Outlook for cat born without hips

[laura mccrary]

Hi. I have a three year old cat that I got as a stray. He apparently has no hip bones. He bunny hops a lot and has compensated for his lack of back leg mobility by really overdeveloping his upper body. He is really muscular in the chest and front legs, but his back legs and rectum lack a lot of innervation which led to repeated rectal prolapses until we did a surgery to correct that. He has no tail and his back legs are severely atrophied. His legs can turn almost all the way around. My concern is that he has this long low meow that I think he does when he is in pain. Is there any remedy for his pain, it seems to be occasional and not regularly so I am uncertain of the cause unless it has to do with his hind legs etc. Anyone have any idea? I can't seem to find a description for his condition on the web, I find hip dysplasia but that's not what he has. He just has no hips.

 

[mewtantmommy]

Hi Laura.  Your general description leaves no doubt that your boy has Manx Syndrome.

Beastie Momma started a Manx Syndrome Advice & Support thread here__

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/306059/...rt-beast-boy-was-diagnosed-with-manx-syndrome

 

[mewtantmommy]

What else is he doing when he does that long low meow?

 

[mewtantmommy]

I have known some animals having bone malformations at their hip joints, but not having complete absence of hips.  They had some subluxation at their hips, and the malformed ball ends of their femurs had resistance from scar tissue formation beyond (over) those upper (malformed ball) ends of their affected femurs.  The resistance provided by those scar tissue formations enabled them to walk as well as they did.

For as long as he can hop about, he should not have a "drag bag."  Has a Veterinarian examined him lately to assess his degree of sensation in and about his rear legs and feet?  If he is much lacking in ordinary sensation there, it might be a good idea to dress him in baby garments that would help protect the skin of his rear legs and feet from injury.

 

[mewtantmommy]

For his active/mobile times, I would be concerned about any rear end or rear extremities blistering, abrasions, anything like that.  If he drags or scoots his rear end, I would dress him (only for his active times) in baby garments altered to be open at the area of his *bathroom parts.*   If there is concern that his shoulders and front legs are being overworked, you might want to consider having a wheelchair made for him. Some wheelchair candidates do not like their wheelchairs -- when they reject them, though, there are always others for whom the wheelchairs would be a great favor.  Wheelchairs are a more practical option for fully grown (or nearly fully grown) animals with rear end mobility challenges.

For his down (resting) times, I would be very concerned about his developing any decubitus ulcers.  I will be back later to show you an arrangement you might use to help prevent those.

 

[mewtantmommy]

With very good care and the protections he can be given with indoors life, he can have a good long life, even a fairly long life for a cat.

Keep his rear claws well trimmed and their ends ground or filed so as to be blunted with no sharpness.  Keep away from him any animals who might hurt him.  Never use any heating things or heat sources for him (such as, but not limited to, heating pads).  Have his Doctor advise you on what all you can do to keep him well, and in particular, on prevention of decubitus ulcers. 

If he is paraplegic or nearly so, I strongly recommend checking into “drag bag” garments for him.  The other garments I had in mind for him would be the bodysuit-like “sleeper” type baby garments having closed feet.  They can sometimes be found in preemie size, but never in micro-preemie sizes.  If he (consistently or usually) favors having one particular side turned up (either flank, etc.) and the other down, do your best to discourage his having that (consistent or usual)  habit -- try to get him to alternate frequently as to which side he drags against the floor.  Even if he wears a “drag bag,” carefully examine the dragged-on skin often. 

This polypropylene basket (or bin) pictured is a Sterilite brand item # 1284.  Its handles turn 270 degrees.  I have long used these baskets with ordinary animal bedding (cotton flannel or spun polyester baby blankets) as portable beds for temporarily incapacitated animals, such as those recovering from major surgeries.  Its pierced design rear panel permits ventilation, and its open side permits the animal and caregiver keeping one another in view, which can be very comforting to a helpless animal.  In addition, the design permits examination and necessary handling of the bedridden animal without needless lifting of the animal.

In one view you see it with an 18” x 11-1/2” memory foam pillow (here, it is an improvised memory foam mattress) placed inside with its shorter sides turned just slightly under.  This bed can be made up smooth (wrinkle-free – Essential!) by stretching and tucking away (loose excess) of its covering and then covering it over with some thin knit material (such as T-shirt material) pulled taut over the pillow in both directions.  This, combined with frequent enough turning-over of the animal (simple to do with this or similar basket design), to avoid extended periods of pressure on the same (body) parts, makes for an excellent (and easily portable) bedding arrangement for a paraplegic animal.  I have used this arrangement for an animal who became a “downer” from advanced senescence.

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• mewtantmommy
• Sep 24, 2015

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• mewtantmommy
• Sep 24, 2015