Bilateral patellar fractures and increased cortical bone thickness associated with long-term oral alendronate treatment in a cat

Abstract

Case summary A 14-year-old cat presented with bilateral patellar fractures and radiographically thickened tibial cortices. This cat had been treated with alendronate for 8 years prior to presentation. To remove the subjectivity of the radiographic evaluation, tibial radiographs from 35 apparently healthy geriatric cats were used for comparison. Cortical and diaphyseal thickness were measured at the proximal and distal thirds of the tibia. Our cat had increased cortical bone thickness compared to that of the control cats. Relevance and novel information Treatment with bisphosphonates can lead to brittle bones and fractures after prolonged use in humans. This is the first description of fractures and cortical bone changes that may have been associated with prolonged bisphosphonate use in a cat. Radiographic measurements of cortical bone thickness may identify cats that are at increased risk for bone pathology secondary to prolonged alendronate use.