The cat's hip bone popped out. Dislocation of the hip joint in a cat: causes, diagnosis, treatment. From the practice of a veterinarian

The reasons why a cat can get dislocated are divided:

For traumatic or acquired
To congenital.

Congenital dislocations in cats occur due to abnormal joint structure or impaired mobility, which is called dysplasia. Such pathologies make themselves felt at the age of 6 months and older.

Sometimes the cause of a dislocation lies in a chronic disease that the cat has, during which joint and bone tissue is destroyed. These diseases include rickets, osteoporosis and osteomalacia.

A cat may twist its paw or dislocate its tail if it makes an unsuccessful jump or falls from a height. Colliding with an obstacle at high speed, car injuries, or cruel treatment of a cat often leads to dislocation of a healthy joint.

An animal can get injured in its front and hind legs while playing with a small child. Such dislocations are most often diagnosed in small kittens whose legs are roughly pulled. Fights with relatives or other animals can also cause a traumatic dislocation.

What types of dislocations exist in cats?

Depending on the time when the cat received the dislocation, injuries vary:

fresh or recent, which were received less than 3 days ago;
not fresh – the dislocation occurred about 2 weeks ago;
neglected - the animal was injured more than 3 weeks ago.

Dislocation in a cat can be complete or incomplete:

In case of complete dislocation, the ends of the bones forming the joint do not touch each other; in case of incomplete dislocation, they do.
Incomplete dislocation is also called subluxation.

Dislocation can be simple, when the soft tissues and skin remain intact, or complex. A complex dislocation is accompanied by rupture of ligaments and tendons, and fractures inside the joints.

Degrees of bruises

Cat bruises can be classified into four grades.

First degree

A first-degree bruise is characterized by trauma to the inner layers of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. A small wound in the form of an abrasion or scratch may form at the site of the injury. The injured area swells slightly, pain is either insignificant or completely absent. Broken blood vessels may appear on the surface of the skin. Such bruises heal quite quickly, without additional treatment.

Second degree

Second degree bruise is characterized by the appearance of hematomas, delamination and rupture muscle tissue, as well as inflammatory edema. Such bruises can cause fever and increased heart rate and breathing.

Third degree

A third-degree bruise is much more life-threatening for a cat. This damage is characterized by a change appearance animal skin. Such bruises include injuries to muscles and tendons, fractures and cracks of bones. Injuries are often accompanied by joint dislocation. The first time after a third-degree bruise, the animal experiences shock, then tissue necrosis may develop. If the injury was caused to the head or spinal column, the animal may experience nervous disorders.

Fourth degree

A fourth degree bruise is the most life-threatening for a cat. Such injuries are characterized by complete tissue proliferation and bone fragmentation. As a rule, an infection gets into the injured area, therefore, purulent-putrefactive processes (abscesses, phlegmon, sepsis) can develop. It is almost impossible to restore the damaged part of the body, so they have to be amputated.

Symptoms of a dislocation in a cat - how to recognize

A dislocation is the displacement of bones relative to each other without damaging them. By shifting from their anatomical position, bones can damage soft tissue, adjacent tendons, blood vessels and ligaments.

You can recognize a dislocation in a pet by the following symptoms:

with a congenital dislocation, the animal is lame on one leg;
with a traumatic dislocation, the cat cannot fully lean on the surface;
The pet experiences pain from touching the damaged area;
Not only the gait changes, but also the behavior of the animal: sleep becomes restless, the cat tries to lick the site of the dislocation;
The dislocated part of the body is usually asymmetrical. A dislocation may be indicated by its unnatural position, the protruding part of the displaced bone;
With a complex dislocation, ruptures and hematomas are observed in the damaged area.

How to identify a hip dislocation

The hip joint in a cat is quite simple, but despite this, it is the strongest and most mobile. Dislocation of the hip joint (dislocation of the femoral head) is a relative displacement of the femur relative to the pelvis, accompanied by rupture of the round ligament and overstretching of the joint capsule.

An animal that has damaged the hip joint cannot step on the affected limb, which, as a rule, becomes shortened.

Dislocation of the front or back paw

A dislocation of the front paw in an animal has a similar clinical picture to a dislocation of the hip joint. The cat cannot lean on the affected limb. A dislocated hind or front paw looks asymmetrical, and there is swelling at the site of the dislocation.

Tail dislocation

The tail gives the cat grace, serves as a kind of balancing device and is an extension of the spine. A cat can dislocate its tail in a fight or when hit by a car. Even the most caring owner can accidentally injure a cat by stepping on its tail or pinching it in a door. Externally, a dislocated tail appears crooked. His mobility decreases, the cat experiences pain.

Diagnostics in the clinic

Tail dislocation

Before diagnosing a dislocation in a cat, the veterinarian conducts a series of studies, which include:

collecting anamnesis to identify the nature and cause of the injury;
visual inspection and palpation;
X-ray examination, which is the most effective and reliable method.

Video about treating a complex paw fracture in a cat

First and second degree bruises are quite easy to heal; injuries heal on their own. It is enough to apply cold to the injured area. With the third, it is necessary to behave quite carefully with the animal, carefully examine the injury to exclude all kinds of complications. If the animal goes into shock, it is imperative to use anti-shock measures, as well as novocaine blockades and various compresses.

Regardless of the type of damage, attention should be paid to the prevention of septic complications. The injured area must be lubricated with a 5% alcohol solution of iodine.

In any case, the animal should be shown to a veterinarian, who can prescribe the most appropriate treatment.

Operation for advanced cases

After receiving an injury, the dislocation must be corrected as soon as possible. Delay in receiving medical help leads to muscle contraction, the formation of a dense blood clot and scar tissue. These changes make it difficult to reduce the dislocation using a closed method. In such cases, the question arises about surgical treatment of advanced dislocations.

During the operation, during which the animal is asleep, an incision is made in the joint area, through which fibrin clots and destroyed parts of the joint are removed. The joint returns to its original position; this will require force or special levers. A joint reduced openly also requires fixation and temporary immobilization.

Sometimes a cat requires surgical fixation of a joint:

for dislocations of the hip or wrist joints, it is carried out using special pins;
for elbow and ankle - screws and wires.

Congenital dislocations in furry pets are usually eliminated using the open method. After a minor dislocation, the animal recovers within 3-4 days. The cat can use its paw, but has a slight limp. Full recovery from severe dislocations takes about 3-4 weeks.

First aid. What to do?

It helps with bruises, it’s not for nothing that they say it’s as durable as a cat, but not in the case of fractures. In this case, first aid is simply necessary.

Open paw fracture

In case of an open fracture, the first step is to stop the bleeding and treat the wound to avoid infection. It is important to remember to wash your hands thoroughly. You can stop the bleeding using gauze or bandage swabs.

Bleeding

In case of heavy bleeding, a tourniquet or something similar should be applied, i.e. tightly wrap the edge of the blood vessel that is damaged. If you don’t have any suitable material at hand, you can wrap your finger in a scarf and clamp the vessel. Keep this up until a blood clot appears that blocks the bleeding.

If bleeding is from the lower part of the hind leg, the artery on the inside of the thigh should be clamped. If there is bleeding from the lower part of the front paw, the artery should be clamped with inside paws above the “elbow”.

Then we treat the wound. Any disinfectant will do: iodine, brilliant green, peroxide. It would be a good idea to give the victim anti-shock and painkillers.

When the bleeding has stopped, the wound has been treated, the damaged limb must be fixed. Under no circumstances should you adjust it yourself. This can lead to muscle tissue rupture and painful shock. We fix the limb in the position in which it was at the time of the fracture.

Limb fixation

A piece of cardboard, a thin board, even a ruler will do. The length of the tire should be slightly longer than the paw, so that even if the cat wants to put it on the surface, it will not be able to reach it. Then the splint is bandaged. The bandage should be tight to immobilize the limb, but without pinching the nerve endings and blood vessels.

If bandaging seems like a complicated procedure, it is advisable to use an elastic bandage; it stretches to the desired width without pinching important ends. In case of an open fracture, we do not bandage the wound site, but leave it open.

If your beloved pet suddenly becomes lame, the most obvious diagnosis is a dislocation. It doesn't matter which leg your cat is limping on, or whether she's limping at all, but a "dislocation" is the most common injury for animals.

Let's take a closer look at what a “dislocation” is?

Let's figure out what the causes of dislocations are, how often they actually happen and what to do if it does happen. “Dislocation” is a term that refers to a pathological change in the location of an organ or part of the body. It is most often used in relation to joints, but dislocations of the eyeball also occur. Let's take a closer look at joint dislocations.

First of all, you need to understand that during dislocations the soft tissues of the joint structure are damaged: the ligaments of the joint and its capsule are torn, as well as the blood vessels and tendons of the adjacent muscles. That is, a “dislocation” is a violation of the structure of a joint, the cause of which may be displacement of the bones, but without changing their integrity, which form this joint. All this can lead to serious problems of dysfunction of the organ - both the joint and the entire limb.

What is the cause of “dislocations” and why does this happen to our pets?

There are different reasons. But initially it is necessary to distinguish between traumatic dislocations and congenital ones. The most common causes of traumatic dislocations are car injuries, falls from great heights, excessive play, fights with other animals, collisions with objects while moving, and paws getting stuck in various places. Most often, traumatic dislocations of the hip, elbow, wrist, temporal and mandibular joints occur in cats.

Genetic changes and abnormal joint structure are the causes of congenital dislocations and subluxations. These pathologies can be identified already at the age of 6-8 months, and sometimes chance helps to recognize them.

What are the symptoms of dislocations and how to recognize them?

With a traumatic dislocation, the main symptom is the complete absence of supporting abilities on the limb. With congenital dislocation - lameness. When a paw is injured, the animal moves on three paws; an external examination reveals swelling of the soft tissues, asymmetry and changes in the contours of the injured joint compared to a healthy paw. Misalignment of teeth may indicate a dislocation of the lower jaw.

Also, with traumatic dislocations, palpation (palpation) is difficult. When trying to move and palpate, very severe pain can be observed. A characteristic symptom is elastic fixation of the joint. A specialist can detect bone friction, clicking, grinding, and displacement of anatomical landmarks.

What to do?

If the symptoms still confirm that your beloved pet has a dislocation, under no circumstances should you try to straighten it yourself. This is not only dangerous for your cat, but also very painful.

Before taking the animal to the doctor, try to fix the sore limb and immobilize the animal. A cage or box is suitable for this, which will help limit the space and ensure that the pet is inactive. Avoid putting any stress on the injured paw and do not touch, pull, or move the animal.

It is advisable to apply something cold to the damaged area for 20-30 minutes; any item from the freezer, wrapped in a towel, will do for this purpose.

Your pet may need anesthesia, so it is best not to feed it.

Take the animal to the veterinarian as quickly as possible. If there are alternatives, it is better to choose a clinic where there is an x-ray, an experienced orthopedist and an operating room, where your pet will be provided with qualified care.

How to determine the reliability of the diagnosis of “dislocation in a cat”?

The correct diagnosis can be made after a set of studies: medical history (if there is a serious injury), palpation data and external examination. X-ray examination is the most reliable way to detect dislocations.

How to cure a pet?

Reduction and fixation are the main methods of treating traumatic dislocations. Reduction can be closed or open - surgical. Reduction of the dislocation must be done as quickly as possible given the animal's condition. If reduction is not carried out within 24 hours, contracture will begin to develop, i.e. muscle contraction, a dense blood clot (fibrin) and scar tissue will begin to form in the joint cavity. All this further complicates closed reduction, and sometimes makes it impossible. Also, due to the delay of this procedure, the articular surfaces and soft tissues around the injury are significantly damaged. If closed reduction is not possible, open reduction is used. With open reduction, surgery opens access to the damaged joint and removes blood clots, as well as destroyed parts of the joint structures. After all this, the joint is returned to its original position. To reduce dislocations by any method, it is necessary to use general anesthesia and complete muscle relaxation.

After any reduction, the joints must be fixed and the animal must be limited in movement. You can use various dressings for this. In some cases, surgical fixation of the joint is used. For dislocations of the hip or wrist joints, special pins are used; for elbow and ankle dislocations, screws and wires are used. When the lower jaw is dislocated, a brutal, but effective method– sew up the mouth for 50-10 days. In very rare cases, after timely reduction of minor injuries, the animal does not require immobilization.

If you don’t take any measures either after 2 days or after 20, the consequences can be unpredictable and disastrous. The animal may develop insurmountable muscle contracture.

The joint elements are not properly fixed by scar tissue. Articular surfaces are subject to destruction. In such cases, it is not always possible to preserve the joint; to help the animal, arthrodesis (fusing the bones that form the joint) or resection (removal of joints) is used. Treatment of congenital dislocations is much more difficult than traumatic ones and always requires surgical intervention. Only in some cases it is possible to do without treatment (for congenital dislocation of the patella in dwarf breeds of dogs).

We hope that you use this information only for general development! But if suddenly your pet is injured, do not waste time searching for information on the Internet, go to the doctor.

Let your beloved pets always be healthy!

A joint dislocation in a pet is a shift in the relative position of the bones without compromising their integrity. It is accompanied by damage to the soft tissues surrounding the joint: ligaments, capsule, tendons of nearby muscles, and blood vessels are torn. Congenital subluxations and dislocations are a consequence of abnormal joint structure. They are recognized by older cats, often completely by accident.

You can suspect a dislocated joint based on the following symptoms:

Lameness (with congenital dislocation).
Unnatural position, swelling of a limb on which the animal cannot lean (in case of traumatic dislocation).
A careful examination allows the owner to notice swelling, asymmetry and deformation of the contours of the damaged joint, and misalignment of teeth when the lower jaw is damaged.

If you suspect your cat has dislocated a joint, you should not try to reset it yourself. You need to call a veterinary emergency room or go to the clinic. Before the examination, you should not touch the injured limb; it is advisable to give the animal pain relief and apply a cold compress.

Dense fibrous connective tissue, consisting of many fibers, is almost always in “tension” (a tense state). The following types of ligaments are distinguished in the animal’s body:

Strengthening – envelop the joint from the front side, limit the angle of flexion of the joint.

Inhibitory – connect the bones on the back side of the joint, limit the angle of extension of the limb.

Guides – set the amplitude and angle of joint movement.

Fixing – hold the internal organs in a physiologically correct position.

When we talk about sprains, we mean injuries to the ligaments of the joint capsules of the limbs. The ligaments that hold the internal organs are also stretched, for example, when falling from a great height and hitting the ground. Connective tissues are literally permeated with nerve endings, so violation of the integrity of the ligaments is always associated with severe pain.

For convenience, ligament injuries were divided into sprains and ruptures. However, in both cases the pain is associated with rupture of the fibers, in the first case the damage is partial, in the second the ligament is completely separated. With a favorable combination of circumstances and timely assistance, fibrous tissue grows together quickly and without medical intervention. The worst-case scenario is hemorrhage into the soft tissues due to increased local pressure.

Causes of dislocation

A fracture is a violation of the anatomical integrity of the bone and adjacent tissues. It can be acquired or congenital and occur under the influence of external force or pathology, respectively.

If we talk about congenital pathologies of the bone structure, they are diagnosed in only 1-2% of the total number of visits to veterinary clinics with fractures. The reasons for the birth of kittens with limb fractures are intense labor, osteoporosis, rickets, osteomalacia in the expectant mother.

Veterinarians distinguish two types of acquired bone injuries based on the cause of their occurrence: pathological and traumatic. The first group includes fractures that occurred as a result of osteosarcoma, osteomalacia, etc.

Traumatic fractures occur not only due to various injuries received as a result of falling from a height, being run over by a car, or fighting with an opponent, but also due to unprofessional obstetric care.

Unlike a fracture, a dislocation is a violation of the anatomical location and a change in the physiological functions of the joint. The bone remains intact. Dislocations are also divided into two categories: acquired and congenital. The causes of dislocations are similar to those of fractures.

Not a single animal is insured against acquired dislocations and fractures. Breeds such as Persians, Maine Coons, and Himalayan cats are predisposed to congenital joint pathologies.

INJURY is the main cause of dislocation. As a rule, bone displacement occurs in the wrong place physical impact, but remotely. For example, a dislocated jaw in a cat may be the result of a blow to the back of the head. For kittens and young pets, the so-called “pulling” dislocation is not uncommon - the result of inept or rough handling.

For example, a dislocation of a cat's paw occurs at the moment when the pet is about to run away from an annoying child, and the baby deftly catches the fleeing cat by the paw: with a jerk, the bone comes out of the joint. By the same principle, dislocation “from pulling” occurs if the owner lifts the kitten from the floor, holding it by the front legs.

CHRONIC DISEASES are the cause of the so-called. spontaneous dislocations. As a result of the disease, joint tissue or the articular ends of bones are destroyed - a long, sometimes imperceptible process. Then, completely unexpectedly and without visible reasons, the articular end of the bone is displaced. For example, a dislocated paw in a cat can happen while sleeping, stretching, jumping out of bed, i.e.

The most common cause of hip dislocation is serious mechanical injury. They do not always act directly on the joint, but destruction of its capsule and ruptures of the supporting muscles will not add health to the cat either. In this case, the load on the round ligament increases sharply, and the body is not always able to cope with it. A dislocation occurs, which in this case means the head of the femur coming out of the acetabulum.

So, if a cat gets hit by a bicycle or falls from a balcony, the body’s shock-absorbing systems cannot cope with critical loads, as a result of which the joint is destroyed with a simultaneous rupture of the round ligament (the worst thing is that it is difficult to restore). But these are not all the reasons.

Often cats are injured far from home, so they arrive “back home” not in the best condition. The animal jumps on three legs, the injured limb is tucked inward or generally dangling, traces of trauma may be visible on the pet’s skin, due to which the dislocation occurred. The cat experiences severe pain and can literally “scream” from this.

In particularly severe cases, the injuries are so serious that the cat’s leg is supported only by muscles. It is very easy to find out about this - in such situations, the cat’s paw can literally “rotate”, being bent inward or outward. It looks very unpleasant, and often indicates complete destruction of both the femoral head and the acetabulum.

How is the diagnosis made? It's very simple, because it's enough clinical signs and data from a simple external examination. But in this case, it is often necessary to use general anesthesia, since due to the severe pain experienced by the cat, he will definitely not sit quietly. In addition, in serious cases of dislocation, the wound is full of bone fragments and bone dust, so radiography is definitely needed to establish the scale of the consequences of the dislocation.

A diagnostic x-ray will also show the direction of the dislocation and also help determine the presence of concomitant fractures.

In addition, if the cat has severe wounds or other similar injuries, they should be treated first so that the animal’s condition is completely stabilized. In other cases, performing an operation to eliminate the consequences of a dislocation is simply dangerous, since the pet’s body may not survive it.

Symptoms of dislocation

In case of fractures and dislocations, the animal exhibits general clinical signs: pain, impaired motor function (lameness), swelling of the damaged area.

There are three types of fractures - closed, open, and displaced. Serious damage also includes cracks.

Signs of an open fracture in a cat:

violation of the integrity of the skin;
the bone is broken, its ends are displaced and protrude;
tissue rupture in the fracture area;
bleeding;
strong pain.

A closed fracture without displacement is characterized by the following symptoms: the broken bone is in its usual position, the skin and tissues swell, turn blue, and turn red. In a displaced fracture, the bone diverges in different directions, and the soft tissue is partially damaged. There is a danger of internal bleeding.

A crack can easily be confused with a bruise. The bone remains intact, its edges do not diverge and are held in place by the intact area. The cat may move carefully, but it may be in pain.

A simple dislocation is recognized by the following signs:

skin and tissue remain intact;
lameness;
inability to lean on the surface;
pain when touching the injured limb;
The dislocated part of the body is asymmetrical.

A complex dislocation, accompanied by rupture of ligaments and tendons, is characterized by the appearance of hematomas in the injured area.

Clinical signs and diagnosis

The fact that the pet has been injured is immediately obvious, but a visit to the veterinary clinic is necessary. After examining your pet and conducting a series of diagnostic tests, the veterinarian will determine the extent of the damage and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Necessary diagnostic methods include general and biochemical blood tests, x-rays in two projections, and cardiac echocardiography. In some cases, an abdominal ultrasound is required.

Microtrauma to the fibers causes severe pain, but if the cat moves the limb within an acceptable amplitude or is at rest, the discomfort is significantly reduced. From external signs noted:

Reduced activity, the animal sleeps more.

Appetite decreases, but does not disappear. For example, a awakened pet will eat well if you bring a bowl to its bed.

In the context of limb sprains, lameness is observed.

An obvious sign is that the cat “neglects” washing its fur, which is why in the very first day the “fur coat” becomes disheveled and unkempt.

The nature of the pain is shooting. If your pet twitches and squints when stepping on a paw, it is logical to assume a sprain.

Another of your tasks is to exclude a more complex injury – a crack or fracture of a bone:

With a sprain, the cat can sleep; if the bone tissue is damaged, the animal becomes restless, dozes superficially, but does not rest fully.

When sprained, the pet will be able to move its fingers and partially bend the damaged joint.

While feeling the paw, watch the animal's reaction. Very carefully press on the bone; if it is a fracture or crack, you will understand everything by the pet’s violent reaction.

If you suspect bone damage, take your animal to the veterinarian for a cast. It would be useful to provide first aid: fixing the limb with a rigid splint, cooling the injured area, painkillers (no more than 1/2 of the prescribed dose).

Treatment of dislocation

Simple fractures are treated with conservative methods. These include pain relief and elimination of pain shock. Immobilization using splints and splints is used to restore damaged bone. For pain relief, drugs such as Traumeel and Butomidor are used. Splints and braces are removed only after the veterinarian gives permission to do so.

At complex types fractures cannot be avoided without surgery. Osteosynthesis involves removing small bone fragments and realigning large ones. Surgical intervention using fixing metal structures should be carried out immediately after diagnosing a fracture.

Pins, plates and spokes made from a special alloy with titanium remain in the animal’s body for life.

The regeneration process will be helped to speed up by drugs that improve osteosynthesis, vitamin therapy, and physiotherapy.

If a cat has been diagnosed with a dislocation, treatment includes pain relief and realignment of the injured limb, followed by the application of a fixing bandage. In severe cases, surgery is indicated.

As for the prognosis for fractures and dislocations, in most cases it is favorable. The only exceptions are spinal fractures with damage to the spinal cord structure. If the fracture causes rupture of large vessels of the limb or peripheral nerves, then for the cat this ends in the loss of the limb.

Dislocations should not be underestimated: if the damage is not treated, it can subsequently lead to complex muscle deformations and destruction of articular surfaces. As a result, the cat will limp for the rest of its life.

If your pet has dislocated a joint, it is important to urgently seek professional help and contact our clinic. We carry out all procedures in a modern operating room equipped with diagnostic equipment or come to you with the necessary instruments and medications. Our veterinarians will do everything to alleviate the animal’s suffering, will accompany him during treatment, monitor his progress, and help him quickly return to an active life.

In order not to aggravate the situation, the damaged part of the body must be fixed as is, without trying to return it to its natural position. It doesn’t matter what the owner is faced with - a complex dislocation of the hip joint in cats or a banal dislocation of a finger - a veterinarian should be contacted as soon as possible.

Surgery to treat a dislocation is required only in extreme cases. Usually it is enough to return the bone to its place (manipulation under anesthesia), apply a fixing bandage and undergo a course of drug therapy. In addition to painkillers, general strengthening drugs, sedatives, healing agents and agents that accelerate the restoration of cartilage tissue are prescribed. The cat should be restrained, not allowing it to jump, climb to heights, etc.

Post-operative care for animals

In the best case, the entire injury will be reduced to micro-tears of the ligament fibers and will not require specific treatment, you just need to provide the pet with rest and care. Connective tissues quickly regenerate and your pet will come to its senses within 2–3 days.

If you are “lucky” and the sprain is associated with a dislocation of a joint or a broken bone, you will need the help of a doctor, and immediately. The damaged bone is set, and a fixing bandage or plaster is applied to the limb. Your task is to monitor the general condition of the animal and the injured limb - swelling, temperature, level of activity.

If the joint is left dislocated, a “false joint” will form, causing the cat to have a permanent limp. Only in rare cases, when the damage is limited to an uncomplicated dislocation, can the latter be simply reduced. But in such a situation, the likelihood of relapse is high, and therefore they often resort to surgery.

It is necessary to constantly monitor the behavior of the cat, which should be limited in its movements as much as possible (it is better to put it in a small room or in a transport cage), it is necessary to check the condition of the sore leg and bandage. To relieve emerging pain, sedatives are prescribed. To speed up healing, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and multivitamin complexes can be used. If there is a risk of infection, broad-spectrum antibiotics are prescribed.

The animal's mobility should be limited for approximately two weeks (minimum period). The duration of the postoperative period depends on the skill of the veterinary surgeon, the quality of treatment and nutrition, but in any case, complete recovery can be discussed no earlier than six months after the operation.

At this time, the animal requires especially careful care. The injured leg should be examined daily by a veterinarian to ensure normal healing and to take timely action if something goes wrong. You need to feed your cat high-quality, fresh food, preferably with added vitamins. If this is not done, treatment may be useless (a relapse will occur or a false joint will form).

FIRST AID FOR OPEN FRACTURES

Give a painkiller injection.

Cover the wound with sterile gauze pads.

Bandage it.

Apply and bandage a splint on top.

Contact your veterinarian immediately.

As you can see, you will have to learn how to give your cat injections. Don't be alarmed, there is nothing complicated about it. Next, I will explain the technology of this simple matter. Why does a cat need to be given painkillers for fractures and dislocations? Because any injury can lead to traumatic shock. This is the body's reaction to severe pain, and the state of traumatic shock poses a serious danger.

Home care

If you have witnessed your cat being hit by a car or falling from a great height and you suspect a fracture, you should put a splint on the injured paw. This procedure will immobilize the broken limb. A flat board or, in the absence of one, thick cardboard folded several times can be used as a tire.

The splint must be applied in such a way as to be able to fix two joints close to the fracture, below and above. The structure should be wrapped with a bandage in several layers. After this, you need to take the victim to a veterinary clinic.

For open fractures, the wound is closed with sterile gauze, and a splint is applied on top.

If you are sure that your cat has a dislocation, then under no circumstances try to straighten the injured limb yourself! With your inexperienced actions and ignorance of cat anatomy, you can cause irreparable harm to your pet. Apply an ice pack to the affected limb, apply a tight bandage, and take your pet to a veterinarian.

To alleviate the cat’s condition and relieve it from traumatic shock, many owners inject the animal with an anesthetic. However, veterinarians do not recommend doing this at home. Without feeling pain, a cat can cause even more harm to itself.

In addition, analgesics distort the symptoms of injury. Finally, sedation will be required during the X-ray examination, and pre-administration of pain medication will negatively affect the health of the pet.

The animal should be transported to the veterinary clinic lying down in the back seat of the car. The pet should be placed on a horizontal surface - plywood, board, car panel - and secured in the area of the shoulder blades and pelvis with a rope or belt.

The owner’s task is to provide the pet with the most comfortable living conditions during the treatment of fractures. A cat's mobility can have a negative impact on its well-being, so freedom of movement should be limited. The ideal option would be to place the animal in a cage for 2-3 weeks.

This design should be quite free, but at the same time not allowing the pet to move a lot. You need to put a tray and bowls of food and water in the cage.

Prevention measures

Of course, you won’t always be able to control your pet to prevent it from getting run over by a car or falling out of a window. However, no one can cancel compliance with basic safety rules. Make sure that the cat does not climb tall trees, close windows and vents during your absence.

After each walk, inspect your pet for injuries. If you suspect a fracture or dislocation, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Cats, as you know, are active animals; jumping from heights is common for them, but sometimes they get injured. A dislocated paw in a cat is the most predictable injury of this kind.

What types of dislocations do cats have?

A dislocated paw in a cat can be complete or incomplete (so-called subluxation). A dislocation is called complete, in which the contact of the bones of the joints is completely absent, and in the case of subluxation, it is partially preserved.

If the animal’s skin was not damaged when injured, then such a dislocation in a cat is called simple. If the skin is broken, and soft tissues and blood vessels are also damaged, then such a dislocation is complicated.

The main signs of a dislocated paw in a cat are quite clear. This is a forced unnatural position of a limb, its shortening or lengthening and lameness.

Treatment of dislocation in a cat

Treatment for a dislocated paw in a cat is a purely mechanical procedure called reduction. To realign a dislocated paw, a cat first needs to be given local anesthesia. Reduction begins by traction of the limb.

The reduction of the dislocation is completed by repeated flexion and extension of the paw, abducting it inward and outward, which brings the bone to its normal state. Usually, when the bone returns to the position required by the anatomy, a characteristic clicking sound is heard.

After the final reduction of a dislocated limb in a cat, it is necessary to perform passive movements and observe how the cat makes active movements. In order to prevent re-dislocation, an immobilizing bandage should be applied to the paw, which is not recommended to be removed for 10 days.

The gracefulness and plasticity of cats is a fact known even to those people who cannot stand these animals. That’s why it’s especially bitter to watch the cat, pathetically dragging his leg, trying to jump on the other three. A similar phenomenon can occur “thanks to” many pathologies, but one of the most dangerous is dislocation of the hip joint in cats.

This joint itself is one of the simplest in the body; it is formed by the head of the femur and the acetabulum of the pelvis. The bones are additionally connected to each other by a particularly strong ligament called the “round” ligament. Despite its simplicity, this joint is considered one of the most durable and movable, but there is a limit to any strength...

Most common The cause of hip dislocation is serious mechanical trauma. They do not always act directly on the joint, but destruction of its capsule and ruptures of the supporting muscles will not add health to the cat either. In this case, the load on the round ligament increases sharply, and the body is not always able to cope with it. A dislocation occurs, which in this case means exit of the femoral head from the acetabulum.

So, if a cat gets hit by a bicycle or falls from a balcony, the body’s shock-absorbing systems cannot cope with critical loads, as a result of which the joint is destroyed with a simultaneous rupture of the round joint (which is the worst thing, it is difficult to restore). But these are not all the reasons.

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The practical experience of the world's leading veterinary clinics clearly shows that almost all purebred cats are susceptible to hip dysplasia to one degree or another. This situation is aggravated by poor breeding work, which is why many sick animals are actively used for reproduction purposes, passing on defective genes to their descendants. In addition, very often advanced cases of osteoarthritis, and also severe ones (but less often) lead to dislocation. What symptoms accompany the appearance and development of pathology?

Clinical signs and diagnosis

In particularly severe cases, the injuries are so serious that the cat’s leg is supported only by muscles. It is very easy to find out about this - in such situations A cat's paw can literally "spin", being bent inward or outward. It looks very unpleasant, and often indicates complete destruction of both the femoral head and the acetabulum.

How is the diagnosis made? It is very simple, since clinical signs and data from a simple external examination are sufficient for this. But at the same time, you often have to use a general one, since due to the severe pain experienced by the cat, he will definitely not sit quietly. In addition, in serious cases of dislocation, the wound is full of bone fragments and bone dust, so you definitely need radiography to establish the scale of the consequences of the dislocation.

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A diagnostic x-ray will also show the direction of the dislocation and also help determine the presence of concomitant fractures.

Please note that if there is a fracture, it must first be treated in order to stabilize the condition of the limb. Only after this can you begin to eliminate the dislocation itself.

Therapeutic techniques

If the joint is left dislocated, a “false joint” will form, causing the cat to have a permanent limp. Only in rare cases, when the damage is limited to an uncomplicated dislocation, can the latter be simply reduced. But in such a situation there is a high probability of relapse, and therefore more often resort to surgery.

As a rule, it is necessary to completely replace the femoral head with a synthetic implant. The sooner the operation is performed (no later than 72 hours from the moment of dislocation), the easier the postoperative period will be. At the end of the operation, the injured leg “packed” in a compression bandage that prevents recurrence of dislocation. It should be taken into account that the cat’s paw should be in the “wrapper” for 4 to 14 days, depending on the severity of the initial injury and the initial condition of the animal.