Shoulder arthrodesis in a cat with humeral head dysplasia

Abstract

Shoulder arthrodesis is a recognised procedure for incapacitating shoulder conditions in dogs in cases where traditional surgical or medical interventions are not feasible. However, the use of shoulder arthrodesis in the feline patient has not been described. This case report details the novel use of shoulder arthrodesis in a 10‐month‐old cat with a chronic right forelimb lameness attributed to humeral head dysplasia. Surgical stabilisation of the right shoulder arthrodesis was achieved with two 2.4 mm Synthes locking compression plates and two 2.4 mm inter‐fragmentary positional screws. Short‐term follow‐up indicated adequate bone healing with good alignment and implant integrity. Subsequent long‐term phone follow‐up 22 months after surgery revealed a successful outcome with no visible stiffness and only a mechanical lameness. This result underscores the viability of shoulder arthrodesis as a potential option for feline patients necessitating shoulder salvage procedures.