Cat with luxiating patella

meoklmrk91

Just got back from the vet with my 18 month old cat she has been lame all week and having difficulty jumping. Turns out she has a luxiating patella. The Vet said that she's never seen one in a cat. She is on metacam for the weekend and will be referred to a specialist, the vet said its best to get it done right as it can reoccur. Can anyone advise me as to what I will be looking at when it comes to the recovery and such.

I have my dog insured, and was going to add the cat but as a student I am strapped for cash, 20/20 hindsight is a wonderful thing I suppose. It doesn't matter she will be having the op either way.

planetX

Hi, I'm so sorry to read this. I have a cat with luxating patellas in both back legs, and you're the first other person I've encountered with the same problem. It sounds from your post that it's only in one leg? If so that's very good news - a cat can manage fine on 3 legs.
I had surgery done on one of my cats legs, and unfortunately it hasn't worked. The vet was highly recommended and specialises in orthopedics. The idea was that by fixing one of the hind legs, my cat would manage on 3, as both her back legs were bad. It's 2 years on now, and when she limps it's always the operated leg that she holds up. The vet was very disappointed as he has great results with dogs, but more surgery isn't an option - it's too destructive of the joint. She also has worse arthritis as a result of the surgery. I've since read an article in an online vet journal about the poor outcome of this surgery compared to dogs, and they recommended conservative management of the condition.
In short, I feel that I rushed into the surgery. Of course this is only one persons experience - but I'd urge you to ask a lot of questions of the vet, and look for more than one opinion before going ahead.
Also be careful with the metacam - it made my cat so ill she stopped eating and drinking.
Fingers crossed your cat is only mildly affected, there are grades of severity from 1 to 4 -make sure to ask what yours is.

meoklmrk91

planetX wrote: »

Hi, I'm so sorry to read this. I have a cat with luxating patellas in both back legs, and you're the first other person I've encountered with the same problem. It sounds from your post that it's only in one leg? If so that's very good news - a cat can manage fine on 3 legs.
I had surgery done on one of my cats legs, and unfortunately it hasn't worked. The vet was highly recommended and specialises in orthopedics. The idea was that by fixing one of the hind legs, my cat would manage on 3, as both her back legs were bad. It's 2 years on now, and when she limps it's always the operated leg that she holds up. The vet was very disappointed as he has great results with dogs, but more surgery isn't an option - it's too destructive of the joint. She also has worse arthritis as a result of the surgery. I've since read an article in an online vet journal about the poor outcome of this surgery compared to dogs, and they recommended conservative management of the condition.
In short, I feel that I rushed into the surgery. Of course this is only one persons experience - but I'd urge you to ask a lot of questions of the vet, and look for more than one opinion before going ahead.
Also be careful with the metacam - it made my cat so ill she stopped eating and drinking.
Fingers crossed your cat is only mildly affected, there are grades of severity from 1 to 4 -make sure to ask what yours is.

Thank you very much for your reply, I am definitely keeping my options open, I want the best for her. Only her back right leg is affected, the left is fine. Is now now a grade three, she was probably always a grade 1, she is to my knowledge, inbred, at least to some extent, so I assumed that her clumsiness was down to that i.e. not making jumps properly. She was a grade 2 at the start of the week and a grade three by today, went down hill very quickly, she could barely jump up on the couch this morning and was crying in pain.

She is miles better since she took the metacam but I know that isn't a long-term solution. I have to ring the vet on Monday so we can have a chat and see how she is going, we will then discuss options. I will also be having a chat with my tutor in college, I am training to be a vet nurse and my tutor is an exceptional vet that I would trust with any of my pets any day of the week, I have also been doing my own research, it is hard to come by much other than owners who have dealt with it as it is so rare. Thanks again for your reply

meoklmrk91

Also can anyone tell me how much I would be looking at for pre-op blood work, just a general ballpark figure please. I have had this cat since she was 4 weeks old, I would be completely and utterly devastated if anything happened to her so am considering pre-op bloods just to ensure that all her systems are okay.

planetX

That's great that it's just in one leg - it makes the surgery so much less risky, she'll have that good leg to use if the worst happened. I know a 3 legged cat who manages just fine.
It's more common in pedigree cats so you might find advice on some of the American cat boards. My cat's just a ex-stray moggie, but with the long hair I wonder if there was some pedigree blood there as her leg problems are certainly genetic.
I didn't get bloods done, but the surgery cost around 500. Recovery wasn't so bad, once I got over the shock of seeing her half bald (she's a beautiful white longhaired cat). Actually wearing a cone bothered her more than anything else, and she didn't need it. Once I took it off she started eating again. Keeping her from jumping on furniture was the hardest thing, I had to keep her in a stripped down room - I gave her a low chair by the window, and that's where she passed the time. She had been an outdoor super-hunter, so being kept indoors was really stressful for her, and she got kind of depressed. My other cat used to catch mice and bring them home. He would just drop them for her, it was as if he knew and was cheering her up.

She's my sweetest cat, and i wouldn't care if it cost 10,000, I'd do anything for her. It sounds like your cat is in a much better position, and hopefully the surgery will change her life. Please keep us updated - if you have success I'd love if you would let me know the name of the vet. There might still be something I can do for my girl. thanks.

Zapperzy

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

Also can anyone tell me how much I would be looking at for pre-op blood work, just a general ballpark figure please. I have had this cat since she was 4 weeks old, I would be completely and utterly devastated if anything happened to her so am considering pre-op bloods just to ensure that all her systems are okay.

Haematology is usually around €35 and biochemistry is about €50, just a pre-anaesthetic panel to check kidneys and liver would be cheaper.

Definitely worth the money though, I got them done as routine for my 7 year old cat before a dental and they uncovered either an underlying UTI or kidney infection, managed to get in early with antibiotics so she never showed any signs. It's something I think il probably do every year now, and get my dog's done too as he's 7 also.

meoklmrk91

Thank you for the replys guys, I have exams for the next three weeks so trying to get everything sorted is a nightmare!

She is doing very well on the meta am definate improvement, she's not allowed out though as shes not able to jump high and we would be afraid a dog would get her. Keeping her inside isn't an issue she prefers to be in with us, but keeping her on rest will be, this is a cat who at various intervals through the day will run all around the house a lightning speed, up and down the stairs, in and out of every room.

I will def be getting preop bloods done just in case, don't know what we would do if anything happened her!

anniehoo

OP, it is apparently really rare to have a luxating patella in a cat. Mine did though at the end of last year. 4/5 weeks of continuous crate rest rectified it though.Thank god.

It was literally touch and go on whether he needed surgery but the surgeon insisted on crate rest first. This was paramount as because its so rare in cats, he didnt want to go the surgical route (drastic). Its a big deal in cats as they're jumpers and use their "knees" aka patellas more so than dogs for example.

Surgery should always be the last resort and im not joking on week 5 or so, my cats patella popped back in....and stayed there. I was SUPER strict though. Much harder on me than him though. He had a 2ft x 4ft approx cage with everything he needed in it....and he was in it pretty much fulltime. TK123 will understand the guilt

Week 5, he was brilliant. No limp, no popping out and back to full jumping. No surgery, which even the surgeon was surprised about.

After going through it i would SERIOUSLY give it 6 weeks FULL crate rest. Its a pain in the ar$e, for you...not them though.

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

Also can anyone tell me how much I would be looking at for pre-op blood work, just a general ballpark figure please..

If a vet charges you more than €80 (full haematology and biochem) you're being ripped off.

planetX

OP and Anniehoo - do your cats have hip dysplasia as well? That was the cause of the luxating patellas in my girl.

anniehoo

planetX wrote: »

OP and Anniehoo - do your cats have hip dysplasia as well? That was the cause of the luxating patellas in my girl.

Yeh he does, also unusual in cats. He's flying around though, not a bother on him. He's 3 this year so need to research into how to prevent him getting sore and arthritic when hes older.Trying to get his weight down too as he's about 1kg overweight which doesnt help. The luxation may very well happen again acc. to the vet but for now he's grand.

Monty Burnz

<modsnip - This is not the humour forum>

planetX

anniehoo wrote: »

Yeh he does, also unusual in cats. He's flying around though, not a bother on him. He's 3 this year so need to research into how to prevent him getting sore and arthritic when hes older.Trying to get his weight down too as he's about 1kg overweight which doesnt help. The luxation may very well happen again acc. to the vet but for now he's grand.

Mine is 3 years old as well, and I'm also looking for anything to help with arthritis. I bought an expensive liquid supplement, but the cat won't touch it -with or without food (and then the puppy stole the lot). If you find one that's palatable will you let me know too, thanks
I was buying RC joint prescription diet for a while, but it was too dear and was being eaten by the other mogs. I might go back to trying that though.

meoklmrk91

Great news everyone milo was just examined by the orthopaedic vet. Since she improved so well on the metacam she does not have to have the op just yet. The vet also said that it is not just 1 but both patellas that are affected but atleast we can hold off on the op!

sarahphi

Just read your post interesting topic did the vet say how long your cat would need to stay on the med's for. If its in remission why not continue treatment with a natural ailment such as glucosamine/chondroitin which will help with mobility and stability of the joints and to help prevent arthritis.

meoklmrk91

Oh no she isn't going to be on metacam long term at all, in fact she has been off it since the weekend she just did excellently on it.

So I am going to talk to the vet about supplements etc. I'm actually waiting to see her now.