# Broken pelvis in cats



## mrssal (Jun 10, 2004)

We had a bit of an accident with our older cat last night, my husband drove in and hit our cat. We took him to the vet and the vet said it appears that he has a broken or dislocated pelvis. He did this by examining him and no xrays. He sent us home with baby aspirin and told us to keep him comfortable. He is alert and is eating but just cannot move his back end. I believe that he has peed even tho its hard to tell cuz he is insistant in sleeping in the litter box :roll: 

can anyone give me some warning signs to watch for and how I can tell if he is getting better and maybe a time frame so I can judge how well he is progressing?


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## emma_pen (Nov 2, 2004)

Personally, I would find a better vet. He needs his pelvis and chest xrayed - as soon as possible. There is no point in guesswork - if the vet is wrong in his 'guess' it could mean the life of your cat.

If his pelvis is broken, the most important factor is whether he can pass urine & faeces normally, as the nerves affecting these come off the spinal cord in the pelvic area. If there is no nerve damage and he can go to toilet, he needs strict cage rest for a few weeks. The fractured section of his pelvis will always be weaker, so I would seroiusly consider keeping him indoors in the future.

Good luck,


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## mrssal (Jun 10, 2004)

I know when we took him into the vet last night he pooped and I believe he peed this morning, there was a new clump of wet litter in the box, I know that it bothered me that he didn't take xrays I thought that that would be the norm. I am going to call another vet and take him in to make sure that is what is wrong.


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## mckenna (Jul 12, 2005)

Ohhh I am so sorry to hear about the cat! I hate hearing that they are in pain  Please keep us posted on what is going on and what the new vet says!


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## nanook (Jun 12, 2005)

Poor kitty! I agree with Emma, he really should have an xray to make sure that the vet "guessed right".


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## mrssal (Jun 10, 2004)

Well I did take him back and it is a fractured pelvis and the same, just keep him comfortable and not outside for three weeks. Its just so hard watching him not be able to walk.


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## emma_pen (Nov 2, 2004)

I really think you should reconsider letting him out again at all. It will be far easier for his pelvis to break next time - and 3 weeks is nowhere near long enough for it to completely heal.


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## nanook (Jun 12, 2005)

Yeah, I've normally heard keeping them "quiet" (even in a large kennel) for SIX weeks. Three doesn't sound long enough. An I agree that you should really consider keeping him in. A quick story: Last year my neighbours cat broke his pelvis from a fall. After several weeks on confinement she let him out again (with much protest from friends and neighbours!) Well, about 6 months later he hobbled home again with it broken again. They think he was hit by a car. This time he risked losing his leg. Luckily that didn't happen but he ended up needing extensive surgery and now has a steal plate in his hip. And, can you believe it, she's still letting him out! I do understand wanting to let them out to hunt and play and be "free"( I feel somewhat guilty all the time that mine can't do that) but the reality is they are no longer wild animals and most of us don't live in areas where there are no cars, or coyotes, or other dangers that they can get into. The fact is, most outdoor cats live about half the life expectancy of an indoor cat. 
Well, that's my shpeal(sp? 8O ). Just something to think about!
Hope your kitty feels better soon.


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## Meowmie (Jun 4, 2005)

mrssal, 

a little bit of information:

http://www.woodstreetvethospital.co.uk/ ... red+Pelvis

And from this article:
http://www.nhahonline.com/femergency.htm

"Cats that get hit by a car will very often have a broken pelvis or a broken leg," explains Dr. Armelle Delaforcade, who specializes in emergency and critical care at Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine in Grafton, Mass. 

Broken bones and internal injuries often require surgery, which can cost $1,200 or more, but sometimes doctors can treat a cat with minor bone injuries by immobilizing him, Dr. Delaforcade says. If you cannot afford surgery, your veterinarian may suggest this. 
"We encourage surgery because it's the ideal way to fix [a broken bone]," she notes.
"But as long as the pelvis isn't entirely crushed, there are cases where we can get people to put their cat into a carrier and not let it out for 6-8 weeks. You want the cat to be immobile and eventually the bones will heal."


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## mrssal (Jun 10, 2004)

Well he is doing pretty good today, eating like crazy and is doing pretty good at keeping himself immobil, I have his food dish, water and litter box right next to him, and I am helping him along where ever he needs to go.

He doesn't go out in the fall and winter and in the summer he is so old he just likes to go out in the back yard and sun himself, ut I will for sure make sure that he is in no way anywhere near as active outside as he was before. I have another cat I keep harnessed and will brobably do the same with him.


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