An uncommon case: feline tail post-traumatic osteomyelitis

Post-traumatic osteomyelitis (OM) is an uncommon event in cats, usually affecting distal phalanges of extremities. Tail injuries seldom cause bone infection, but often result in neural damage with subsequent tail paralysis, and occasionally in urinary/fecal incontinence. We present a case of old stray cat which developed post-traumatic tail OM, and endured it for years. It was an immuno-compromised, neglected, animal strongly infested with larvae of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and oocistae of Isospora felis. Ultimately, it was treated by tail amputation, with without any health consequences.  Relevance and novel information: This report describes the management and outcome of a rare and a life-threatening case of feline post-traumatic  tail OM which was previously not reported in literature.

___

  • Armstrong, P.J. (1984). Systemic Serratia marcescens infections in a dog and a cat. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 184(9), 1154-8.
  • Blood, D. C. & Studdert, V. P. (1988). Baillie` re’s Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary London, UK: Baillie` re Tindall
  • Braden, T.D. (1991). Posttraumatic osteomyelitis. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract., 21(4), 781-811. Bubenik, L.J. Infections of the skeletal system. (2005). Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract, 35, 1039–109.
  • Dehghani, S.N. & Hajighahramani, S. (2005). Eosinophilia due to osteomyelitis in a dog. J Vet Sci, 6(3), 255–257.
  • Doolitle, J. (2017). Osteomyelitis and Septicemia Secondary to Listeria Monocytogenes in a Young Dog. J Dairy Vet & Animal Res, 6(1): 00170.
  • Dunn, J.K., Dennis, R. & Houlton, J.E.F. (1992). Successful treatment of two cases of metaphyseal osteomyelitis in the dog. JSAP, 33(2), 85-9.
  • Ellis, A.E, Brown, C.A. & Yabsley, M.J. (2010). Aelurostrongylus abstrusus larvae in the colon of two cats. J Vet Diagn Invest., 22(4), 652-5.
  • Eyarefe, O.D., Oguntoye, Olusa T.A. & Morenikeji, O.A. (2015). Lifesaving tail amputation in an African lioness (Panthera leo L) in captivity. Sokoto J Vet Sci, 13(2), 61-64.
  • Grabarevic, Z., Curic, S., Tustonja, A., Artukovic, B., Šimec, Z., Ramadan, K. & Zivicnjak T.(1999). Incidence and regional distribution of the lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in cats in Croatia. Veterinarski Arhiv, 69, 279–87.
  • Griffiths, G.L. & Bellenger, C.R. (1979). A retrospective study of osteomyelitis in dogs and cats. Aust Vet J , 55(12), 587-91.
  • Hatzenbuehler, J. & Pulling, T.J. (2011). Diagnosis and Management of Osteomyelitis. Am Fam Physician, 84(9), 1027-1033.
  • Hwang, Y.W., Lee, J.M., Choe, S.H. & Kim, G.H. (2015). Hematogenous Osteomyelitis following Open Fracture in a Cat. J Vet Clin, 33(2),135-7.
  • Johnson, K.A., Lomas, G.R. & Wood, A.K.W. (2006). Osteomyelitis in dogs and cats caused by anaerobic bacteria. Aust Vet J, 61:57-61.
  • Kahn, D.S. & Pritzker, K.P.H. (1973). The pathophysiology of bone infection. Clin Orthop Rel Res, 96:12
  • Nuss, K. & Feist, M. (2011). Tail amputation for treatment of osteomyelitis of the first and second coccygeal vertebrae in a cow. Tierärztl Prax, 39(3), 176-8.
  • O’Brien, M., Murphy, M.G. & Lowe, J.A. (1998). Hematology and Clinical Chemistry Parameters in the Cat (Felis domesticus). American Society for Nutritional Sciences. J. Nutr., 128, 2678S–2679S.
  • De Farias, M.R., Werner, J., Ribeiro, M.G., Rodigheri, S.M., Cavalcante, C.Z., Chi, K.D., Condas, L.A.Z., Gonoi, T., Matsuzama, T. & Yazama, K. (2012). Uncommon mandibular osteomyelitis in cat caused by Nocardia Africana. BMC Vet Res, 8, 239.
  • Sia, I.G. & Berbari, E.F. (2006). Infection and musculoskeletal conditions: Osteomyelitis. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol, 20(6),1065-81.
  • Simons, M.C., Ben-Amotz, R. & Popovitch, C. (2014). Post-operative complications and owner satisfaction following partial caudectomies: 22 cases (2008 to 2013). J Small Anim Pract,. 55(10), 509-14.
  • Stead, A.C. (1984). Osteomyelitis in the dog and cat. J Small Anim Pract, 25, 1-13.
  • Šehić, M. (2000). Osteoarthropatije u domaćih životinja. Zagreb, Hrvatska: Skaner Studio
  • Traversa, D. & Di Cesare, A. (2016). Diagnosis and management of lungworm infections in cats: Cornerstones, dilemmas and new avenues. J Feline Med & Surgery, 18, 7–20.
  • Varanat, M., Travis, A., Lee, W., Maggi, R.G., Bissett, S.A., Linder, K.E. & Breitschwerdt E.B. (2009). Recurrent osteomyelitis in a cat due to infection with Bartonella Vinsonii subsp. Berkhoffii genotype II. J Vet Intern Med., 23(6), 1273-7.
  • Viskjer, S. & Rapp, M. (2016). Scapular osteomyelitis in an immature domestic shorthair cat. JFMS Open Rep 2(2), 2055116916668199.