sing along now)

[Aliya]

Fec, had him back for another operation as the pin moved after he got out of the cage. Emergency op on a Sunday. Same great vet but another $400. Now the skin has broken and he has an infection. Poor little bugger, back to the vet. I cant bear it.

[Pinklepurr]

Poor thing (both you and the cat) what a horrible process, I so hope he ends up stronger at the end of it all.

[Lili Von Shtupp]

Oh, Man. That's tough. That poor cat has no idea what's going on. I hope that this second time around will fix the problem for good. xxoo

[Aliya]

Oh well, at least the vet is cute and rude as anything, very refreshing to get shouted at

[Joy]

I hope he feels better soon!!!!