Introduction to Feline Fracture Fixation

General considerations
The principles of fracture treatment in cats are the same as in other animals. there are only a few anatomic or physiologic differences of great importance; however, it would be unwise to regard the cat as a small dog. there are two textbooks published specifi- cally on feline orthopaedic surgery (1,2), which gives further credence to the fact that there are significant differences between cats and dogs.

Advantages of the feline fracture patient include the fact that cats generally weigh less and are more agile than dogs. they possess better functional ability to compensate for injuries that may be crippling to dogs. Growth deformities are rare and limb shortening due to retardation in growth or bone loss is hardly visible, as cats display a more crouched gait and are able to compensate for limb shortness by increased opening of the joint angles. in comparison to the bones of dogs, feline bones are less angular and the diameter of the medullary cavity is more uniform. thus, many long bone fractures are amenable to stabilization by using an iM pin and augmentation devices.

Disadvantages of the cat as a fracture patient include the high incidence of commi- nuted fractures, as the bones of the cat are more brittle. they have thin cortices that are easily fissured or fractured by bone holding instruments and they provide less purchase to implants. on the other hand, external coaptation is not well tolerated by many cats. the necessity for increased vigilance to monitor for cast complications places a lot of stress on these animals. as a result, conservative treatment is frequently abandoned in favour of surgical stabilization. Limiting cats exercise by keeping them on a leash is not usual – once they are out of the cage (if indeed they are tolerant to being caged in the first place) – then they could be climbing curtains and leaping around the room – test- ing the fracture fixation! [...]