Ancho

Ancho was trapped and rescued with 12 other kittens from a colony in May 2023. Her foster mom quickly noticed that she couldn’t retract her nails on any of her feet, her toe pads on her back paws were extended, and 2 toes on each front paw were fused together. Over the next few days, she noticed swelling, sores, and Ancho limping. Her foster mom tried soaking Ancho’s feet, doing warm compresses, and antibiotics. Her back feet did start looking better, but the problem was not resolved and Ancho was still in pain. In June 2023, Ancho visited the vet where they took x-rays and surprisingly, everything looked normal! Ancho could have an issue with the tendons on the tops of her paws, which limits her ability to curl her nails like she would to scratch or climb, but her tendons would have pulled so far back by now and be so small, surgery would be futile. She was put on a steroid to reduce the swelling in her feet and the vet recommended Ancho meet with an orthopedic specialist. Ancho was able to meet with the orthopedic surgeon in July 2023. She believes that Ancho’s condition is more likely the a result of an injury from heat or a chemical burn. However, it could be a birth defect. The vet directed us to monitor her progress with regular pictures and videos for a month until her next appointment. Considering the fused toes on her front feet, surgery might be necessary, but it’s a unique case, so the exact course of action may require some guesswork. Removing a nail on each fused toe could potentially alleviate swelling. Fortunately, her back paws seem to be improving without intervention. Keeping her nails fairly long, as suggested by both vets should encourage her climbing and scratching behavior. Despite the pain she is most likely in, she is playful, chatty, loving, a purr machine, and her foster mom’s little shadow.
Ancho has many appointments and possible surgeries ahead of her. Please consider sponsoring to her care today! 

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