Information on Bone Spurs in the Feline Species
All species of feline, including house cats, can have bone spurs. A bone spur, or osteophyte, is the formation of a bony substance onto regular bone. The growth of a bone spur in cats has several causes.
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Calcium Overload
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Bone spurs can grow on a cat's bone if the cat absorbs too much calcium. While calcium is necessary for strong bones and teeth, excess amounts can create bone spurs. Calcium in large amounts will cause bones to grow too fast, and additional growths, or bone spurs, will form.
Vitamin A Overload
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Milk contains vitamin A High amounts of vitamin A in a cat's diet can also create bone spurs around the joints, especially in the neck or back. Milk and liver contain high levels of vitamin A, which means a cat's diet should be regulated to include only nominal amounts of these foods.
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Arthritis
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Another cause of bone spurs is arthritis. Cats are prone to arthritis due to their constant bending and twisting when grooming. Injuries, age, congenital defects or obesity are other causes of arthritis. Over time, the inflammation of the joints causes a thinning of the cartilage, which can deform the bone and cause bone spurs to form.
Symptoms of Bone Spurs
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Bone spurs are painful. A cat with bone spurs will exhibit pain in the location of the bone spur, for instance, spurs in the neck could make the cat's neck stiff and sore. Spurs on the leg bones would make the cat limp or have trouble standing. Some bone spurs near the surface will make the skin very sensitive and painful to the touch.
Treatment
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In cases where diet is thought to be the cause of bone spurs, a change in diet will prevent further formation of bone spurs, but the spurs that are already there will stay and continue to cause pain. If arthritis is the cause, then medication to ease joint inflammation, such as chondroitin, may help reduce swelling and reduce the incidence of new spur formation. In the worst cases, a veterinarian may opt for surgery to smooth or remove the spurs.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Alessandro Valli Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of hobvias sudoneighm Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of D. Sharon Pruitt
