Cool Cat Bubba Stays Calm After Taking Leg Loss In His Stride

Despite facing tremendous pain when first admitted to the Swansea practice, nine-year-old Bubba hardly flinched upon initial examination which found a large piece of bone sticking out of his leg. 

In fact, one of the Gower Vets team said: “It was amazing how well-behaved Bubba was while we assessed him with such a large piece of bone poking out!” 

Bubba’s owner Alastair VerBruggen, from Sketty in Swansea, said: “We’re not sure how Bubba was injured but our assumption is that he was hit by a car. He’d been out for a few hours and when he returned, he had blood on his back leg and was unable to walk on it properly. 

“He must have been in unbearable pain but you would not have known, given his composed demeanour. 

“Bubba’s always been a cool customer and I’m so proud of him. I’m not surprised the team at Gower Vets are lavishing him with praise.” 

Bubba’s major operation involved a real team effort by the vets at Gower, calling on the skills of soft tissue surgery, imaging and anaesthesia among others. 

Heather Davies, clinical director and veterinary surgeon at Linnaeus-owned Gower Vets, was in charge of Bubba’s care along with veterinary surgeon Chloe Frew. 

Heather said: “Due to the nature of the injury, which was a severe open fracture, the only reasonable course of treatment for Bubba was to amputate his leg. 

“The surgery went well and just a month after the operation he was adapting to life around the house on three legs. 

“Even though Bubba’s faced a truly traumatic time, he kept as cool as a cucumber throughout!”

To learn more about Gower Vets, visit www.gowervets.co.uk or take a look at Gower Veterinary Surgery on Facebook.