Correction of congenital deformity of hind limbs of cat by femoro-tarsal arthrodesis: a case report

Abstract

Congenitally deformed tibia-fibulas of both hind limbs were diagnosed in a four-month-old, female, domestic shorthair cat that was unable to bear weight and whose movement was painful on both stifle and hock joints. Bleeding was observed repeatedly from the wound made by deformed tibias at the cranial sides of hock joints where the bones were exposed. Radiography and computed tomography revealed a corn-shaped tibia and bow shaped fibula which extended cranio-distally without formation of the hock joints. Femoro-tarsal arthrodesis was successfully executed on both hind legs after exclusion of the deformed and pliable tibia-fibulas. Follow-up radiography showed that bone fusions had gradually improved and were without complications. Postoperatively, the cat was capable of walking on the corrected hind legs and running on the movement of hip joints. To the authors' knowledge, this is the 1st reported case of femoro-tarsal arthrodesis in a cat. In this case, femoro-tarsal arthrodesis resulted in a satisfactory outcome for congenitally deformed tibia-fibulas in cat.