stumped by sudden change in young tomcat

[novagirl]

I found and kept a beautiful grey and white long haired cat just over two months ago, we call him Mouser He is very spunky and playful, he has a zest for life and he's great at catching rats and mice in the basement. At least he did up until a couple of days ago. I didn't really notice right away but he just slept alot and wasn't as active. Last night he was sleeping in a box that he likes and when he got up he was limping. It looked like he couldn't put any weight on his back leg. It was strange because I had seen him before he went to sleep and he was fine. He was pretty much listless all night and he was being very vocal. My husband said this morning that last night was crying alot and trying to tell him something. This morning he was laying in the middle of the living room floor and went I put my hand on him to pet him he protested loudly, like it hurt him or bothered him. Then he limped over to the couch, and laid on his side. He tried to get up again but instead he howled in pain. My husband and I put him in his cat box and rushed him down to the vet. The vet put his hands all over his hind paws and stomach and he really let out a howl when he pushed on his bladder. The vet said that he was sore there but his bladder wasn't inflamed. He also had a high temperature(104) The vet told me they were going to do blood work and see what is wrong. They gave him a shot of antibiotics and it brought his temp down slightly (103) I went back to get him this afternoon and they told me to leave him there for the night as they wouldn't have the results of the blood test until tommorow. (Originally they said they would have it later that day)Is this normal to wait this long for blood results? Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts on what could be wrong with my beautiful boy. He also had what looked like a cut or a sore on his mouth. Iam absolutely stumped that he went from being so full of life to such discomfort. I have two other cats and they are absolutely fine.

[Traci]

How old is your kitty?

Did your vet take an x-ray? If not, demand one when you talk to him first thing in the a.m.....also, did he palpate the kidneys by chance?

Any chance kitty could have ingested something, or swallowed a foreign object from the basement, or gotten into something toxic? Could he have taken a fall? If you think those are possibilities, you need to inform the vet so he can test appropriately and get a full x-ray evaluation.

Depending on his in-clinic lab depends on when you should get blood results...he may have sent them to a human lab in which you may not get the results until tomorrow.

[novagirl]

I don't know how old my cat is. When he first came into my mom's backyard this summer he wasn't quite full grown. I think he's probably about a year old, if that.
"Anything" could have happened to him while he was in the basement. I was out all day and don't have a clue what may have transpired while I was out. Even though he was limping and crying out in pain at home, when I took him out of the box at the vets' he walked around in the examination room with no limp. He could've fallen, he could've caught a rat or mouse, he could've done anything, I just don't know.
Maybe he has the calicivirus, that could cause his muscles to be achey.
He is not up to date on his vaccinations, the vet said I should get him current, should I wait until he feels well again or is it ok to vaccinate when he's under the weather already?

[Traci]

Depends on what your vet finds today....if kitty is ill, of course do NOT vaccinate until he is completely healed. Also remember that the back legs (near hip) are used for vaccinations (FELV and Rabies), so if he's already sore in this area, a vaccination will make it more sore.

Whatever your vet finds (or doesn't find) today, if you're not comfortable with his assessment or treatment approach, don't hesitate to see another vet.

[Guest]

I just returned from "visiting" my cat at the vet, I thought I would be able to bring him home but he has a fever "again" and it makeshim very uncomfortable to touch him. His blood tests all came back normal, no leukemia /aids or distemper. So what the heck is the matter with him?
I asked if they'd taken any x-rays and the "person" that I talked to asked if the vet yesterday said I should have xrays done. "No" I said, Iam suggesting that maybe they should be done to rule out internal injuries or other. Iam very very frustrated with this vet, if my cat wasn't so sore I would pull him out of there and take him elsewhere. I was told to call at 5pm today when the vet that I know will be in. What is most frustrating is that I will owe a couple of hundred dollars and whatever ails the cat will still be a mystery.

[Traci]

In this case, I would strongly suggest asking the vet to treat the fever, get it stabilized and transfer your kitty to an ER vet ASAP. If you're not comfortable with this clinic, you have every right to get kitty to another, more professional, experienced vet. I suggest an ER clinic because they are more experienced in sudden illnesses such as this, and will get to the heart of the matter promptly.

To treat the fever, your vet can give fluids, possibly antibiotics, etc. Ideally, the fever should subside within an hour or so, long enough for a transfer to another clinic.

I wouldn't wait on this at all, call an ER vet in your area right now and explain your situation, that you need a second opinion and are concerned with the level of care your kitty is thus far receiving (or lack thereof).

[Guest]

Well I just called and spoke to my vet, I told him I was very unhappy with the mediocre attention they've been giving my cat and also Iam not getting any answers. The vet appears "stumped" as to what is wrong with him.I told him to do an x-ray, he called me back and said the xray shows no broken bones or fractures. So, he suggested doing a test for rat poison, to which I agreed. He has just given the boy some antibiotics and also a laxative. The vet said he is very sensitive to touch, not just on his hind legs but all over his body. I asked how much I owe at this point and in addition to paying for a 60$ rat poision test I owe 280$ for the "treatment" so far that has given me no answers. At this point I cannot afford to spend anymore, I called another emergency clinic and they want 60$ just to see him. I simply can't afford it. All I did was try to do the "right thing" by taking in a homeless cat. The vet said that maybe it is the calicivirus in which case it will go away in a few days. But I've been reading about the calicivirus and it should only cause lameness in the back legs, not all over. Iam so upset and frustrated, because this is deja vu of what happened with my last cat one year ago. I ended up having that cat euthanized after another mystery ailment that was never really diagnosed.
Please whoever reads this please say a prayer for my boy, he's so gentle and loving and he deserves to live a long and happy life.

[Traci]

At this point, it is incumbent upon your vet to refer you to a more experienced vet, and promptly. He can also call any other vet he is aquainted with in the area for consultation on how to treat this. Last resort is a full feline serology to rule out potential serious infectious diseases (which would include immunological, fungal, infectious disease, hemolytic, etc). It's strange that nothing is showing up on bloodwork, if a CBC was done, this would most likely help the vet indicate some sort of infection going on somewhere (as evidenced by occurance and duration of fever). Do you know WHAT type of blood testing this vet performed? (was it a full chemical analysis plus a CBC?)

You can also call back the emergency clinic (or your vet can on your behalf) and consult with one of the vets there for suggestions on how to treat this. Since presumably, blood work and x-rays have already been done, this has lowered your cost anyway toward seeing the emergency clinic. I realize that there may be added cost here, but in this case, since your vet doesn't have a clue, it's imperative he refer you to someone who does....it's entirely possible that the ER clinic might find something your vet has missed, I wouldn't want to take chances here.

Prayers for your baby, please keep us updated.....

[novagirl]

I just got home from taking my boy to another vet.
This vet said that Mouser in all likelihood either has calcivirus, in which case he should just let the virus run its course and he will get better in about a week, or he has feline infectious peridonitis in which he will just get sicker and sicker. I pray to God that it is only calcivirus. His appetite is very good! He is glad to be home and he just cleaned himself a bit and is relaxing now, he is quarintined in a seperate room from my other cats.
I will update in the next while with good news I hope.
thank u Traci for the advice.

[Traci]

If it is calicivirus, the good news is that it will probably self-resolve, but, it can persist in some cats, so you will have to keep a close eye on him and watch your other cats closely. If they too are not up-to-date on vaccinations, now would be the time to do so. It may not prevent them from the virus, but it may help reduce the symptoms should they contract it.

If calicivirus, watch carefully for any signs of pneumonia, raspy, labored breathing. Pneumonia can be a detrimental clinical symptom, and if not treated agressively, it can get serious. The mouth sore you mentioned earlier might be an ulcer, in which ulcers can be common on the mouth, palate, lip and sometimes the foot pads/claws. As for the body soreness and lameness, it is a muscular arthritis-like symptom that usually resolves in time and does not require additional treatment. However, pain medications can be prescribed if kitty is debilitated, and absolutely has no pain tolerance.

Continue the antibiotics as prescribed, and don't hesitate to contact your vet if worsening signs develop, and/or to get a refill/extension on the antibiotics for another week or so. If he develops severe conjunctivitis, your vet can prescribe an opthalmic ointment. I would also suggest getting a digital rectal thermometer and monitoring his temperature at least twice a day until kitty's symptoms improve. If the fever escalates again, you will need to notify your vet at once.