FEMORAL-NECK FRACTURES AND CAPITAL EPIPHYSEAL SEPARATIONS IN CATS

In a retrospective study, 47 fractures of the femoral neck and 17 capi tal epiphyseal separations were recorded in a total of 62 animals over a 12-year period. It was found that cats sustain femoral neck fractur es more often than capital epiphyseal separations. Until cats are six months old the vast majority of lesions in the proximal femur are frac tures of the neck. Between the ages of six and 12 months both lesions are equally represented. After 12 months of age no capital epiphyseal separations occur and the incidence of femoral neck fractures diminish es appreciably. If left untreated, an acceptable clinical result can b e obtained in both femoral neck fractures and capital epiphyseal separ ations, although the best functional result is achieved in femoral nec k fractures. In the present study, spontaneous healing was seen only i n femoral neck fractures in cats younger than three months. All cats w ith capital epiphyseal separations developed hypertrophic pseudoarthro sis.