Pellets Again

We had a lovely cat brought in on Friday night. He was lame on his right foreleg and had a wound. The vet snapped an x-ray as we were busy and everyone had different jobs to do. Usually it is nurses that do x-rays but at time we let the vets take them because we are generous like that.

Anyway l walked past and he was holding up a flattened piece of mishapen lead which had in a former life been an airgun pellet until it smashed into the bone in the cat’s front leg. . Looks like you lost a bit l commented, he grunted agreement and went back to snap another picture.

I went over to have a look on my return trip past the x-ray room and got that heart sinking feeling. There was several small shiny speckles lodged deep in the joint capsule. All the vet could do was put a thick support dressing on, and write the cat up for ongoing pain relief, and leave onward treatment as an ortho. decision.

I don’t know what will be decided a lot will depend on cost cheapest is to remove the leg. The more expensive option to try and save it may be carried out but with all things there is no guarantee of success and it depends on what else has happened that has not shown on the pictures.
I am not due back for some time and will have forgotten his name by then, l always write names down and loose them.
What l never loose is my anger at the stupidity of whoever shot that pellet and a wish to send them all to hell whatever the age of the shooter.