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Surgical Fracture Repair in Cats
What is Surgical Fracture Repair?
A broken bone (fracture) heals best when the broken ends are held close together but without movement across the fracture line. In the majority of cases when a cat breaks a bone, the best long-term results are obtained when the fracture is surgically repaired. This involves the use of implants such as pins, screws, plates, or wires to stabilize the break so that a bony callus can bridge the gap.
Fractures usually result from trauma, such as a fall or traffic accident. Thus, the vet will stabilize the patient first, assess the injuries, and support the fracture with a dressing until the cat is well enough to undergo major surgery.
Simple fractures are often repaired by vets in first opinion practice, but for more complex injuries referral to a veterinary orthopedic surgeon may be necessary.
Surgical Fracture Repair Procedure in Cats
Although fractures look dramatic, they are usually not life-threatening. Thus the clinician's first priority is to stabilize the patient after a trauma, give pain relief, and support the fractured limb in a dressing.
Once the risk of death from shock or other injuries has passed, the fracture is carefully assessed with the patient sedated or anesthetized. A series of radiographs are taken in order to see the exact nature of the fracture, where all the bone fragments are located, and decide on the surgical approach and appropriate sized implants.
Once the clinician has planned their surgical approach, the cat is fully anesthetized, the area clipped and made surgically scrubbed.
Under strict aseptic conditions the surgeon incises through the skin and muscle to expose the fracture site. A combination of plates, screws, pines, or wires is then used to stabilize the fracture so the broken ends are supported in a rigid manner.
The operation site is flushed with saline, and the soft tissue closed. A supportive dressing may or may not be applied.
Efficacy of Surgical Fracture Repair in Cats
Surgical fixation is extremely effective when performed by an experienced surgeon with the correct implants. There is much skill involved in assessing the best way to repair the fracture, gain sufficient access to the break, and having the range of different implant sizes available to effect an optimal repair.
This being so, most fractures do exceedingly well, especially if post operative instructions are carried out with regard to rest. Occasionally, complications do occur such as implants working loose or infection. In these cases, repeat surgery to remove the metalwork and swab the area to culture the bacteria is necessary. Only once the infection has been brought under control is a new implant fitted.
Other options to surgical fixation for simple fractures include immobilising the area with a cast or splint. The results are often disappointing, because it's important to restrict the joints above and below the fracture, which is often difficult.
Surgical Fracture Repair Recovery in Cats
Bone healing across a fracture site takes around 4 - 12 weeks. This varies depending on the age of the cat and the location and nature of the fracture. Orthopedic surgery is painful, so for the first few days postoperatively the cat needs strong painkillers, and in some cases even sedation.
The skin sutures are removed 7 - 14 days after surgery, but the cat needs to rest until fracture healing is evident on radiography. This means restricting the cat to a crate or a single small room for several weeks.
Some implants are left permanently in place, whilst others are removed if they start to cause problems or there is easy access.
Cost of Surgical Fracture Repair in Cats
Surgical fracture repair is costly, which is a reflection of the many processes required. Surgery is performed under anesthesia, often whilst the patient is on intravenous fluids and pain relief at around $100 - $300. Radiographs to assess the fracture would be around $140 upwards, with the actual fracture repair being anywhere from $850 upwards. For a basic fracture repair an average total bill is around the $1,500 mark, but for more complex surgery $4,000 plus is not unusual.
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Cat Surgical Fracture Repair Considerations
Success of surgery depends, in part, on surgical planning and skill, but also on postoperative care. The patient who is rested as per post operative instructions is much more likely to make an uneventful recovery without complications.
Sadly, even in the most experiences hands complications can arise, such as infections or implants loosening. This, in part, is a reflection of the traumatic nature of bone fractures resulting from a traffic accident, since bacteria easily track into open wounds.
Whilst the majority of surgical fractures repairs are successful, occasionally unforeseen complications means a salvage procedure, such as limb amputation, may be necessary.
Surgical Fracture Repair Prevention in Cats
Fractures usually arise as a result of trauma, thus prevention is about reducing the risk of a cat being involved in an accident. This means taking common sense actions such as netting of balconies, so the cat cannot fall from a height.
An important decision for any cat owner is whether to keep their cat indoors or not. So doing eliminates the risk of the pet being involved in a traffic collision or being attacked by other animals, resulting in a bite that breaks bone.
Nobody intends for their cat to break a bone, therefore by their very nature these injuries are unexpected and unplanned for. In an ideal world, each owner would have financial provision in place to cover unexpected costs, such as that to repair a fractured leg.
Surgical Fracture Repair Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Domestic short haired mix ,cat
Seven Months
12 found this helpful
12 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Limping
I took my cat Yuki, to the vet and got X-rays and was determined he needs a femoral HO For his femur head there’s a fractured and he’s not eating much with out help or drinking and hasn’t used the litter since this all happened
Sept. 25, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
12 Recommendations
Thank you for your question. I apologize for the delay in my reply, this venue is not set up for urgent emails.
I suspect that he will feel much better after his surgery, as that is probably quite painful. It would be best to have your pet seen by a veterinarian, as they can examine them, see what might be going on, and get any testing or treatment taken care of that might be needed.
Oct. 19, 2020
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Calico
Five Years
15 found this helpful
15 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Broken Leg
She broke her left leg and toes on July 7th. I took her to Binford Pet Wellness to get her checked. At this point, I am unsure if I should have brought Pia to a surgeon from the beginning. Pia has now been in a cast/splint for a month with no progression. Please see the attached photos of her x-rays from July 7th along with this past Tuesday, August 4th.
Aug. 7, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
15 Recommendations
Thank you for your question.
Those bones do not have good apposition, and it may take some time to heal. One month is not a long time, for those bones to heal, honestly, as the farther down the leg, the less blood supply. As this point, I think it would make sense to check again in 4 weeks, then 4 weeks after that, and see what progress is being made. The splint does not look to be that unwieldy, and she may just need more time to heal. If no evidence of healing is there at 12 weeks, then other options may need to be considered.
I hope that all goes well for her.
Aug. 8, 2020
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Cross Persian
One Year
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Broken Hind Limb
My cat broke it's same limb twice nw. its a closed Fracture and same point same bone. I want to knw what are the options to get it fixed.
Aug. 3, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your question. Unfortunately, without knowing where the break was, which bone, when it happened, how it healed, many things, I can't comment on how to fix it. This would be a really good question to ask your veterinarian, as they know more about the break and your cat and the situation. Whether or not it can be fixed it depends on the type of fracture that it is and where. I hope that everything goes well for your cat.
Aug. 3, 2020
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house cat
Oscar
24 Months
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Limping On Leg
Bites Me
Looks Disjointed
Hi my cats left leg looks like the two bones or sandwich together and the skin is over wrapping it it's if it was half as short and really sick he previously was went limping on it then got over it now it like it's just jointed I don't know how much the bill is and I can't afford over 1000
Aug. 5, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Without seeing Oscar, I'm not sure what might be going on with his leg, but it does sound like he needs to be seen by a veterinarian who can examine him and see what might be happening. The initial cost of the examination and possible x-rays will be well under your budget, and they'll be able to let you know what treatment might need to be given at that time.
Aug. 5, 2018
Sorry for the awful typing it looks like two phones or sandwich together the skin is over wrapping it he was previously limping on his left leg key won't let me pet him he's peeing all over himself I don't know what to do I'm guessing it's just disjointed
Aug. 5, 2018
Oscar's Owner
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Manx
Gypsy
5 Weeks
2 found this helpful
2 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Swimmers Syndrome
I have a kitten with swimmers syndrome in her back legs. I have been taping them to the best of my ability. But if the tape does not work, is there a surgery to fix them?
July 31, 2018
2 Recommendations
Hobbling or taping is the treatment of choice and is proven successful the majority of the time, if there is no improvement after several weeks then amputation may need to be considered. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
July 31, 2018
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Siberian Forest
HONEY
5 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Limping
Limping, Painful, Growling,Hiding,
My cats nearly 6 I'm not exactly sure how, but we believe she fell from her cat tower and hit the dresser going down. Broke her shin and behind the knee clean but nasty angled fracture. Shes a bit neurotic being saved for a ttraumatic start to life. Shes special needs on cisapride and phenobarbital for episodes of seizures and severe constipation with GI distress. They casted the fracture and she was in serious pain and discomfort with the cast. She ended up chewing on the cast till her teeth bled and she yanked her leg out of it. So we rushed back to the vet. She had shattered the shin fracture. We rushed to an orthopedic surgeon she had a complex case. In all about 1000 at our regular vet with and ER night trip. Then her surgery was right under 5 grand.
We have a long road ahead with more xrays and probably physical therapy. I'm glad shes okay even if my credit card isnt.
Long haired
Peppi
3 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Pain
My cat broke his leg 2 weeks ago today. He had a plate and pin surgically inserted 2 days later. The vet sent him home 24 hours after his operation and he has slowly been recovering. I took him to the vet to get the stint removed until he freaked out and started bleeding. They’ve put the stint back on and said it doesn’t look good. I’m waiting to hear from the vet who performed the operation but now I’m worried I’ll have to have my cats leg amputated 😩 is it common for this to happen but still be able to save his leg? Thanks
