Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Osteoarthritis in the cat: 2. how should it be managed and treated?
- Journal:
- Journal of feline medicine and surgery
- Year:
- 2012
- Authors:
- Bennett, David et al.
- Affiliation:
- School of Veterinary Medicine · United Kingdom
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Osteoarthritis, a common condition in cats, often causes long-term pain that can limit their movement and affect their quality of life. Treating this pain can be tricky because many pain relief medications that work for other animals are not approved for cats, and some cats with arthritis may also have kidney issues, making certain medications risky. Meloxicam is a pain relief medication that has been shown to be effective for cats with osteoarthritis and can be used safely over a long period, even helping to slow down kidney disease in some cases. While other treatments exist, there isn't strong evidence supporting their effectiveness for arthritis in cats, and more research is needed on dietary supplements and environmental changes to help improve their comfort. Overall, meloxicam appears to be a good option for managing pain in cats with osteoarthritis.
Abstract
PRACTICAL RELEVANCE: Osteoarthritis (OA) is very common in the cat and in many cases is associated with significant long-term pain, which limits mobility and activity, and severely compromises the animal's quality of life. CLINICAL CHALLENGES: The treatment of chronic arthritic pain is a major challenge and many analgesic drugs used in other species are not licensed, not available or not tested for use in the cat. Many older cats with painful OA have some degree of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and many clinicians are reluctant to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in these animals because of the potential for nephrotoxicity. EVIDENCE BASE: There are several publications that show that meloxicam is an effective NSAID for the cat and can be used long-term. It is easy to administer and there is published evidence that meloxicam can actually slow the progression of CKD in this species. Many other drugs are used to treat chronic pain in the cat but there is no documented evidence of their efficacy in OA. Unlike the dog, there is limited evidence for the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acid-rich diets in managing feline OA and further work is required. There is no published data as yet for the usefulness or otherwise of nutraceuticals (glucosamine and chondroitin) in managing feline OA; studies in the authors' clinic suggest some pain-relieving effect. Research into environmental enrichment as a way of improving quality of life in cats with painful OA is lacking, but it is an approach worth using where possible. Modifications to the environment (eg, provision of comfortable bedding and ramps) are also important.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22247327/