After losing all four limbs due to being buried in the snow for too long, Dymka the kitten was provided with four titanium prosthetic limbs, allowing her to walk normally.
One of the most harrowing injuries for animals is losing all four limbs due to severe frostbite after being trapped under the snow. Most of these animals struggle to survive, often succumbing to illness while being unable to move. But Dymka is different; this kitten was fitted with four prosthetic limbs to enable her to walk normally.
The story began on a day in October 2018, when Russian veterinarian Sergei Gorshkov, residing in the city of Novokuznetsk, met a woman who had found Dymka buried in the snow.
Dymka was found huddled under the white snow, suffering from severe frostbite.
The extreme cold had caused severe damage to all four limbs, ears, and tail of Dymka. The tissues were irreparably damaged and could not be saved. In the end, they had to amputate the affected parts.
During the winter, veterinary teams in Novosibirsk regularly treat cats suffering from frostbite in the snow. Severe injuries leading to amputations are rare but not unheard of.
However, Dymka is one of the lucky cats to receive prosthetic limbs. Veterinarians collaborated with kx sự, a researcher from Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU), to create custom titanium prosthetic parts to replace Dymka’s lost limbs.
The research team used computed tomography (CT) scanning to digitize Dymka’s limbs and create a 3D model. A 3D printer took care of the rest. To prevent rejection, doctors used calcium phosphate as an intermediate agent for the prosthetic attachment. This calcium phosphate helps bond the prosthetic limbs and Dymka’s leg bones through the oxidation process. Dymka showed incredible progress in adapting to her four prosthetic limbs after 7 months of installation. She can walk, jump to a certain height, and even run.
Dymka and Ryzhik, the world’s first cats to receive prosthetic limbs.
Dymka is not the first cat to receive four prosthetic limbs at this clinic. In 2016, they performed a similar surgery on a male cat named Ryzhik, who had similar limb injuries.
Currently, both cats have adapted well to their new paws and are happy. Dymka was adopted by the woman who found her and brought her to the clinic.”
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