Kitten with Maggots, At-Risk for Amputation

Weedle’s Rescue

We received a call from Kerman animal control about a kitten, later named Weedle, who had maggots crawling all over his paws. When our team went to rescue the kitten, Kerman animal control had already cleaned off the maggots but Weedle’s front left paw was in horrible condition.

“We’re not sure what happened to it,” said Valley Animal Center Animal Care Adoption Supervisor Ruben Cantu. “It looked like it had been crushed and we could see some bones.”

Medical Care

After bringing Weedle into our care, this six-to-eight-week-old kitten was immediately seen by our on-site veterinarian. Majority of the toes on his left paw were damaged while his right paw had some injuries. We worried his injuries would necessitate an amputation.

Valley Animal Center Cat Care Specialist Anjanette Mendoza said he arrived very stinky, as expected given his injuries, and there was purulent discharge from his injured toes that needed to be cleaned.

Every day, Weedle’s paws are soaked in a Chlorhex solution for 10 minutes to help keep his wounds clean and prevent further infections. He’s currently using paper litter to prevent anything from getting into his paws.

In his recent exam, our vet concluded amputation was not necessary at the moment but we are still keeping an eye on his progress and recovery.

Who is Weedle?

“Weedle is a champ,” said Anjanette. He seems to walk fine on his paws and will stare at you with the sweetest eyes. Throughout his medical care, he’s been a cooperative patient.

We are still waiting to see how his paws and toes heal before understanding more what his special needs as a kitten will be in a home setting. For now, however, we are grateful he made it through the worst of it successfully.

How can you help?

To support Weedle’s recovery and enable us to help more kittens with medical cases like him, please donate today. Our rescue efforts are only made possible through the support of our community. Donate HERE or use the form below.

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Valley Animal Center is dedicated to serving animal companions in the Central Valley and beyond. Our mission is to unite dogs and cats with loving people. We believe every animal deserves a loving family and furever home. Donate to support our endless mission as we care for hundreds of homeless dogs and cats.