title: Young, male neutered, obese, lame? Non-traumatic fractures of the femoral head and neck.
abstract: METHODS
  Young, male neutered, obese cats are predisposed to sustaining spontaneous capital physeal fractures, as well as fractures of the femoral neck secondary to metaphyseal osteopathy.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Although femoral head and neck excision generally leads to adequate limb function, and is appropriate for chronic fractures, it is a salvage procedure and irreversible. Ideally, for acute capital physeal fractures an attempt should be made to stabilise the fracture and save the coxofemoral joint. This requires early detection of the femoral fracture.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Orthopaedic examination in cats can be challenging. Yet thorough assessment is needed to allow localisation of the pathology to the hip joint, and to rule out other orthopaedic conditions such as cranial cruciate ligament rupture. Stabilisation of these types of fracture may also prove challenging.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This review is aimed at general practitioners who have some experience in orthopaedic surgical procedures, as well as those simply wishing to expand their knowledge of feline orthopaedic conditions.
authors.affiliation: Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK. plafuente@rvc.ac.uk
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lafuente
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D002415:Cats / Q000293:injuries*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary