What causes a femur fracture in a cat?
Cause: fractures of the feline femur occur predominantly as a result of major trauma, usually a road traffic accident or fall from a height. Signs: acute onset, non-weight bearing hindlimb lameness is the most common presentation. Fractures of the head/neck/greater trochanter. Diaphyseal fractures. Distal physeal fractures. Condylar fractures.
Is it painful for a cat to have a fracture?
Fractures are painful. As sweet as your cat may be under normal circumstances, the pain from her fracture may cause her to lash out at you. In addition, she may be frightened. To get close enough to your cat to examine the fracture, approach her calmly.
What are the options for a cat fracture?
Discuss treatment options for the fracture. Various surgical and non-surgical treatments are available to treat cat fractures. Non-surgical options like splints, casts, or cage rest may work for some fractures; other fractures may need surgical placement of implants (e.g., screws, pins).
What happens if a cat has a pelvic fracture?
A pelvic fracture would make it very difficult for your cat to walk. If your cat has a spinal cord fracture, she may be unable to walk due to paralysis. With an injured tail, your cat may drag her tail when she walks or lack coordination in her back legs. If your cat has a jaw fracture, she may not be able to chew or keep food in her mouth.
How do you heal a broken femur?
A common surgery to treat a broken femur bone is called open reduction. In an open reduction surgery, the doctor places metal rods and nails in the leg to stabilize the femur fracture so it can heal in place. Casts, rods, and nails are usually used for several months to repair a broken femur bone.
What is the healing time for a broken femur?
For stress fractures of the femur, bone healing usually takes up to six weeks before the patient is allowed to resume activities. A serious injury causing fracture of the femur bone would take a longer period to heal, roughly three to six months.
What are the best exercises for a broken femur?
Lift the bad leg up high on the wall. Use the good leg underneath the bad leg to control how far down the wall the leg will slide. Best Hamstring stretches: Sitting up on a smooth, flat surface extend your leg . You may have difficulty lowering the knee all the way down.
What happens if you break your femur?
When you break your femur, the pain will be sharp, pulsating and excruciating. When the femur is broken, the pain receptors send pain signals to the brain and pain is perceived. This is not the type of pain you might not notice, it is extreme and intense.
Can a cat recover from a femoral head and neck fracture?
In most cases of metaphyseal osteopathy and spontaneous capital physeal fractures, a femoral head and neck ostectomy is recommended. The majority of cats recover well and are reported to regain normal use of the affected limb. To discuss one of these cases, or any other surgical case, find a BluePearl Pet Hospital near you.
Are there any non traumatic fractures in cats?
Once you review the radiographs with the owner, the owner is skeptical as to how this could have occurred with no trauma history. There are two main non-traumatic conditions of the femoral head and neck in cats, the first being spontaneous capital physeal fractures and the second being metaphyseal osteopathy.
What happens to a cat with a femur fracture?
Femoral fractures, as well as any other traumatic injuries that the animal might have, are painful and the animal will be given analgesics before and after surgery. After surgery and discharge from the hospital, the cat must be restricted from activity to allow the fracture to heal properly.
What are the most common fractures in cats?
In cats, the bones most likely to break are the femur (thigh bone), pelvis, jaw, and tail. Fractures require immediate veterinary treatment to improve the chances of a full recovery.
What should I do if my cat has a bone fracture?
Fractures heal best when the affected bone is kept still and undisturbed. Following veterinary treatment, you will need to keep your cat relatively still at home—no running or jumping. If she usually roams freely throughout your home, consider restricting her to a smaller area when you cannot supervise her.
When do capital physeal fractures occur in cats?
Spontaneous capital physeal fractures usually occur in young, overweight neutered male cats. Clinical signs can vary from acute or chronic lameness. Cats are often reluctant to jump.
