Sarpekidou E. DVM, PhD student, Companion Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Krystalli A. DVM, PhD student, Companion Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Mpaka O. DVM, MSc, PhD, Companion Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Patsikas M. DVM, MD, DipECVDI, Professor of Veterinary Radiology, Companion Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Kazakos G. DVM, PhD, Associate Professor, Companion Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Introduction
Air riffle injury, in cats, can result in spinal cord damage despite the small projectile size and its moderate velocity compared to firearms. The aim of this retrospective study is to report traumatic myelopathy cases caused by air riffle projectiles in cats.
Materials and methods
Twenty cats with traumatic myelopathy were referred to the Companion Animal Clinic between September 1999 and October 2014. After clinical and neurological examination, two radiographs of the spine (dorsoventral and lateral) were performed depicting the affected spinal column area.
Results
In 1 cat the projectile was located in the cervical, in 9 in the thoracolumbar, and in 10 in the lumbar spinal column. In 18/20 cats, hind limb deep pain perception was absent. In 3/20 the owner elected conservative treatment and in 2/20 euthanasia was elected due to poor prognosis. In 15/20 cats pediculectomy was performed to remove the projectile. 2/15 cats retained deep sensation before surgical intervention and 3/13 regained deep pain perception postoperatively. In 10/13 cats deep pain remained absent postoperatively, but 5 developed spinal walk.
Conclusions
Traumatic air gun myelopathy causes severe neurological deficits in cats and the prognosis is cautious; surgical intervention to the cats, with no deep pain perception, remains controversial.
References
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- Matres-Lorenzo L, Bernardé A and Bernard F (2016) Video-assisted removal of metal pellet fragments from the vertebral canal following gunshot injury and long-term outcome in a cat Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology 29(5), pp. 439–443. doi: 10.3415/VCOT-16-02-0025.
- Vnu D. et al. (2016) Metal projectile injuries in cats: review of 65 cases (2012–2014) Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery 18(8), pp. 626–631. doi: 10.1177/1098612X15590869.
