COXOFEMORAL LUXATIONS IN CATS

In a retrospective study, 79 untreated luxations of the coxofemoral jo int in cats were recorded over a 12-year period. Twenty-nine of these cases were available for follow-up, of which 13 were re-examined clini cally and radiologically. It was found that the maximum incidence of t he injury occurred from one to three years of age. Follow-up radiograp hs showed that the cats had developed nearthroses of various degrees l ocated dorsally on the ilium. The degree of nearthrosis formation was not consistently correlated with the length of the observation time. R adiological signs of decreased bone density of the proximal femur may be caused by reduced weightbearing related to changes in biomechanical function and altered blood supply in the luxated limb. Almost two-thi rds of the re-examined animals presented some kind of locomotor dysfun ction on clinical examination. Limb function improved with time. The b est clinical results appeared to be in cats that were immature at the time of injury and developed nearthrosis similar to a normal coxofemor al joint. All the cats available to this study showed acceptable funct ional results and had a normal level of activity according to the owne rs.