Young, male neutered, obese, lame?: Non-traumatic fractures of the femoral head and neck

Patient groupYoung, male neutered, obese cats are predisposed to sustaining spontaneous capital physeal fractures, as well as fractures of the femoral neck secondary to metaphyseal osteopathy.Practical relevanceAlthough 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.Clinical challengesOrthopaedic 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.AudienceThis 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.