'Bottom-hung window' trauma in cats: neurological evaluation and outcome in 71 cats with bilateral hindlimb injury.

Objectives: Influence of neurological status on the mortality rate of paraparetic/paralysed cats presenting after entrapment in a bottom-hung window was evaluated. It was hypothesised that (1) loss of deep pain sensation at admission would not be a negative prognostic factor for regaining motor function and that (2) mortality rate would be influenced by the severity of neurological grade upon admission.

Methods: Clinical and pathological data of affected cats that presented at our institution between 2001 and 2012 for this specific trauma were collected retrospectively: breed, age, sex, last contact with owner (<3 hours and >3 hours), whether the cat was suffering from monoparesis or paraparesis/paraplegia, duration of hospitalisation, rectal temperature, surface temperature of the skin of the hindlimbs, femoral pulse and tone of the pelvic musculature.