Osteoarthritis in elderly cats is easy due to degeneration of body functions

Osteoarthritis in elderly cats. Feline osteoarthritis is an irreversible process! Cats are old and no longer so flexible. They can no longer behave like We used to run wildly, jump to high places, and walk with a staggering step. At this time, we all naturally think that this is a normal phenomenon of old age. However, is this really the case?

Professor David Bennett from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Glasgow found that 38% of cats over the age of 38 are suffering from arthritis. It was previously thought that cats did not suffer from arthritis because they showed less obvious symptoms than other animals.

At this time, many people will ask, isn’t lameness often seen in osteoarthritis? Indeed, dogs with osteoarthritis often show signs of lameness while frantically chasing a ball. But when a cat suffers from osteoarthritis, it will think: "Since it will hurt, don't bother with it." This is completely opposite to dogs. Dogs often think: "As long as you have fun, the pain is worth it!". As a result, cats will develop adaptive changes in lifestyle and behavior in response to reduced joint function and pain. At this time, we can only see the cat’s jumping height decrease, jump frequency decrease and jumping method change. For example: cats often use intermediate objects to jump to high places that they could jump to directly; they hesitate before jumping or climb directly.

Sometimes cats suffering from osteoarthritis will have other symptoms, such as a significant reduction in grooming movements and rough and messy coats; often asking the owner to lift the cat to high places; having bad tempers with people and other animals. Changes; changes in toilet habits; significant reduction in play behavior, etc. Therefore, when a cat exhibits the above symptoms, it should be considered that it may be suffering from osteoarthritis!

Professor Bennett said that identifying the characteristics of arthritis in cats is a problem and we often assume it is the same as in other animals. Arthritis is always a very painful condition, and it is difficult to detect and quantify this pain in animals, especially in cats. We know that cats with arthritis usually do not limp like dogs or horses, and are not as limping as dogs or horses. Unlike other animals, their joints may not thicken, and lumps and discharge are less common. Although they generally don't bark in pain, that doesn't mean they suffer from arthritis any less than dogs and other animals.

It is very difficult to diagnose osteoarthritis in cats through clinical examination. First of all, cats are very scared when they are in the consultation room. They often just find a place to hide, and it is impossible to jump up and down everywhere. Secondly, the probability of finding joint pain during examination is also very small. Sometimes cats are too nervous and may even mistake normal for disease. Finally, the most common manifestation may be joint swelling, but osteoarthritis is usually bilateral. , which is difficult to find by comparing left and right. X-ray diagnosis is a more reliable method.

To improve cats’ osteoarthritis, there are the following methods

1. Lifestyle

This is the treatment of osteoarthritis in all animals Cornerstone. reduceLosing weight and maintaining moderate exercise are the most critical. In addition, you should also prepare a small stool or other things for the cat so that the cat can jump to high places in multiple steps. The food bowl, litter box and its bedroom should be moved to low places or places where the cat can easily reach them.

2. Articular cartilage protectants

Scientific research shows that articular cartilage protectants can significantly reduce joint pain, improve joint function, and delay joint degeneration. , promote cartilage repair. These drugs include Omega-3 fatty acids, glucosamine/chondroitin, and pentosan polysulfate.

3. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

There are currently a large number of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but for cats, meloxicam is a better one. It is an anti-inflammatory drug with good safety, but it is not recommended for cats suffering from chronic renal failure, gastrointestinal diseases, coagulation abnormalities, liver and heart diseases. Concomitant use with steroids is contraindicated. Therefore, it is best to do a general physical examination before taking medication, including blood routine, biochemistry, etc.

4. Steroids

It has a strong anti-inflammatory effect and can reduce synovitis, but long-term use can damage articular cartilage.

5. Opioid analgesics

These drugs include buprenorphine, fentanyl, and tramadol.

Cat owners are critical to diagnosis. However, owners generally lack vigilance about cats suffering from arthritis. They always think that lifestyle changes such as cats being unwilling to jump are just signs of "aging". However, these cats are in obvious pain. Once they receive appropriate treatment, their quality of life can be significantly improved and return to what they were when they were young.