Surgical Treatment of Rupture of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament in a Cat Caused by Dog Bite

Background: Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) ruptures in the cat is uncommon. Rupture of the feline cruciate ligament was generally described as or assumed to be of a traumatic etiology and its surgical repair was documented in individual cases. Traumatic cruciate ruptures commonly occur as a result of falls. While rupture of the CCL is common in those circumstances, it is almost always part of "polytrauma" to the stifle. To the authors's knowledge no description has been published of ruptur of CCL in cats caused by dog bite. This paper reports a first case of ruptur of CCL caused by dog attack in a Turkish Angora cat. Case: A 2 year-old intact female Turkish Angora cat was presented because of acute pain in the left hindquarters. The cat experienced difficulty in locomotion and weight-bearing on left hind limb. The owner reported that the cat was attacked from a Bull Terrier dog. Since then, the cat had lameness. Examination under general anesthesia revealed a pronounced cranial drawer sign in the left stifle joints. Radiographic examinations revealed distal displacement of the left popliteal sesamoid bones and cranial displacement of the tibia. Surgical exploration confirmed cranial cruciate rupture of the left stifle. Contusions were pronounced in the soft tissues surrounding the stifle joints suggesting a traumatic etiology. The involved stifle joints were stabilized with two strands of 0 non-absorbable suture materials using the lateral retinacular imbricaton technique. Two weeks post-operatively, the cat was using both hind legs somewhat gingerly. Discussion: In a survey of nine cases of degenerative feline cruciate ruptures, the cats averaged 8.5 years of age and had a mean weight of 6.5 kg. Significant differences in age or sex distribution could not be demonstrated. In a survey of 165 dogs with CCL rupture, conducted from 1983 to 1990, 78% were small breeds (under 15 kg), with a mean age of 8.7 years. Many of these dogs were overweight. In this study, a 2-year-old intact female cat weighing 2.3 kg was presented to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Adnan Menderes. Diagnosis of feline CCL rupture is usually easily confirmed on physical examination. Drawer motion is pronounced in most affected cats. Radiographic signs are similar to those seen in the dog and may include joint effusion, degenerative joint disease, and distal displacement of one or both popliteal sesamoid bones. In this case, radiographic examinations revealed distal displacement of the left popliteal sesamoid bones and cranial displacement of the tibia. Treatment of CCL rupture in cats is not without controversy. Multiligamentous traumatic injuries can be stabilized by ligament reconstruction techniques or the placement of a transarticular pin. The "dogma" concerning degenerative CCL rupture in cats has favored conservative therapy, including confinement and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication. Published results of extracapsular surgical repair in cats, including those of this survey, indicate that results are at least as good as those achieved with conservative treatment, and that surgery provides quicker and more reliable return to function.