Recovery of bladder and bowel control in cats after tailbone injury

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes and prognostic factors for cats with sacrocaudal luxation. METHODS: Medical records and radiographs were reviewed for cats with sacrocaudal luxation. Information obtained from the clinical records included signalment, clinical presentation, concurrent traumatic injuries, treatment details, outcome and survival time. Severity of neurological signs was graded from 1 to 5, based on previous grading systems for cats with sacrocaudal luxation. Degree of vertebral displacement was calculated on survey radiographs. Outcomes were collected from serial neurological examinations and telephone interviews. Cats had to be given a minimum of 30 days to regain urinary function to be included in the study. RESULTS: Seventy cats were included. Fifty-five of 61 cats (90%) regained voluntary urinary function. A higher neurological grade was associated with a decreased likelihood ( = 0.01) and longer duration ( = 0.0003) of regaining urinary function. No significant associations were found between urinary outcome and age, sex, anal tone, perineal sensation, tail base sensation, degree of craniocaudal or dorsoventral sacrocaudal displacement, concurrent orthopaedic injury, tail amputation, defecatory function at diagnosis and survival. Cats that regained defecatory function had longer survival times than those that did not recover defecatory function ( = 0.03). Defecatory outcome was not significantly associated with any other variables. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In agreement with previous studies, neurological grade is the most important prognostic indicator for cats with sacrocaudal luxation. Determination of the severity of neurological signs can also aid in advising owners the time frame in which urinary function is expected to return. Faecal incontinence may be a more important prognostic factor than previously suspected.