Taking Cat Arthritis Seriously

Posted by Fred on November 3rd, 2008 at 08:16am

By Jan Thomsen

Cats are incredibly agile. They have an amazing sense of
balance and they always land on their feet no matter how they
started to fall. They also have a unique bone structure that
allows them to absorb shocks from any impact. That is, the
forelegs of a cat are not attached by bone to the rest of its
skeleton. Yet, with all these wonderful attributes, cats can
still suffer from arthritis.

There are two identified forms of arthritis in cats.

1. Traumatic Arthritis – It is an injury acquired in a split
second due to a strong impact. Such impact may come from an
unseen moving car, a vicious fight against other cats, or a
clumsy fall. Even with the cat’s famed gracefulness, a cat can
still topple down or make an awkward plunge.

2. Osteo-arthritis – It is occurs mostly in the joints found in
the shoulders and elbows. The possible causes of this form of
arthritis are repeated traumatic arthritis, previous bone
fractures, and joint dislocations. These causes have made the
cat’s joint more sensitive and prone to painful inflammation.

The arthritis of a cat must be taken seriously. When an owner
suspects that his cat has arthritis, the pet should be taken
immediately to the vet. To determine if a cat has either the
osteo-arthritis or the traumatic kind, the owner must look for
these two unmistakable signs:

· Joints that are either protruding or bulging

· A painful limping or stiffness displayed by the cat, even
though the limping seems to disappear for awhile.

When brought to the vet, the cat will be examined and x-rayed
to accurately diagnose the arthritis. Then, certain treatments
will be conducted in order to save the cat and prevent the
worsening of the arthritis. Some of these treatments are the
following:

· Medications that bring down the inflammation – Most of these
medications are simple painkillers that remove any limp or
stiffness that the cat may be displaying. But the effects are
short-term and these do not cure the arthritis. Such medications
are usually taken together with other measures such as an
exercise program and a weight control program. The most common
of such medications is the Glucosamine.

· Weight control program – This refers to the diet that must be
followed by the cat. An overweight problem will compound and
worsen the arthritis. Thus any medication given will have no
significant effect if the cat is overweight.

· Exercise program – Making a cat follow an exercise program
can be a real challenge for the owner. But the owner must
persevere in persuading the cat to wake up and move around,
instead of allowing it to indulge in sleeping.

· Surgical operation – A cat, especially with an injury or
traumatic arthritis, may need to undergo surgery so that healing
can progress in a proper manner.

About the Author: Jan Thomsen is writing articles about
heartworm in cats and dogs for his heartgard information website
www.heartgard-heartworm.com/

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: www.isnare.com/?aid=186050&ca=Pets

Tags: Arthritis, Arthritis In Cats, Arthritis Treatments, Bone Fractures, Bone Structure, Cat Arthritis, Dislocations, Joints, Moving Car, Osteo Arthritis, Painful Inflammation, Painkillers, Plunge, Sense Of Balance, Skeleton, Stiffness, Thomsen, Traumatic Arthritis, Unmistakable Signs, Vicious Fight

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