Hip
Dysplasia, Feline
Hip
Dysplasia: Hip
dysplasia is a disease of the hip joint. "Dysplasia" is
a word that means abnormal development of a tissue. The hip is a
ball and socket type of joint. The "ball" is the top of
the femur (called the "head") which fits into the acetabulum.
A normal joint has a close fit of the femur's head into the acetabulum,
so that the joint functions smoothly and efficiently. The large
muscles of the hip and pelvis help hold the joint in place and allow
it to function properly. In hip dysplasia , parts of the hip joint
are abnormally shaped, so that the fit of the ball into the socket
is poor. This allows the head of the femur to move easily out of
the joint to some degree (called "subluxation" = dislocation).
Over time, chronic changes develop in the bones of the hip joint
from this abnormal movement and degeneration joint disease may result.
In most cases, both hip joints are affected although one may be
more severe than the other. Many cats with hip dysplasia go undetected.
Due
to their small size and the fact that cats are not exercised as
much as dogs, along with their natural agility, they may have hip
dysplasia and still function normally. In some cats, hip dysplasia
is found incidentally when they are x-rayed for another reason.
This disease is not obvious at birth, but develops as the young
kitten grows. If a cat is known to have dysplastic hips and is overweight,
weight reduction will reduce the chances that discomfort will be
experienced.
For
cats who are diagnosed with hip dysplasia because they developed
clinical signs of lameness and pain, several treatments are available.
Veterinarians use anti-inflammatory and pain medications as well
as dietary supplements designed to help in joint repair. Restricting
exercise, such as limiting access to outdoors or the ability to
climb up on objects, can be helpful as well. For severely affected
cats, a surgery called a femoral head and neck excision arthroplasty
is widely available that removes the damaged tissue. Cats who have
had this surgery can usually expect a full return of hip function
and freedom from pain and discomfort once post-operative healing
has occurred.
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