Vertebral fracture and dislocation patterns, location of injuries, and 6-month clinical outcomes in cats: A retrospective study

Abstract

This study investigates the vertebral fracture and dislocation patterns, spinal cord segment injury location, paretic grading, and the 6-month outcome in cats at a university veterinary hospital. The medical records and radiographs of cats with traumatic injuries were reviewed from October 2016 to December 2019. Eighty-nine cats were diagnosed with vertebral fracture and dislocation. The most damaged location was T3–L3 (36/89, 40.45%), followed by L4–L7 (33/89, 37.07%), S1–S3 (18/89, 20.22), C1–C5 (1/89, 1.12%), and C6–T2 (1/89, 1.12%). The patterns of vertebral damage could be classified as burst/compression (24/89, 26.96%), subluxation (19/89, 21.35%), complete luxation (16/89, 17.97%), combined fracture, and luxation (19/89, 21.35%), transverse fracture (10/69, 11.23%), and hyperextension (1/89, 1.12%). No hyperflexion-damaged pattern was detected in 89 cats. The T3–L7 lesion data was thoroughly examined (69 cats). Most of them preferred non-surgical treatment (33/69, 47.83%). Only 30 cats in the non-surgical group and 4 cats in the surgical group had tracking information. Six months after treatment, 60% of cats in the non-surgical group had better outcomes (18/30), while 66.67% of cats in the surgical group had better outcomes (4/6). Two cats in the surgical group had died of parvovirus infection. The mortality rate increased from 16.67% (6/36) at 3 months to 25% (9/36) at 6 months after treatment. All cats with paretic grade 5 had a poor prognosis. Most cats with paretic grades 1–4 receiving treatment had better clinical outcomes within 6 months and gradually improved. Follow-up should be performed for >6 months.