Evaluation of short-term limb function following unilateral carbon dioxide laser or scalpel onychectomy in cats

Abstract

Cats had improved limb function immediately after unilateral laser onychectomy, compared with onychectomy with a scalpel, tourniquet, and bandage. This improved limb function may result from decreased pain during the 48 hours following unilateral laser onychectomy.

Systematic review of ground reaction force measurements in cats

“…Table 1 provides an overview of the aims of all studies included in this systematic review. Four studies involved basic kinetic research in sound cats during locomotion (Lascelles et al, 2007;LeQuang et al, 2010;Verdugo et al, 2013;Corbee et al, 2014), three addressed osteoarthritis (OA) (Guillot et al, 2012Moreau et al, 2013), and three evaluated cats that had undergone onychectomy (Romans et al, 2004(Romans et al, , 2005Robinson et al, 2007). Apart from the study by Moreau et al (2013), five studies dealing with diseased cats compared them to a sound control group.…”

“…To date, the forelimb GRFs of cats with orthopaedic disease have only been evaluated in three studies involving cats that underwent onychectomy (Romans et al, 2004(Romans et al, , 2005Robinson et al, 2007). In these studies, cats exhibited significantly lower PFz and IFz values in the early period following onychectomy; depending on time after surgery, the PFz ranged from 35% to 50% BM and the IFz ranged from 5% to 12%.…”

“…Three of these six studies focused on cats that had undergone onychectomy (Romans et al, 2004(Romans et al, , 2005Robinson et al, 2007). In the first study (Romans et al, 2004), the PFz and IFz were measured in 13 cats that had undergone bilateral forelimb onychectomy and 13 cats that had not, 6 months before the GRF measurement was performed.…”

“…Interestingly, the GRFs were significantly lower 12 days postoperatively, regardless of the analgesic used. Robinson et al (2007) measured PFz and IFz as indicators of short-term forelimb function after scalpel (n = 10) and laser (n = 10) onychectomy. Cats that underwent unilateral laser onychectomy had better limb function immediately after the procedure than cats that had undergone scalpel onychectomy.…”

Skin and Musculoskeletal Diseases

“…12 Complications after feline onychectomy can be as high as 50% and include pain, lameness, bleeding, swelling, infection, neuropathies, chronic draining tracts, and regrowth of claws. 13,14 Chronic pain syndrome after feline onychectomy is characterized by behavioral changes that may develop within the immediate postoperative period or years after the procedure.…”