Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Lumbar disc protrusion causing nerve problems in cats explained
By Kathmann, I et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2000·Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Spontaneous lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion in cats: literature review and case presentations.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 15-year-old cat was brought in for weakness in the back legs and difficulty walking. The veterinarian diagnosed a lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion, which is a condition where the discs in the spine bulge and can press on the spinal cord. Treatment involved medication for pain and inflammation, and the cat showed improvement over time, regaining strength and mobility. This case highlights that even older cats can suffer from significant spinal issues that may require attention.
People also search for: cat back leg weakness · cat intervertebral disc disease treatment · senior cat walking problems
Abstract
Reports on intervertebral disc disease in cats are rare in the veterinary literature. It has been postulated that intervertebral disc protrusion is a frequent finding during necropsy in cats, without having any clinical relevance (King and Smith 1958, King & Smith 1960a, King & Smith 1960b). However, a total of six cases with disc protrusions and clinically significant neurological deficits have been reported over the past decade. (Heavner 1971, Seim & Nafe 1981, Gilmore 1983, Littlewood et al 1984, Sparkes & Skerry 1990, Bagley et al 1995). As in dogs, there are also two types of intervertebral disc disease in cats: Hansen's type I (extrusion), and type II (herniation). Cervical spinal cord involvement was more commonly recognised in cats than the lumbar or the thoraco lumbar area. Cats over 15 years were mainly affected (King & Smith 1958, King & Smith 1960a, King & Smith 1960b). We describe two cats with lumbar intervertebral disc protrusions. Emphasis is placed on differential diagnoses, treatment and follow-up.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11716620/