Click the image to bigify it. Image Info.
Kodak is a 13-year-old Russian Blue who lives with his two tabby brothers 3 Perf and Winton. They blog at My 3 Aging Felines. He is also on Catster. They also have a woofie, Velco, an Australian Cattle Dog that does herding trials at dog shows. When he's at home he herds the cats. Kodak was a stray that showed up and managed to meow his way into the house (after 8 hours) and he hasn't been outside since.
He was diagnosed with Diabetes in December, and is on 1 cc of insulin twice a day, which has helped his over all condition, including his arthritis. He enjoys sleeping with his mom, or in the laundry basket in the closet with his green frog. He's been all across the country and currently lives in San Pedro, California.
White Wednesday for all Whitsters!
Whisker Wednesday … show off your whiskers.
Wordless Wednesday or Wordy Wednesday, you decide.
Wednesday is Gingersday too for all Gorgeous Gingers.
Way back Wednesday, for those who have come before.
Weird Wednesday for all sorts of strangeness.
Wondering Wednesday, to ask, or answer questions.
Identifying Arthritis
My Bean has problems with Arthritis. In fact, about 1/3 of humans suffer from this problem. But it is also not unusual in Cats, it's just not usually diagnosed.
Arthritis often is overlooked or unrecognized in cats for several reasons. Cats are adept at redistributing weight-bearing to unaffected limbs, helping to hide the clinical signs of arthritis. The feline lifestyle also is a factQr. When an arthritic dog no longer can jump into the back of the van or has to stop and rest during long walks, it easily is recognized. When a cat no longer can jump onto the windowsill or bed, it merely chooses a new favorite place to sleep or meditate, and the owner usually just thinks the cat has discovered a novel preferred location. Many cat owners don't consider that their cats might be suffering from arthritis.
Although arthritis can be present in cats at any age, it is more common in older cats. In fact, 90 to 100 percent of cats over the age of 12 have radiographic signs of arthritis.
The diagnosis of arthritis is usually based on a combination of historical and physical examination findings. Radiographs confirm the diagnosis. Joint fluid analysis also may help to support or confirm the diagnosis, but it rarely is necessary.
A recent study of 28 cases of arthritis, published in the August 2006 Journal of Small Animal Practice, showed that the elbow (45 percent) and the hip (38 percent) were the most frequently affected joints in cats. The most common clinical sign noted by the owners of these cats was either a change in the ability to jump (71 percent) or a change in the height of the jump (67 percent). After administration of medication to control pain and inflammation, 61 percent of cat owners felt that their cats had improved markedly.
Arthritis is an irreversible, progressive disease that cannot be cured by medical treatment. Although arthritis may not be as well documented in cats as in other species, it is essential that veterinarians and cat owners recognize the clinical signs associated with arthritis, especially now that cats are enjoying longer life spans.
Arthritis Treatments
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are traditionally prescribed to treat pain associated with arthritis. Cats, however, often have trouble metabolizing drugs of this type, and some of these drugs can be toxic if given to cats. Meloxicam currently is the only NSAID approved for use in the United States, a one-time injection for cats. Meloxicam appears to be very effective for control of feline arthritis.
Chondroprotectants are compounds that are believed to slow the progression of cartilage degradation and promote cartilage health by providing the necessary ingredients to repair and maintain cartilage. Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are two of the more well-known compounds in this class of drugs, and several formulations for use in cats are available.
Make a donation of at least $2.00 to the Cat Blogosphere’s Friends helping Friends fund by Easter (March 23) and DKM will send you some squiggles. Mom Robyn, Sanjee, ML and KC will distribute the funds to our friends in need across the blogosphere. Come on, you know you want one…
Visit Cat Blogosphere to donate to get your Squiggles!
1 comment:
Diamond, Thanks so much for making me the wednesday House Panthers cat! Now I can show those tabbys a thing or two!!
Kodak
Post a Comment