There are many causes that can lead to broken bones in our feline friends, but the most common of them all are falls from major heights and accidents involving cars for cats who live outdoors.

Hip dysplasia occurs when the hip joint develops in an abnormally loose manner, creating chronic instability in the hip joint.

Elbow dysplasia (ED) describes a group of developmental conditions which results in the bones of the elbow joint not fitting together perfectly.

Osteochonditis Dissecans (OCD) is a developmental condition where a flap of cartilage breaks off from the end of the bone, and lodges in the joint, triggering inflammation and pain. Osteochondrosis (OC) describes the abnormal development of cartilage which leads to OCD.

Arthritis is a general term referring to damage and inflammation of joints. Osteoarthritis (OA) in dogs is a chronic, progressive form of this disease resulting in pain and reduced mobility.

Legg-Calve-Perthes disease is a disease that causes degeneration of the femoral head spontaneously. It is also known as avascular or aseptic necrosis of the femoral head.

Contusions also known as bruises are caused by blunt trauma to a horse's head, body or leg. When a horse takes a direct blow to its body, the underlying structures (like muscles and blood vessels) can be damaged or broken.

Carpitis is inflammation of the soft connective tissues on the surface of the bones of the carpus of a horse. The horse carpus is the equivalent of the human knee joint. This inflammation can involve the fibrous joint capsule, synovial membrane, and associated ligaments and bones of the carpus.

Head pressing is a behavior demonstrated when a dog compulsively faces a wall or corner and remains there without moving or appearing engaged in any kind of activity for a period of time.

Muscle tremors in dogs are involuntary, repetitive, rhythmic muscle movements.

As dogs get older, their muscles gradually begin to lose function and waste away in a process called muscle atrophy. It’s a natural side effect of getting older, but it can also result from inactivity after an injury or illness, like a broken leg. Here’s what you need to know about muscle atrophy in dogs.

Pale gums are identified when the normal light pink color of the gum tissues turn pale or white, indicating a serious underlying condition.

Difficulty swallowing, or dysphagia, is rarely observed in cats.

Swollen toes (paw pads) are rare in cats, but may be a symptom of significant underlying disease

Elapid envenomation occurs when a dog is bitten by a snake from the elapid family (e.g. coral snakes).

Venomous snakes are found in many locations throughout the world, however most reports of dog envenomation

Muscle swelling can be defined as any abnormal increase in size of muscle tissue.

A seizure is an abrupt episode of uncontrollable muscle activity and is the physical manifestation of abnormal electrical discharges in the brain. 

Collapse is the inability to maintain a normal, standing posture, and is a rare symptom in cats. Cat owners may see their cat suddenly fall or intentionally lie down, then be unable to stand up.

Difficulty breathing (dyspnea) is always cause for concern, so any dog who suddenly exhibits this symptom needs emergency medical care. Many conditions can cause dyspnea,

Paralysis is the complete loss of the ability to move or feel a part of the body. It can affect any or all limbs of the body, the face, or the vocal cords. It may be acute or chronic.

Paralysis is the lack of ability to voluntarily move one or more parts of the body. It may or may not be accompanied by loss of sensation.

Exercise intolerance is defined as the decreased ability to tolerate strenuous exercise. Cats with exercise intolerance want to get up and play or run, but aren’t able to keep up without having difficulty.

Rapid and/or shallow breathing (tachypnea) in cats is rare and sometimes difficult to spot. Cats are masters at hiding signs of illness and often show no distress even when exhibiting potentially serious symptoms like tachypnea.

Seizures result from abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Seizure activity varies from subtle staring to complete collapse and muscle spasms (convulsions).

Exercise intolerance is a decreased ability to endure sustained exercise.

Muscle tremors are involuntary movement of the muscular tissue, often appearing similar to shivering or trembling. This symptom is not common in cats.

Burned paws occur in dogs when foot pads encounter damaging heat or chemicals resulting in burn injury to the skin.

Lymphadenopathy is enlargement of the lymph nodes, and is a common finding in many diseases, illnesses, and conditions.

Limping, or lameness, is any disruption of bodily function that affects a cat’s ability to walk, run or jump normally.