Swimmer syndrome affecting an entire litter of kittens

D.J Cardilli,M Tinucci-Costa,C.F João,G.H Toniollo,F.A Voorwald,J.L.M Faria

doi:10.1590/s0102-09352013000300014

D.J Cardilli, M Tinucci-Costa + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1590/s0102-09352013000300014

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Abstract

Swimmer syndrome is a developmental abnormality characterized by a delay in the ability to walk and move about and is manifested in newborns between 15 and 20 days of age. These animals exhibit constant coxofemoral articulation abduction, and their pelvic limbs move caudally and laterally. This case reports a litter of three crossbreeds kittens (26 days old) with swimmer syndrome. Each animal was treated with physical therapy and shackle bandages that kept their pelvic limbs bent and close to the body. After seven days, all of the animals exhibited normal ambulation, indicating that this treatment had a curative effect on the kittens.

Highlights

Swimmer syndrome is an uncommon developmental disorder of the motor function, still poorly characterized, seen in dogs and less frequently in cats, at an average age of 15 to 21 days after birth (Dumon, 2005; Verhoeven et al, 2006). It is responsible for delayed physical movement capacity (Fossum, 2007), witch mainly affects the pelvic limbs, but occasionally the thoracic limbs (Dumon, 2005; Verhoeven et al, 2006)
This paper aims to describe the clinical aspects and functional rehabilitation of a successful conservative therapy for swimmer syndrome, which usually affects only one animal in a litter
Swimmer syndrome is rare in cats and has been sporadically reported in puppies (Dumon, 2005; Verhoeven et al, 2006; Burger et al, 2007; Fossum, 2007; Yardimci et al, 2009; LindeForsberg, 2010)

Summary

Introduction

Swimmer syndrome is an uncommon developmental disorder of the motor function, still poorly characterized, seen in dogs and less frequently in cats, at an average age of 15 to 21 days after birth (Dumon, 2005; Verhoeven et al, 2006) It is responsible for delayed physical movement capacity (Fossum, 2007), witch mainly affects the pelvic limbs, but occasionally the thoracic limbs (Dumon, 2005; Verhoeven et al, 2006). Many hypotheses have been suggested, including hereditary factors, environmental causes, unbalanced diet (excessive protein in the queen's diet), maternal metabolic disorders, musculoskeletal development problems, obesity, and neurological disorders (inadequate or delayed myelination of peripheral motor neurons or functional alterations in neuromuscular synapses) (Hosgood and Hoskins, 1998; Hoskins, 2001; Dumon, 2005; Verhoeven et al, 2006; Burger et al, 2007; Fossum, 2007; Yardimci et al, 2009; Linde-Forsberg, 2010)

Objectives

Conclusion