The article presents general information on this issue, as well as how the problem is solved in different cases. Only after examining a four-legged patient from a veterinarian can you get accurate advice on how and what to do for treatment.
Why does a cat limp on its front leg and what to do?
Lameness in cats is quite common and there can be many reasons for this: trauma, dislocation, fracture, sprain. Inspect the paw and, if no injuries are found, take it to the veterinarian. If there is a wound, treat it with an antiseptic and bandage the paw. Until your pet's complete recovery, his paw should not strain.
Why does a cat limp on his hind leg after castration, an injection without visible damage, how to help
During surgery or an injection, the doctor could have touched a nerve, which is why the cat is limping. This can continue for three to five days, without outside intervention. If the lameness does not disappear, then consult a veterinarian for examination.
The cat is limping and doesn’t eat anything.
The only reason a cat doesn't eat is because her paw hurts. She may have a dislocation or even a fracture. Take him to the doctor. If this is a sprain, and the cat still does not want to eat, then force feed it through a syringe, because it will not have the strength to fully recover.
The kitten is limping and won’t let you touch its paw, won’t let out its claws, what is it and how to treat it at home
The kitten injured its paw, but won’t let it be examined only because it hurts and is afraid that you will make it even more painful. He thinks right! You can only expect an examination from the owner, and the lameness and the injury itself must be treated by a veterinarian.
The kitten has a limping paw and a swollen paw, what to do and how to fix it
Examine the paw. Treat the wound and bandage it, but not too much. In this condition, take him to the doctor, as the kitten could have broken a paw or torn ligaments.
The kitten is limping on one paw or the other after vaccination
Two options: either the doctor touched a nerve, or this side effect drug (depending on the type of vaccination).
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poor cats that are limping
In this article I will talk about the reasons and what to do if a cat is limping on its front or back leg. I will list the main diseases that cause this symptom. I will describe the signs of common injuries and methods of providing assistance for bruises and fractures.
Reasons why a cat may limp
There are many reasons for a pet's sudden lameness. If a kitten or cat was healthy and suddenly suddenly began to limp, then most likely a limb injury occurred.
These could be:
- a thorn in the paw;
- insect bite;
- ligament damage;
- crack in bone tissue;
- injury;
- subluxation;
- fracture
Another invisible cause of a pet's sudden lameness may be an exacerbation of a serious musculoskeletal disease, which can manifest itself as lameness in the front and hind limbs.
On the front paw
It is usually diagnosed at the age of two years.
If your cat is limping on his front leg, he may have ulnar dysplasia. Pedigree cats are susceptible to this disease. The pathology, as a rule, develops on one forelimb and is hereditary.
The changes can vary in severity from mild lameness to complete inability to move with the affected paw.
Treatment in most cases is only possible through surgery. Drug therapy is prescribed only in mild forms in the form of anti-inflammatory and painkillers.
To the back
Lameness in the hind limb occurs when it is dislocated kneecap. Rarely seen. Amazes hind legs. In this case, lameness appears suddenly.
It looks like this: the cat falls on its back leg, meowing loudly with each step in pain, the paw takes on an unnatural shape.
Dislocations have a genetic predisposition and are often associated with serious trauma to the limb. In mild stages it is treated with anti-inflammatory corticosteroids, in difficult cases it cannot be done without surgical intervention.
Only an experienced veterinarian can correct a dislocation correctly.
On both limbs
Lameness of the front and hind limbs occurs in the following diseases.
Arthritis or arthrosis
As a rule, it affects old cats. It occurs in the form of monoarthritis (one joint is damaged) or polyarthritis (several joints).
Arthrosis manifests itself in the same form. Severe pain in this disease occurs when moving. There is less pain when at rest. With this disease, the cat quickly weakens and loses appetite. Sometimes body temperature rises.
Arthritis not only damages the joints, but also internal organs. The main reasons for the development of these diseases are: heredity, a sedentary lifestyle, severe weight gain, unbalanced nutrition, and various untreated infections. The disease is dangerous due to the complete destruction of the joint.
Osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis, in which in cats, as well as in humans, the spine is affected and causes lameness. This compresses the nerve endings between the spinal discs.
If the process of cartilage formation is disrupted, the cartilage between the spinal discs quickly wears out and the vertebral processes rub against each other, causing severe pain. The disease is hereditary. At the initial stage of disease development, treatment with corticosteroids is possible.
With pinched nerves and progressive lameness, treatment is only possible through surgery.
Osteomyelitis
The disease affects young cats mainly of Persian breeds. It goes away on its own with age. During an exacerbation, it causes severe pain to the pet.
Therapy includes corticosteroids and medications.
Bone tumors
Upon impact, the fragile, pathologically altered bone may crack.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system cannot be independently diagnosed and prescribed correct treatment. In such cases, the cat needs professional help.
How to recognize a fracture or bruise
An injury to the paw always becomes immediately noticeable.
The cat holds the injured limb suspended, cannot step on it, and does not allow anyone to touch the sore spot.
A common type of injury in active cats is bruises. Distinctive signs of such damage are:
- paw swelling at the site of injury;
- hematoma, which can be seen under the fur;
- absence of wounds on the sore paw;
- the structure of the paw is not damaged;
- joints are mobile;
- at the site of injury temperature rise is felt skin;
- cat constantly licks the sore spot.
A fracture is a more serious injury. Its signs are more pronounced and noticeable:
- violation of form damaged paw;
- bone instability can be determined by touch;
- swelling all over the paw.
First aid for a cat
If your cat hurts its paw, self-treatment at home is possible. You can help your cat in the following ways:
- if possible calm down(if the pet does not show aggression, pick it up, caress it, pat it on the back);
- to the place of injury apply cold for 1 minute, then, after a 30 second break, apply again for 1 minute, etc. Repeat the manipulation for 15 minutes.
In case of a fracture, it is necessary to immobilize the paw and, if possible, fix it. It is advisable to transport your pet to the veterinary clinic while still, so as not to further damage the limb.
The veterinarian at the clinic will take an x-ray and all the necessary manipulations to help the cat.
No matter how much pain a cat may feel due to an injury, it is strictly forbidden to give painkillers from a human first aid kit yourself.
These medications are not intended for use on animals and may cause irreparable harm to health.
When is it time to go to the vet?
In case of bruise, the paw will recover on its own within 5-7 days.
Special treatment will only be required if the pet does not stop limping within the specified period.
If there is evidence of a fracture or dislocation on the face, you must immediately contact a veterinary clinic for professional help.
In the case where no signs of injury are visible, but the animal is limping and shows through its behavior that it is in pain, you should not delay visiting a specialist. This symptom may indicate a serious disease of the cat's musculoskeletal system and requires professional treatment.
In the article I talked about lameness that can suddenly occur in a cat. She listed the main reasons for this condition. She described signs of injuries such as bruises and fractures. I wrote about providing first aid to a cat.
Cats are particularly mobile. This may also result in some injuries. If a cat is limping on its front leg, the owner should definitely find out the cause of the problem and provide quality treatment to the animal. Without this, there is a high risk that the damage will not go away on its own, and the pet’s condition will continue to worsen. The owner can determine on his own the reason why the front leg is limping only if there are external signs of a violation of the integrity of the limb. In other cases, only a veterinarian can make the correct diagnosis.
Reasons
There is one non-pathological reason when a cat's front (or back) paw is lame. It occurs if the animal has an artistic bent and a touchy character. Such a cat, if the owner even slightly stepped on his limb or slightly pinched it with the door, and everything happened without injury or damage, immediately uttering a very loud cry, begins to limp on the injured paw, demonstrating with all his appearance that he is a victim.
After examining the limping paw, the owner does not detect any pain or signs of damage. The animal will demonstrate an abnormal gait for another 2-3 hours, after which it will stop the performance. The main thing at this moment is not to feed the cat treats, as otherwise it will get used to this method of extortion.
In other cases, the cat's front paw is lame for pathological reasons that require treatment. The following several diseases and injury are the main factors causing front paw lameness:.
- Injury. The most common reason why a cat limps on his front leg if he walks freely on the street. Lameness does not necessarily occur due to a severe injury such as a fracture or dislocation. Impaired movement of the front paw can also occur due to bruises, cuts, splinters and sprains. During an external examination, you can detect a wound or swelling that causes the front paw to limp.
If a cat suddenly limps, then in 99% of cases there is an injury. If it is simple, then nothing needs to be done, and it goes away in 2-3 days. The most serious damage occurs to a kitten if it is attacked by a dog. If the animal begins to limp gradually, there is no talk of injury. - Osteochondrosis may also be the cause of a cat's lameness. The disease occurs in older cats. In pathology, pinching of the spinal cord roots occurs. If this pinching affects cervical region, then the cat is lame in one front paw or both paws at once. It is very difficult for him to stand on them. It is impossible to completely cure the pathology, and therapy is exclusively supportive in nature. The older the pet, the more severe osteochondrosis will manifest itself, causing more and more pronounced lameness. Often this is the answer to the question why a cat is limping.
- Elbow dysplasia. The disorder occurs infrequently and mainly in especially purebred cats, the external appearance of which has much higher value than health. This disorder begins to manifest itself in young cats and only intensifies over the years. Such individuals should not be bred, since the pathology is hereditary and is passed on from parents to offspring. The left or right paw is lame, or both at once. The pathology begins to manifest itself most clearly when the cat is two or three years old.
- Arthritis or arthrosis. Diseases that occur in older cats and lead to inflammation of the joints. The pathology affects the fore and hind limbs equally. Lameness increases gradually. Treatment for this disease is predominantly supportive. There may be periods of complete elimination of symptoms and its subsequent reappearance. The cat's lameness does not disappear completely. If therapeutic measures are not taken, the pet’s condition will only worsen and it may completely lose the ability to move normally.
- Osteomyelitis. Occurs in cats less than 2 years old. In pathology, partial destruction of the paw bones occurs with the development of a purulent-inflammatory process. The cat has a limp front leg, both legs, or the back legs too. The disease is especially common in representatives of the Persian breed and animals bred on their basis. The main assumption regarding the causes of the disease is genetic predisposition.
If a cat or cat is limping on its front leg, urgent measures must be taken to eliminate the problem. The longer a visit to the veterinarian is postponed, the more money will need to be spent on treating an already advanced disease. The veterinarian will take an x-ray of the front paws and, after identifying the cause of the pathology, prescribe the necessary treatment. The front paw of cats is especially functional, and therefore when it is lame, the pet experiences serious difficulties and cannot continue to live a full life.
VETERINARIAN CONSULTATION REQUIRED. INFORMATION FOR INFORMATION ONLY. Administration
Based on materials from the website www.icatcare.org
Lameness in cats can develop due to infection with feline calicivirus (FCV). This is one of the main causes of infectious diseases of the upper respiratory tract(colds) in cats.
The classic "cat cold" has a short incubation period (three to five days). It manifests itself mainly in diseases of the upper respiratory tract (sneezing, runny nose, nasal discharge, conjunctivitis, discharge from the eyes and mouth). These symptoms may be accompanied by fever, less often cough and pneumonia.
Already in the early stages of the disease, some cats may experience transient lameness, which can be considered as a clinical sign of FCV infection. This is now thought to be a relatively common clinical manifestation of feline calicivirus infection. Transient lameness associated with cat infection with calicivirus is called Lameness syndrome(limping syndrome).
Calicivirus infection has been identified as a cause of lameness in observations of infected kittens. Their limp appeared within 2-3 days along with the usual symptoms - hyperthermia, lethargy, loss of appetite. Within a few hours of developing hyperthermia, the kittens also showed general or localized stiffness. It manifested itself as lameness in some, and almost complete immobility in others. Cats reacted painfully to palpating and manipulation of joints, and general hyperesthesia (pain or increased sensitivity to touch) was observed. None of the cats had sneezing or eye discharge. However, about a third of the kittens developed mouth ulcers (one of the classic signs of feline calicivirus upper respiratory tract infection). Clinical signs resolved within 48 to 72 hours without residual effects.
The effect of feline calicivirus infection on joints.
Further studies showed that calicivirus proteins could be found in the synovium (the membrane lining the surface of the joint cavity and the ligaments located in the joint) in cats infected with or vaccinated with the live FCV vaccine. Since viral proteins are associated with antibodies, we can talk about the formation of an “immune complex” (a combination of a virus protein and specific antibodies produced against it), which can provoke an inflammatory reaction. In some cases, it was possible to isolate the entire virus from the joints of cats with signs of calicivirus infection, including lameness. This can be considered evidence that the virus provoked an acute inflammatory reaction.
Therefore, it is obvious that under the influence of calicivirus, at least in some situations, a systemic infection occurs, causing localization of the virus in the tissues of the joint. This may cause an inflammatory response due to local replication at these sites, or possibly due to stimulation of immune-mediated inflammation. Claudication syndrome is a form of virally induced polyarthritis (inflammation affecting multiple joints).
Some strains of FCV appear to be more likely to cause lameness in cats than others.
Vaccination against calicivirus infection and lameness syndrome.
Lameness syndrome associated with feline calicivirus infection most often occurs in kittens. It may develop even after the first vaccination of the kitten. Some vaccines may cause lameness syndrome more often than others. All manufacturers are constantly improving their products to reduce the risk of such complications. In addition, even if lameness occurs after vaccination, in some cases, an acquired infection rather than the vaccine itself causes the syndrome.
The role of feline calicivirus infection in the development of lameness syndrome.
So, calicivirus is undoubtedly capable of causing temporary polyarthritis (inflammation affecting more than one joint) in cats, more often in small kittens. This is a fairly common manifestation of calicivirus infection, and sometimes lameness syndrome is associated with vaccinations (especially live vaccines).
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