NEW MEXICO (KRQE) — A cat with a fractured jaw was taken under Animal Humane New Mexico’s care in a medically fragile state earlier this year. But after a novel procedure involving flat buttons, she’s found a new home, a new lease on life, and even a new nickname.
Two-year-old Apple was transferred from Bernalillo County Animal Care Center to Animal Humane New Mexico in May. Associate Director of Marketing Madison Beets said her fractured jaw was likely from being hit by a car or undergoing some other form of blunt-force trauma.
Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Idina Robertson attempted to repair Apple’s jaw by surgically inserting a plate. But when the plate didn’t settle quite the way the team was expecting, they had to explore other options.
“So while it’s not super common, it is something that has been done before. Our vet decided that it was going to be for the best to essentially it’s kind of a form of wiring the jaw shut like we would for a human being without the wires on the inside,” said Beets…