Arthritis in Manx cats

Hi everyone,

I just rescued a 5 year old male cat from a local shelter and he only has about 1/3 of a tail. I've been doing some research and it seems as though he fits all the criteria to be considered a Manx. Apparently, when Manx cats are kittens, the breeders will dock off their tails (or lack thereof) to prevent the arthritis that is common to the breed (due to some genetic mutation that deforms the development of their spine).

This information has me concerned, and I am curious to know what kinds of preventative measures can to taken now to avoid the onset of this arthritis? Any particular foods or what else may be best?

Thanks in advance!

Julia

Thank you for rescuing this cat. 

I don't know if treating a Manx cat who has arthritis is any different from treating a domestic short hair cat, but this is what I did for a cat I was temporarily fostering who, through x-rays, was diagnosed with arthritis.  Twiddledee is around 3 years old.

Supplement such as Glucosamine, Chondroitin & MSM found in Cosequin are really good.  Joint tissues from meat (the leg joint I think)  is also good (if your Manx will eat raw).  Low heat sometimes feels good.  Very very limited use of pain pills (vet said I could give Tdee 1/4 tablet Baby aspirin three times a week).

Do encourage mild forms of exercise, gets the joints moving and loose.

Thank you for your suggestions, Ritz! I will take them to heart when purchasing his food and when choosing his supplements.

Fortunately, he shows no real indication of arthritis at this time, except for an extreme dislike of his tail being touched (not sure if that's due to pain or sensitivity or what). I Just want to do what I can now to make sure he's as healthy as can be for a long time to come.

Thanks again! All the best to you and your little Twiddledee

Hi JFED and welcome to the forum!

You know, you really have to put up some pix of this little guy....and, 'tho he may be shy, we'd love to know his name!
 

The best I can do is to tell you exactly what I'd be doing, if the tables were turned.

• Know that all Vets are NOT 'created equal'. Know also, that it is very difficult for general practice Vets to have in-depth knowledge of every feline disease/condition and that it is unrealistic for us to expect that they would. I would "shop" around for a competent feline Veterinarian. I would start with cat-only clinics in my area - or, perhaps, search for some in my general vicinity. This site is that of The American Association of Feline Practitioners http://www.catvets.com/cfpandpractitionersearch/ Now, simple membership in that org is not necessarily a guarantee of competency - it is, however a starting point.
• is there a Veterinary college reasonably nearly? These schools have Board Certified specialists on staff and usually a small animal hospital attached. Either book an assessment appointment at the hospital yourself and request a specialist consult,  or have your own Veterinarian secure an appointment with the College's Veterinary Orthopedic specialist.
• have a set of x-rays taken now to get a baseline assessment and record of the current condition of his back and legs. This will be used in the future if needed to document any potential change. Given that most accounts of spinal issues begin around age 5, I would be repeating that radiography on a yearly basis forward.
• Food intake should exclude foods that "feed" inflammation, like starches. You can do your own research on that to identify appropriate arthritic diets....the best all-time website on feline nutrition has to be this http://catinfo.org/ If you have the resources, Dr. Pierson provides individual consultation.
• It's well known that Krill oil is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent - there is a TCS member - "LDG" - who is well-versed on its benefits and use in kitties. You could send her a message and ask her to join this discussion/give you info
• For the sake of your cat's health, never accept NSAID pain relievers - cats simply do not have the ability to metabolize them and, there have been many cases of cats who have suffered irreparable injury and death as a result of administration. The most notorious of these is Metacam. There are safe pain meds for cats - all prescription and all narcotic.
• The woman who 'wrote the book' (well, website) considered the 'oracle' on kidney disease in cats also has a site which has good coverage of arthritis. Her work is scientifically sound and reliable. It's a good starting point for a knowledge base of feline arthritis treatment/therapies. It's here http://www.harpsie.com/arthritis.htm

I hope some of this may help...if anything else comes to mind, I'll drop back.

Keep us posted (and, remember those pix!).