Queen Eva has luxating patella

[Middle Child]

She's always had that funny walk, but today vet was able to manipulate the right knee cap to pop out and back in.  She didn't get the left side to do it but I told vet both feet do that funny turn in duck walk.

I've only done a little reading so far (that's where I got the "duck walk" terminology)

If I want to pursue it, I would have to take her to an orthopedic specialist.  I don't think I would put her through surgery at this stage but it might help to have an official diagnosis with x rays and all, through a specialist.

I asked if cosequin would help keep for comfortable.  Vet was a bit vague on that saying "it won't hurt" and that "the opinions are about 50/50 on whether these supplements actually make any difference".

Queen Eva has no trouble running, no trouble jumping up or jumping down, is as active as ever, and in fact prefers games where she can jump up and down on things and climb the sisal post.

So now I know.

Queen Eva had a rabies titer, no vaccine.

Jennie-Jennie had the three year PureVax rabies.

Both cats weigh exactly the same as they did a year ago, and both cats had a temperature of 99.9 F.

Jennie-Jennie's teeth are shining white and clean, a classic example of a raw fed cat eating bone in meals.  Queen Eva (who does not eat whole bone, but some ground bone in her Stella & Chewy's) has some stain on the back teeth but no tartar or sign of gingivitis.

Mazy cat is full of growls at Jennie and Queen Eva since we got back so I put some Rescue Remedy into her food.

The titer was $267. Ugh.

[Pookie]

All things considered, it sounds like the appointment went well and they're both doing great.  Good job!

I'm glad Queen Eva seems comfortable enough to run and jump around.  I'm not sure, but I think MSM is also something used to help joints, along with glucosimine and condroitin.  But that's for people, and I don't know if any of those things help something like a luxating patella.   

Please keep us posted on what you find!

p.s.  I wonder if there's some sort of "knee brace" or "cast" that could be put on it to sort of train the knee stay in place, but even if there is, it would probably drive Queen Eva nuts.

[Middle Child]

Thanks Pookie. Cosequin for cats contains glucosamine, MSN and condriotin. I'm wondering if I should try to add a little ACV to her diet.  It's helped my arthritis so much.

 I took them off the krill (anti-inflammatory), because it was causing them some skin problems.  Maybe I should try another brand.

[DeeDee]

Maybe try some turmeric? You can't make any golden paste b/c that's coconut oil, but how about some golden milk made with goat's milk or some other milk substitute? http://www.freshbitesdaily.com/turmeric-milk/

From: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/11/12/turmeric.aspx

Most dogs and cats readily accept a little seasoning on their meals. I have also found that all my pets, including my birds, do fine with the fresh root grated over their food.

If you want to increase the amount of biologically available curcumin in your pet's diet, you'll need to go with a supplement. I recommend you look for a high-quality, organic turmeric product and consider giving cats about 100 milligrams twice a day. Small to medium-sized dogs can be given 250 milligrams twice a day, and large to giant breeds should get 500 milligrams two to three times a day.

As always, you'll want to discuss the exact amounts needed for your individual pet with your holistic veterinarian.

[Middle Child]

Thanks Dee I was wondering about turmeric too.  Unfortunately I do not have a holistic vet to consult as the article advises, ha.

I would like to try to manage this, reduce/prevent inflammation and the inevitable arthritis as aggressively as possible, in a holistic way.  She certainly is not needing surgery at this time.

If I do eventually take her to Cornell to see the orthopedic specialist though she will probably have to have a rabies shot. I doubt they will accept a titer result as adequate.  My vet is still very concerned and hesitant to give Queen Eva a rabies shot.

[Pookie]

If I do eventually take her to Cornell to see the orthopedic specialist though she will probably have to have a rabies shot. I doubt they will accept a titer result as adequate.  My vet is still very concerned and hesitant to give Queen Eva a rabies shot.

If your vet provides some sort of note explaining her concerns, maybe that would help, if/when the time comes?   

I tend to be leary about giving cats herbs or spices, but that said, I checked Dr. Hofve's site and found this article, which mentions using tumeric as an anti-oxidant with cancer patients:  http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/cancer-prevention-and-treatment/

Note her comment at the end of the article:

It’s very important what kind of turmeric you get; apparently turmeric needs to be heated/cooked/processed to get the full benefit of its antioxidant capacity.

[Middle Child]

There is an official form a vet can fill out stating why she recommends against rabies vaccination.  Whether it will be recognized or not I do not know. I'm borrowing trouble as usual. ha.

I've been spending some time on youtube.  NONE of the videos I've seen of cats with luxating patella are walking like Queen Eva walks.  They are have very pronounced and painful limping.

I am just going to have to try harder to get her back feet on video.  The vet was unable to observe it because when we let her walk around the consultation room of course she walked in a crouch.

I know cats hide pain, but Queen Eva really shows no evidence of being painful in her activities. None.  No hesitation when jumping either up or down or across. She runs up and down the stairs a hundred times a day.

I just wonder...either this is very very mild, or something else entirely.

i guess it's a guessing game until I decide I want to take her to the orthopedic specialist.  Not with winter coming on, frankly, since she is not suffering at the moment.  She has had this funny turned in feet walk as long as I can remember.

[Pookie]

I know cats hide pain, but Queen Eva really shows no evidence of being painful in her activities. None.  No hesitation when jumping either up or down or across. She runs up and down the stairs a hundred times a day.

I just wonder...either this is very very mild, or something else entirely.

i guess it's a guessing game until I decide I want to take her to the orthopedic specialist.  Not with winter coming on, frankly, since she is not suffering at the moment.  She has had this funny turned in feet walk as long as I can remember.

Maybe this is just . . . normal for her?  It does sound like it doesn't affect her -- I can't imagine she would be that active without showing SOME sign of discomfort or compensation.

[Middle Child]

I know.  I didn't get a chance to ask why the vet can't do initial x rays right there.  See, this is why I really don't like to take two cats in together.  I mean each appointment is scheduled separately, but it's too much on my mind all at once, first Jennie then Queen Eva.

I never used to do it that way, but now with working M-F days, it's harder to schedule appointments conveniently.  My vet works only partial days now, no more Saturdays, no more evenings.

It's not that I don't have time available, I saved back plenty of vacation time to take two hours off here or there for a vet appointment (local, if we have to travel I'll have to take a whole day) but still, it's so much stress, on ME I mean, to go to work, leave work, come home, get the cat, take her in, try to focus on the appointment, take her home, then go back to work.  I've done it that way a couple of times and it's just really really awful.

I'm not sure really what I'm talking about at this moment, haha. Whining again, sigh! Should have been in bed ages ago but had tea when my friend was here and it's kept up up too late.

I'm going to try harder to get some video of how her feet go.

And start her on the cosequin anyway.

[Pookie]

And start her on the cosequin anyway.

Good idea!   

[Lola]

vet was able to manipulate the right knee cap to pop out and back in.

WOW....how did Queen Eva react when the vet did that?

Queen Eva had a rabies titer, no vaccine.

That's cool!  Expensive though...Yowsiers.

Just a heads up...Turmeric STAINS. 

As far as rabies vaccinations...Why would another vet question paper work from another vet and titer test results? 

I've taken two to the vet at various times.  It is just tooooo much.  For me, not them. 

Hoping (for her and you) she just walks "funny," and the vet guessed wrong.

[Middle Child]

WOW....how did Queen Eva react when the vet did that?

No reaction at all.

That's cool!  Expensive though...Yowsiers.

Just a heads up...Turmeric STAINS. 

As far as rabies vaccinations...Why would another vet question paper work from another vet and titer test results? 

I've taken two to the vet at various times.  It is just tooooo much.  For me, not them. 

Hoping (for her and you) she just walks "funny," and the vet guessed wrong.

I would imagine most vets, Cornell, as a teaching hospital especially,  will have very strict rules about rabies vaccination, mainly because of the laws in my state. Titer is not accepted as proof of protection.

I've been getting some responses in another forum, and what is being described to me is nothing, nothing like Queen Eva's issue.  I've just called and left a message for my vet to that effect and asked if I could get x rays of her legs and feet there to start.

[DeeDee]

Sharkly had a LP of the left leg. They're common in Corgis. He only popped it out when he was running too fast and turned a curve too sharply. Luckily it never happened with only me at home, so someone could carry him in for me and let me sit down to massage him until he relaxed, ice it some, and pop it back into place.

When it popped out, you could feel a total difference in the joint area. It would slow him down for a few days with it wrapped and iced off and on, but after about 3 days of slowing him down, aspirin, and ice, he'd be right as rain again.

[Middle Child]

See, this is the same kind of descriptions I am getting elsewhere.  That is NOTHING like what is going on with Queen Eva.

[DeeDee]

I can get one of my own kneecaps to "float" further out when I'm perfectly relaxed. It looks odd. It might be something like that instead of it being an LP.