Hi,
Just an update on Shannon. While she had rallied with her arthritis in the past, she is having a serious setback at this time and needs your prayers again. She is on Prednisolone and Buprenex and also cosequin. Tonight she is dragging her left leg where the arthritis originated. It was broken many years ago. Has anyone had this happen to their cat and can you give me any idea what to do to help her. She has had radiographs, xrays, bloodwork, an EKG was diagnosed with LS disease. On the 17th she had a dental done and all was well with that. She is also CRF. At this point, I'm trying not to panic.
Shannon
Re: Shannon
I think you need a new vet, Peg. Period.
I doubt this is LS, and I'd certainly get new bloodwork (FULL profile) to check her potassium, sodium, calcium etc, as well as new blood glucose and urine glucose. The FULL profile should include everything. Recheck heart function and get her blood pressure checked. A board certified feline vet would be the best for this case.
I hope the vet you've been seeing is not a holistic one, (or other alternative-minded vet), and I hope you have not continued any acupuncture or chiropractic. As a matter of fact, I would actually be worried about damage done by whomever did the chiropractic previously (yes, there are incidents all the time by idiot chiropractic vets who have no clue what they're doing).
The last comment your vet made that you posted in Dec was upsetting in that she/he suggested her tech might have hit a muscle or nerve while giving fluids. That's absurd, as giving fluids correctly doesn't do that, nor would it affect a leg. Mind you, I don't know anything about your vet, but I have to wonder if he/she isn't taking responsibility for something here, and isn't giving Shannon and you what you need in diagnostics and treatment.
PLEASE, get Shannon to a qualified feline only vet and get new bloodwork paying special attention to kidney levels, calcium, potassium, sodium etc, recheck heart function and blood pressure in the event something has been missed. Series xrays a good idea to look for changes or something that might have been missed before.
No amount of arthritis and pain or loss of function in a limb should be developing in this manner in such short amount of time between incidents, there could still be a disc problem going on, or a heart problem, blood clot, and it is obvious the pred and pain meds are not addressing it. That to me indicates something is going on that isn't going to respond to current treatment. Don't wait on this, get her to a new more qualified vet first thing tomorrow, please!
I doubt this is LS, and I'd certainly get new bloodwork (FULL profile) to check her potassium, sodium, calcium etc, as well as new blood glucose and urine glucose. The FULL profile should include everything. Recheck heart function and get her blood pressure checked. A board certified feline vet would be the best for this case.
I hope the vet you've been seeing is not a holistic one, (or other alternative-minded vet), and I hope you have not continued any acupuncture or chiropractic. As a matter of fact, I would actually be worried about damage done by whomever did the chiropractic previously (yes, there are incidents all the time by idiot chiropractic vets who have no clue what they're doing).
The last comment your vet made that you posted in Dec was upsetting in that she/he suggested her tech might have hit a muscle or nerve while giving fluids. That's absurd, as giving fluids correctly doesn't do that, nor would it affect a leg. Mind you, I don't know anything about your vet, but I have to wonder if he/she isn't taking responsibility for something here, and isn't giving Shannon and you what you need in diagnostics and treatment.
PLEASE, get Shannon to a qualified feline only vet and get new bloodwork paying special attention to kidney levels, calcium, potassium, sodium etc, recheck heart function and blood pressure in the event something has been missed. Series xrays a good idea to look for changes or something that might have been missed before.
No amount of arthritis and pain or loss of function in a limb should be developing in this manner in such short amount of time between incidents, there could still be a disc problem going on, or a heart problem, blood clot, and it is obvious the pred and pain meds are not addressing it. That to me indicates something is going on that isn't going to respond to current treatment. Don't wait on this, get her to a new more qualified vet first thing tomorrow, please!
..........Traci
Re: Shannon
Thank you Traci.
Bloodwork has been done and arthritis is evident, but I will definitely look into a CT scan. Shannon is not a good patient and getting heart rates and blood pressure has never been conclusive. It's always racing when she's at the vet's. I originally thought she had a saddle embolism having had a cat die from that but that was ruled out. There's a Cat Clinic near where I work and I will get an appointment there and have them check Shannon again. There has to be a solution to this. I appreciate your advice.
Bloodwork has been done and arthritis is evident, but I will definitely look into a CT scan. Shannon is not a good patient and getting heart rates and blood pressure has never been conclusive. It's always racing when she's at the vet's. I originally thought she had a saddle embolism having had a cat die from that but that was ruled out. There's a Cat Clinic near where I work and I will get an appointment there and have them check Shannon again. There has to be a solution to this. I appreciate your advice.
Re: Shannon
Shannon is getting more unstable. She is falling and can't walk more than a few steps. I am so afriad I will have to put her down. I have called Univ. of Penn Veterinary Hospital will take her as an emergency in the morning. Shannon's creatinine was 3.1 and her BUN nearly normal. Glucose was slightly elevated, potassium and calcium were normal. Would that make it the end stages of her renal disease? They're ruled out thrombosis and tell me it's arthritis in the spine. Does that mean nothing can be done for her? I can't lose my baby. She is in good condition other than this. I know she injured her back. I saw it, but I never thought it could progress to this. I am devastated.
Re: Shannon
Get a CBC with differential and urinalysis done, and she needs her blood pressure checked, I'm surprised after all this, the vet can't get her blood pressure checked (more than one measurement in the same visit needs to be done, to be accurate)??!!
I don't know if the vet can rule out a clot just yet, but it needs to be ruled out completely, as does disc compression.
Again, it may be totally unrelated to spine injury, it could be secondary to something else, and if you already have access to U of P, then ask for a feline specialist, preferrably one who hasn't seen Shannon yet, get all Shannon's health records (past and current) to them so they can review them, particularly from the last year. Any of your vets can fax the records to them.
Without a complete evaluation and additional diagnostics, I don't know what else to tell you, something is going on that obviously doesn't respond to antiinflammatories or buprenex, but a feline specialist who can review her records may be able to make an educated opinion on how to proceed and what to look for.
Hang in there, Peg, Shannon is in my thoughts and prayers!
I don't know if the vet can rule out a clot just yet, but it needs to be ruled out completely, as does disc compression.
Again, it may be totally unrelated to spine injury, it could be secondary to something else, and if you already have access to U of P, then ask for a feline specialist, preferrably one who hasn't seen Shannon yet, get all Shannon's health records (past and current) to them so they can review them, particularly from the last year. Any of your vets can fax the records to them.
Without a complete evaluation and additional diagnostics, I don't know what else to tell you, something is going on that obviously doesn't respond to antiinflammatories or buprenex, but a feline specialist who can review her records may be able to make an educated opinion on how to proceed and what to look for.
Hang in there, Peg, Shannon is in my thoughts and prayers!
..........Traci
Re: Shannon
Thanks, Traci. I went to U-Penn today and they want an MRI. They think it is nuerological or disc related but can't tell without an MRI under general anesthesia. They mentioned heart irregularities, cancer, or infection along with discs and arthritis. By the time they got done explaining the MRI and potential surgery, I was in a panic. I'm looking to call the Red Bank Hospital where they can do all thoses things. I will set up the CT scan. They do that under just sedation, right? Shannon was very slow coming out of the dental and I am terrified to put her under twice again.
Re: Shannon
Is there some reason the U of P can't do all of that for you? (MRI, CT etc), and how come they didn't set this up for you right away?
As long as they have her health history/records and understand her age, review her bloodwork etc, they will make careful considerations about anesthesia, they will discuss that with you prior to any procedure. I hope it doesn't come down to surgery, you would have to weigh your options carefully. If you were concerned about her slow anesthetic recovery from her recent dental, you have to discuss your concerns with them, it's possible they may choose only quick/light sedation.
As long as they have her health history/records and understand her age, review her bloodwork etc, they will make careful considerations about anesthesia, they will discuss that with you prior to any procedure. I hope it doesn't come down to surgery, you would have to weigh your options carefully. If you were concerned about her slow anesthetic recovery from her recent dental, you have to discuss your concerns with them, it's possible they may choose only quick/light sedation.
..........Traci
Re: Shannon
Just an update on Shannon. It's been a heartwrenching week. I have been crying my heart out thinking I would have to put Shannon down. We have been to four hospitals in three days, Langhorne, PA, Columbus, NJ, U-Penn in Philadelphia and Red Bank, NJ. I got an appointment for Red Bank yesterday and saw Dr. Sammarco, Shannon's Cardiologist. Shannon's heart is fine. He was also able to get a neurologist to see her. The neurologist told me if the problem was not neurological in nature I should save my money on the MRI (they cost $2800 around here). He took several radiographs of Shannon's back and legs. He feels the problem is definitely orthopedic. Remember her smashed leg when she was two? Well the pictures of it are rather gruesome. The bone is an inch and a half shorter in this leg and it is deformed by scar tissue and arthritis so it will not support her. He said this has probably been the case for a long time and she used her right leg to compensate. Showing me the right leg, she has arthritis in the knee so it too is now compromised. So if she walks slow and deliberate, she can walk with a wobble but if she runs, neither rear leg will support her and she falls. He saw no damage to the discs or shadows indicating any other problem. He was inspired by her spunk and fight at her age. He said no way to put her down. He fell in love with her. He held her personally for the radiographs.
I have an appointment with an orthopedist Tuesday for consultation. We all agree it would be extremely risky for surgery at Shannon's age and that would be qa last resort. So we will see about a pain therapy program first. I will let you know what he says Tuesday. Please keep those prayers coming. We need them and appreciate them so much.
I have an appointment with an orthopedist Tuesday for consultation. We all agree it would be extremely risky for surgery at Shannon's age and that would be qa last resort. So we will see about a pain therapy program first. I will let you know what he says Tuesday. Please keep those prayers coming. We need them and appreciate them so much.
Re: Shannon
BY the way, her CBC and uryinalysis were ok. Her heart is strong and her blood pressure was slightly elevated they felt throught he stress of the examination.
Re: Shannon
Can we backtrack for a moment, is the weakness in the leg the only symptom? Is she crying out or showing signs of obvious pain? (was nerve damage ruled out, i.e., pinched nerve in the leg)?
Is she eating, drinking normally and has normal urination/bowel habits? No vomiting, nausea, lethargy or weight loss?
I'm assuming they checked both urine and blood glucose, although it doesn't seem to fit at this point, you'd want to rule out consistently high glucose, which could lead to diabetic neuropathy.
There are different pain management protocols you can consider, but you have to take into account her CRF and keep a close watch on her kidney and liver function with any pain meds. I'm assuming they are not finding immunosuppression from the use of the prednisolone?
Is she eating, drinking normally and has normal urination/bowel habits? No vomiting, nausea, lethargy or weight loss?
I'm assuming they checked both urine and blood glucose, although it doesn't seem to fit at this point, you'd want to rule out consistently high glucose, which could lead to diabetic neuropathy.
There are different pain management protocols you can consider, but you have to take into account her CRF and keep a close watch on her kidney and liver function with any pain meds. I'm assuming they are not finding immunosuppression from the use of the prednisolone?
..........Traci