Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with worsening spinal cord damage and severe bleeding in spine
By Sunaga, Takafumi et al.·Published in The Journal of veterinary medical science·2025·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Progressive myelomalacia with spinal cord disorders along with severe intradural hemorrhage in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 9-year-old neutered male domestic short-haired cat was brought in because he couldn't use his back legs. The vet found signs of severe spinal issues and suspected a herniated disk. The cat underwent surgery to relieve the pressure on his spine, but just four days later, he showed signs of a serious condition called progressive myelomalacia, which affects the spinal cord. Sadly, the cat was euthanized, and an autopsy confirmed the diagnosis.
People also search for: cat hind leg paralysis · cat spinal cord disease · cat surgery for herniated disk · progressive myelomalacia in cats
Abstract
Progressive myelomalacia (PMM) is a severe neurological disorder. Although several case reports have been published, PMM is uncommon in cats. A 9-year-old neutered male domestic short-haired cat presented with hindlimb paraplegia. Based on the neurological examination, severe abnormalities in the L4-S3 segment were suspected. Based on magnetic resonance imaging findings, intervertebral disk herniation (IVDH) was suspected at the L5-L6 intervertebral disk. A hemilaminectomy and durotomy were performed. Four days after surgery, PMM was suspected, and the cat was euthanized. An autopsy was performed, and a histopathological examination confirmed PMM secondary to severe spinal disorders.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40603069/