Accompanies sacrococcygeal dysgenesis – a defective formation of the lowest vertebrae in the spine, resulting in a stumped tail.Lack of vertebral arches in the spinal column.Causes instability of the vertebral canal, and rarely, compression of the spinal cord with paralysis.Vertebra with a cleft through the body and a funnel shape at the ends (giving appearance of butterfly on X-ray examination).Fused vertebrae due to improper segmentation of vertebrae.May result in cord compression, disc changes.Has characteristics of two types of vertebrae.Rear limb weakness (paraparesis), paralysis.Most likely to affect the neurological system.Wedge shaped vertebrae, causes angle in the spine.Causes compression of the upper spinal cord, which can lead to paralysis, sudden death.Malformation of the occipital bones – atlas and axis (the first and second cervical vertebrae at the base of the skull):.If the condition is severe and untreatable, euthanasia should be considered. Medicine often does not resolve neurological manifestations of spinal and vertebral malformations. If the malformations lead to secondary spinal cord compression and trauma, the affected cat will display ataxia and paresis. Scoliosis (a lateral curvature of the spine) is also an easily visible form of vertebral malformation.

Visible signs of a distorted spinal column are lordosis (curvature of the spine at the lower back) and kyphosis (a posterior curvature of the spine). On the other hand, vertebral malformations can be latent until the cat undergoes a growth spurt, sometimes not becoming apparent for several months. Spinal malformations are usually evident at birth or in the first few weeks of life. Specifically, sacrococcygeal dysgenesis (defective development) is a dominant trait, while thoracic hemivertebra (chest half-vertebra) is a recessive trait. Congenital Spinal and Vertebral Malformations in CatsĬongenital spinal and vertebral malformations are most often genetically inherited (as opposed to adverse conditions during fetal development).

Hemivertebrae rad iograph