title: Metal projectile injuries in cats: review of 65 cases (2012-2014).
abstract: The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of different types of injuries caused by various types of projectiles among urban, suburban and rural cats of different ages in order to predict the type of injury sustained.
  
  
  
  For the period 1 January 2012 to 30 April 2014, the medical records of cats with metal projectile injuries (PIs) were searched from the archive of the university's small animal diagnostic imaging centre. Age, sex, owner address, admission during a weekend or on a working day, month of admission, projectile position (head and neck; thoracic region; abdominal region, including lumbosacral spine; forelimbs; and hindlimbs, including tail), number of projectiles, presence of a wound and fracture related to the projectile, and the type of projectile were recorded for each cat.
  
  
  
  Sixty-five cats with PIs were admitted during the defined period. In 38.5% of cats the projectiles found upon radiography were incidental findings. The frequency of PIs peaked in March. Airgun projectiles were found in 80.0% of the cats. PIs in two or more body regions were found in 29.2% of the cats. Among the cats that had only been shot in one body region, the projectile was most frequently found in the abdominal region, including the lumbosacral spine (41.3%).
  
  
  
  These results might prompt clinicians to evaluate closely and screen for feline PIs in emergency situations.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Surgery, Orthopedics and Ophthalmology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia dvnuk@vef.hr.
authors.forename: Drazen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vnuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ultrasound Diagnostic and Physical Therapy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Hrvoje
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Capak
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Surgery, Orthopedics and Ophthalmology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gusak
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Surgery, Orthopedics and Ophthalmology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Drazen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maticic
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Popovic
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Surgery, Orthopedics and Ophthalmology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Nika
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brkljaca Bottegaro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D002415:Cats; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*