The kitten is limping on its hind leg. The cat is lame on the front or hind legs. How to recognize a broken or bruised hind leg

Cats, unlike dogs, are much more plastic and graceful creatures. And therefore, even inattentive owners notice violations in their “gait” much faster. Lameness is especially visible in cats. There can be many reasons for this phenomenon. We will try to consider those that are most common.

This disease for cats is considered not the most characteristic, but ... Yes, in the case of outbred "Murki" everything is exactly like that. They practically do not suffer from this pathology, the cases are extremely rare. That's just with thoroughbred cats in recent years, things are much sadder. The problem is selection. More precisely, in poorly conducted selection: a lot of animals get into breeding, which should not be allowed there, as a result of which the breed gains a lot of “bad” genes. The characteristics of the pathology are as follows:

How easy it is to understand are amazed forelimbs(as a rule, the pathology is well manifested only on one paw).

The disease is hereditary. If you do not know the breeder, and among your acquaintances there are also no people who bought kittens from him, it is better not to risk it. Animals must be purchased only from trusted individuals who will not allow sick pets to be bred.

Diagnosed "elbow" dysplasia at the age of two or three years, or even earlier.

The severity of symptoms varies greatly from cat to cat. Your pet may be lucky, and then only intermittent lameness will bother him, or he may not be lucky, and then he will not be able to fully move from without surgery.

Therapy (complete) - exclusively surgical. Anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers, etc. are prescribed only in mild cases, when the compensatory reserves of the body have not yet been exhausted. When the cat already noticeably falls on the sore paw, drug treatment will not give a special effect.

Arthritis and arthrosis

Arthrytis () in Greek means "articular inflammation." This is one of the most common pathologies affecting older cats everywhere. Arthritis that affects one joint is called in veterinary medicine monoarthritis, disease of two or three joints - oligoarthritis. If not one or two, but all joints of the limbs suffer, then the name of the diagnosis changes - polyarthritis. What is it? This is the name of an inflammatory-degenerative disease, in general terms, characterized by the same pathological changes in the joints.

But its essence does not change. The joints do not hurt so much without movement, without a load on them, more strongly - with a load and outdoor games. In this case, the cat becomes very weak, completely or partially refuses to eat, an increase in body temperature is possible. Arthritis affects not only the joints, but also the internal organs. Among the main causes leading to the development of the disease, veterinarians distinguish the following factors:

Heredity, about which we have already written a lot above.

"Recumbent" lifestyle that is, the pathology very often affects castrates who are prone to low activity and rapid weight gain. If a "well-fed" cat begins to constantly fall on its front paw, it should be taken to the doctor immediately.

Unbalanced nutrition. It is typical for pets whose owners "do not bother" with the selection of the correct, complete diet.

We can also mention our ecology, which adversely affects the health of not only a person, but also his pets.

Various infections.

Read also: Fibrosarcoma - all about tumors in cats

Predisposing factors and how to deal with them

Currently, not everything is known about the causes of arthritis. It has a lot of varieties, among which it should be noted: osteoarthritis, gout and rheumatoid arthritis. Each type has its own characteristics, but at the same time, they also have a lot in common: pain on movement, severe lameness, inflammation. The latter (in especially advanced cases) can lead to the development of sepsis and the complete destruction of the joints.

There is also "professional" arthritis. This type of pathology is characterized by the fact that pathological changes in the joints occur as a result of long-term, repetitive loads on the limbs. For example, chronic arthritis can occur (due to the specifics of the "profession") in circus cats. But this, of course, is a real exotic. Much more often, the causes of arthritis and the lameness caused by it are much more commonplace.

Often the disease is provoked cold infection, severe bruises and bites in the joints, constant contact with toxic substances. Sometimes the disease of the joints is promoted exclusively by a fish or “dry” (that is, the cat is fed only dry food) diet. Rare cases of psychosomatic arthritis have been described that appear in especially sensitive pets against the background of serious ones (after sterilization, for example).

How does the disease manifest itself? The cat begins to limp heavily, every movement causes her severe pain. The joints can noticeably swell; when they are probed, it is easy to notice an increase in local body temperature. As a rule, animals react aggressively to attempts to probe them: they meow hoarsely, try to scratch the owner and run away.

Prevention and therapy

Proper nutrition plays an important role in the treatment and prevention of all forms of arthritis. This pathology, first of all, is the deposition of calcium in cartilage and joints. It happens in the end excessive consumption of canned food, cereals and bakery products. In a word, this is another reason to completely reconsider the diet of your "fluffy". The success of the treatment and prevention of arthritis is largely dependent on a balanced diet. Boiled and pureed vegetables should be included in the daily diet (especially for older cats), but fatty meat, canned food and "handouts" from the human table should be completely excluded.

Read also: Prostatitis - inflammation of the prostate gland in cats

The main emphasis in nutrition should be on reducing the calorie content of the animal's diet and eliminating excess calcium from it and other elements potentially capable of accumulating in the joints in the form of salts. It is better not to prevent the disease than to fight it later. This is clear to all breeders. We also recall that arthritis today is largely considered an inherited pathology - choose carefully where to buy kittens.

Concerning treatment. In mild cases, the cat is prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs. corticosteroids and painkillers drugs. With an infectious etiology (at least suspected of it), the pet is also prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics and other antimicrobials. Finally, in the most severe cases, they resort to surgical intervention, including the complete replacement of the affected joint with a synthetic implant.

If arthritis has affected your pet, you should immediately contact your veterinarian to conduct a complete medical examination and make an accurate diagnosis. Sick cats are shown massage (but not in all forms of arthritis), physiotherapy.

It is advisable to consult a specialist regarding the preparation of the maximum balanced diet for your pet. If all this is done in time, the cat will be able to get rid of this serious illness and live a full, active life, again delighting its owner.

Dislocation of the patella, Patella

We note right away that in cats this pathology, leading to severe lameness, quite rare, but the cases are not isolated. The following characteristics of the disease can be given:

It strikes, as you might guess, exclusively hind limbs.

Lameness appears suddenly and spontaneously: the cat begins to fall sharply on its hind paw, while meowing and hissing frightenedly from surprise and pain.

Patella luxation is generally considered to be a genetic disease, but cases have been described in which severe trauma to the extremities contributed to its development.

Unlike dogs, in which small breeds are susceptible to this pathology, among cats, patella is most often diagnosed in "giants", as well as cats of ordinary breeds, beyond measure.

Treatment depends on the stage of the disease (there are four in total). On the first two, anti-inflammatory corticosteroids can be successfully dispensed with, while on the third and fourth, the animal's only chance for a full life is a professionally performed surgical intervention.

A healthy cat is a mobile animal, it still lives exclusively at home or goes out on a free range. Such activity can threaten a number of injuries, for example, lameness on the front paw. Often this is not an independent disease, but a clear symptom of the presence of other hidden diseases.

How do you know if a cat has a lame front leg?

What is it - a lameness or a fracture of the front paw?

Everything strongly depends on the state of health of a particular pet, the severity of an individual episode, most often the signs are:

the animal does not step on the diseased paw, tries to transfer weight to a healthy limb;
the cat has an uneven, slow gait;
does not want to perform her usual movements;
the pet does not allow anyone to touch the sick paw, it is in pain;
the cat endlessly licks the diseased limb.

Causes of lameness in cats

Examination of the front paw.

When lameness is permanent, almost from birth, it can be caused by genetic abnormalities in the very development of the skeleton (dysplasia).

It happens that a cat begins to limp due to a number of metabolic disorders (for example, osteodystrophy). Less common are serious illnesses such as osteosarcoma .

When chromate appears suddenly and there are no visible injuries, its common causes are bruises, dislocations, small cracks and even torn ligaments. Even a bad jump from a small height, such as a chair or sofa, can cause injury to a cat that causes it to limp. A cat with a minor cruciate ligament tear may limp enough suddenly .

Help for the front paw by the veterinarian.

Another common cause of lameness in cats can be arthritis, a disease of the nerves or claws that affects the sensitivity of the paws.

Lameness in cats and calcivirus

Lameness can also develop due to infection with feline calcivirus.

Many studies indicate that under the influence of calcivirus, a systemic infection sometimes occurs, which causes the localization of the virus directly in the tissues of the joint. Thus, calcivirus is quite capable of causing temporary polyarthritis, more often in adults than in kittens.

Ulcers in the mouth are the first sign of calcivirosis.

It should be noted that lameness, directly related to calcivirus, mainly occurs in kittens. In the case when lameness makes itself felt after vaccination, it is more often caused by an acquired infection. True, sometimes the reason lies in the vaccine.

lameness syndrome

The severity of chromate syndrome varies over a fairly wide range, ranging from implicit inflammation, slight limping, to a severe form of polyarthritis, when the pet stubbornly refuses to move and fundamentally refuses to eat.

Affected cats usually recover on their own over time.

What should the owner do

If you notice that, the first thing to do is - inspect the paw immediately . Perhaps the cause will be found out, for example, damage or a foreign body in the limb itself.

If there is no visible damage, you need to show the cat to the veterinarian. He will conduct a manual examination and, most likely, the pet will have to undergo x-rays. Only after a thorough diagnosis will it become clear why the lameness has arisen and how serious the situation is, a strategy for treating the cat will be proposed.

Sometimes the owner is faced with the fact that his beloved cat is lame on his hind leg. There are many reasons for this phenomenon, and it is important to determine exactly what caused the lameness. A sick animal tries not to load the paw, almost does not step on it and falls heavily at the moment of walking. The cat stops running, climbing trees, jumping on cabinets because it experiences pain and discomfort when moving and loading on the affected limb. It is necessary that the treatment is carried out correctly and the disease does not become chronic. If, in addition to lameness, the owner notices that bald spots form between the hind legs, contacting the veterinarian should be urgent. In some cases, lameness is an indicator of an emergency.

Reasons why a cat is lame

There are many reasons why a cat does not step on its hind paw, as well as its front paw. Often the owner can immediately understand what happened, but there are also situations when an adult pet or kitten simply returns from a walk, limping heavily and meowing plaintively. In this case, the first thing to do is to carefully examine the paw on which the animal cannot stand normally.

Sometimes the case is quite simple, and the owner can independently provide assistance, thanks to which the cat does not lame already on the same day. This is possible with mild physical injuries. Complex injuries are more often characterized by the fact that both hind legs are immediately affected and lameness persists for a month or more. In such a situation, treatment should be started as soon as possible.

The following reasons may cause the problem:

The bite of a stinging insect - the bites of wasps and bees are painful, and therefore, if a cat steps on an insect, lameness is guaranteed for 2-4 days, even after the owner removes the bee sting or treats the wasp sting. The left or right limb may be affected. If the bite was 7-9 days ago, and the cat is still lame, a visit to the veterinarian is required;
Injury to the interarticular region - often occurs during a fight between cats, if teeth are used; as well as when actively climbing trees that have sharp thorns or knots. On them, a cat, if inattentive, or greatly carried away by tracking down birds, can run into. The injury most often affects the hind legs, since the animal usually still sees the place on which the front paw is placed;
Dislocation - appears with unsuccessful jumps and falls, in which there is an unnatural movement of the head of the bone in the joint, due to which it comes out of it. The paw completely loses mobility and hangs helplessly. Acute pain at the time of injury can cause the animal to go into shock. In this case, the cat may limp on the hind right paw or left. Even with treatment, the cat limps for a long time;
Ligament sprain is the most common limb injury in cats, in which there is a slight tear of part of the ligament fibers, which causes pain in the paw and its swelling. The cat limps quite strongly, but at the same time his general condition does not suffer. The animal remains cheerful and does not lose its appetite. Lameness usually goes away within a few days even without treatment. With a strong sprain, to accelerate the recovery of the ligaments, a course of therapy with Traumatin, which is administered in the form of injections, is indicated. The animal limps for a long time and strongly;
A bruise is traumatic in nature. If the injury is not severe, then the cat is lame slightly and not for long. With a severe bruise, the cat seriously falls on the hind leg, which looks swollen. The pet is limping so that it cannot be overlooked. If you move the wool apart, then a pronounced hematoma will be clearly visible;
Fracture is the most severe injury in which the integrity of the bone is broken. The cat is not just lame, but almost unable to stand on its paw. Occurs with strong blows or pinching of the paw. In rare cases, physiological fractures are possible, which occur due to the fact that the bones lose their natural strength. Such fractures appear even with a slight impact on the bone. The cat is lame and cannot stand on its paw;
Spinal injury in the lumbar region - with such damage, a violation of the transmission of nerve impulses occurs, due to which the movement of the hind legs is difficult and limited. In severe cases, complete paralysis of the hind limbs occurs. With an injury without paralysis, lameness is observed immediately on 2 hind legs and can be very specific;
Arthritis or arthrosis of the hip joint - the disease can be unilateral or bilateral. The animal limps with him, also wobbling his pelvis. It occurs most often in older cats, but can also affect younger cats if they have a serious injury in the pelvic area. With this phenomenon, lameness increases gradually, worsening the quality of life of the cat. Treatment is aimed primarily at slowing down the progression of the pathological process. A complete cure is not possible.

It is not always possible for the owner to accurately name the cause that caused the lameness, and therefore a consultation with a veterinarian may be required.

Prevention

You can prevent lameness in your cat by minimizing the chance of injury. The main preventive measures, thanks to which the cat does not lame, are:

control of what is happening with the animal while walking down the street;
reliable closing of windows to protect the pet from falling out;
full feeding - proper nutrition provides the animal with sufficient bone strength and tendon elasticity;
attention when closing the doors, so as not to slam the cat.

If the cat is lame, it is necessary to understand what happened to him.

VETERINARY CONSULTATION REQUIRED. INFORMATION FOR INFORMATION ONLY. Administration

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Lameness in cats can develop due to infection with feline calicivirus (Feline calicivirus, FCV). This is one of the main causes of upper respiratory infections (colds) in cats.

The classic "cat cold" involves 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 first 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 the cause of lameness in observations of infected kittens. Limping manifested in them within 2-3 days along with the usual symptoms - hyperthermia, lethargy, loss of appetite. Within a few hours of developing hyperthermia, kittens also experienced general or localized stiffness. It manifested itself as lameness in some, and almost complete immobility in others. Cats reacted painfully to palpation and manipulation of the joints, and general hyperesthesia (pain or hypersensitivity 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 the joints.

Further studies have shown that the synovial membrane (the membrane that lines the surface of the joint cavity and the ligaments located in the joint) could contain calicivirus proteins in cats infected with or vaccinated with a 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, the whole virus could be isolated 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 the localization of the virus in the tissues of the joint. This may elicit an inflammatory response due to local replication at these sites, or possibly due to stimulation of immune-mediated inflammation. Lameness syndrome is a form of viral-induced polyarthritis (inflammation affecting multiple joints).

It appears that some strains of FCV carry an increased risk of lameness in cats than others.

Vaccination against calicivirus infection and lameness syndrome.

Lameness syndrome associated with feline calicivirus infection is most commonly seen in kittens. It may also develop after the first vaccination of the kitten. Some vaccines may cause lameness 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, the syndrome is caused by an acquired infection, and not by the vaccine itself.

The role of feline calicivirus infection in the development of lameness syndrome.

So, calicivirus is certainly 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, sometimes lameness syndrome is associated with vaccination (especially live vaccines).

In the article I will talk about the reasons and what to do if the cat is lame on the front or back paw. I will list the main diseases that cause this symptom. I will describe the signs of common injuries and ways to help with bruises and fractures.

Reasons why a cat can limp

There are many reasons why a pet suddenly becomes lame. If the kitten or cat was healthy and suddenly began to limp, then most likely a limb injury occurred.

It can be:

a splinter in the paw;
a bite of an insect;
ligament damage;
a crack in the bone tissue;
injury;
subluxation;
fracture.

Another invisible reason for a pet’s sudden lameness can be an exacerbation of a serious disease of the musculoskeletal system, which can manifest itself as lameness on the front and rear limbs.

On the front paw

It is usually diagnosed at the age of two years.

If the cat limps on the front paw, elbow dysplasia is possible. Purebred cats are susceptible to this disease. Pathology, as a rule, develops on one forelimb and is hereditary.

Changes can be in varying degrees of severity from mild lameness to complete inability to move with the help of a sore paw.

Treatment in most cases is possible only surgically. Drug therapy is prescribed only in mild forms in the form of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs.

Back

Lameness on the hind limb is manifested by dislocation of the patella. Occurs rarely. It affects the hind legs. In this case, lameness appears abruptly.

It looks like this: the cat falls on the hind leg, meowing loudly with each step in pain, the paw takes on an unnatural shape.

Dislocations are genetically predisposed and are often associated with severe trauma to the limb. In mild stages, it is treated with anti-inflammatory corticosteroids; in complex cases, surgical intervention is indispensable.

Only an experienced veterinarian can properly correct a dislocation.

For both limbs

Lameness of the fore and hind limbs is manifested in the following diseases.

Arthritis or arthrosis

It usually affects older cats. It happens in the form of monoarthritis (one joint is damaged) or polyarthritis (several joints).

Arthrosis manifests itself in the same form. Strong pain in this disease manifests itself when moving. Less pain at rest. With such a disease, the cat quickly weakens, loses its appetite. Sometimes the body temperature rises.

Arthritis damages not only the joints, but also the internal organs. The main reasons for the development of these diseases are: heredity, sedentary lifestyle, a strong increase in body weight, unbalanced nutrition, various untreated infections. The disease is dangerous complete destruction of the joint.

Osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis in which in cats, as well as in humans, the spine is affected and causes lameness. In this case, the nerve endings between the discs of the spine are clamped.

In the event of a violation of the process of cartilage formation, the cartilage between the discs of the spine is quickly erased and the vertebral processes rub against each other, causing severe pain. The disease is hereditary. At the initial stage of the development of the disease, treatment with corticosteroids is possible.

With pinched nerves and progressive lameness, treatment is possible only surgically.

Osteomyelitis

The disease affects young cats, predominantly Persian breeds. It goes away on its own with age. During an exacerbation, it causes severe pain to the pet.

Therapy includes corticosteroids and drugs.

Bone tumors

Upon impact, fragile pathologically altered bone can crack.

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system cannot be independently diagnosed and prescribed the correct treatment. In such cases, the cat needs the help of a professional.

How to recognize a fracture or bruise

Injury to the paw is always immediately noticeable.

The cat holds the injured limb on weight, cannot step on it, does not allow touching the sore spot.

Bruises are a common type of injury in mobile cats. The hallmarks of such damage are:

paw swelling at the site of injury;
hematoma, which can be seen under the coat;
absence of wounds on the diseased paw;
the structure of the paw is not disturbed;
joints are mobile;
at the site of injury feeling the temperature rise skin;
cat constantly licking the sore spot.

A fracture is a more serious injury. Its signs are more pronounced and noticeable:

violation of the form damaged paw;
to the touch, you can determine the instability of the bone;
puffiness in the whole paw.

First aid for a cat

If the cat hurt 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 up, caress, pat on the back);
to the site of the injury apply cold for 1 minute, then, after a 30 second break, apply again for 1 minute, etc. Repeat manipulation for 15 minutes.

In the event of a fracture, it is necessary to immobilize the paw and, if possible, fix it. It is advisable to transport the pet to the veterinary clinic in a stationary state, so as not to further damage the limb.

The veterinarian in the clinic will take an X-ray and all the necessary manipulations to help the cat.

No matter how painful it is for a cat due to an injury, it is strictly forbidden to give painkillers from a human first-aid kit on your own.

These medicines 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 injury, the paw will recover on its own within 5-7 days.

Special treatment will be required only if the pet does not stop limping within the specified period.

If there is a fracture or dislocation on the face, you should immediately contact a veterinary clinic for professional help.

In the case when no signs of injury are visible, but the animal is lame and shows by its behavior that it hurts, it should not be delayed with a visit to a specialist. This symptom may indicate a serious disease of the musculoskeletal system of the cat and requires professional treatment.

In the article, I talked about lameness that can suddenly occur in a cat. Listed the main causes of this condition. Described signs of injuries such as bruises and fractures. Wrote about first aid for a cat.