Diseases and injuries of the hip joint are common in cats.1–3 Total hip replacement (THR) is the gold standard treatment for debilitating conditions affecting the coxofemoral joint in both humans and small animals.4–7 In a retrospective case series of nine pelvic limb amputee dogs undergoing THR, amputation of the contralateral pelvic limb was reported to be a relative contraindication for THR as the reported complications were higher in that study than normally reported after THR. The present report aimed to describe an amputee cat that underwent THR at our institution. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there are no peer-reviewed reports on THR in cats with an amputated contralateral pelvic limb.
A 10-year-old male neutered domestic shorthair cat, which had previously had its contralateral pelvic limb amputated, was treated for coxofemoral degenerative joint disease (DJD) with a total hip replacement. The long-term outcome was favourable and no complications were recorded. Interestingly, the contralateral coxofemoral joint left at the time of the previous amputation developed DJD and became a source of pain for the cat and was subsequently excised.
This case report shows that total hip replacement is a viable option in cats with coxofemoral DJD and a contralateral limb amputation. Retained joints in amputated limbs may develop osteoarthritis and be a source of pain for a cat.
