Special Kitten With Bent Legs is in Foster Care

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By Karen Harrison Binette

A kitten who appears to have Bilateral Arthrogryposis is in foster care after being picked up by Manatee County Animal Services, of Palmetto /  Bradenton, FL.

“Special”. as he is being called, was born with a condition that makes his hind legs bent oddly, appearing to be on backwards. The tendons in his back legs are too short, twisting the knee joints around. You can see him walking in a short video below.

A brief story at local channel Fox 13 reports that Special’s condition cannot be corrected with surgery, but we have seen several instances where similar kitties have had successful corrective surgeries.

“These kitties are not in pain,” Sarasota vet Dr. Cynthia Juday is quoted saying in the story. “They don’t seem to know that anything’s wrong.”

Special is being fostered by Sue Kolze, an animal lover who is active in the community.  Sue told a reporter, “He can walk fine. He walks funny but he plays with the other cats.”

Special’s foster caregiver and Manatee Animal services are looking for an adopter who will give Special his forever home.  Special has a best friend in another kitty named Murray. Sue Kolze would love to see the pair adopted together, if possible. She tentatively recommends that Special not go to a home where he might be chased by the other pets.

Sue Kolze can be reached by email at [email protected].

Manatee County Animal Services has adoption and contact information listed online.

Manatee County Animal Services is working diligently toward becoming a No-Kill shelter and tries to adopt out as many of the animals that come into its care as is possible.

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According to Vetbook, Arthrogryposis is a persistent rigidity of a joint that is a rare disorder in cats. It is most common in the pelvic limbs with the stifle and tarsus held fixed in extension. It is associated with severe muscle atrophy. Arthrogryposis is the result of bone growth in the presence of inability of the muscles to lengthen due to muscle disease or more commonly loss of their innervation and secondary atrophy.The congenital form can be explained by abnormal development of the joints, the muscles that move the joint or the innervation of the muscles. Acquired arthrogryposis occurs in young growing animals most commonly due to denervation of muscles due to loss of their innervation from an inflammatory disease such as toxoplasmosis or a motor neuron degenerative disorder. In dogs this is common in young dogs with neosporosis. This does not occur in adult animals with muscle denervation. >Rohdin, C et al (2010) Acquired motor neuron loss causing severe pelvic limb contractures in a young cat. JFMS 12:237-240</ref>.

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