I’ve Heard of Hip Dysplasia in Pets…What
is it Though?
Hip dysplasia is a deformity of the joint of the hips in animals.
In plain terms, a displacement occurs in the hip joint of the
animal and the ball of the femur no longer properly fits into
the socket of the hip joint. A breakdown of joint, and abnormality
of the bones, will occur over time, resulting in arthritis in
the pet, and leading to incredible pain in use of the joint
(i.e., walking, running) and will only continue to get worse
over time.
Do Cats Suffer From Hip Dysplasia?
Hip dysplasia in cats was until recently unheard of, but recent
research indicates that felines of all breeds are capable of
developing feline hip dysplasia. Large breeds of dog are more
commonly diagnosed with hip dysplasia, but cats are by no means
immune.
Where Does It Come From Then?
The cause of this deformation is believed to be genetic, and
if your cat develops FHD, then both its parents either suffered
from this as well, or they were carriers for this defect. FHD
is not readily seen in kittens, as the hip bones are not fully
formed at this point. A kitten would then be born with the genetic
predisposition and over time, stress on the joint would cause
the dislocation to occur, and then subsequent abnormalities
and deformation of the hip joint to ensue. This would create
walking difficulties and the cat may then appear disinterested
in playing and exercising. The cat may appear to be a lazy cat,
but in reality, the cat chooses not to play as it is painful.
Are Some Breeds More Likely to Get It?
All breeds of cats are capable of developing this, but those
cats who have larger bones are more prone to this disease. Why?
Well in larger cats, the bones may not be as cushioned as they
could be by muscles and other sinuous tissues. This leads to
a greater likelihood of dislocation of the hip joint. This would
mean that cats such as Siamese, who are typically lighter and
smaller in size and bone structure are less likely, but they
are capable of developing FHD as well. The disorder is genetic
and can be avoided through breeding patterns.
How Do I Know if My Cat Has FHD?
FHD is best diagnosed with the use of an x-ray of the hip joint.
This can be done by your vet, and then sent to the Orthopedic
Foundation of Animals who has a division, the Hip Dysplasia
Registry, specifically designed to analyze the x-rays of cats
suspected to have FHD, and they can then tell definitively if
FHD is present in one or both hip joints. The deformity would
be clear upon this type of examination. Signs of the disorder
would be apparent in their daily lives, however, as the condition
is incredibly painful and will impair a cat’s ability
to walk. This will then lead to limping, difficulties walking,
and what appears to be a general sense of laziness in the cat
(an avoidance of exercise or playing).
My Cat Has FHD…What Can I Do To Help?
There is no available treatment to completely repair the deformity
of FHD. In the most severe cases, surgery may be necessary to
fuse prosthetics into the joint. Other less radical options
will include anti-inflammatory medicines and pain reduction
medicines. For cats who are overweight, reducing the weight
problem with food adjustments may be the first step. Also removing
unnecessary exercise, such as extra jumping, is also helpful.
Additionally, many alternative treatments exist that have been
effective at helping. One of the leading dietary supplements
includes the use of a glucosamine product to help try to repair
the joint naturally. Many cat owners, and dog owners too, have
reported that liquid glucosamine supplements have helped to
correct some of the limping, lameness, and lack of exercising
problems associated with hip dysplasia in their pets.
Be sure to visit the Glucosamine
Product Guide for a review of commercially available glucosamine
products broken down by 9 different categories such as price per month, quality and type. Learn what the best products out there are
and how we ranked each.
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