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A young kitten from Nottingham narrowly avoided losing her leg, thanks to PDSA, after a mystery accident left her unable to walk.

One-year-old Mittens returned home one evening unable to walk on her left back leg. Hopping on three legs and clearly in distress, her devoted owner, Helen Cutting (55), knew she needed urgent help.

Panicked, Helen immediately called the team at Nottingham PDSA Pet Wellbeing Centre and took Mittens in.

X-rays showed Mittens had badly dislocated her ankle joint and suffered a fracture. The mystery accident could have been anything from a road traffic collision to a fight with another cat to a high fall.

Helen explained: “It was such a shock to see, I was scared and upset – my whole family were, we had no idea what had happened but we were worried she might lose her leg.”

Sadly, the ongoing cost of living crisis meant Helen would have struggled to afford the treatment required to help her beloved family pet. Luckily, PDSA, the vet charity for pets in need, were on hand to help.

PDSA Veterinary Surgeon, Suzy Shuttleworth, said: “When Mittens came to us, she was uncomfortable and holding the leg at an odd angle, so we admitted her immediately for pain relief and x-rays under anaesthetic. The x-rays showed she had badly dislocated the ankle joint in her lower leg and suffered a small fracture.

“Mittens was taken to surgery straight away for the joint to be repaired, with a pin placed to stabilise it. A light dressing was placed on the leg for support, and she was kept overnight for pain relief, antibiotics, and monitoring.

“The next day she was able to head home and after a short recovery, she’s now back on all four paws again.”

Helen said: “Mittens really had us worried – we’re unsure how she managed to get injured but we’re so thankful she managed to hop back home, even though she must have been in agony. We got her after we lost our family pet hamster, Rosie, so she really has been a blessing for us all, especially my daughter.”

Every day across its 48 Pet Hospitals, PDSA protects the special bond between owners and their four-legged friends. The teams provide veterinary care to sick and injured pets whose owners otherwise couldn’t afford to pay the full cost of treatment. The charity has been keeping people and pets together for over a hundred years. Find out more: pdsa.org.uk/learn-why-were-special  

To date, Mittens’ treatment at PDSA has cost over £1,800. Like many people across the UK right now, Helen has struggled with the increased cost of living, and this is money she simply couldn’t spare.

Helen added: “The cost of living crisis has affected me and my family a lot. We’ve had to make adjustments with regards to food and our lives in general. It’s hard when you want to take your family places but can’t afford to. I worry about the future, but it hasn’t impacted our ability to care for Mittens on a day-to-day basis though.

“I was aware of PDSA but hadn’t used them before I had Mittens. The vets and nurses at PDSA are absolutely brilliant. The care and treatment Mittens received from all the staff was amazing. She was cared for by the very best. Nothing was too much trouble during appointments, and everything was always explained clearly to me. They saved my Mittens. I genuinely dread to think what would have happened to her without PDSA.”

You can help save pets like Mittens by supporting PDSA’s vital work keeping people and pets together this winter. PDSA’s dedicated vet teams see 10 pets every single minute, but the charity doesn’t receive any government funding, relying only on generous public support. Donate and save pets’ lives: pdsa.org.uk/together-this-winter

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