cat having problems climbing stairs

yngver wrote:


Just to update, x-rays showed what the vet called "joint mice", also
called osteochondritis dissecans, which is when bits of cartilege
crumble off and ossify. There is a solid looking oblong one in one knee
joint and the other is more shadowy and no particular shape, so it
apparently hasn't ossified yet. But the vet said it should be clear
liquid there. I'm not sure of the cause--he said it could be from
chronic injury (which I don't know how would have happened) or just
osteoarthritis. I'm worried that not much can be done for her and even
though she was running and jumping normally a couple of months ago, he
said she won't ever be able to use her knees normally again. He said
there really isn't a surgical option for cats since it tends to make
things worse rather than better. For now he said just to keep her on
the Cosequin. She doesn't seem to be in much pain except when she
climbs the stairs, so he didn't want to prescribe an anti-inflammatory
until she gets worse.

You might ask about Adequan. I knew a lady with a horse that had
ringbone which caused bad arthtritis in one joint. She got a monthly
injection that keept him pretty much pain free and able to move around.
It won't cure the problem, but it may give your kitty some relief.

When Maynard got arthritis bad, we did some rearranging of furniture so
that he could get on the bed and other places without help. My sister
actually built a stairway that attached to the bathroom counter so that
he could up there for food. It was pretty plain, nothing fancy, but he
used it all the time. And it was pretty easy to make and cheap.

wrote:
yngver wrote:


Just to update, x-rays showed what the vet called "joint mice", also
called osteochondritis dissecans, which is when bits of cartilege
crumble off and ossify. There is a solid looking oblong one in one knee
joint and the other is more shadowy and no particular shape, so it
apparently hasn't ossified yet. But the vet said it should be clear
liquid there. I'm not sure of the cause--he said it could be from
chronic injury (which I don't know how would have happened) or just
osteoarthritis. I'm worried that not much can be done for her and even
though she was running and jumping normally a couple of months ago, he
said she won't ever be able to use her knees normally again. He said
there really isn't a surgical option for cats since it tends to make
things worse rather than better. For now he said just to keep her on
the Cosequin. She doesn't seem to be in much pain except when she
climbs the stairs, so he didn't want to prescribe an anti-inflammatory
until she gets worse.

You might ask about Adequan. I knew a lady with a horse that had
ringbone which caused bad arthtritis in one joint. She got a monthly
injection that keept him pretty much pain free and able to move around.
It won't cure the problem, but it may give your kitty some relief.

When Maynard got arthritis bad, we did some rearranging of furniture so
that he could get on the bed and other places without help. My sister
actually built a stairway that attached to the bathroom counter so that
he could up there for food. It was pretty plain, nothing fancy, but he
used it all the time. And it was pretty easy to make and cheap.

Thanks. I looked up Adequan online and since it says it may help
rebuild cartilege, I think I'll ask our vet about it. Our cat seems to
be doing better now on the Cosequin but the vet said she doesn't appear
to have a lot of inflammation. And none of these treatments would get
rid of the loose bodies in the joint, as far as I know. We are waiting
to hear back from the orthopedic surgeon to find out if surgery to
remove the loose pieces is an option. Our vet originally said he didn't
think that kind of surgery would help, but he said he would consult the
orthopedic surgeon, who presumably knows more about this kind of thing.
From what I've read, when dogs develop "loose bodies" or "joint mice"
surgery is common, and the dog usually regains full use of the joint.
If anything can be done, we'll do it rather than have our cat
struggling up the stairs or to get on the bed for the rest of her life.

I did place an alpine scratcher (those ramp-like cardboard scratchers)
next to the bed and after a day or so she figured out the purpose, and
she uses it now both to get on and off the bed. In fact, it is
apparently so handy our other lazy cat with perfectly fine joints and
the ability to jump at least six feet high if she wants to has started
walking up the ramp to get on the bed.
-yngver