Sophia has Arthritis in Rear Legs

[MYoungAtHeart]

Sophia is my 6 year old fat cat, long story short, she was abused before I adopted her and locked in a small space most of the time../since I adopted her she has full run of the house and enjoyed jumping and running and playing with her toys.
She fell off the back of the couch in April and broke her front paw.  With excellent Vet care she has recovered but just in the past month she has taken to her bed and only ventures out to go to the litter box or eat her meals.
And lately in the past 2 weeks, she has taken to only coming to meals half the time, and once she starts walking out of the bed, she is stiff and constantly licks her back legs. When she is in her bed she is not licking at all.

I took her to the vet and she diagnosed Arthritis and said there are a couple of medications available for Sophia to take that might help her with stiffness and pain.  She said they have not all been approved and a couple are in testing phrase and available later in 2014.  I am looking at a couple of the medications but even with google searches, the best way to learn about meds is to bring it to a community.  I will be calling the Vet on Monday
with my decision....

My question is if anyone ever used cat arthritis medication and if it actually helped.  Some of the meds are in a small treat form and only need to be taken 2 times a day...But I sure would like to hear some stories from our members including the positive and negative of medications.

Thank you all so much for replies....I sure love this little girl so much and can't bear to think of her being in any
pain at all.....

M

[MYoungAtHeart]

This is an update on Sophia Loren.  I took her back to the vet, but I am very conflicted about adding mainstream medication to her system.  She got a long term dose of pain medication when she broke her front paw after falling off the sofa, and she did not do good on it at all.  

Long story short, About 1 week before I posted my question, I had switched her to a Skipjack tuna meal and now after almost a month on the new meals, there is a renewal in Sophias motivation, her activity and her attitude.  She is out of her bed, playing with toys again, running up and down the hallway, and even up and down the stairs...She is talking again and I don't have to pick her up out of the bed and carry her to her tuna bowl.

All I did was change her diet, added some warm hand massage to her legs, ( I rub my hands together vigourously and then put my warm hands on her legs), but I have a different little girl here.  Thank you for the comments...I really appreciated you taking the time to answer my post...

M

[opus88]

I sent you a PM....check your inbox

[opus88]

Metacam should be d/c it is a very dangerous drug and leads to kidney failure in cats....do not even consider this one. this is a NSAID and they are not safe for use in cats.

gabapentin...use only if absolutely necessary, its not highly recommended. used mainly for nerve pain.

the other 3 are pain meds...and buprenorphine is tolerated best.

however I must say she is only 6 yrs old, these meds are pretty strong stuff and aren't really meant for long term use, unless in older kitties that only have awhile longer to live.

there are some supplements you should try first before resorting to harsh pain meds...unless you just want to use for a short time to take the immediate pain away.

here are a few that helped many cats(and dogs too)

-Glucosamine & Chondroitin Sulfate MSM joint formula....from the Natural Factors Brand. this one is the best for use in cats contains NO artificial sweetners, preservatives or colors. no corn, soy or starch.

I will have to research more on how much to use for arthritis, I use it for my cats for bladder inflamation but dosages may be different ..I buy my products from iherb and will give you a link in the meantime. by using the human form of these supps you are getting a much 'cleaner' product with more beneficial ingredients and for a much CHEAPER price than whats available thru you Vet...as long as you use the brands I recommend as some of the human supps have additives that are not safe for cats.


http://www.iherb.com/Natural-Factors-Glucosamine-Chondroitin-Sulfates-900-mg-120-Capsules/2591?at=0

another very GOOD supp. for inflammation is TURMERIC. both for people and safe for cats...again this one is the BEST brand to get for safety with cats b/c of NO fillers and additives...

http://www.iherb.com/Doctor-s-Best-Best-Curcumin-C3-Complex-500-mg-120-Capsules/13#cid=DRB&p=1&oos=1&disc=0&lc=en-US&w=curcumin&rc=309&sr=null&ic=11

I also know of some others but need to find the time to get more info...

a very good and SAFE homeo for pain is ARNICA....have you researched homeopathy? I can send you info on that too.
would be much safer to try these supplements and homeo products first before pain meds and NSAIDs

[MYoungAtHeart]

Thank you Opus...I am really interested in the holistic sites also, but this is what I found on google...The vet carries all of these medications..

Some of the drugs that can be used to relieve pain for cats with arthritis include:
•buprenorphine
•tramadol
•Fentanyl®
•gabapentin
•meloxicam (Metacam®)

A few words of caution about the use of Metacam® are in order. Metacam® is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication. Its usage in cats for the treatment of arthritis is controversial and off-label (being administered in a way not approved by the FDA). If your cat is being treating with Metacam®, it is important to make sure that your cat does not become dehydrated and is not suffering from kidney disease. If your cat begins to vomit, stops eating or develops diarrhea while taking Metacam®, discontinue the medication and contact your veterinarian immediately.

[opus88]

can you share with us the ones you've found with your search....I have some suggestions(untried) that I've read abt on holistic cat sites, but unfortunately won't get the time to post what I've read abt until later today...
just avoid at all costs any steroids or NSAIDs with cats...:((