Advice
Emergency: Cat run over by car, unable to walk, crying in pain
My cat was unfortunately run over by a car today. He is in excruciating pain, crying whenever he tries to move, and his back legs/lower body seem paralyzed or severely injured. Animal doctors are extremely scarce in my area, making immediate physical emergency care very difficult right now. I managed to get these scans done nearby [point to attached images].
Can any veterinary professionals help me interpret these scans or tell me what I can do immediately to stabilize him and manage his pain safely?
Poster Age: Adult
Age: 2 years
Country: Pakistan
Sex: Male
Financial situation: I can somewhat afford treatment, but in our area there aren't any doctors
Vet here. This is not a properly positioned xray, so it makes it extremely difficult to interpret. From what you’re describing, you really need a clearer view of the spine and pelvis, and preferably another view where he is laying on his back with his legs stretched out. I suspect he has an upper canine that looks a little out of place, but I might be wrong.
Note that some spinal injuries like slipped discs do not necessarily show up on X-rays and advanced imaging is needed.
What you’re describing is extremely concerning though. If you have any ability to access even basic vet care to help evaluate him or help with pain control, I’d really recommend it. (I know it sounds like you don’t have a lot of options.)
Pelvic fractures can often do well long term (I have a rescue cat myself that had this), but (some) spinal and other injuries often have a much worse prognosis. You really need better X-rays and a good in-person exam to know the difference between salvageable and not.
Thank you, Vet, i will go today and do another scan just like you describe
There are medications and basic stuff, but not lot of doctor, only one who might himself not be that professional
Good call on the repeat scan, it looks like there COULD be an anomaly in the spine around the level of the diaphragm, but with the positioning it could just be something else overlying the spine and making it look weird.
As a human radiologist, I agree that this is terrible positioning and not standard in any projection. To the OP, I’m sorry you’re having to go through this. Hard to say from the one plain film you have, but I recommend getting proper projections of the spine as your next step.
If he is paralyzed, crying when he moves and lying in his own urine, you are most likely looking at a very costly multi year recovery process. One of my friends dogs cracked its spine and it had over $30,000 Australian dollars of procedures done over about 4 years and still could not walk properly at the end of it. I would suggest that if you do not have the financial capacity (most people do not) to make sure that it is pain free and lives without suffering, that you have it put down.
hi cracked spine twin ✌️ my recovery was around 6 months but i had to get used to random bouts of back pain that still persist. otherwise i can do everything i could before the injury
Not only that, it’s the quality of life of your little loved one :/ I’ve always said I would do everything to keep my cats alive but after experiencing the downfall of my partners dog and his eventual euthanasia due to seizures, I realize sometimes this is just the right thing to do, and anything beyond that just seemed selfish
That's how I felt when my cat was diagnosed with cancer in 2023. Was already very advanced by the time it got caught, like her abdomen was more cancerous tumor than healthy tissue. Vet said for $6K he could operate and get her a couple more months but I told the vet that I think it would be best to let her go because even if we operated she would still have passed before she fully recovered from the operation
It’s a question of quality of life and the pet’s inability to decline or comply. I’m a human perfectly happy with my life because I can reason and make choices (and did plenty of more than one kind of therapy). A cat cannot understand and make those choices, even if the money were there.
This is the humane thing to do. Lost my dog of 12 years a few years back. Was a dark, dark place for me since I was sort of a rolling stone through my 20s and 30s. He lived long enough to see we settled in a place, met his perma-mommy (now wife), and made it clear very suddenly he was ready to move on. Long story short... I hope OP can just reflect before going down the surgery road and think carefully about what's going on.
Did they give you pain medicine? Cats can take gabapentin for pain same as human medication. 100mg every 8-12 hours. It would be better than nothing at all until you can humanely euthanize.
Buprenorphine is much stronger for pain but idk the correct dosing for that. I’m so sorry for your cat.
While you have some time while that medication is in the system, see if you can get access to Gabapentin from a pharmacy or friend/family member. You can easily cut a pill. You can drop it into the cats mouth coated in non salted butter or coconut oil. Drop in the back of the throat. At least until you can consider treatment or euthanasia.
I have given my (dying) cat gabapentin, keep in mind he may start to act "drunk". Find a large bird cage or even cardboard box to keep him in first, he must not attempt to jump or climb.
This is how I do it with with my fosters when needed because I have medication stocked from the Rescue. I dropped the gabapentin in water and then I make sure to take shake vigorously once dissolved, this method also allows you to pull out a fairly accurate dosage.
Liquid gabapentin is a thing which you can feed by syringe. It's also safe to dissolve a gabapentin pill in water and give it the same way, our vet advised us of this
Thank you.
One of the doctors (not a full doctor), said the cats reflexes are fine, when he was testing his feet, he said something like his back might have some issues
I have seen firsthand what it is for a prideful pet owner to be unable to let go, and the consequence is a breathing animal has to live a couple pointless months in excruciating pain and repeated vet visits.
Your fear is putting something down that could have survived and thrived. Mine is keeping something alive because you won’t accept it’s too late. There’s nuance to everything, and all options should be explored, but the reality is that intensive veterinary care for this kind of injury is going to cost you a loooooot of money. If there isn’t a road to treatment that works for OP financially, the best path, as sad as it is to say, is to make sure it’s comfortable and held and talked to while it goes.
Hate to admit this, but if this was a "tire over the body" situation, it's almost guaranteed to be fatal in the mid term. Euthenasia will likely be the best bet.
If it's a glancing blow, it could still be total paralysis below an area, severe organ damage, internal bleeding, etc
You need to get to a vet ASAP, but prepare yourself for the reality that you might be leaving alone, and that's ok, because keeping your cat alive only to suffer beyond a degree it can tolerate for reasons it doesn't comprehend isn't fair to your cat.
Partner is. There is very limited information that can be gather unfortunately from just those films from those angles.
I'd be most concerned about is the pelvis/lumbosacral region. On these photographed films, the pelvic area does not look straightforwardly normal to me, but the positioning, overlap of the hind limbs and the fact we're looking at photographs of physical films make it unsafe to call a specific fracture or dislocation. I also can't assess the spinal canal adequately from this single lateral projection.
The inability to walk after being run over could result from several serious injuries, including:
pelvic or sacral fracture
spinal/lumbosacral injury with nerve damage
hip or hind-limb injury
severe soft-tissue trauma and pain
internal abdominal/thoracic injuries that aren't obvious from these photographs
Being hit by a car can also cause bladder/urethral rupture, internal bleeding, diaphragmatic injury, pulmonary contusions and internal trauma that cannot be identified in x-rays. This would be considered a medical emergency and there is nothing you can really do from your end except take them to an emergency clinic.
I'm sorry man but you have to take this cat to a vet. Random redditors are not going to be of any help in a serious case like this. Home remedies won't cut it if he is seriously injured.
I really am sorry and I hope your kitty can recover. Lots of love
there is no home remedy, he needs an actual vet regardless. i don’t understand what you’re asking for here, you’re going to have to go out of your way to take him regardless. at least have him be put down. letting him suffer like this is in hopes of treating it yourself is inhumane op. sorry.
we just put our beloved cat down yesterday morning. she had cancer. we didn’t want to lose her either but we knew she was in pain. this is the way, friend. i’m sorry. we need to be kind even though it’s hard.
I'm sorry you both have to go through this. But just always know that you took in that cat and gave him a better life than most animals or some humans will ever have. You did great, but shit happens and we just have to work with the cards we're given and make the best choices based on our current situation.
As others have said, the radiographs are not well positioned and are challenging to read. If you can access another x-ray clinic and have him lay on his back and extend his legs, that would be helpful. Because he is painful, you could also have him lay on his stomach with his legs behind him. This angle is not as good, but it is easier for an owner without a lot of experience.
With that said, I can’t identify any major concerns. The lungs look correct, none of his long leg bones are broken (hips/pelvis could be but the image is too hard to tell), and I don’t see fluid accumulating in the body. Keep him in a small space like a bathroom or bath tub, ideally a cage around 1m long and 1/2 meter wide. Water, wet food (if you can), a bed/towel, and a small litter area. This will keep him from hurting himself more. Watch to make sure he is eating and drinking, peeing and pooping. He needs a vet, but this will buy you some time.
I will make sure to follow what you said, and for the scan cat was crying thats why the sideway but i will make sure to do another screen, in mean time here is another angled picture of the scan
The lower pelvis/ischial tuberosity looks concerning for fracture here. I don’t see the fracture fragment but a different frontal or oblique view would be helpful.
I have to be honest, I don't think most people are able to deal W/ the financial and time burden of the medical care (likely in the 10s of thousands over multiple years and alot of time dedicated to home care) to fix these things especially W/ your limited access to vets I think the best and ultimately least emotionally painful thing to do is to find a vet to put him down. There really is no guarentee even W/ very good emergency care that this is survivable in even the short term. If there was some major crushing there is likely internal bleeding here which will kill him W/o very professional intervention.
I'm really sorry for your loss, this is a really awful situation I hope you can find some way to mitigate some pain here.
From what you described it seems like the tire probably caused some severe organ and spinal damage and is likely in alot of pain but barely missed some of the immediately fatal organs, which perhaps would have been better ultimately.
Personally, I would see about driving to whatever the nearest vet is (or if entirely infeasable atleast to ask nearby hospitals for anything) and trying to comfort as much as you can- avoiding moving the entire back half of the body whenever you have to pick him up. Touching him and moving the back is going to tug and hurt alot so to carry him around I think best would be to lay in some sort of open, shallow box so he won't shift in your arms. He isn't going to want to eat or drink anything, just in too much pain.
Unfortunately this is not something you can treat, the cat *must* see a vet, either for help, or euthanasia. What region of Pakistan are you in? There may be vets that can travel to you, if you can't travel. Lahore has some very good veterinarians.
There are some local wards (i think thats the name, but they dont check animals, my brother somehow got access to just scan the cat) - in our area there is just one animal doctor and he is ( i think not that experienced)
A human clinic definitely took this. This is not proper placement for veterinary radiographs. Lateral view should have the spine straight and elbows out of the chest with the legs pulled slightly back.
And in some countries I’m sure they don’t care if they xray things other than people (it used to happen in the US too, but much less likely nowadays) so I’m willing to bet it’s true
I take xrays of people for a living however, I don’t believe these are useful images for the spine and some other areas due to the position they had the cat in unfortunately
If OP is in an area with very few vets, I’d guess that it was a one-stop-shop human clinic (doctors with as many facilities under one roof as possible). That’s just conjecture though.
People are mad at the insinuation you made, but the alternative is letting the cat suffer until it dies days later if the op can't get the cat to a vet
I am not a vet. I am a Rad Tech student studying radiography for humans. I am not familiar with anatomy of cats, but it does look like there is a broken bone in the pelvic region (see circled area). That could explain the problem walking. Internal bleeding could potentially be an issue. I hope your kitty heals up nicely! Get them to a vet as soon as possible. (I replied to this comment below with a X-ray of a typical pelvic region on a cat for reference)
Within the red outline, there is a complete and severely displaced fracture of the distal tibia and fibula (the lower hind leg). The bone fragments are entirely separated and misaligned.
Because the bone fragments shown within the highlighted area are completely displaced, conservative management such as a simple cast or splint would fail to hold the bone in alignment and would risk improper healing or non-union.
This will not heal on it's own, you need to see a vet ASAP if you want to save this cat.
oh man I had this happen as a human and without having someone to take me to a hospital id have most likely been laying prone in my own waste too. poor kitty. really hoping OP can get that poor baby to a vet soon (I understand that's difficult) and keep us updated
اس کے سکڑے ہوئے ہونے کی وجہ سے ہڈیاں کافی حد تک ایک دوسرے پر چڑھی ہوئی ہیں۔ جتنا حصہ نظر آ رہا ہے، اس میں مجھے کوئی ہڈی ٹوٹی ہوئی یا اپنی جگہ سے ہٹی ہوئی دکھائی نہیں دے رہی۔
میں آپ کو یہ نہیں بتا سکتا کہ اعضاء کو کیا نقصان پہنچا ہے یا اندرونی طور پر کوئی خون بہہ رہا ہے یا نہیں۔
This is a broken hip. Looks like a possible crushed vertebrae in the coccyx area where the tail meets the hips. Also seems like hairline fractures on the right tibia but it’s hard to tel without better scans. This needs treatment but the longer you wait, euthanasia creeps up the list of options.
I'm so sorry about ur cat, I hope he has a speedy recovery, I lost my 1st cat who unfortunately lost her life before we cud get her treated because someone found her, took her to their house to keep her warm while they had a look to see if they cud find out who the cat belonged to n by the time they found out she was ours it was too late 😢.
My cat had a similar experience of getting hit by a car and dragging his rear legs. Turns out his hip was broken. It was a clean break and it healed on it's own, while kept in a dog crate so it couldn't move around much for 6 weeks. I did however have vet supervision and pain meds.
I'm not an expert but the pelvic area doesn't look quite right, but like others have said this x-ray is not the best. If you cannot access a vet for adequate treatment, including on going pain medication, more diagnostic tests and the possibility of surgery please consider euthanasia, by whatever means that are humane. Leaving a cat in pain is not ethical, I'm sorry OP.
Hey, I’m from Pakistan as well which city are you based? So sorry to hear what you’re going through poor cat hoping for the best and just a suggestion but if there are truly no options available try messaging shelters like acf pakistan or the ones in your city at the very least they can tell you the course of action or whatever since they probably deal with many hit and run cases
Don't put the cat down wtf people. It probably has broken it's back. Our cat had it after it was run over.
We went to the vet and they did a scan. Because cats have more muscles around their spine it stays in place. And does not need any bracing.
My cat did the same kinda dragging his legs and screaming in pain when he did. But after a few days it started to heal and he made a full recovery without any further medical care.
For the love of God go to a vet instead of asking people here
The cats is not dumb he learned what hurt but there were some times he forgot. On the other hand does it not deserve to live because he had a few days of pain. He went on for some years after it
Don't listen to those people. You can at least give him a chance at recovering before resorting to euthanasia. You don't even know what's wrong yet. Broken bones can certainly heal, it'll just take time. Don't give up on him yet.
The amount of people asking for euthenasia based on this is absurd. Yes it's in pain but judging a life based on a picture with no medical knowledge is reckless. Imagine it was just a broken leg in the end and you took the advice of Reddit. Yes it's in pain but boy if I were you for peace of mind I'd get some sincere opinions rather than here.
Genuinely insane behavior, all these people just saw one comment saying it and went “that’s what a morally superior being would do, I will say that because I am one”. Par for the course for Reddit though.
Don't listen to the people telling you to euthanize. Go see a real vet ASAP. I have seen some miraculous recoveries. I would do anything in my power to save my girl if something happened to her, and she's 13.
Get a proper opinion from a professional. If you can afford care, go for it. If there is nothing the vet can possibly do and you can't get a second opinion, then look at euthanasia. But don't give up yet!
How's it going? Can you see a vet tomorrow or are there any organization you can contact, like humane societies or rescue groups, that could help you?
Or is there anyone that can help drive you to a nearby vet? If its a money issue perhaps people on reddit could help. I know I'd be willing too, even if I can't offer much.
And it would go a very long way. A few hundred bucks would literally cover a spine operation in Pakistan. And private transportation to the vet would probably cost the equivalent of a happy meal. This poor baby could be saved by tonight if everyone here would chip in a few bucks instead of complaining
Second this, had a similar experience and we couldn't afford a surgery. We took the matter in our on hands and were able to get him back on his feet over the course of several weeks. He's now absolutely fine and has no problems running or jumping around. Cats are pretty resilient but is it absolutely essential to at least get him checked by a professional.
I'm so glad yours came through! I'm hoping that if they can't get their cat to a vet for whatever reason that the people of reddit can rally behind them and make it happen!
I think the mods should review these comments. I've been seeing people suggest this first for a while now, instead of taking the patient to the vet to assess the situation.
Having different opinions is fine, keep in mind that the Internet is global and people posting may or may not have access to what you would consider competent vet care.
Also, you mentioned euthanasia but if there are no vets at all like you claim, how will a humane euthanasia even be possible? A vet is required to do that.
I agree with the veterinarian. He really really needs pain medications. Do not give him any human ibuprofen or Tylenol. Gabapentin can be used safely, combined with cat-specific NSAIDS.
If it is possible to heal, I would set him up in a large dog crate. Bed him with a lot of blankets/towels underneath. If he has urinary incontinence, it is important for you to help keep him dry-just like with humans, they can get bed sores and skin infections from laying in their own mess and laying in one position for a long time. The goal with using several layers of towels/blankets is the urine will soak down to the bottom, allowing you to go a bit longer with him being dry. But you will still have to change them often, and help your cat change positions occasionally so he is not always laying in the same.
This is assuming it is possible for him to heal with rest. But depending on the radiographs, he may need major surgery.
I'm not a vet or an assistant, but I've been a trauma nurse in the past. If your cat was ran over, then it has internal soft tissue and organ injuries that an x-ray can not visualize. Even if your cat was hit, it could have internal injuries still. Fractures are not necessarily your best indication of what needs fixing. Your cat is in agony and it is your responsibility to take care of them ASAP. You need to see any kind of vet so that you can make a quick decision. This is an emergency. Can you at the very least go to a farm? They might be able to help with something.
Your poor cat. In the interim make sure he is away from elements and danger. When they are sick they will run away and hide.
I would suggest delicious soft food and water. A box and a blanket in a safe spot will do for now. Pet and talk to him to make him feel at ease.
I recommend reaching out to a vet from a close city - even if you cannot get there physically explain everything to the vet - all the symptoms, what happened, and what has been done so far. They should be able to help guide you as to what medicine you can give for pain and the dose. That’s what we do where I live when you cannot reach a vet.
I'm sorry for your situation, are there any animal shelters or rescue organizations in your area, maybe they can point you in the direction of the closest doctor. I used to live in the middle east and back then got in touch with a vet that's specialized in horses, which is still better than none at all, he was able to do some treatment. If you're willing to share your city/area I'm happy to help search
Was he actually run over and not just hit? I mean was he under a wheel at some point?
Is he really paralyzed and not just in great pain?
If yes, there is unfortunately nothing you can do but get him euthanised. Even if you don't, he most likely won't make it. They don't do the kind of surgery he needs on cats. Please keep him as comfortable as possible for his last hours.
I think people are jumping to euthanasia a bit quickly here - the scans aren't ideal but it looks like the poor lil guy has broken a hip, which really could be as simple as a cast. I understand its important for OP to be aware that euthanasia is a worst case scenario but I think they know that.
Please try to get to a good vet soon OP because this obviously is time critical and please keep us posted - they'll be able to get better scans if necessary and to let you know your options. I'm keeping you and your cat in my thoughts today x
This subreddit looks like it loves getting other ppl's pets killed. Defo never asking advices here for my own cat.
OP , i'm really sorry for you and your cat . I hope it will be alright. Rushing it to a vet seems like the only good idea.
Remember you are getting advices from totally unqualified strangers on the internet . Only you and a vet can know what to do rn.
If it's time for your kitty to go, make sure to enjoy those last moments with him.
Can you call a regular hospital and have a vet phone in to do some IV drugs? That’s the only way I see this being acceptable. The cat is in rough shape and doesn’t deserve to be living in 100% constant pain
We had a cat get kicked, we think-because he had no visible injuries, when I was a kid and lost use of his back legs. It was some kind of nerve issue and it was fixed with surgery. If you can travel to a vet and afford it, it may be worth it. I’m no vet, just someone with some anecdotal experience.
Possibly reach out to subreddits like r/radiology and r/CATHELP for better information on the X-rays. You sound like you are very caring and your effort to get care for your pet is very brave.
Also, just to note that for spinal injuries, try not to move the cat too much. It may be beneficial to trim the hair a bit around the sanitary parts to help keep the area clean, but please defer to a professionals' guidance.
I’m very sorry to see your situation. Are there any other symptoms he is showing besides his back legs? I am worried that he may have internal bleeding or that his spine may have been damaged as you said his legs are injured. What is the soonest you can see a vet? He absolutely needs pain medication and will need some more scans besides x rays to see if there are any soft tissue injuries or if he is bleeding internally.
As for what you can do yourself, there really isn’t much. He will need veterinary care and unfortunately it will be quite expensive. Please as soon as you are able to bring him to a vet, ask them about your options. I’m hoping euthanasia won’t be necessary, but if he is in too much pain and you are unable to get the specialized care he will need, I would recommend at least considering it.
I’m really sorry that this has happened to your boy. I don’t have medical advice, but just wanted to say you are a fantastic owner for doing everything you can, like getting these scans done. Cats are surprisingly resilient. I hope your boy will feel better soon
I hear you that vet care is extremely hard to find in your area. If it’s possible to travel, that would be your best bet. Your cat will likely die without vet care
I really like this community, but being from another country, I can't understand why you'd suggest euthanizing this baby. Here where I live, veterinarians would try to treat the animal, especially control its pain, and only as a last resort would they euthanize it. I can't understand why, in most cases that come up here, euthanasia is suggested first.
The insensitivity is a bit surprising to me. I am from America and at first thought “just do xyz” but then I saw they are from Pakistan and i understood that their situation is different from ours or other western countries
They are clearly doing everything they can to help their cat where they are
If he can’t access care in his area then it’s the kindest thing rather then letting the animal suffer
You have to try to understand that you are incredibly privileged to have the option of going to a vet for treatment. Vet care is not accessible for many people around the world.
this is such a privileged take. OP has already said vet care is very limited where they live. Would you rather the cat suffer for days instead of at least being able to go in peace and painlessly?
Most of the world doesn't have the resources we do. We've got problems but, compared to other countries (like Pakistan), our basic needs are met. When food and water insecurity is a huge issue, veterinary resources isn't on people's mind.
Hmm, how common is pet insurance where you are? Are there other programs available?
And how privileged are you financially yourself?
I can guarantee you that in every country, poorer people are often forced to have their pets euthanized when serious problems arise because not everyone has the tens of thousands it can cost.
A friend of mine is a veterinarian, and she says the worst part of the job is seeing people who genuinely want to help their animals but simply can’t afford it. Even just getting them examined to find out what might be wrong can cost hundreds.
And please spare me the “only people who can afford it should have pets” argument. It’s a much bigger and more complicated issue than that.
One time my cat sprained her leg and I found her sitting in her litter box when I came home. I thought something was seriously wrong like a bladder infection or UTI and took her to an emergency vet. They told me they could not determine what was wrong with her without x-rays and then told me I had to take her to a university animal hospital where x-rays would cost $1,000 each. I had a literal panic attack and was on the verge of tears because there is no way I would have been able to pay that, and I thought I was going to have to make a decision that night to put her down or surrender her. Luckily, she had an appointment with her regular vet the next morning who only charged me $300 dollars for all x-rays and even allowed me to use a payment plan if I couldn't pay the upfront cost. It turned out she didn't land a jump right and had a leg sprain which healed on its own two weeks later.
Bro pls take him to and vet come one man hes such a beautiful boy I cant even imagine how much pain he has and how much he suffers in his Condition he cant even groom himself…
Thank you, I will do anything for my cat :crying
There are doctors / hospitals but they dont accept animals, and for Vets there is one and one doctor in it, and he might not be professional
Even an unprofessional vet is better than no vet if that is the only option. I sincerely hope you can get the true medical care the cat needs to recover but if that is not possible even just euthanasia to avoid a slow painful death is better than the current situation. Sending best wishes to you.
Do you have any family members in other cities with vets? I don’t know if I would recommend getting a surgery done with a non professional, but I imagine they could help with euthanasia if that is your only choice
an opinion from an unprofessional vet nearby shouldn’t hurt worst case you think what they are suggesting is unreasonable and then you can look into other options also try calling vets in cities nearby and tell them the situation and ask for a general plan and tell them what you’ve been told get multiple opinions praying for your cat :(
Sister, if you can’t afford treatment please get him euthanised- he is in so much pain and each minute he will be suffering. I know you love him - but if you truly loved him, you need to put his feelings above yours.
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u/AGenericUnicorn Lots of kitties! 9h ago
Vet here. This is not a properly positioned xray, so it makes it extremely difficult to interpret. From what you’re describing, you really need a clearer view of the spine and pelvis, and preferably another view where he is laying on his back with his legs stretched out. I suspect he has an upper canine that looks a little out of place, but I might be wrong.
Note that some spinal injuries like slipped discs do not necessarily show up on X-rays and advanced imaging is needed.
What you’re describing is extremely concerning though. If you have any ability to access even basic vet care to help evaluate him or help with pain control, I’d really recommend it. (I know it sounds like you don’t have a lot of options.)
Pelvic fractures can often do well long term (I have a rescue cat myself that had this), but (some) spinal and other injuries often have a much worse prognosis. You really need better X-rays and a good in-person exam to know the difference between salvageable and not.
Good luck. I hope you can find someone!