Use of adjunctive prednisolone in the management of a cat with bilateral quadriceps contracture following trauma

Abstract

Case summaryA 6-month-old cat was successfully treated for bilateral quadriceps contracture. Conventional treatments including surgery, dynamic flexion apparatus and physical therapy along with analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs resulted in temporary clinical improvement that was relapsing. The initiation of supplementary corticosteroid treatment with prednisolone coincided with an immediate and sustained clinical improvement and long-term resolution.Relevance and novel informationSuccessful treatment of bilateral quadriceps contracture has not previously been reported in a cat. Quadriceps contracture remains a challenging condition to treat with some cases unresponsive to therapy. Systemic prednisolone treatment appeared to be of benefit in the management of this case and may have a role in some cats where muscle contracture appears relapsing in nature. Further prospective investigations in cats with muscle contracture, including muscle biopsies of affected cats, are warranted.

Multiple idiopathic fibrotic myopathies, including the tensor facia lata muscle, in a cat

“…This was not performed in this case because of owner limitations and patient temperament. Treatment with immunosuppressive glucocorticoids have also been described with clinical success (Taylor & Tangner 2007, Tisdall & Rogowski 2017, likely due to its anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects, and could have been useful in our case. However, as multiple histopathological samples were not supportive of an inflammatory aetiology this treatment was not considered appropriate at the time.…”

“…Adjunctive physiotherapy probably plays an important role in postoperative management of these cases (Taylor & Tangner 2007, Tisdall & Rogowski 2017. This was not performed in this case because of owner limitations and patient temperament.…”

“…Only quadriceps (Fries et al 1988, Liptak & Simpson 2000, Tisdall & Rogowski 2017, semitendinosus (Lewis 1988), brachialis (Taylor & Tangner 2007) and digital flexor (Cabon et al 2015, Thom et al 2017) fibrotic myopathies have been described in the cat, with the first occurring mainly as a complication of femoral fracture repair.…”

Klassische Muskelkontrakturen bei Katzen und Hunden

“…Rezidivierende Patellaluxationen oder Beckenfrakturen können auch noch nach Behandlungsabschluss zu einer Kontraktur führen. Ebenfalls wurden im Zusammenhang mit einer Toxoplasma-Infektion Kontrakturen des M. quadriceps femoris beschrieben 30 – 34 .…”

“…Weder in Ruhe noch in Bewegung zeigt das Tier Schmerzen, jedoch kann die manuelle Manipulation von Hüfte, Kniegelenk und Sprunggelenk Beschwerden verursachen. Zusätzliche Symptome können Patellaluxationen oder Subluxationen des Coxofemoralgelenks sein 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 13 , 14 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 .…”