September 2010 - Cracker Stoneman
Gin Traps a Cracker
We received a phone call from the RSPCA at 5 am in the morning asking to examine a cat which had been found with its front leg stuck in a Gin trap. The Tabby and white cat was 11 month old Cracker who had disappeared after 7pm the previous evening. Cracker’s owner’s father rushed him into the surgery with the trap still attached to his leg!
The vet carefully released the jaws of the trap from around cracker’s leg. Amazingly Cracker was still able to use his leg and he jumped down off the consulting room table just to prove a point. He was able to flex and extend the limb properly although he was obviously in a considerable amount of pain. Cracker was checked for signs of shock; this included checking his hydration status, his capillary refill time, heart rate and respiratory rate. All were within the normal parameters. He was admitted, given an opioid based pain relief and antibiotics to prevent sepsis setting in.
These traps were first made illegal in 1958 under The Animal Welfare Act 2006 section 8 and also later under the Wildlife and Country Act
1981 section 11 and Wildlife order 1985 article 12.
These acts state that it is illegal to set in position any trap calculated to cause bodily injury to any wild animal and that anyone found guilty of setting a gin trap which causes unnecessary suffering to an animal can face a maximum sentence of six months in prison and/or £20,000 fine.
Later that morning once Cracker was stable he was sedated and his leg was clipped and thoroughly cleaned. His leg was extremely swollen and he sustained some puncture wounds from the teeth on the gin trap but had no obvious lacerations. The damaged leg was x-rayed. Cracker was found to have a dislodged upper left carnassial tooth which was removed whilst he was sedated.
Cracker’s injuries did not require further hospitalisation and he was allowed back home later that day to rest his now fat flattened paw, with pain relief and antibiotics. He was to be strictly rested in a confined space for a couple of weeks to allow the soft tissue swelling and inflammation subside. His owner was also advised to monitor Cracker for any deterioration in the dew claw, if so then surgical excision maybe advisable.
Cracker returned five days later for a check-up. The vet was extremely pleased with his progress. He was no longer lame and was now placing and using his limb well. He had slight thickening of the wounds but they were all healing well.
Cracker was sent back home to carry on his recuperation period in style. No doubt he will soon be back on all fours being the loveable, yet extremely feisty, independent cat he usually is.
