An unfortunate orange cat in Siberia was abandoned by its owners and eventually lost all four of its paws to frostbite. Fortunately, Ryzhik (which means “Ginger” or “Redhead” in Russian) was taken in by caring new owners who did not abandon him.
Siberian winters are extremely cold, with temperatures dropping as low as -40 ºF.
Although many Siberian residents are accustomed to the climate and have suitable clothing, many animals cannot tolerate such frigid temperatures. Tragically, frostbite in cats and dogs is a common occurrence and often results in the animal perishing in the cold or being euthanized.
However, the clinic is constantly developing new and innovative methods to provide hope to animals in dire need of assistance.
One of the Fortunate Ones When his new guardians brought him to the veterinarian with frostbite, Ryzhik was in critical condition; gangrene had spread to all four limbs.
The veterinarian had no other option but to perform amputation on all four limbs.
But the story of Ryzhik didn’t end there.
His new owner was determined to do everything possible to help Ryzhik walk again. So, he took Ryzhik to a specialized clinic in Novosibirsk that dealt with artificial limbs.
Ryzhik the Bionic Cat Using computed tomography and 3D modeling, the clinic provided Ryzhik with four prosthetic paws.
Surgeon Sergey Gorshkov stated that Ryzhik “is likely the first cat in the world to undergo such surgeries.”
This implies that Rhyzik may be the first cat in the world to have bionic paws.
Dr. Gorshkov stated that Rhyzik’s brand-new titanium paws were affixed to the bones.
The area of the titanium paw linked to the skin and bone is porous, allowing the tissue to grow around it.
Steady Progress for Rhyzik Despite still being a little unsteady on his new limbs, the vets at the clinic are pleased that Rhyzik is not attempting to remove them, indicating that he is becoming comfortable with his new paws.
Rhyzik can climb up and down the stairs, but he still doesn’t feel confident enough to run or walk properly.
Experts believe that with time, Rhyzik will adjust to his new limbs and become more stable on his bionic feet.
Innovation Saves Lives
The clinic run by Dr. Gorshkov specializes in providing options for animals that would otherwise have none.
