Pets: Cat born with backwards legs gets new lease on life
Veterinary medicine has come a long way in just a few years, as has an overall attitude in the viability of an animal's quality of life.
Corky the cat is one such animal that was born with physical challenges, and a generation ago, the general consensus may have leaned toward euthanizing the animal. When Gail Ventzke, the director of the Cat’s Cradle shelter in Fargo, N.D., saw the young cat at a Minnesota pound earlier this year, she had a strong feeling that he could have a good quality of life.
So what exactly made Corky so different than other cats? The plucky feline was born with an unusual condition: He was born with two sets of front paws.
Ventzke decided to take responsibility for the cat and have some veterinary professionals evaluate his condition to see if her instincts were right.
“He didn’t seem to realize that there was something wrong with him, but really, he looked quite strange and couldn’t walk properly,” Ventzke told TODAY.com.
After a few opinions, Ventzke found one veterinarian who was willing to operate to try and reshape his legs.
In the cutting-edge surgery, Corky's joints were removed, his legs repositioned and steel plates were inserted.
During his rehab, the cat underwent acupuncture and hydrotherapy to help facilitate healing, strength and range of motion.
Unfortunately, one of Corky’s back legs developed circulatory problems and needed to be amputated after three weeks.
That didn't seem to phase Corky, who just a few weeks later, zooms around Ventzke's home and keeps up with her other pets.
“We think that he will live a pretty normal life,” Ventzke said.
Check out this video of where Corky started.
Lorrie Shaw leads the pets section for AnnArbor.com and is owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.
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