Feline Arthritis
Arthritis is a condition where one or more joints become swollen or inflamed. It can affect the hips, elbows, knees, and neck.
There are two types of arthritis:
- Primary - Rheumatoid Arthritis: this is a progressive and uncommon disease where the immune system attacks healthy joints
- Secondary - Osteoarthritis: the cartilage around a joint gets damaged, so new bone forms around the joint. This has no cartilage protecting it and causes stiffness and pain
CAUSES:
While arthritis normally affects older cats and worsens with age, cats of any age can have it.
Primary:
- Old age
- Injury
- Auto-immune diseases (the immune system attacks its own body)
Secondary:
- Old age
- Injury
- Disease: hip dysplasia, ligament rupture, joint infection
- Obesity
SIGNS:
- Painful joints
- Swollen joints
- Joint stiffness
- Lameness, taking longer to get to its feet, unable to jump or climb
- Loss of appetite
- Depression
DIAGNOSIS:
To properly diagnose your cat with arthritis, your veterinarian will begin with the following:
- Review of medical history
- Physical exam: flexing the joints and listening for abnormal joint sounds, as well as looking for swelling or heat in your cat's limbs
Your veterinarian may also perform the following tests:
- CBC blood test(complete blood count): measures the total amount of red and white blood cells in the body
- X-rays of the affected areas: to determine the type of arthritis
- Joint Tap: draining and studying joint fluid
TREATMENT:
The course of treatment depends mainly on what is causing the disease.
- Infection: antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications
- Obesity: diet change
If treatments are not helping the pain:
- Surgery: fragments of cartilage or bone in the joint can be removed to decrease swelling, and in harrowing cases, the affected joint may be removed
- Dietary supplements: stimulates new cartilage growth in the joints and can alleviate some discomfort
- Veterinarian-developed exercise routine: too much exercise for an arthritic cat can cause severe pain; however, too little exercise will make your cat's joints even stiffer
- Medications: long-term steroids and anti-inflammatory use may alleviate the symptoms
PREVENTION:
Sometimes arthritis can develop no matter what you do to try to prevent it. Some things can be done to lessen the severity of arthritis in your cat, such as:
- Keeping your cat at a healthy weight. If your cat is overweight, they can cause extra pressures on their joints, leading to inflammation and arthritis to develop
- Giving your cat joint supplements. As your cat ages, its joints can deteriorate. Giving your cat a joint supplement will help decrease the inflammation and arthritis formation in their joints.
PROGNOSIS:
There is no cure for arthritis, but your veterinarian can give you treatment options so your cat can live a comfortable life. You should pay attention to your cat's movements, as catching arthritis early leaves more options for your cat to live comfortably.
Medically Reviewed by Sara Ochoa, DVM
