Muscle atrophy in hind legs?

Our 11 year old cat has arthritis in her knees and a bit in her spine.
She has been doing very well on Cosequin and can still jump up on the
bed and even runs a little sometimes but I can tell her knees bother
her because she walks with her hind feet a little forward, hunching
her spine. Even our vet noticed this but he said he doesn't want to
use pain medication unless it gets worse due to possible side effects.
I recently noticed by looking at some pictures from her from a few
years ago that her hind legs are also thinner than they were, due, I
assume, to muscle atrophy. Can anything be done for that? Would fish
oil or some other supplement help? Acupuncture?

Thanks-
yngver

"yngver" wrote in message
...
Our 11 year old cat has arthritis in her knees and a bit in her spine.
She has been doing very well on Cosequin and can still jump up on the
bed and even runs a little sometimes but I can tell her knees bother
her because she walks with her hind feet a little forward, hunching
her spine. Even our vet noticed this but he said he doesn't want to
use pain medication unless it gets worse due to possible side effects.
I recently noticed by looking at some pictures from her from a few
years ago that her hind legs are also thinner than they were, due, I
assume, to muscle atrophy. Can anything be done for that? Would fish
oil or some other supplement help? Acupuncture?

Thanks-
yngver

Omega-3s should help reduce inflammation- just make sure you use an Omega-3
supplement that's balanced with vit. E.

Phil

You can buy the ones made for pets which makes it a lot easier. Your's might
have too much vitamin A in it for a cat which would not be safe as it is a
non-water soluable vitamin. For pets, there is 3V Caps HP Formula or
Welactin. The regular 3V Caps formula has fish oils, vitamins A, D & E in it,
while the 3V Caps HP formula has fish oils (a higher amount than the regular
3V Caps) and Vitamin E.

http://www.medi-vet.com/SearchResult...yWords=3v%20hp

Welactin is fish oil and Vitamin E.

http://www.medi-vet.com/SearchResult...Words=welactin

There are other brands too; these seem to be good ones though. I've been
using the Welactin and may try the 3V Caps HP next time.


Riannon

yngver wrote:
On Oct 1, 12:13 pm, "Phil P." wrote:
"yngver" wrote in message

[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]

Phil

Thanks, Phil. I have looked but haven't found the required amount of
vit. E to balance the Omega-3. I was thinking of offering our cat the
EFA Krill Oil that I take myself but that only has a small amount of
Vitamin E This brand of krill oil definitely helps my own bad knee,
though:

EFA Gold Krill Oil

Vitamin A 100IU
Vitamin E .5IU
Neptune Krill Oil 1g
Omega-3 Fatty Acids 300mg
EPA 150mg
DHA 90mg
Phospholipids 400mg
Omega-9 Fatty Acids 85mg
Omega-6 Fatty Acids 20mg
Astaxanthin 1.5mg

I haven't tried it yet so I don't even know whether she will eat it,
but in the past she has occasionally been willing to lick up some oil
from a regular fish oil capsule.
-yngver

--
Message posted via CatKB.com
http://www.catkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx...ealth/200810/1