Case report: Proximal Femoral Physeal Dysplasia in a Cat and a Review of the Literature

Grayton, J. 40 CASE REPORT A 27 month-old, castrated, male domestic short hair cat was presented with acute onset of non-weight-bearing right pelvic limb lameness of four hours duration. The cat was kept indoors and had no history of trauma. Pain was elicited on manipulation of the right pelvic limb. At first the lameness appeared to be centered at the tarsus; radiographs of the right tarsus were acquired and were normal. A complete blood count (CBC) and serum biochemistry revealed hyperglycemia (glucose 276 mg/dL (reference range 63-140 mg/dL)) with a primary differential of stress, hypokalemia (potassium 3.2 mmol/L (reference range 3.3 – 5.2 mmol/L)) with a primary differential of anorexia of short duration due to pain, and increased creatinine kinase activity (836 U/L (reference range 71-502 U/L)) with a primary differential of muscle damage. Weight at presentation was 5.6 kg. Because the tarsal joint was normal on radiographs taken at presentation and the cat continued to be painful, pelvic and femoral radiographs were acquired. Radiographic evaluation documented a fracture through the proximal right femoral physis. The femoral head (epiphysis) remained within the acetabulum and there was mild cranial and dorsal displacement of the rounded femoral neck. The distal femoral and proximal tibial physes were open. Radiographic diagnosis of proximal physeal fracture of the right femur consistent with physeal dysplasia and delayed physeal closure was made. Ventrodorsal view radiographs with abduction was acquired (Figures 1 and 2) for more complete evaluation and better assessment of the opposite limb. No abnormalities of the left proximal femur were present. A femoral head and neck ostectomy was performed on the right pelvic limb. On post-operative radiographs, the greater and lesser trochanters were preserved (Figure 3). Case report: Proximal Femoral Physeal Dysplasia in a Cat and a Review of the Literature