Page 998 - Problem-Based Feline Medicine

990 PART 11 CAT WITH AN ABNORMAL GAIT

Classical signs—Cont’d They often display an abnormal posture with a stiff
neck and gait.
● Varying degrees of severity of the
condition exist.
Diagnosis
See main references on page 920 for details (The Weak
Radiographically there is ankylosis of cervical and
and Ataxic or Paralyzed Cat).
cranial thoracic vertebra, and new bone proliferation
around shoulder and elbow joints.
Clinical signs
History of diet almost exclusively of liver.
Improper closure of the neural tube during embryogenesis
occurs, with varying severity of neurological signs seen
Treatment
affecting hindlimb function and urinary and fecal control.
Correction of the diet, ideally on a balanced commer-
In the Manx cat it is often associated with sacral
cial diet.
dysgenesis.
May require short-term analgesics.
Diagnosis
Prognosis
Based on clinical signs, radiographic findings.
Correction of the diet halts the progression of disease,
and some remodeling of existing bone may occur.
HYPERVITAMINOSIS A However, bony changes are often permanent and pain
may persist.
Classical signs
NUTRITIONAL HYPERPARATHYROIDISM
● Due to excessive intake of vitamin A,
usually from an all-liver diet.
Classical signs
● Lameness occurs due to bony exostoses
around the cervical vertebrae and ● Lameness present in multiple sites in
ankylosis of joints. young kittens.
● Due to a diet deficient in calcium, such as
an all-meat diet.
Pathogenesis

Due to excessive vitamin A intake over several months, Pathogenesis
usually from an all-liver diet.
Due to increased parathyroid hormone from persistent
Causes bony exostoses of spine and osseous hyper- hypocalcemia, either from an absolute dietary calcium
plasia and proliferation at joint margins, particularly deficiency or secondary to excessive phosphorus intake
the shoulder and elbow joints. relative to calcium.
Excess vitamin A causes increased reactivity of the Causes generalized osteopenia.
periosteum, resulting in bony proliferation at sites of
Most commonly seen in kittens on an all-meat diet.
joint capsule and soft tissue attachments to bone.
Occurs with an all-meat diet even if the kittens have
access to milk.
Clinical signs
Clinical signs
Cats are often reluctant to move around, and are very
painful. Osteopenia can result in spontaneous fracture.