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Broken leg. I had to pop in to work today and saw that the vixen I feed every day looks to have a broken front leg below the knee. She was fine yesterday. She will come right up to me when I feed her so I don't think it would be to hard for me to catch her. Any advise on what I should do or who to call. I would not like for her to be put down. Thanks in advance

Hi Dilly.Try this guy,He is from Fresh fields animal rescue centre.He will give you the advice you need.

Call Paul (The Fox Man) on 0151 931 1604 or 07572 270432

Keep us updated on this please.

Thanks Snowie, I will go down in the morning to see how she is before I ring him just to confirm my suspicions as I only saw her from a distance today. I will get a good look at her when I feed her. Thank you.

My hero xxxxx

Nice one Dilly, hopefully its not broken.

http://www.nfws.org.uk/

may get help here mate

Hi Dilly . You're my hero too! Can you try and take a look to see if shes lactating and even take a quick vid of her leg action if poss. Its info any remote adviser would advise better with . Look for obvious possibly droopy teats as per any bitch with pups . If she does appear to be feeding (its the right month) , they might advise more appropriately . ie if taken to a vet it would have to be quick treatment with meds that wouldnt spoil her milk , or depending how bad or incapacitating the injury was, even wait for a while so as not to compromise the safety of the cubs by removing her . If you feed her enough she wont need to hunt whilst her leg heals.
Many vets on Wirral will only treat wildlife if you get an authorization number from the RSPCA . You might find the below info useful although I dont know if its bang up to date.



RSPCA payment policy for emergency wildlife treatments by private vets
Concerns about wildlife count for a huge proportion of calls made to the RSPCA
every year. Our inspectors and officers regularly respond to calls regarding injured
or sick wild animals and birds.
Every effort is made to ensure that these animals are taken to one of our own
specialist wildlife centres, a vet or one of the independent organisations that we
work with so that they are rehabilitated and released where possible.
To ensure treatment is available for all sick or injured wild animals, we have an
agreement with the British Veterinary Association (BVA).
This Memorandum of Understanding clarifies the arrangements between vets in
private practices and the RSPCA regarding Initial Emergency Treatments (IETs).
It states that:
• During practice hours small wild mammals and wild birds should be treated
free of charge if they are brought to a veterinary surgery. Vets are obliged
by their professional code to provide any necessary pain relief or
euthanasia.
• Out of practice hours, or if a larger wild animal is involved e.g. a deer, the
RSPCA will contribute to the cost of the IET or euthanasia.
• The RSPCA’s contribution will only be approved if a vet, not a member of
the public, rings the RSPCA before the treatment is undertaken. The vet
needs to obtain an incident number and treatment will be agreed on a case
by case basis.

The RSPCA and the local vets they use in the area haven't really got the facilities to treat a full grown fox so there would be a chance that they would have little option but to euthanize. If it was a younger cub then that would be more likely to be treated.

The problem is handling and caging it in a suitable facility where it won't injure itself more and it couldn't be released until the cast had been removed which would be some period of time.

There's also Leahurst, Chester High Road, Neston. They are used a lot for all animals but people generally have to pay for their pets. Not sure about any wild animals. Could be worth a phone call if the 'fox site' that Egg has put up can't help.

https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/veterinary-science/about-us/leahurst/

I will be going down around lunchtime to she how she is. I have seen her with 2 other foxes that are probably her cubs but they look around the same size as her, so I don't think they are that young. I want the best fo her but it would break my heart for her to be put down. I have some great pictures of her eating with the feral cats that I feed, wish I could put them up on here,quite unbelievable unless you see them. Thanks for all your replies and advice. I will keep you up to date and hope we have a happy outcome.

We hope it's a happy outcome too, but why is she out during the day. Most foxes sleep through the days. If she has any cubs this year, they will have been born probably last month (March) so won't be so big yet.
Good luck..

been here about an hour now and no sign of her. I will give it a while longer and then come back later this afternoon, usual time to see her around 4.30 although she does turn up randomly throughout the day. Cats fed and happy

She might be laying low at the moment.Its common when an animal has an injury.At least the weather is okay at the moment so that is a blessing.
Am sure she wont be that far from you Dilly.
Well Done you doing a great job there.

We,ll be having to call you Dilly Attenborough soon haha. No but all jokes aside you are obviously an animal lover and good on you. Hope you're fox is ok. Talking about feral cats I heard an interesting comment on one of the phone in progs I listen to. The subject was rats and how big and cheeky they were getting coming into your homes etc. He said they were thriving because the cat population and feral cats in particular were being gotten rid of by councils and neutered so hence rats outnumbering the cats. I'll be honest not a cat person always been dogs in our family but I tend to agree with what he said. If it comes to a choice Rats or Cats def the cats..

Dilly, if only other people were like you - the world would be a nicer place.

yes your right and he's mine all mine. Oh lucky me xxx

Thanks for you kind comments , I have been back down to feed her and she was able to stand on it while she ate and walked a little on it until she decided to scarper back to the hill where she lives, then she held it up. I am within 2 feet of her when i feed her and visually I could not see any damage to her leg, now I am hoping it may be just a cut or something on her pad. I will watch her over the next few days and see how it goes before I do something. Thank you all for your support .

Keep us posted Dilly.
Lucky fox to have someone like you to watch out for her.dd told me how you care for other animals in your yard.amazimg for what you do for them

The RSPCA have a wildlife hospital . They may send out an inspector to pick her up if shes not lactating . Worth a ring and a probe to see if you get the impression there was any danger of euthanasia.

https://www.rspca.org.uk/local/stapeley-grange-wildlife-centre/

Duh, posted without seeing your last post Dilly. That sounds promising news indeed. Even if its a break, it could heal itself after 6 weeks and she'd only be left with a limp.Fingers crossed for her.

Just a quick update.
I just walked out the garage and she was there sitting patiently waiting to be fed .I got a good look at her leg while she was eating and could see no damage but noticed the paw on that leg seems more spread out so I'm thinking it is now only the paw that is giving her a problem. Hoping this will self heal.

Could have an infection in it ?

Well she has been today and the good news is she was walking on all fours.

Good news, Dilly; thanks for keeping us posted.

Yay, great stuff! She may well not have made it through so well without all your good feeding Dilly , she would have had to use the leg more instead of resting it as much as poss.

Healing hands has our Dilly....

She just been back for her second meal of the day,she is getting very cheeky sitting outside the garage looking in as though to say where my grub . She is walking a lot better .

fab news glad shes on the mend

Great news, Dilly.
So glad the girl is on the mend.
Thanks for the update.

Well Done ..

Hello folks, a quick update for you. She is walking fine now and I have now discovered where she lives with her 5 cubs . I never go too close to her den so as not to upset her but I have caught a glimpse of the cubs. She is now coming across to the garage 2or 3 times a day to pick up their meals .People who see her taking food from my hand are always a bit gobsmacked. I'm so glad she never had to go to be treated now,knowing her cubs would have been left to fend for themselves.

Good to hear she is on the mend Dilly.your doing a really good job with her.You got extra mouths to feed now grandad

What a lovely sight that must be Dilly. You must be thrilled. Just hope there are no morons around who dont appreciate them and and start moaning .

It's a pleasure and a privilege to have them around. I've not heard anyone complain about them . I will try to put up some pic's soon.

Lovely story. Following with interest.

(Upsets me reading about the feral cats though)

No need to worry about the cats. The used to be fed by the blacksmith but lived in squalid conditions. He retired about 2 years ago so I took them on. Since then I encouraged them to come from where they were sleeping by feeding them outside a cosy shelter I made. They are fed every day. They will let me stroke them and have become more tame. They are called, little Un, fluffy and blacky

Lovely Story

Thanks, love the names.