Hi all,
I need some advice. My cat Shannon has had some health problems but her last checkup was good. Tonight she is dragging her left leg and having trouble walking. She had a sub Q last night and was fine. She has arthritis and was in bed most of the day but it has never been this bad. I called the vet but there is no doctor on duty tonight. I'm so upset.
Shannon
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slvrwhispr
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- Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 11:48 pm
- Location: Canton, MI
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Update: Well, we are home! After an exhausting night at the hospital in Pennsylvania, (I slept there!), Shannon was first thought to have thrown a clot and that turned out not to be the case. She is still in pain and is "crab-walking" sideways and falling but she was diagnosed with Arthritis of the lower spine which was apparently aggravated by a possible fall. She is being given a couple of pain killers and a mild steroid and we discussed acupuncture. They can't give her NSAIDS because of her kidneys. Creatinine was 2.9 a little up but still not drastic. But her blood pressure was high and that's why they expected her heart was causing clots. They did all kinds of testing including heart scans and body scans and skeletal scans. Her arthritis was an issue when I took her in nine years ago so it is progressing with her age but they said it was in no way life threatening and there are ways to help her be more comfortable. They gave her a mild steroid called Prednosolone a very small dose at 1/2 pill a day, and a liquid called Buprenex, only 0.1cc by mouth every 8 hours for pain.slvrwhispr wrote:No emergency vet?
Keep an eye on her, and keep her warm. Could be the cold weather really aggravating her arthritis. How's her breathing? Temp? Color? Nose pink, gums pink, all that good stuff?
Oh, where was the sub-Q given? Is it in the area she's showing stiffness?
When we got home, she tried to run to her litter box and fell over. I helped her get there and lifted her in. I guess she held it all night! The pill will make her drink water and I was told not to worry, it was the pills and not her kidneys. She was on IV all night. So we have a reprieve. Shannon is home again.
Re: Shannon
Holding a good thought for her.
Re: Shannon
Thanks so much.momPaws wrote:Holding a good thought for her.
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slvrwhispr
- Posts: 1366
- Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 11:48 pm
- Location: Canton, MI
- Contact:
Re: Shannon
Glad you got her to an emergency vet. Sounds like they gave her great care. Keep us posted.
Re: Shannon
Peg, this doesn't sound like arthritis, especially if it occured suddenly and if you KNOW she is in extreme pain, such as crying out, vocalizing like you've never heard her before, and if she seems very nervous, frightened, pupils dilated, seems disoriented, etc. If all of those symptoms occured, it COULD have been (and still could be) a clot, it causes excruciating pain, the limb is usually cold to the touch (because blood is not flowing to it), the cat is highly nervous and vocal/crying out in pain and the blood pressure will shoot up due to pain and nervousness as well as the heart attempting to pump more blood.
A possible fall? Did you witness this, and if so, when did the fall occur?
When you say "scans", were they xrays, ECG, EKG etc? Did an xray show anything obvious when you refer to "arthritis on the spine"? Was a pinched nerve ruled out? Are there obvious reflexes in the limb when tested, or not?
I assume you were at an ER clinic last night, can you PLEASE call your primary vet ASAP and get her opinion on this?
A possible fall? Did you witness this, and if so, when did the fall occur?
When you say "scans", were they xrays, ECG, EKG etc? Did an xray show anything obvious when you refer to "arthritis on the spine"? Was a pinched nerve ruled out? Are there obvious reflexes in the limb when tested, or not?
I assume you were at an ER clinic last night, can you PLEASE call your primary vet ASAP and get her opinion on this?
..........Traci
Re: Shannon
Traci,
Shannon was fine two days ago but did bang her back on the coffee table jumping off the couch. It's also possible she fell from the window sill because we had moved the chair she uses to make room for the tree. She wasn't crying and was mobile. She has a history of arthritis which began with her shattered leg as a kitten. They did VSEC Lab work, CBC, Creatinine was 2.9, and a PCV/TS/BG. Her glucose was elevated at 201. They also did VSEC Imaging and whole body radiographs. Only her left leg was suspicious and that's the rebuilt one. They did a ECG and BP (high as she was very stressed). They tested glucose levels in all four legs. All was well. They had Shannon's last echo from her cardiologist which showed the heart problems were resolved as secondary to her thyroid. The I-131 cured the murmur she had. They saw LS disease on radiographs and arthritis of lower spine. They recommend pain management, physical therapy and acupuncture. They are giving her Buprenex and Prednislone for pain. They said it was not life threatening but needed treatment.
Shannon is not acting any differently than usual except she has more trouble standing. When she walks slow it is better. If she tries to run, she falls. Arthritis has been an issue with her for at least 8 years. So it wasn't a sudden collapse, just more acute. She is still dragging her self up on the couch and got herself into the litter box. She's also cleaning herself of the dried blood on her legs. She is eating and drinking. She curled up on me to take a nap. I just have to watch she doesn't try to jump off the couch.
Shannon was fine two days ago but did bang her back on the coffee table jumping off the couch. It's also possible she fell from the window sill because we had moved the chair she uses to make room for the tree. She wasn't crying and was mobile. She has a history of arthritis which began with her shattered leg as a kitten. They did VSEC Lab work, CBC, Creatinine was 2.9, and a PCV/TS/BG. Her glucose was elevated at 201. They also did VSEC Imaging and whole body radiographs. Only her left leg was suspicious and that's the rebuilt one. They did a ECG and BP (high as she was very stressed). They tested glucose levels in all four legs. All was well. They had Shannon's last echo from her cardiologist which showed the heart problems were resolved as secondary to her thyroid. The I-131 cured the murmur she had. They saw LS disease on radiographs and arthritis of lower spine. They recommend pain management, physical therapy and acupuncture. They are giving her Buprenex and Prednislone for pain. They said it was not life threatening but needed treatment.
Shannon is not acting any differently than usual except she has more trouble standing. When she walks slow it is better. If she tries to run, she falls. Arthritis has been an issue with her for at least 8 years. So it wasn't a sudden collapse, just more acute. She is still dragging her self up on the couch and got herself into the litter box. She's also cleaning herself of the dried blood on her legs. She is eating and drinking. She curled up on me to take a nap. I just have to watch she doesn't try to jump off the couch.
Re: Shannon
By the way, I do have an appt. with Shannon's vet Thursday for her Sub Q and a doctor's follow up next Monday. Both emergency hospitals are at our disposal for Shannon. While I was typing, Shannon jumped down from the sofa to a pillow I put on the floor and walked into the kitchen where she is now eating. I will be watching her closely and my sister will be checking on her when I'm at work. We all love this little kitty.
Re: Shannon
Please humor me and call your primary vet, she needs to know what happened and the ER's "findings".
First, LS usually presents with several signs and symptoms, usually extreme pain with or without palpation, reluctance to jump up or down, urine or bowel functions are limited (incontinence or constipation), and other symptoms. It cannot always be diagnosed via xrays, as sometimes there are fragments of disk material that may not be seen. In cats, an MRI is probably more beneficial in conjunction with xrays. Sometimes, additional imaging like CT scan or dye injection are necessary to correctly diagnose.
Second, if this is true LS, the cause needs to be defined and you should NOT attempt physical therapy until the cause has been defined, fragments are ruled out, compression is ruled out!! Strict rest, potential confinement are the best course of action UNTIL this has been properly defined. If this were a severe case, and her spine were traumatized again, this could prove quite consequential! (perhaps leading to paralysis, loss of function, etc).
Third, you know how I feel about acupuncture, and I think this is more a bandadid coverup or means to milk you out of your hard-earned money. Not to mention the stress and time and effort on you and Shannon's part getting to these "therapy" sessions when there is NO proof it is effective. If this is a severe case of LS, or disk fragments, or compression, then surgery might be the only effective means to resolve it, acupuncture certainly is NOT.
Why was there dried blood on her legs???
I ask that you confer with your primary vet ASAP (preferrably TODAY) because she knows Shannon best, and she needs to know what's going on, what has ensued, her current meds prescribed by the ER and she needs to determine if she agrees with the ER's asessment or not.
First, LS usually presents with several signs and symptoms, usually extreme pain with or without palpation, reluctance to jump up or down, urine or bowel functions are limited (incontinence or constipation), and other symptoms. It cannot always be diagnosed via xrays, as sometimes there are fragments of disk material that may not be seen. In cats, an MRI is probably more beneficial in conjunction with xrays. Sometimes, additional imaging like CT scan or dye injection are necessary to correctly diagnose.
Second, if this is true LS, the cause needs to be defined and you should NOT attempt physical therapy until the cause has been defined, fragments are ruled out, compression is ruled out!! Strict rest, potential confinement are the best course of action UNTIL this has been properly defined. If this were a severe case, and her spine were traumatized again, this could prove quite consequential! (perhaps leading to paralysis, loss of function, etc).
Third, you know how I feel about acupuncture, and I think this is more a bandadid coverup or means to milk you out of your hard-earned money. Not to mention the stress and time and effort on you and Shannon's part getting to these "therapy" sessions when there is NO proof it is effective. If this is a severe case of LS, or disk fragments, or compression, then surgery might be the only effective means to resolve it, acupuncture certainly is NOT.
Why was there dried blood on her legs???
I ask that you confer with your primary vet ASAP (preferrably TODAY) because she knows Shannon best, and she needs to know what's going on, what has ensued, her current meds prescribed by the ER and she needs to determine if she agrees with the ER's asessment or not.
..........Traci