Clinical
Three-legged cat gets total hip replacement
Moira, a cat in Bend, Oregon, received a very unique surgery: A total hip replacement. These surgeries are typically performed on dogs, but thanks to new technologies and staff at Veterinary Referral Center of Central Oregon (VRCCO), Moira, who only has three legs, now has a more comfortable life post-surgery.
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Dog total hip replacements are far more common than the same surgery in cats, mostly because their larger size both creates more of a need for the surgery and facilitates the ease with which the surgery is performed. Only in recent years have veterinary surgeons been able to perform surgeries like this, which require special implant systems and different instruments than canines. And even then, there are only a few surgeons who have been trained to perform this surgery in such a small patient.
What’s even more uncommon is a total hip replacement in a cat with only three legs, which is exactly Moira’s story.
Three legs, lots of heart
Moira’s right hind leg was amputated after a severe fracture. But after that surgery to remove her leg, staff found that she had also injured her pelvis, which, according to a release from the hospital, included chronic luxation of her left hip, causing Moira chronic pain.
In a video put out by VRCCO, Mauricio Dujowich, DVM, DACVS Surgery, CCRT, said “we basically only [had] one chance at it… we really needed to get this right the first time.”
According to the hospital, Moira’s case was challenging due to the fact she only had one back leg, meaning “her new hip would have to bear a significant amount of weight immediately after surgery,” according to the release.
The process
“To ensure the best possible outcome, our team performed a CT scan and used 3D printing technology to create an exact model of Moira’s hip and femur,” said Dujowich in the press release provided by the VRCCO.
Since Moira’s bones were small, making sure their replacement was as accurate and precise as possible was critical. 3-D printing technology is not completely new, but the way it’s incorporated into helping recreate exact models, like in Moira’s case with her hip and femur, is revolutionizing how practices deal with complex cases.
Moira’s owner, Casey Bailey, said that now “she is running and playing like a four-legged cat. Within the last week, she has also discovered she is able to climb all the cat trees/walls and loves running along the top of the cabinets with her siblings during playtime.”
You can learn more about Moira’s story here.
Photo credit: © Veterinary Referral Center of Central Oregon (VRCCO)
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