Feline osteochondrosis

Symptoms of feline osteochondrosis: The disease manifests as bone deformities in the limbs or tail, reluctance to move, limping, and bone pain. If the feline osteochondrosis is caused by genetic factors, it can usually only be controlled through medication to alleviate the cat's pain and slow down the disease's progression, but it cannot be completely cured.

Causes of feline osteochondrosis: Osteochondrosis is a disease of bone weakening that occurs in growing cats, mainly due to insufficient or imbalanced calcium and phosphorus intake, lack of vitamin D and sunlight, and hereditary vitamin D metabolism abnormalities. In some cases, it is caused by increased calcium and vitamin D requirements due to lactation and pregnancy.

How to treat feline osteochondrosis: The treatment includes supplementing with chondroitin and calcium tablets. Care should be taken to avoid excessive physical activity in daily life to prevent bone injuries. Some cases of feline osteochondrosis are congenital, and the cat can only be cared for through later nursing and gradual supplementation with chondroitin and calcium tablets while avoiding vigorous exercise.

How to prevent chondrodysplasia in Scottish Folds: Calcium supplementation can effectively prevent osteochondrosis, as can supplementing with vitamin D and zinc, which promote calcium absorption for better results. However, Scottish Folds carry the genetic predisposition to chondrodysplasia, making them much more susceptible to the disease than average cats. When chondrodysplasia is detected, medication can only alleviate the symptoms, but not cure the root cause.