Arthritis in cats: causes, symptoms, treatment of a pet

If your pet has arthritis, it is important to find out the cause and understand whether it can be cured.

Our pets often have the same diseases that people suffer from. Among them is arthritis. Inflammation of the joints in cats and cats is not very common. The worst thing is that our favorites are not able to tell us about their problems, and therefore many have been tormented for years. Yes, and we, not realizing that a cat can suffer from such a disease, do not immediately notice the problem, thereby dooming it to long suffering.

The reasons why arises arthritis in catsHow to notice this disease in time and cure the animal - we will try to answer these questions today.

Arthritis in cats: the main reasons

Let's start with the fact that several types are distinguished arthritis in cats. By the way the disease proceeds, acute and chronic forms are distinguished. For the causes of the disease - purulent, functional, caused by a violation of metabolic processes in the body caused by injuries, rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.

If we consider all causes arthritis in cats - Their number will greatly surprise you. In our article we will consider the main reasons that can cause this disease in our rumbling friends.

• Injuries and injuries.This is most often the reason for the development of inflammation in the joints of our restless satellites. Either he jumped from a great height, then he landed unsuccessfully, then threw something heavy on himself-a proverb that a cat can read nine lives and so-a cat will always find an adventure on his own head.
• Genetic predisposition.About seventy percent of cats have a hereditary predisposition to arthritis. Especially often representatives of the withdrawn breeds and flowering cats, who have become very popular in recent years, suffer. It is in these breeds that dysplasia is often found (congenital underdevelopment of the hip joints).
• Violation of metabolic processes.Violation of metabolism and obesity affects not only many processes in the body, but also the quality of life of your pet as a whole. Most often, this leads to the fact that the cat or cat gains weight, but there is another side of the coin - cartilage tissues cease to receive the necessary trace elements and become fragile. At the same time, the load on the musculoskeletal system increases significantly, since the weight of the animal has become greater. In such a situation, an increase in physical activity can lead to the transition arthritis in cats to arthrosis.
• Various microorganisms. Bacteria, microbes, bacilli and sticks can penetrate through injured skin or cartilage tissue, as well as spread through the bloodstream if the cat suffers from an infectious disease. In this case, they quickly penetrate into all corners of the body and affect the tissues that they like. The fact is that there are such microorganisms that attract the fabrics from which the joint is built, as a result of which it is inflamed. If the bacteria that are in the joint bag are purulent, they will not only lead to inflammation of the joints, but also to the accumulation of pus in them. In this case, your cat or cat need mandatory treatment, otherwise they may die - blood infection will happen and bacteria will spread throughout the body.

• Cold.Rheumatic arthritis in cats It can develop if the cat or cat spends most of the time in the room with drafts, sleeps on and moves along the cold floor or on cold ground on the street.
• Age.This is probably the most common reason-during the life of the animal, articular fabrics wear out, often injure (again, cat lifestyle) and, as a result, become fragile and brittle.

Arthritis in cats: symptoms

Symptoms Arthritis in cats manifest both in the behavior of the animal and in its physiology. They are divided by doctors - into behavioral and physiological.

Among behavioral symptoms, veterinarians distinguish the following:

1. The animal becomes restless And it does not allow you to touch the joints.
2. The animal loses its appetite. This, in particular, is a clear sign of the beginning of the development of infection.
3. The cat does not want to play. If earlier she was worn on cabinets, walls and cornices, now she prefers to calmly lie down far from everyone.
4. The pet avoids company of his own. If earlier your cat frolic with other cats with pleasure, now it avoids the company.
5. He does not ask for his hands. Before the illness, your pet could lie in your arms for hours, bargain and play? And now it is not given to your hands and answers with plaintive meow or aggression? This is a clear sign of arthritis.
6. Licking. Have you noticed that your pet's muzzle is no longer so clean? This means that he does not clean her with front paws very well. Or maybe he often began to lick the rear ones for a long time? If the animal is painful to control the joints, the time for washing will be reduced if it is not able to reach the right place. And vice versa, if the animal takes out to the place that bothers him or which hurts - it will lick him for hours.
7. Long sleep. The time that your pet devotes on vacation has increased greatly. And when he wakes up in the first minutes, it seems that this is not your flexible cat, but something awkward on crutches.

   

8. Claw. If earlier your favorite, in addition to the claw, also managed to tear down your new sofa and comb a couple of seats in addition, waiting for you from work, now even the claws remains not touched. This is especially clearly manifested if the front paws are damaged.
9. Lowering-lifting. A sick animal cannot descend normally and climb the stairs - each movement, each bend of the joint brings pain. The same thing happens if a cat or cat climbed high - if earlier they jumped or descended themselves, then with arthritis, they often ask you to remove them from a high point.
10. Tray. If all excrement is carefully buried in a lot of healthy fluffy, then a sick animal cannot do this, due to what it hurts.
11. The animal tries to endure the situations unpleasant for him, in which in the past the claws would already use. This is a sign that it hurts to release claws.

It is worth noting here that the loving master knows all the habits, habits and movements of his pet and be wary of any change. Even if in your life now a period when you cannot devote enough time to the animal - try to pay attention to him more often, because without you he cannot cope with the disease.

Physiological symptoms  arthritis in cats not so much. The most common are:

1. A sick animal does not release claws, they are drawn all the time. Often even twisted if you do not cut them.
2. The coat fades, gets confused very much and can even fall out.
3. The joint can increase in size.
4. The total body temperature of the cat or cat increases.
5. If you are bending the damaged cat -haired cat can hiss, take the ears, bite, freeze (holding your breath), a light tremor may also appear. All this suggests that she hurts.

Arthritis in cats: treatment

Firstly, when the first symptoms are manifested, you need to consult a veterinarian. Do not try to cure the animal yourself. After all, even if you understand that he has arthritis, the origin of the disease can only be found out by passing a blood test and making an X -ray. And, accordingly, only then it will be possible to choose a method of treatment that really helps your favorite.

In general, treatment arthritis in cats It can be divided into two important parts, which will not give any one without another effect.

First you need to change your cat and facilitate the living conditions:

1. Heat and comfort. This item concerns the sleeping place and all those points at which the cat spends a lot of time. Buy a special sunbed to the animal or lay a soft and warm blanket away from the door, windows, and drafts. It is important that your pet is warm to sleep and does not blow. A great solution is a warm cat house that can protect the cat from all sides. On a window, a closet, or in any other place, a chosen cat, lay something warm.
2. Convenient access. Highlight the places that the cat loves, and ensure a gentle, soft access to them so that the animal does not have to jump and bend the legs a lot. For example, most cats like to look at the world from the window - put a board or a ladder so that it is easier for a cat to get to your favorite place. And do not forget to lay a warm litter so that he is comfortable. Take a closer look at the tray - if the cat must bend the legs a lot to cross the side - buy another tray. Choose a natural filler for a tray with rounded edges, so that the cat is as comfortable as possible and does not have to bend the affected joints once again. Put the bowls for water and food.
3. Food. Try to make the nutrition of the animal more balanced, so that everything that eats the animal quickly absorbs and does not lead to constipation. In addition, vitamins must be added to the diet. Also pay attention to the temperature of drinking - the water should be warm so that the disease does not intensify.
4. The appearance of the cat. It just so happened that the cats are very clean-it is laid in them with a mother nature. And if they are not able to spread on their own and put their fur coat and face in order, then he does not feel very comfortable. Comers your cat more often and cut his claws.

The second important part of treatment arthritis in cats There are, of course, medicines.

Important: with the ailment of the drug for the animal and their dosage should be selected by the doctor. This is especially important for arthritis in cats - medicines for it are very aggressive and can affect the kidneys, liver, heart, and can also cause allergies.

In addition, improper dosage can lead to aggravation of the disease. Typically, the veterinarian prescribes anti -inflammatory and analgesic drugs plus sometimes antibiotics. At the same time, you must vigilantly monitor the cat and notice even very small changes so as not to miss anything. Also, everything must necessarily be done under the constant control of the doctor, since when allergies or other side effects appear, you will need its urgent intervention. Do not risk your favorite.

And finally, the worst idea in the treatment of any disease of cats is to give them drugs intended for people. We ourselves often do not tolerate some drugs, and it is simply impossible to predict the reaction of a fluffy body.

Video: joint and bone diseases in cats