• Complete or partial removal of a digit or limb where medical treatment is prohibited, has not been successful or repair surgery not possible Digit/limb trauma.

Uses

Advantages

• Requires a shorter anesthetic than fracture fixation: one surgery required only, no need for implant removal.
• Cheaper alternative to surgical fracture fixation:
  • Where finances are limited.
  • Where the animal does not qualify for a long anesthetic.
  • Where fractures are pathological, complicated or involve a joint space.
• Fast recovery and mobility adaptation are usually seen.

Disadvantages

• General anesthetic required.
• Risk of hemorrhage.
• Cosmetic change may be difficult for some owners to accept.
• Frequent monitoring of the other limb needed.
• Husbandry adjustments post-operatively:
  • Ensuring soft, pressure-absorbing bedding is provided to prevent development of pododermatitis in the other limb.

Technical problems

• Size of patient (on average 1 kg) often makes the surgery challenging.
• Circulating blood volume is less compared to dogs and cats:
  • Bleeding should be stopped immediately.

Alternative techniques

• Fractures:
  • Internal fixation Limb fracture repair: internal fixation.
  • External fixation Limb fracture repair: external fixation.
  • External coaptation Limb fracture repair: external coaptation.
  • Conservative treatment: rest and appropriate analgesia.
• Joint luxation/subluxation:
  • Internal fixation Limb fracture repair: internal fixation.
  • External fixation Limb fracture repair: external fixation.
  • External coaptation Limb fracture repair: external coaptation post-reduction.
• Euthanasia Euthanasia.

Time required

Preparation

• 10-15 min.

Procedure

• Limb amputation: 30 min.
• Digit amputation: 20 min.

Decision taking

Criteria for choosing test

• Limb neoplasia, eg osteosarcoma.
• Joint luxation/subluxation Joint/limb luxation/subluxation where reduction is not possible.
• Congenital limb deformities. This is rarely reported in ferrets.
• Bone fractures Fractures unsuitable for conservative treatment:
  • Complicated comminuted fractures.
  • Where surgical repair is prohibited by cost or euthanasia is considered.
  • Where required aftercare not available, eg outdoor animals.
  • Where surgical repair is prohibited by the animal’s overall condition, eg geriatric individuals with a higher risk of anesthesia. Amputation is a relatively quick procedure.
  • Severe soft tissue damage.

Risk assessment

• Owner expectation of cosmetic appearance post-operatively should be well managed:
  • The fur can take 4-6 weeks to grow back fully to the same length as on the rest of the body.
• Most animals will adapt well to a missing limb: where mid-bone amputation rather than disarticulation is performed, it is important to inform the owner that some movement will be visible under the skin before the fur grows back.
• Anesthetic risk.
• Risk of pododermatitis developing on remaining limbs post amputation.
• Uncontrolled infection and osteomyelitis in remaining limbs.