Most fractures in cats follow vehicle accidents, falls from a height or bites. A cat with a broken leg often has other injuries, so the work starts with the whole patient and not the bone. Choosing a repair then depends on the bone, the fracture pattern, the age of the cat, and the equipment and skills available.
Key facts
Fracture management at a glance- Species and system: cat; musculoskeletal and trauma.
- Common causes: road accidents, falls, dog bites and other high-velocity trauma (MSD, Roberts 2022, Zurita 2022).
- Most commonly fractured bone: the femur (Roberts 2022).
- First step: assess and stabilize major body systems, give analgesia, then examine the limbs.
- Diagnosis: radiographs (two views, with the joints above and below); CT when needed.
- Treatment: surgical stabilization for most; casts and splints only for selected incomplete fractures in young healthy animals.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and classification
- Initial assessment and clinical signs
- Analgesia
- Treatment and management
- Differential diagnoses
- Complications and prognosis
- Aftercare and client communication
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 5 tables, 1 figure, 3 self-test questions and 7 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.