Carpal hyperextension

Hi everyone,

It's hard to pinpoint when I started noticing this, but Chispa's ankles have been progressively sagging. At first I thought it might be some anatomical quirk that I just hadn't noticed before, especially since they looked perfectly straight at times. But it's progressed to the point where even I can see that it's definitely not normal. I did some googling last night and learned that it is a condition known as carpal hyperextension, and that it can be caused by an injury or, sometimes uncontrolled diabetes. When I read injury, I thought maybe it happened from jumping off of the bed or the couch -- at 16.5 she is not much of a climber, so it wouldn't have been anything higher than that -- but the article suggested that it would take a fall from 2 or 3 stories to create that kind of injury. So that leaves diabetes, but hers has been pretty well controlled since long before her ankles started sagging.

Has anyone had experience with this condition? Of course the article said to take the cat to the vet right away for x-rays under anesthesia, but having put her (and my wallet) through dental surgery barely a month ago (six extractions! ), I am hoping a "wait and see" approach would not be unreasonable. She doesn't show any obvious signs of pain, but I know cats can be pretty stoic.

Thanks for any help -
Karen and Chispa

 

That looks like diabetic neuropathy to me. Its more common in the back legs.
I can see she is in blue and green numbers most of the time so it is puzzling.
It might be worth trying some Methyl B12 tablets such as Zobaline from lifelink.com

 

Thanks so much, Bron. I will try that. I’ve heard of diabetic neuropathy in the back legs but didn’t know it could affect the front. Her back legs seem normal, though not as strong as before (her method of getting up on furniture is a hop and a scramble). I had chalked it up to age or arthritis and started giving her Cosequin, which I think has helped somewhat. It would be great if this could be helped with a supplement —the article I read talked about surgery, pins, and a long recovery period ….

 

Yes I have seen it in the front legs.
Definitely try the zobaline first.
Looking at the photo you posted, the back legs are looking like they are a bit weak as well.
If it was arthritis, I wonder if it would effect both front legs at the same time and the same amount. Usually one leg is affected first...maybe both but to different degrees. Zobaline can take a few months to work but its definitely worth a try.

 

I just ordered two months worth of zobaline. The reviews make it sound like a miracle, so ... FX.

I read an article on diabetic neuropathy that said it's the insulin that actually causes the vitamin B12 deficiency. That's a surprise (to me, anyway)! This is from canadianinsulin.com :

Diabetic neuropathy in cats causes
Cats with this condition, which is also called plantigrade gait, will begin to walk on their heels rather than toes. The joints, nerves, and skin of the hind legs become progressively more damaged. The cause of diabetic neuropathy in cats is vitamin B12 deficiency, which is caused by the insulin used to treat diabetes. A lack of vitamin B12 prevents neurons from maturing.
​

Again, many thanks for the recommendation. Very much appreciated!

 

I always thought it was from the nerve damage caused by the diabetes. Where did you get that article from?
My Sheba had it quite badly. I used zobaline and she progressively got back to normal over the period of about 6 months.

 

That’s what I had thought too, but here’s the link where it says it’s the insulin:

https://canadianinsulin.com/articles/diabetic-neuropathy-cats/​

Very good to know that it worked for Sheba — that’s encouraging — and also that I have to be patient …