Help Roo Get New Legs!

Roo is a 4-month-old kitten born with angular limb deformities in both of his front legs. His left leg is missing a radius, causing it to bow inwards, and his right wrist is malformed, causing him to step on it sideways. As a result, Roo walks on his elbows and limps to one side. While he is still able to play, his vet was concerned about his long-term quality of life (as long term as 6 months, maybe a couple of years) and recommended an orthopedic consult or considering humane euthanasia. We had difficulty finding a vet who would be able to treat his condition but finally came across Cape Cod Veterinary Specialists in MA. Not only were they able to consult and review Roo’s records immediately, they scheduled him for surgery in a month!

The following is an email from Dr. Ulfelder, a board-certified surgeon who has worked on angular limb deformity cases:

“The plan that was discussed included serial bandage changes on the left arm to try and get the bones to straighten out as they heal. The goal is to straighten out the front legs to allow for a more normal formation of the wrist and elbow. It is possible (maybe even likely) that Roo would need surgery on his left arm at some point. My hope and goal would be to avoid an amputation.

We discussed surgery on the right wrist. The goal of this surgery would be to reduce the wrist to a normal anatomical position and hold it in place with an external fixator. The ex fix would remain in place for ~4-6 weeks minimum. The surgery will likely fuse the wrist to some extent, which is fine as cats do very well with this procedure. It would mean that Roo might have reduced range of motion of that wrist, but in the long run, this is a better outcome than walking on the side of his wrist as he is now. As we discussed, I would prefer to do this when he is younger as the blood supply, tendons, ligaments, bones, etc. are all more malleable in a kitten and this gives us a better chance of reduced complications.”

Roo is the sweetest boy who truly doesn’t know he’s different from his siblings. All he wants to do is play and cuddle in your arms. However, we would like to do these minimally invasive yet complex procedures as soon as possible while he is still a kitten, to avoid risking complications as well as any pain and suffering he may develop without the surgery. Our local vet has agreed to perform serial bandage changes for Roo, so that we don’t have to travel to Cape Cod (about 3 hours away) every week for 2-3 months, and we are so grateful for that. I will attach the surgery estimate. This does not include the weekly bandage changes, ex fix removal, initial consult, or any follow-ups. If you can consider contributing to his care, it would mean the world to us!!