Objective: Describe the clinical findings and management of tibial fractures in cats in which plate osteosynthesis failed due to plate bending.Study Design: Multicentre, retrospective clinical study. Methods:Clinical histories and radiographs of 10 cats that suffered plate bending following plate or plate-rod fixation of tibial fractures were reviewed for signalment, fracture configuration and repair, post-operative and post-failure tibial alignment, ultimate treatment and outcome. Tibial alignment post-operatively and post-failure was compared using a paired T-test.Results: Mean age was 5.3 years and mean body weight was 5.0kg. All ten cats sustained complete fracture of the tibia with an accompanying fracture to the fibula. Tibial fractures were generally oblique (4/10) or spiral (4/10) with mild comminution (8/10) and located in the middle (3/10) or distal (6/10) third of the tibia. Initial fracture stabilisation was with a plate (6/10) or plate-rod combination (4/10) with the plate applied to the medial tibial surface. Non-reduced, lateral tibial wedge fragments were present in 5 fractures. Mean time to implant failure was 24 days. Mean tibial valgus angle increased from 12.9° to 30.9°

Ff-Tt provides the best quasi-isometric points for placement of lateral sutures in cats, compared with all combinations tested. Further assessments with biomechanical studies are needed to evaluate the reproducibility of these landmarks for stabilization of CCL rupture in cats.

In cases with features that could complicate outcome, careful attention should be paid to recommendations for ESF application. Leaving empty drill holes is suboptimal. The retrospective nature of the study, low numbers of, and diversity amongst, cases should be taken into consideration when interpreting the results from this study.

Lateral plating was associated with fewer postoperative complications than pin and tension-band-wire fixation for arthrodesis of the calcaneoquartal joint in dogs with non-traumatic disruption of the plantar tarsal ligament.

SPOnTAneOUS femoral capital physeal fractures are well documented in cats (Mcnicholas and others 2002, Fischer and others 2004), dogs (Gendreau and cawley 1977, Moores and others 2004) and human beings (Loder and others 2000, Gekeler 2007, Gholve and others 2009). Hip dysplasia (splay leg) has been described in commercially bred Dutch rabbits (Joosten and others 1981, Owiny and others 2001), but spontaneous femoral capital physeal fractures in rabbits have, to the authors' knowledge, not been reported previously. This short communication describes a case of bilateral spontaneous femoral capital physeal fractures in a pet giant rabbit. A seven-month-old, entire female continental giant rabbit weighing 5.5 kg was referred with a four-week history of bilateral pelvic limb lameness. The rabbit had become progressively more reluctant to exercise, and had shown mild improvement after administration of meloxicam (Metacam Oral Suspension; Boehringer ingelheim). The general clinical examination was unremarkable. On musculoskeletal examination, there was bilateral pelvic limb muscle atrophy and pain was elicited when the coxofemoral joints were manipulated, particularly on extension and abduction. The rabbit hopped using both pelvic limbs together and with marked limb adduction. Orthogonal radiographs of the pelvis and stifles were taken under general anaesthesia. These revealed an abnormal appearance of the proximal femurs, with osteophytes around the femoral neck and a moderate increase in the size of the coxofemoral joint space. The femoral head and neck were distally positioned with a reduced angle of inclination. The capital physes were wide and distinct (Fig 1). The changes were bilaterally symmetrical, and fractures of the femoral heads were suspected. The radiographs were assessed against comparable radiographic views from six rabbits examined for causes unrelated to the coxofemoral joints, including two giant-breed rabbits (Fig 2). Under the same general anaesthesia, the rabbit was aseptically prepared for bilateral femoral head and neck excision (FHne). A standard craniolateral approach was made to the left hip joint and a small disarticulator was used to remove the fractured femoral head. Surgical accessibility to the coxofemoral joints was limited and no attempt was made to remove any femoral neck as its surface was palpably smooth and flat. The procedure was repeated for the right hip joint, in which equivalent pathology was identified. Postoperative radiographs confirmed that both of the femoral heads had been successfully removed (Fig 3).