Old Injury, Broken Hip or Pelvis?

[claydust]

Kasey, my recue tortie has signs of an old injury and with some of the recent posts on caring for cats with these injuries, it made me wonder if this is what happened to her.

This is just for curiosity at this point, she has been seen by our vet who acknowleges it is an old injury but says there isn't much can be done at this point.

She is a happy, indoor cat know, who is imprinted on me and still likes to play; her story is in "my cats" in the post header.

Her situation;

Walks fine

Can run, perhaps not as fast as our other cats

Cannot jump much more than 12 inches

Limps on her left, rear leg when she get up after lying down a while

When she sits, she sticks her left rear leg straight out


She has been here 1 1/2 years now and this happened sometime before I brought her home.

She used to be a phenominal jumper and would range far outside the fence line in the rural area that surrounds the company facility that I removed her from. This all stopped at one point and she stuck close to the building where she lived, I assume she felt vulnerable.

I know that if someone or something injured her, she would not have had the benefit of being confined in a small cage and cared for, to recover, as per the posts on cats with broken hips or pelvis.

I wonder if this was the source of her injury, or whether it was something else; I guess I will never know.

She is on glucosamine pills now and is doing much better in a safe environment with good food, attention. After a couple months here, on the pills etc., she started stretching her back legs, like most cats do, someting I had not seen her do, before. At least she is settled, happy and appears comfortable now.

 

[farleyv]

Have they considered arthritis? She is 10 years old and that is roughly the time these things set in. Especially since she has been injured there, it is prime for arthritis.

She sounds like a wonderful girl and you have a good heart to take her in. But maybe the vet thinks it is arthritis. Isn't glucosamine for that?

 

[claydust]

Originally Posted by farleyv

Have they considered arthritis? She is 10 years old and that is roughly the time these things set in. Especially since she has been injured there, it is prime for arthritis.

Yes, that is another possibility, I have considered.

Sometimes she used to be kicked out over night in our cold winter weather and there wasn't a lot of shelter, there, outside.

I expect that had some adverse effects.

Originally Posted by farleyv

But maybe the vet thinks it is arthritis. Isn't glucosamine for that?

Actually, I started her on these, after some research, the vet doesn't have a problem with them.

http://www.drmaggie.ca/products_joint.html

As I mentioned, when she first came home, I never observed her do the full "cat stretch" (flat down on the front legs 1st, then stand up and stretch the back legs full out). After some time on the pills, she started doing the stretch; she also will now rear up once and a while when she is after a toy.

I don't know if it is the pills or just better food, care and environment.

Pill time is VERY important, she gets 1/4 pill in the morning and 1/4 in the evening; the important part is, it is wrapped in a very small ammount of cheese

 

[gloriajh]

First: read the bios of your precious companions - does the heart good to read about your (manly) tenderness towards these loving creatures.

Second: Glucosamine/chondroitin - I read somewhere that human glucosamine isn't "safe" for animals - but when I started to try and find the article for this post I found conflicting information - so, thought I just go ahead and mention the controversy so you can check it out for yourself if you're interested. (?)

Personally, I've found that the liquid works better for myself - and this company advertises a formula for pets: http://www.flexicoseforpets.com/categories.asp

So if you're not sure about the effectiveness about the pill dose that you're giving her, you'd know about the Flexicose brand (there are other formulas, too) - if you don't already, that is.

Here's another website with some information, also: http://www.peteducation.com/article....1+1400&aid=669

My cats are still young, so haven't noticed a need to give them supplements for joint pain. I had a very old Doberman that I gave glucosamine to and found it was very helpful - so, hopefully you'll be able to help lessen Kasey's pain with glucosamine, too.

 

[claydust]

Originally Posted by GloriaJH

So if you're not sure about the effectiveness about the pill dose that you're giving her, you'd know about the Flexicose brand (there are other formulas, too) - if you don't already, that is.

Here's another website with some information, also: http://www.peteducation.com/article....1+1400&aid=669

Thanks, I will check that out. I could see where the liquid may be absorbed more efficiently.

I do think I am getting results with the pills by what she is able to do now, as compared to when I first brought her home. I was erring on the side of caution in my description of the results, since I don't like making things sound like a miracle cure and mislead anyone.

She likes the mode of delivery, it is wrapped in a very small piece of cedar; it is the only time I break the "no people food" rule we have.

She reminds me when it is cheese time, it is a VERY important morning and evening event.