Spinal fracture in animals: causes, diagnosis and treatment

Spinal fracture in dogs and cats is a severe combined injury, leading to pet disability or death in 90% of cases. Veterinarians at the DobroVet VC classify such injuries and subsequent surgical intervention as the most difficult in bone surgery. The overall goal of the operation is to save the spinal structures from compression, rupture, and any damage beyond repair.

Clinical signs of fracture in cats

With an open bone fracture, it is extremely easy to understand that the cat has a fracture. The cat will have an open wound, swelling of the soft tissues and, as a rule, severe pain. In some cases, you may notice the presence of bone fragments in the wound. With a closed fracture in a cat, everything is much more complicated. There will be pain, swelling, or swelling of the soft tissue at or below the fracture site. Therefore, it is much more difficult to immediately determine where the fracture is, since the fracture may be above the site of swelling, and the swelling on the joint is lower.

Rehabilitation of a cat after a fracture

The recovery program for a pet after surgery depends on the severity of the injury and the degree of manifestation of the neurological disorder. The complex of rehabilitation measures includes physiological procedures (massage, darsanvalization), the use of drugs that improve tissue regeneration, and vitamin therapy.

The duration of the rehabilitation period ranges from several months to a year.

We recommend reading about a broken jaw in a cat. You will learn about the types of jaw injuries, the causes and symptoms of this fracture, diagnosis and treatment options. And here is more information about dislocation in a cat.

Fractured paw in a cat

As for fractures of the limbs (paws) in cats, a distinctive feature is a clear violation of the ability to support the affected limb, that is, the cat cannot walk on the affected leg. This is especially pronounced in displaced fractures of the extremities. With a non-displaced fracture, weight bearing on the limb can be preserved; the cat can even walk with a limp on the sore leg.

How will the doctor act?

First, the doctor will numb your animal. He then examines the cat and its broken leg. This is of particular importance for those patients who were injured by a car or fell from a height, because in addition to the problems that are obvious to the owner - a fracture - the cat may have a chest or abdominal injury. These injuries to a cat may not be noticeable, but require significantly more urgent and complex treatment than a fracture.

As a rule, 99% of fractures of the front and hind legs in cats require treatment with surgery - osteosynthesis. This operation is performed as planned, often 3-5 days after the fracture. This period is explained by the physiological characteristics of the body: during an injury, massive hemorrhage occurs in the area of ​​the fracture, and then this blood and parts of the destroyed tissue that fall into it become so-called “osteogenic elements” - substances that stimulate the bone to heal.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with: Execan for cats, instructions for use and dosage of the drug

If surgery is performed immediately after a fracture, the entire contents of the hematoma will spill out, and healing will be slower and more difficult. Another difficulty for manipulating bone fragments is created by swelling of the soft tissues, which subsides precisely by 3-5 days after the fracture. The exception is open fractures - due to the open gate for infection, they require urgent (within 24 hours) surgery.

Before surgery, the doctor will fix the broken paw with a bandage.

Of course, fractures of the jaw, pelvis, and spine require a special approach in cats—we’ll talk about them a little later.

Spinal fracture in a cat

If a cat has spinal fractures, the clinical picture will be somewhat different. In addition to pain, the cat will have neurological deficits depending on the extent and location of the spinal cord injury. Outwardly, this will manifest itself in this way: if a cat has a fracture of the spine in the cervical region with a spinal cord injury, then in addition to pain, the function of all paws may be impaired and the cat will not be able to move normally. If the spine is fractured in the thoracic or lumbar region, in addition to pain, neurological disorders will manifest as weakness or inability to move on the hind legs. In some cases, there may be urinary or fecal incontinence.

Home care

At first, the owner’s task is quite simple - to prevent any movements of the pet that could lead to displacement of the fixing devices and damage to the spinal cord. In addition, it is the owner who will have to care for the cat, helping him eat and removing waste products of the animal. It is especially important to monitor for limited mobility in cases where the front was treated using surgical techniques.

If a bandage is applied to the animal’s body, limiting the cat’s mobility, it is necessary to monitor its condition. He is inspected daily for chafing, redness, swelling, and inflamed areas of the skin that the fixation device comes into contact with. If wounds and redness are detected, you must immediately contact your veterinarian, otherwise the consequences will be dire (sepsis and death). In cases where the edges of the fracture were fixed surgically, the postoperative field must also be carefully examined daily. There should be no signs of swelling, inflammation or exudate. Surgical staples and sutures are removed approximately 10-14 days after surgery.

At least once every two weeks, it is necessary to take x-rays of the affected area of ​​the spine in order to monitor in “real time” the process of healing and healing of fracture sites. Do not expect that after successful healing of the injuries, your pet will be able to immediately return to normal life. It will take him at least three to four months for his body to fully recover. To help the cat in this difficult matter, it is recommended to massage his long-suffering back , since in this case the process of restoring muscle tone and building bone mass goes much faster. So restoring your pet to normal is in your hands!

Since many cases of spinal fractures are a consequence of cats getting hit by cars and other vehicles, it is recommended to let the animal go outside less often if they live near major highways. For the same purpose, you can spay and neuter your pets, as this significantly discourages them from wandering. The less often your pet wanders the street, the less chance he has of getting fractures and other serious injuries.

Fracture of the pelvis and sacrum in a cat

With a fracture of the pelvis or sacrum, the clinical picture may be similar to a fracture of the lumbar spine: the cat will not be able to move on its hind legs and there may be disturbances in urination and defecation. In some cases, if the fracture occurs in a specific area of ​​the pelvis, such as the acetabulum, the cat will only show signs of dysfunction in one leg.

Pelvic fracture in a cat (fracture of the pubic bone and sacroiliac joint)

Spinal surgery in cats

Cats are very curious and active animals; they delight their owners with their funny behavior and cause affection with their small pranks. However, there are also such unpleasant cases when cats become victims of their curiosity and excessive activity. At home, a pet can get caught in household appliances, fall from a window or balcony, something heavy can fall on it, press against a door, etc. On the street there is such a danger as cars. In these cases, the animal receives quite unpleasant injuries, and sometimes very serious ones, such as a fracture of the cat’s pelvis or spine.

What should owners of an injured pet do? Quite often, the veterinary clinic accepts animals with various injuries and fractures of the spine, hind and front legs, and hips. Such injuries require immediate treatment, and the sooner the owners contact doctors, the greater the chance of a safe recovery for the pet. Timely spinal surgeries in cats can significantly make the life of an injured animal easier and save it from suffering. Much also depends on the correct and adequate behavior of the owner during a stressful situation. Conscientious owners should react immediately if their pet is in trouble. Under no circumstances should you postpone a trip to the veterinary clinic until the next day or when you have free time. Lost hours and days can be fatal and cost the animal its life. Therefore, you need to react instantly and immediately as soon as you see the injuries received. Calmness also plays a big role, because panic does not allow you to soberly assess the situation. The animal should be the center of your attention. If trouble has already happened, then you need to very carefully, without sudden movements, put the cat in a box and take it for examination or simply call a doctor at home without touching the animal at all. Carrying a cat in your arms, lifting it or moving it in any other way is strictly prohibited! Also, under no circumstances should you treat the animal yourself, straighten the limbs or apply corsets to the spine. Such actions can aggravate the cat’s suffering and lead to his death. Only a professional veterinary clinic can save and properly treat a pet.

How to recognize a spinal injury? If the owner saw with his own eyes how the animal was injured, then in such cases it is easier to determine what exactly was damaged. However, a pet can get hurt on the street or when no one is home. In such cases, you need to be able to distinguish between certain symptoms that indicate a problem with the spine. These include: back deformity or visible signs of injury; spinal shock: rapid breathing, tachycardia, hypothermia, loss of consciousness; loss of sensation in the limbs; impaired reflexes: involuntary defecation and urination; immobility of limbs; pain when touched. If the pet's owners notice at least one thing from the list, then this is a serious reason to contact a veterinarian. The life of a pet depends entirely on the responsible and competent behavior of the owners who notice the damage.

Spinal surgery in cats. There are often cases when owners are afraid to send their animal for surgery and want to get by with drug treatment only. However, spinal injuries are among the most severe and serious, so it is often simply impossible to do without surgery. This is the only way to restore your pet’s ability to stand, walk and live a full life. Spine operations are the most complex and responsible, because they include neurosurgery, orthopedics and traumatology. That is why doctors in qualified veterinary clinics, such as our company, are mastering new, modern and safe methods of surgical intervention. All spinal surgeries on dogs and cats are performed as accurately, carefully and using modern methods as possible. Their main goal is to eliminate the existing problem and save parts of the spinal cord. It is the spinal cord that is responsible for the proper functioning of both the torso, limbs, and tail. Accordingly, if it is damaged, the animal will be paralyzed and tablets alone cannot be used. Only spinal surgery can solve the problem and stop the animal’s suffering.

Veterinary clinics in Rostov-on-Don are the right choice for your pet. Animals with injuries of varying complexity often come to veterinary clinics, and responsible doctors take an individual approach to each new patient. Modern diagnostic methods allow specialists to accurately determine damage and select the most appropriate treatment. Operations are performed only by experienced doctors, so the Rostov veterinary clinic “Donskoy Veterinary Hospital” is the best place for a pet. Here the animal will receive highly qualified assistance and sincere care.

Animal owners do not have to worry about the high cost of the clinic’s services, since the prices are very loyal and reasonable. It all depends on the number and complexity of the procedures performed. However, even the cost of surgery for a cat will not be prohibitively high. The well-being and health of the pet is in the hands of the owners, so there is no need to doubt it. Feel free to contact the veterinary clinic for help, because a pet’s happy eyes are priceless.

Donskoy Veterinary Hospital is a proven, reliable clinic. Everything is treated here: from allergies to intervertebral disc injuries, from colds to hernias. The main thing is to apply on time.

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What to do if your cat has a fracture

If you suspect that your cat has a fracture, the most important thing for the owner is not to panic, not to give the cat all kinds of medications and not to try to correct the fracture reduction on their own. If a cat’s front paw is fractured, namely a fracture of the shoulder, forearm (radius and ulna), metacarpal bones or phalanges, you must try to fix the paw so that the cat cannot further injure it and worsen the situation with repositioning the fracture. At home, you can try to make a splint from a dense material (thick cardboard, plastic or wood) and secure it loosely with a bandage. If a cat with a fracture is aggressive, it is better not to try to fix the fracture, but to put the cat in a carrier and bring it to the clinic. If the cat has an open fracture, then you should try to treat the wound with an antiseptic solution (chlorhexidine 0.05%) and apply a protective bandage to the wound before arriving at the clinic.

If a cat's hind paw is fractured, namely a fracture of the femur, tibia (tibia and fibula), metatarsal bones and phalanges, first aid should be provided to the cat in the same way as for a fracture of the front paw.

If your cat's jaw is broken, it is enough to put on a special collar or bandage the jaw and bring it to the clinic.

If you suspect a fracture of the spine, pelvis, ribs or sacrum, you must try to immobilize the cat; the easiest way to do this is to use a carrier. You should not try to actively move a cat or pick it up without first securing it, as the cat may experience severe pain and displacement of bone structures. This can worsen her general and neurological condition after the fracture.

Clinical picture

Unlike other types of fractures, damage to the spinal column is not in all cases accompanied by the development of a strong pain reaction. Since the spinal cord is often damaged, the process of conducting not only neuromuscular, but also pain impulses is disrupted . You can guess that a cat has received this injury if it exhibits the following symptoms:

• A fallen or otherwise injured pet cannot get up.
• Most often, the back part of the body is affected, so the animal moves by pulling its body up on its front legs.
• The back is pathologically curved, the curve may resemble the Latin letter S.
• If the cat is “lucky” and the conduction of the nerve trunks is not impaired, a strong pain reaction develops. The animal meows loudly and hoarsely, or simply wheezes from unbearable pain.

Important! Lifting or otherwise moving a pet with a suspected spinal fracture is strictly prohibited! If you move it carelessly, you will almost certainly “finish off” the spinal cord with all the ensuing consequences.

First aid is much simpler. The injured pet should be covered to reduce the risk of hypothermia. If the cat wants, give it a drink, holding its head and not moving. There is no need to give your animal any medications! You are unlikely to help your pet, but you will certainly harm it. After this, you need to urgently call a veterinarian. “Treatment” at home in such a situation is a surefire way to kill your pet yourself. You yourself cannot help him in any way; here you need the help of a qualified specialist in a well-equipped veterinary clinic.

Diagnosis of a fracture in a cat

Diagnostic measures in a veterinary clinic should be aimed not only at diagnosing the fracture itself, but also at detecting pathologies that may negatively affect the general condition of the cat after injury or be a contraindication for surgical treatment of the fracture.

Diagnostic measures in a veterinary clinic for a fracture in a cat include:

• general examination,
• collection of tests (biochemical and clinical blood tests),
• X-ray examination in at least two projections,
• ECHO of the heart,
• in some cases, an ultrasound of the abdominal organs is performed.

Very often in veterinary practice, a cat with a fracture experiences polytrauma - a combination of injuries. For example, lung injury - pneumothorax, rupture of the bladder or spleen, as well as the development of various bleeding in the abdominal cavity. In such cases, first of all, the general condition of the animal is stabilized, and when the threat to life has passed, the fracture is treated.

Types of fractures

In veterinary practice, it is customary to distinguish the following types of destruction of the spinal column:

Compression fracture of the spinal vertebral body

Compression fracture of the spinal vertebral body. Damage most often occurs due to the vertical direction of the mechanical impact, as well as when the animal’s back is sharply bent. This damages the vertebral body, intervertebral discs and ligaments.

• Distraction fractures. Destruction is characterized by the destruction of the intervertebral disc due to excessive stretching of the spinal column. Subluxation and dislocation of bone structures are also observed.
• Rotational damage. A fracture is characterized by the destruction of all anatomical elements of the animal’s spine with obvious neurological symptoms.

The most severe are distraction and rotational fractures, characterized by damage to the spinal cord, a pronounced neurological picture and an unfavorable prognosis for the animal.

Is a hospital needed for a cat with a fracture?

The inpatient department of our veterinary clinic is an ICU - this is a resuscitation and intensive care unit for animals in a life-threatening condition. Such a department in a veterinary clinic is a salvation for cats with polytrauma and fractures. When a cat is admitted to a veterinary clinic in the intensive care unit, all necessary measures will be taken very quickly to stabilize the condition. First of all, the cat will undergo manipulations to eliminate factors that threaten the life of the animal, namely, in case of pneumothorax - urgent removal of air from the pleural cavity, in case of shock - special infusion therapy, pain relief, etc. For a cat with a fracture in a state of shock, veterinarians will provide pain relief with special drugs available only in the department, that is, it is simply impossible to provide competent pain relief to a cat at home, since the substances are potent and are not available without special permission.

Then, after anesthesia and first aid, veterinarians in the ICU carry out further diagnostics of the cat’s condition, namely, X-ray examination, blood tests, ultrasound and cardiac ECHO. The types and sequence of treatment and diagnostic measures may vary. This depends on the condition of the cat at the time of admission.

If the cat’s condition requires long-term observation and stabilization, a hospital is vital for the cat. Veterinarians at the inpatient department at our center work around the clock, so proper care for a cat with a fracture will be provided at all times.

Carrying out diagnostics

As a rule, the diagnosis is made on the basis of an external medical examination and palpation of the affected area of ​​the body. Of course, in complex and doubtful cases, it will be much more difficult to determine the pathology.

To make a diagnosis in such situations, a comprehensive medical examination of the affected animal is used:

• First of all, a thorough examination and palpation of the spinal column is performed. If the cat's condition is more or less stable, a neurological examination is also performed. The latter is especially important, as it not only allows you to determine the location of the injury, but also to determine the severity of the injury and determine the future prospects of the injured animal.
• Of course, the required techniques include fluoroscopy of the spinal column. It is done in any case, including if a severe injury is suspected. In these cases, it is advisable to give the animal complete anesthesia so that it does not try to move out of excitement and spoil the results of the examination.
• If, using previous methods, it was possible to establish that the spinal cord was damaged, so-called myelograms are indicated. They are necessary to accurately determine the severity of the injury. Of course, it is advisable to conduct an MRI , but in reality such an opportunity is extremely rare.
• blood test is required . Of course, you are unlikely to know about a spinal fracture based on its results, but blood biochemistry can indicate signs of metabolic diseases. In addition, this is how they learn about osteoporosis, some forms of cancer, etc., so a blood test will not be useful in any case.

How to treat a broken bone in a cat

Treatments for bone fractures in cats depend on many factors, such as the type of fracture, which bone is broken, and whether the fracture is open or closed.

For open fractures in cats, external fixation devices are installed to avoid infection of the bone.

For closed fractures in cats, fractures are fixed using various plates, intramedullary placement of pins or wires.

Treatment for a bone fracture in a cat can be conservative or surgical. Conservative treatment of a fracture in a cat is used, for example, when one or two bones of the metacarpus or metatarsus are fractured. Conservative treatment of fractures in cats can also be used for incomplete forearm fractures (greenstick fractures), when only the radius is broken without displacement.

In veterinary practice, surgical treatment of fractures in cats is more often used, since it ensures the cat’s early ability to support the affected limb and provides fewer complications.

For a closed fracture of the femur or shoulder in cats, plate placement techniques (compression, support, limited contact, LCP, and others) can be used. For distal fractures, fixation using Kirschner wires can be used. In some cases, fracture fixation can be used in cats using pins.

For femoral neck fractures, the most commonly used technique is resection arthroplasty.

For closed fractures of the tibia or forearm, depending on the type of fracture, plates or an external fixation device (bilateral single-plane external fixation device) can be used.

For closed fractures of the metacarpal or metatarsal bones, intramedullary fixation is used using Kirschner wires.

In case of a fracture of the spine or pelvis, the fracture is fixed using Kirschner wires and bone cement, fiducial wires and bone cement, or using plates and screws.

Causes of spinal injuries

There are a sufficient number of causes of spinal column injuries in domestic cats. As a rule, mechanical injuries provoke damage to the vertebrae and spinal cord. But it happens that the cause of a violation of the integrity of the spinal column is tumor processes, infectious pathological diseases and genetic developmental abnormalities.

The cause of spinal disorders in an adult cat may be:

• falling from a great height;
• traffic accident;
• bites and lacerations from stray wild dogs;
• wounds in the spine resulting from gunfire.

In small kittens, spinal injuries are diagnosed much more often, since in addition to the reasons described above, various objects from the table also fall on the animal’s spine. Little kittens are curious and capable of exploring the world around them with increased attention. Flexibility and reaction in children are worse than in adults, so the cause of vertebral displacement or a fracture may be a fallen board.

Kittens with severe dystrophy of the nutritional type are susceptible to spinal fractures an order of magnitude more often. In animals with hyperparathyroidism, the spine can break independently, without significant outside influence. In veterinary practice, cases have been described in which the functioning of the spinal cord was disrupted, but the spinal structures remained intact. The violations were associated with severe bruises, damage to the vascular walls and the occurrence of hematomas, which in turn compressed the roots of the brain.

Clinical cases of treatment of fractures in cats at Pride

Clinical case of treatment of femoral neck fracture

The Bengal cat Bonya has been limping on his right pelvic limb for 3 weeks. Therapeutic treatment did not lead to the desired results, and the cat was admitted to an orthopedic doctor E.S. Maslova. Using X-ray diagnostics and examination, an old fracture of the femoral neck was discovered. Bona underwent all the necessary preoperative examinations and was prepared for surgery - resection arthroplasty. This is a surgical treatment method that allows you to preserve the functionality of the joint by resection of the femoral head. After a successful operation, Bonya went home and is now undergoing rehabilitation.

Veterinary surgeon specialist in traumatology, orthopedics and neurology Maslova E. S.

Treatment of a displaced hip fracture in a cat

A patient with a very serious character, the cat Vasily (16.5 years old), was admitted to Pride with a displaced hip fracture on the left pelvic limb. During the examination, a veterinary traumatologist decided to stabilize the fracture through surgery with the installation of an external titanium support plate with limited contact.

This design allows for good fixation of the fracture in order to achieve the best fusion. Removal of this plate is necessary only in rare cases; as a rule, animals are left with it for life.

After a preoperative examination and infusion therapy, Vasily underwent osteosynthesis. He tolerated the anesthesia and the surgery itself well, despite his advanced age.

Veterinary surgeon, specialist in traumatology, orthopedics and neurology Maslova E. S. Veterinary anesthesiologist Litvinovskaya K. V.

Treatment of an old femoral neck fracture in a cat

A cat was admitted to the veterinary office with complaints of lameness in the right pelvic limb for a month. During examination by veterinarian Maslova E.S. crepitus and tenderness were detected in the right hip joint. To make a diagnosis, an X-ray examination was performed, which revealed an old femoral neck fracture. This problem can be solved by using surgical treatment, namely resection arthroplasty (resection of the femoral head). This technique preserves joint mobility without the presence of the femoral head. Chuck the cat passed all preoperative examinations (cardiac ECHO and blood tests) and was successfully operated on. All the time after the operation, the cat was under the strict supervision of doctors and hospital assistants, as well as his anesthesiologist K.V. Litvinovskaya.

Veterinary surgeon specialist in traumatology, orthopedics and neurology Maslova E. S. Veterinary anesthesiologist Litvinovskaya K. V.

Author of the article: Maslova E. S. veterinary surgeon, specialist in orthopedics, neurology and neurosurgery