Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
IT'S HARD TO GET UP IN THE MORNING
“Fluffy doesn't jump up on my bed the way she used to. Could she have
arthritis?” “Sly has a hard time walking after he's been asleep. What
could this mean?” Questions such as these are commonly asked at my
clinic. I tell owners that, just like humans, cats can develop arthritis.
Classic osteoarthritis (the medical term is
degenerative joint disease
,or
DJD) can develop in cats. Arthritic animals have changes in the bones
of their joints that cause discomfort and can decrease their range of
motion.Your vet may suspect arthritis based on a physical examination
and pain in the joints, but an X ray is needed to observe the character-
istic changes and confirm the diagnosis.
The earliest clinical sign detected in cats with arthritis is lameness.
As this gets worse, the cat becomes reluctant to perform certain move-
ments or activities, and there is apparent stiffness or pain. Stiffness may
become more pronounced after periods of rest, as the disease progress-
es. Affected joints may look and feel enlarged and swollen, and the
range of motion becomes restricted.
There are some uncommon types of arthritis where inflammation
of joints occurs but bony changes do not. This can occur with joint
infection, trauma and immune-mediated conditions.
Can You Prevent Arthritis?
Once arthritis has developed it cannot be cured, and small changes do
occur as a normal part of aging. Signs include:
•
Stiffness after sleeping
•
Inability to jump up on things
•
Lameness
•
Problems getting into and out of a litter box
HIP DYSPLASIA
Hip dysplasia is a type of degenerative joint disease most commonly
seen in dogs, but it is also seen in cats. It is a disease of young animals
who are born with poor conformation of their hip joints. Rubbing
occurs between the bones in the hip joint and arthritis follows.
