Historical Prevalence of Radiological Appendicular Osteoarthritis in Cats (1972–1973)

Knee Joint Osteoarthritis in Overweight Cats: The Clinical and Radiographic Findings

Despite a high prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) reported in the domesticated cat population, studies on feline knee joint OA are scarcer. Knee joint OA is a painful, age-related, chronic degenerative joint disease that significantly affects cats' activity and quality of life. In dogs and humans, one may consider overweight as a risk factor for the development and progression of knee joint OA; therefore, this study aims to assess the severity of knee joint OA in the body-weight-related groups of cats concerning clinical symptoms and radiographic signs. The study was conducted on sixty-four (n = 64) cats with confirmed OA. The demographic data on sex, neutering, age, and breed were collected. Then, the body condition score (BCS) was assessed, and each cat was allocated to the underweight, normal-weight, or overweight group. Within clinical symptoms, joint pain, joint swelling, joint deformities, lameness, reluctance to move, and apathy were graded. Based on the radiographic signs, minor OA, mild OA, moderate OA, and severe OA were scored. Prevalence and co-occurrence of the studied variables were then assessed. Joint pain was elicited in 20-31% of the OA-affected joints, joint deformities in 21-30%, and lameness in 20-54%, with no differences between weight-related groups. Severe OA was detected in 10-16% of the OA-affected joints, with no differences between weight-related groups. Severe OA in feline knee joints appears with similar frequency in overweight, underweight, and normal-weight cats. However, the general prevalence of clinical symptoms and radiographic signs is different in overweight cats.

Do owner-reported changes in mobility reflect measures of activity, pain and degenerative joint disease in cats?

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this blinded, nested case-control study was to compare cats with and without early owner-reported mobility changes using subjective and objective outcome measures (owner-completed questionnaires, orthopaedic examination).

METHODS

A total of 57 cats with and without early owner-reported signs of impaired mobility were allocated to the case (n = 30) and control (n = 27) groups, respectively. Participating owners completed one inclusion and two pre-visit questionnaires (Feline Musculoskeletal Pain Index, VetMetrica). Cats were then visited in their own homes, where they underwent an orthopaedic examination, an assessment of their body condition score and temperament, and the placement of an accelerometer on their collar for 2 weeks.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between groups for age category, breed, sex, temperament and body condition score. Case cats scored significantly lower for the Feline Musculoskeletal Pain Index (P = 0.003) and the VetMetrica domain of Comfort (P = 0.002), but not Vitality (P = 0.009) or Emotional Wellbeing (P = 0.018). Total pain (P <0.0001), crepitus (P = 0.002) and thickening (P = 0.003) scores were higher in case cats, as was the presence of bilateral disease (P = 0.005, odds ratio 14) and the number of bilaterally affected joints (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Both the Feline Musculoskeletal Pain Index and orthopaedic examination were able to differentiate cats with early owner-reported signs of impaired mobility from healthy cats. VetMetrica Comfort domain scores indicated a compromised quality of life for cats with early owner-reported signs of impaired mobility compared with healthy cats. Being able to recognise signs of mobility impairment earlier would allow interventions aimed at slowing disease progression, thereby improving feline health and welfare.

The efficacy of a nutritional supplement containing green-lipped mussel, curcumin and blackcurrant leaf extract in dogs and cats with osteoarthritis

Background

Osteoarthritis is a common disease in dogs and cats, and the search for novel treatment options is needed. The combination of green‐lipped mussel, curcumin and blackcurrant leaf extract has to date not been studied in dogs and cats.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to test the effect of a supplement containing green‐lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus), curcumin (Curcuma longa) and blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) leaf extract on locomotion and behaviour in client‐owned dogs and cats suffering from mild to moderate osteoarthritis.

Methods

To this end, 32 dogs and 16 cats were enrolled in a double‐blinded, randomised, crossover, placebo‐controlled trial for 10 weeks in cats and 16 weeks in dogs. Outcome parameters were the Helsinki Chronic Pain Index (HCPI) by pet owners in dogs and cats, Canine OsteoArthritis Staging Tool (COAST) by a veterinarian in dogs and Force Plate Analysis (FPA) in 18 dogs.

Results

In dogs, the COAST improved significantly in the supplement group compared to baseline but was not different than the placebo group. In cats, the ability to groom, activity level, playfulness and walking up the stairs improved in the supplement group. No differences were found on HCPI scores and FPA in dogs. Several non‐responders were noted in both species, which were irrespective of the stage of osteoarthritis.

Conclusions

Overall, the supplement had only partial positive effects in client‐owned dogs and cats with mild to moderate osteoarthritis. Further research with a larger sample size and longer duration is needed to expand these findings.

Computed tomography is superior to radiography for detection of feline elbow osteoarthritis

Elbow osteoarthritis (OA) is common in cats and radiography is typically used for diagnosis. However computed tomography (CT), with its multiplanar three-dimensional characteristics, could have significant advantages for assessment of OA compared to radiography, particularly early in the disease process. The study objectives were to compare radiography and CT to histologic OA changes, investigate the stage of OA that radiography and CT detect, and search for specific changes in CT images strongly predictive for feline elbow OA. Right elbows from 29 cats were evaluated by radiography and CT, and articular cartilage lesions graded histologically and macroscopically. Three further joints were sampled to specifically evaluate the morphology of the anconeal process. Macroscopic, radiographic and CT OA diagnosis were compared to the reference standard histologic OA that was divided into mild, moderate and severe. Osteophytic spurs on the lateral margin of the anconeal process could be reliably measured in CT images (intra-class correlation 0.79) and when ≥0.5 mm had high sensitivity for moderate/severe histologic OA, moderate sensitivity for mild histologic OA and high specificity for all stages of OA. In moderate/severe histologic OA both radiography and CT subjective OA diagnosis had moderate to very high sensitivity. However, in mild histologic OA CT grading had low sensitivity and radiography did not detect OA. In conclusion, CT of the feline elbow including measurement of osteophytes on the anconeal process lateral margin is superior to radiography for OA detection and should be considered for OA diagnosis, particularly when mild OA changes are of interest.

2021 AAFP Feline Senior Care Guidelines

The '2021 AAFP Feline Senior Care Guidelines' are authored by a Task Force of experts in feline clinical medicine and serve as an update and extension of those published in 2009. They emphasize the individual patient evaluation and the process of aging, with references to other feline practice guidelines for a more complete discussion of specific diseases. Focusing on each cat encourages and empowers the owner to become a part of the cat's care every step of the way. A comprehensive discussion during the physical examination and history taking allows for tailoring the approach to both the cat and the family involved in the care. Videos and analysis of serial historical measurements are brought into the assessment of each patient. These Guidelines introduce the emerging concept of frailty, with a description and methods of its incorporation into the senior cat assessment. Minimum database diagnostics are discussed, along with recommendations for additional investigative considerations. For example, blood pressure assessment is included as a minimum diagnostic procedure in both apparently healthy and ill cats. Cats age at a much faster rate than humans, so practical timelines for testing frequency are included and suggest an increased frequency of diagnostics with advancing age. The importance of nutrition, as well as senior cat nutritional needs and deficiencies, is considered. Pain is highlighted as its own syndrome, with an emphasis on consideration in every senior cat. The Task Force discusses anesthesia, along with strategies to allow aging cats to be safely anesthetized well into their senior years. The medical concept of quality of life is addressed with the latest information available in veterinary medicine. This includes end of life considerations like palliative and hospice care, as well as recommendations on the establishment of 'budgets of care', which greatly influence what can be done for the individual cat. Acknowledgement is given that each cat owner will be different in this regard; and establishing what is reasonable and practical for the individual owner is important. A discussion on euthanasia offers some recommendations to help the owner make a decision that reflects the best interests of the individual cat.

Associations between early neutering, obesity, outdoor access, trauma and feline degenerative joint disease

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this case-control study was to identify early-life risk factors associated with the occurrence of owner-reported mobility changes in 6-year-old cats by examining prospective data from a longitudinal cohort study of pet cats, the Bristol Cats study.

METHODS

Data on potential risk factors were obtained from seven sequential questionnaires completed between the ages of 2-4 months and 5 years. Mobility-related questions from the study questionnaire distributed at the age of 6 years were used to calculate each cat's mobility score. Cats with mobility scores of ⩾2 and 0 were allocated to the case and control groups, respectively, and the cat's status was the outcome variable.

RESULTS

Of the 799 cats included for analysis, 238 (29.8%) had owner-reported mobility changes. Binomial logistic regression using backwards elimination identified four risk factors for owner-reported mobility changes at 6 years of age: entire neuter status at 6 months of age (odds ratio [OR] 1.97; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26-3.07), sustained trauma before 6 years of age (OR 1.85; 95% CI 1.30-2.60), outdoor access at 6 years of age (OR 1.67; 95% CI 0.96-2.90) and overweight/obese status at 6 years of age (OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.13-2.33).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Risk factor analysis demonstrated that obesity, outdoor access and a history of trauma may predispose cats to developing owner-reported mobility changes associated with degenerative joint disease, whereas neutering before 6 months of age appears to decrease that risk.

Synovial Cysts and Myxomas in 16 Cats

This report describes the clinical and pathologic characteristics of cystic and myxomatous lesions of synovial joints in 16 cats. The average age was 13.4 years. The elbow was most commonly affected (12/16), and all lesions were unilateral. Degenerative joint disease was a frequent concurrent but bilateral condition. The lesions consisted of fluid-filled cysts lined by synoviocytes (3 cases), solid foci of stellate cells in a myxomatous matrix (2 cases), or a combination of the two (11 cases). In some cases there were areas of transition between the cystic and myxomatous lesions. Mitoses and other features of malignancy were rare to nonexistent. In the 13 cats with follow-up information, the lesion gradually increased in size over a period of years. None of the cats died or were euthanized because of this lesion. We propose that some cats with degenerative joint disease develop synovial cysts, which have the potential to transform to a synovial myxoma.