My small cat goes outdoors a bit (will be going out less now) and came back one day with a bad leg. Went to the vets, got x-ray, and it's a dislocated hip, a bit of fracturing on the pelvis. They are already promoting surgery saying a relocation might not last. What is your opinion- should I be pushing for an attempted re-location of the hip and see if that works, or the corrective surgery? I am on a limited limited budget in regards to vet costs.. from what I can see of the x-ray the bone itself looks undamaged, just not in the proper place.

Hi, Catsy,

Simple reduction of the dislocated hip in a cat is rarely successful, for various anatomical reasons.
The treatment options are to go for surgical reduction with a 'toggle' anchoring the head of the femur into the socket, or just leave it to mend on a regime of restricted exercise. A 'false joint' is formed, anchoring the head of the femur to the pelvis. As a result the leg is slightly shorter, but this is compensated by it becoming straighter. Since, unlike humans, cats and dogs carry most of their weight on the forelegs, any reduction is weight-bearing potential is not significant.
I found that in most cases this last option was the best.

W

"or just leave it to mend on a regime of restricted exercise."

I appreciate the reply, but a bit confused by your statement here, I am assuming both 'options' involve surgery to put the bone closer to the right place, with
one option being the pin. Or 'leave it to mend' means just plain leave the cat to mend on it's own, perhaps a bit shorter on a corner?

yes, the cat is scheduled for the hip thing. The cynic in me wanted to ask to make sure that I wasn't being 'upsold' on a procedure. I'd rather take my responsibility for having permitted the cat to wander out for a day, when I should have been reining him back inside..

thanks..

Hi, Catsy,

Sorry if I was not clear enough. By 'regime of restricted exercise' I meant 'cage rest' for a period. No surgical treatment is involved and the head of the displaced femur becomes bonded to the pelvis with fibrous tissue, eevntually returning to about 80% of normal function.

W

so if I understand this.. basically I've taken the cat to the vet of course, got xrays, nothing like internal bleeding or other anomolies.

Well.. I've still got a couple of days to decide here.. So I interpret it, that I could invest a bit on a cage,
and cat-wrangling/babysitting for a time period to let the leg adapt..instead of the hip surgery? Even a cage stint might be less traumatic to the cat than surgery and recovery..

Hi, Catsy,

Yes, I think you have the idea.

W

I'm posting this to thank you for your advice in this forum. One morning two and a half months ago my tabby came in dragging her right leg behind her. When she lay down that leg would stick straight out behind (there was also a gash on the back of the thigh). X-rays showed a dislocated hip (and broken fibula) and possibly dislocated knee (2 vets differred), and the proposed operation was estimated at $2000. For some reason there was no attempt made to put it back into place that first weekend.

I found there are VERY FEW references on the web to the "heal naturally" approach, but after reading this thread and one or 2 others we decided to try this, since she seemed to be unconcerned with her disability and determined to get on with her normal routine. After a couple of weeks she sat for the first time with her hind paws side by side. For a month or so she had a pronounced limp and even her knee pointed out to the side, but by now she looks fine and walks normally and the only thing different is the slight 'turn in' of her right leg when she lies down, and a reluctance to jump as high as she used to.

She did receive a pain patch that first week, and a long-acting antibiotic injection and some sedative, as well as having her wound bandaged.

I hope that other people can use this to help make their decision. Thanks so much.

Hi,

Thank you for the progress report and I am pleased that your cat is doing so well.

. 'Masterly inactivity' is sometimes effective, but other options should ALWAYS be considered.

W

Something very similar has happened to my poor baby kitty. X-rays have shown that his hip is dislocated. The vet has described three options.

1) Attempting to pop it back into place. He warns that this has a 10% chance of working.

2) A corrective surgery of the femur. He says this will fix the problem for good and should cost about $1500.

3) Natural healing. Cage rest for a month without letting Simba move.

I am leaning towards the natural healing option for a number of reasons.

1) I am VERY broke.
2) My kitty's only one year old, so healing should be fairly simple.
3) Even since the day of his injury he has been anxious to get back to his old routine and seems bold enough to be able to recover on his own.

My question is, what exactly is going to happen to my cat, anatomically? I read mention of a false "tissue" attaching the hip. Can someone please describe this thouroughly? Also, what should I do to keep him healthy? How often should he go to the vet fo check up? Should he be on a pain medication? How would this be administered? How long will he rest for?

I want to make sure that my baby will be just fine. It is worth shelling out the extra money if the alternative involves a lifetime of pain. Simba has always been so active and so loving. Seeing him any other way would break my heart.

Thanks in advance,
Samantha

Hi,

Dislocated hips do very well in cats when subjected to 'masterly inactivity'
I find that with reduction in exercise, possibly cage rest, they eventually - after 6 to 8 weeks - regain about 85% normal use of leg.
The leg gets a little shorter, but the cat compensates by holding it a little straighter.
A 'false joint' forms, attaching the top of the femur (the thigh bone) to the pelvis with a strong fibrous attachment.
Since the hip is not nearly such a weight bearing jopint in the cat as it is in humans they do very well.
He needs no medication, and further x-rays will give no more information that you have at present.

W

Hi,

My cat dislocated his hip a few weeks ago and we went the "pop back into place route" with the vet, which unfortunately didn't end up taking. My cat is about 9 years old and I was comforted to read the forum above in regards to naturally healing and that dislocated hips do very well in cats with the potential to regain about 85% normal use of their leg. It's been a little emotional to see my little guy hobble around, but its good to know that every day he rests, his chances are getting better to heal naturally. I have him in an empty bedroom with his bed, food/water, a few of his favorite toys, and an old 9 x 13 cake pan for a litter box (the vet's idea) so he doesn't have to raise his legs so far to get in.

Thank you for the good advice above. And good luck to you all who have cats with dislocated hips.

Hi,

It is virtually inpossible to successfully replace a dislocated hip in a cat - unlike in a dog - because the bony socket in the hip into which the head of the femur fits is very shallow in the cat - more a 'cup and saucer' than a 'ball and socket'.
It can be anchored into place by making a prosthetic ligament to hold it, but the extra benifit from this procedure is so small that in my opinion it is not worth carrying out.

W

Hi,
My 2 1/2 yr old cat was hit by a car and has dislocated her left hip, the vet tried to relocate it but was unsucessful and has suggested surgery in 3 weeks if things aren't looking good. I have her in a cage and am willing to do what ever it takes for her to get better but the cost of sugery will be very expensive and we would like to try a cheaper alternative. She is eating and drinking but is constipated. I am giving her Parrafin oil and Metomide as well as Metacam for pain, but she is only passing a small amount of poo. The vet said she may need to be flushed out if she wont poo properly. What else can I do to help her?
It was very interesting reading this information.
Thankyou.

Hi,

If you read earlier posts on this site, you will see that in my opinion cage rest for a few weeks produces almost equally good ( and in some cases better) results than surgery on a dislocated hip in the cat. For anatomical reasons a cat's hip, once dislocated, cannot be satisfactorily replaced without complicated and expensive surgery to replace the ligament inside the joint which is torn when the displacement occurs.
If she is constipated - which should not happen unless her pelvis is fractured too - it should be easily controlled by putting a little liquid paraffin into her food.

W

Walter Beswick Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi, Catsy,
>
> Simple reduction of the dislocated hip in a cat is
> rarely successful, for various anatomical
> reasons.
> The treatment options are to go for surgical
> reduction with a 'toggle' anchoring the head of
> the femur into the socket, or just leave it to
> mend on a regime of restricted exercise. A 'false
> joint' is formed, anchoring the head of the femur
> to the pelvis. As a result the leg is slightly
> shorter, but this is compensated by it becoming
> straighter. Since, unlike humans, cats and dogs
> carry most of their weight on the forelegs, any
> reduction is weight-bearing potential is not
> significant.
> I found that in most cases this last option was
> the best.
>
> W


Hi Walter. my cat just came inside and has clearly dislocated his right hind leg at the hip. I've read this forum and sadly, I don't have the money for an operation, but I am interested to try the inactivity. I've before given my animal Benadryl to help relax them for different reasons, so I've given Jack some to maybe help ease him. Besides putting him in a kennel, is there anything I can do to make him more comfortable while this heals?

Hi,.

Are you quite sure that he has a dislocated hip and not a fracture of the neck of the femur? They can be quite difficult to tell one from another even for an experienced vet.

If it is a dislocation, 6 weks of cage rest allows a false joint to form, with good results in most cases.

W

Hi Guys,

A few yrs ago my cat (7 yrs at the time) went missing for 8 days, when she returned she was clearly in alot of pain, so we went to the vets where she had a operation for a dislocated hip which from my understanding they sawed off the ball part that sits in the socket, and now has a "floating: hip if that makes sence. apparently as the injury had become old from her hiding away for 8 days this was the only thing left to do. The op cost me 3 grand, now tonight my little kitty who is now 10 has again injured her leg. i think it is the same leg but i cant be sure. to me she is holding her leg and having simular symptoms as last time. I am now a single mum with race horses and race dogs and know i cant afford another 3 k so this option of "bed rest" has got my attention. Im just unsure if this still stands as she has had the op before. She is in alot of pain and growling alot and i dont want to see my old friend in enormous pain for weeks on end if i would be doing the wrong thing. She is currently in my soft cat carrier on my bed however i dont know how long this will last, as she is already trying to escape! Can anyone advise me of what is best to do?

I am not sure whether you are serious or not reading your message but I have published it anyway and people can make up their own minds. As for paying £3k for an excision arthroplasty you paid far too much in my opinion. If you can afford to keep race horses but not afford to treat your cat I wonder how much the cat means to you - it must be such a hard life. If your cat is in pain you must take it to the vet - under the Animal Welfare Act you could be prosecuted for not doing so.

My cat has dislocated her hip. The Vet said she will try and put it back in place.Should I agree ? The operation is very expensive. I want to do the best for her. She also has a leaky Heart Valve and is on permanent treatment for that and so far is doing well on that. She is eleven years old.

Dislocated hips are usually the result of trauma like a car accident or a fall. Although they can be put back in place easily they often come out again so sometimes the hip needs to be pinned in place for a few weeks until the ligaments holding the hip in place heal, but even after that the hip can dislocate again. If that happens then the best option is usually to remove the ball from the top of the femur to make a false joint (excision arthroplasty) and cats do well like this. One option you may have to avoid repeat surgeries is to ask your vet to do this straight away to solve the problem. As far as your cat's heart problem goes it may be better to do the excision arthroplasty because your cat will only have to have one surgery.

My baby went missing for 4 nights and came home with a sore back leg. I took her to the vets where I was told it was a dislocated hip, they kept her in for general anesthetic to try and put it back in but this was unsuccessful and already large vet bill :-( . We brought her home last night and made her a quiet area in our hall as adviced and go back next week for a check up. We were given an option to leave her as she is to see if she can adapt to the dislocation or pay for an operation to correct it. I have been beside myself with worry as it seemed horrible to leave her as she is not being able to walk properly but in herself she seems ok and naturally we are so glad to have her home! We were going to try and get the money together for the operation but after reading the comments on here and knowing that a "false" limb is made and success of normal life is just as good as surgery I may discuss this with my partner and see if plenty of love is better for her than surgery and recovery! Thank you for past comments x

I would just add here that leaving the joint permanently dislocated may leave the cat in pain, which it may hide quite well and my personal opinion is that it is not necessarily a very good solution. Making a false joint by surgically removing the head of the femur usually avoids this and so if the hip cannot be replaced it is often the best option, although there are surgeries to anchor the hip in place as well.


Sorry for the delay in replying but I have been on holiday.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2011 07:36AM by MarkRicher.

My cat is almost 19 and has had a dislocated hip and bends at the knee for about 2 years and because he is losing weight due to a liver problem, it looks like it is going to snap off at the hip and is giving me a lot of stress to even watch him. However he still on occasion jumps from my table to the kitchen counter and into the bathtub for a drink out of the tap so does this mean he has learned to cope and does he have pain of any sort as he never cries out? However he does take a long time to turn around and lie down in a comfrotable position.

I am sure the hip won't snap off. If your cat is losing weight due to a liver problem make sure that the vet has checked whether the elevated liver enzymes in the blood are not due to an overactive thyroid which often causes high liver enzymes. If the cat has trouble getting comfortable then this might indicate that the hip causes discomfort.

My cat was x-rayed and had a dislocated hip. He climbs outside over fences so I guess he fell. I feel so blessed to have found this site. I had him rest either in a room, in a mesh habitat or in a harness. The habitat was GREAT. It is light and I used it indoors and out. He liked a sheet over it for privacy. I put up a clothes line and hooked him to it with a 15 ft lead for variety. I often left the habitat door open as he could go in or out at will in our yard. (0n the harness) The advice I followed was no running or jumping. I am so happy for your site as my vet was very rude and told me I was harming my cat. Well,  is doing great now. I would have gotten the operation if needed, but my boy does not sit still. I highly recommend the habitat for injured pets. Only $53, and I paid $158 for huge cage he would not go in.

Hi. In regards to using liquid paraffin to help with constipation, how much should be used, how often, and where can i purchase it? Also, how much movement should be allowed during 'masterly inactivity'? Is it okay to let my cat attempt to walk around?

A teaspoon of liquid paraffin twice daily until things get moving then adjust the amount to control the problem

My 3 month old kitten got caught under our recliner when we put the foot rest down. I was taking a nap when this happened but woke up to him whining and hissing in my face. I then noticed he was limping around and in pain. I immediatly took him to the pet hospital where they took xrays. They said that he had a broken or fractured bone in his leg where it attaches to the hip. They said he would need surgery to basically take out the ball joint and grind down the bone and then it would just be a floating limb. I didnt like the sound of it to begin with and then i found out it is a very expensive procedure. They sent me home with some pain medication and now i am debating. After reading above about how 85% of function can come back after a few weeks of rest i am leaning more towards this. If i do go this route will my vet give me more pain medication or anything for my kitten while he rests and heals? How do i need to care for him as in do i need to give him anything else besides pain medication? he sleeps in the bathroom now with his litter and food but i just feel bad leavin him in there all the time because he whines and tries to escape when we open the door. How do i tell my vet i decided to let him heal on his own without them thinking it is a bad idea and persuading me into getting the surgery (i am the kind of person that hates to say no) and paying all the money i dont have? If you can give me anymore detailed information that would be appreciated. Also, he was scheduled to have his shots done in a couple of days. Do i still give him those or wait until he is healed? i know that is probably a dumb question but i have no idea. I have never had anything go wrong with a pet before. Thank You for all your help.

hi my cat has cislocated its leg i know its not the same as a hip but how much in tottal did it cost you at the vet for treatment

A dislocated hip and a fractured hip (femoral neck) are not necessarily treated the same way. In my opinion if there is just a dislocation then replacement of the hip in the joint or removal of the femoral head are needed to prevent the cat being in long term pain. If the femoral neck is fractured, particularly in a young cat like this then it may heal if the cat is kept confined in a cage for about 6 weeks, during which time the cat should receive pain medication. The shots can be done now as well if you want.