Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pain management for a cat with arterial blood clot using grimace scale
By Andadari, Afifah Yudining Dwi & Napitu, Napitu·Published in ARSHI Veterinary Letters·2025·View original on Crossref →
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Original publication title: Pain management approach in a cat with feline arterial thromboembolism assessed using the Feline Grimace Scale
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old female cat was brought in for severe pain and weakness in her left back leg, which was cold and discolored. She was diagnosed with feline arterial thromboembolism (FATE), a serious condition often linked to heart disease. The vet used a combination of medications to manage her pain and improve blood flow, but unfortunately, the leg became severely damaged and had to be amputated. After surgery, the cat received pain relief and healed well, with her pain levels dropping significantly over the next few months.
People also search for: cat leg pain · feline arterial thromboembolism treatment · cat amputation recovery · how to manage cat pain after surgery
Abstract
Feline arterial thromboembolism (FATE) is a life-threatening condition characterized by partial or complete arterial obstruction due to thrombus formation, most commonly secondary to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The resulting ischemia causes severe pain, which is often overlooked in clinical practice. The Feline Grimace Scale (FGS) provides a rapid and objective tool for pain assessment in cats. This report describes an adult female cat presenting with left hindlimb paresis, cyanosis, and femoral pulse deficit, with an initial FGS score of 6/10. Blood chemistry showed elevated creatine kinase (CK) levels, and echocardiography confirmed reduced femoral arterial flow and myocardial hypertrophy, consistent with HCM. A multimodal management approach was applied, including gabapentin, tramadol, clopidogrel, furosemide, and heparin therapy. Despite treatment, the affected limb developed gangrene, necessitating amputation. Preoperative analgesia consisted of pethidine, ketamine, and xylazine, followed by regional lidocaine nerve blocks and postoperative fentanyl continuous rate infusion. The surgical site healed completely within 21 days, and over a four-month follow-up period, the FGS score improved from 9 to 0, indicating complete pain resolution.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.29244/avl.9.3.73-74