Nahri and Her OrthoPets Chevy Prosthetic Device (Over the Back Hind Limb Prosthetic)
Nahri is a 1.5 year old domestic shorthair cat who was hit by a car as a kitten, receiving a traumatic fracture to metatarsus resulting in a left distal tibiotarsal amputation. She was also diagnosed with bilateral medial patellar luxations: Left grade 3/4, right grade 2/4.
Nahri’s case initially presented to OrthoPets for the protective ‘House Slipper’ option. The house slipper is a custom prosthetic liner essentially, with tread and straps and offers a small amount of limb length addition. It’s a great option for pets who need protection while out of the device, or cats since it’s light weight and easy to use. When OrthoPets received the impression, unfortunately they determined that her limb shape was not bulbous enough, despite retention of the talus, where a house slipper would stay on.
Nahri’s owner was determined to find a solution and was seen by one of our partners at Animal Medical Center by Dr. Alvarez, Dr. Britt, and their staff. Dr. Britt reached out to see if an above tarsus prosthetic would work for her. Nahri is a special cat - she is very tolerable and handleable making her a better candidate for this style, but OrthoPets had never been successful before with a cat needing this type of prosthetic. They agreed to give it a try, and everyone was on board for the challenge and potential failure.
The team was able to design a softer and lighter-weight suspension solution, still utilizing the spine plate and contralateral femoral cuff, and Nahri was fitted under Dr. Britt’s guidance. She took to the device without much concern and was very tolerable - better than some dogs Dr. Britt commented! It was determined that the length of the device was just too much for her current limb strength, so it was modified with an adjustable length extension and a special faux paw. Her biggest challenge will now be to strengthen her muscles of her residual limb. We are very excited to see the first success with a prosthetic in a cat at this amputation level!
