Feline with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear

Hi, my name is Niki, and I really scared my Mom a few days ago.  I tried to walk to her, but I kept collapsing on one of my legs, and sitting down to catch myself.  She really couldn’t tell what was wrong with me, and I wasn’t making it easy for her.   So off we went to see Dr. Paula to see if she could diagnose my problem. 

When we got to PAWS, I did my thing across the exam room floor, trying to walk, collapsing on one leg, and then sitting like any self-respecting kitty will do to not look like I am not in control.  Well they hoisted me right up onto that table and started touching me from one end of my body to the next.  When Dr. Paula got to my knee she knew — there it was, the problem.  No doubt about it, my knee is only supposed to move in one direction, like a hinge, but it was sliding forward a good quarter of an inch.  That’s why I couldn’t walk right — I’d put my weight on that leg, and instead of it supporting me, it slid forward!  It surprized me and hurt me, so I’d just sit down.  I got to get off that table then and hide back in my cage while Mom and Dr. Paula discussed my options.  That anterior cruciate ligament is deep inside the knee, and it functions to keep the knee stable, to keep the knee just moving in one plane, as a hinge.  The best treatment for a young animal is surgery, to repair the ligament.  However, I am not spring chicken — I have a few years on me, and perhaps a few extra pounds.  You see, I also have pretty significant arthritis in both my hips, so I can’t exercise like I should, to keep the extra weight off, and that makes me a poor candidate for surgery.  But there are other options, Dr. Paula tells us.  We can do acupuncture, herbs, and natural anti-inflammatory meds.   We opted for the herbs and laser acupuncture.  After just one acupuncture treatment and a week of herbs, I am now walking with just a slight limp in that rear leg — I can walk to wherever I want to go, again.  It will continue to get better, unless I slip and fall, or pull it in some way to strain the ligament again.  I will have arthritis in that knee, because of the injury and the instability of the knee, but Dr. Paula says I should be able to walk again, almost normally, in the future.  I guess when it gets cold and damp, my arthritis will really act up, but I can live with that.  I live in sunny and dry Tucson, AZ, how many bad days can there be???

I’m Dr. Paula Medler and I want to welcome you to my site.