Help 4 month Kitten won't walk
Re: Help 4 month Kitten won't walk
Traci yes they did a Immunological panel. They said her lab does not show any diabetes but her White Blood Cell count still being 40,000 could account for her drinking more water. I asked about the FIP and they said it is a possibility but its very difficult to diagnosis and they still are looking at other things first. But they really want to see what the lab says before they make a comittment on a diagnosis. They did a pretty through exam on her legs, and they said she pulls back away from them when they pull apart her back paws and is flexing her back legs. They did say they had some concern on her back muscle mass. They also was discussing a MRI. They also called later today and asked if it was okay to video tape her tomorrow and send it out to diffrent Feline vets. (Which of course I said okay). They also started her on ear drops but said no puctured ear drums. Thanks Traci. I have had cats almost my whole life and this sweet little girl is really special. Hopefully she'll pull through.
Re: Help 4 month Kitten won't walk
PS Traci it nice to have some where to discuss these issues. :}
Re: Help 4 month Kitten won't walk
Do you know if the xrays have been done yet, and if they showed anything revealing?
..........Traci
Re: Help 4 month Kitten won't walk
Yes Traci and their negative. Her WBC is still 40,000 also so they are trying something else. Also my sister is on the County Board and has contacts with the SPCA, so she is doing some phone call for me today. She said though they have very young volunteers there and it has been a huge problem. They also said they are waiting on some lab results before they will even committ to anything. She eating good and still drinking water they said, and showing interest in everything around her. I'll go see her and speak to them again this afternoon.Thank you Traci for the quick replys.
Re: Help 4 month Kitten won't walk
I know about overworked, underpaid, understaffed and undertrained shelters! (don't get me started 
) But, I hope the general manager can be talked to at least.
I understand they want to wait for lab results, which is a prudent course of action. Just wish they had some preliminary idea. The absence of anything significant on xrays might be a good sign, although you might still want to be prepared for an MRI, since xrays can't always detect everything. Xrays could have detected cruciate ruptures, hip dysplasia, ricketts, congenital defects, etc all somewhat common things to rule out in young kittens.
So, on to neurological and immunological. The fact she still has reflex actions is a good sign as long as it does not progress.
Do you know if a urinalysis was also done? No bladder problems or bladder weakness? Are her urination/bowel habits normal? Are her stools formed normally?
Did the new vets say anything about soft tissue injury? I.e., overplaying and exhausting her muscles when playing that first day you had her home? While it would be extremely rare in light of the short timing, something like jumping from a tall level onto a hard surface can cause soft tissue injuries and lameness. Her reluctance or inability to stand or walk however, is concerning. Hopefully there is no pain evident, were they able to assess if she has pain?
I know how frustrating this is for you. But, I have to say, you're an angel for caring so much and opting for all the diagnostics, I'm sure she has royally tugged at your heart (as she would mine too)!!
) But, I hope the general manager can be talked to at least.I understand they want to wait for lab results, which is a prudent course of action. Just wish they had some preliminary idea. The absence of anything significant on xrays might be a good sign, although you might still want to be prepared for an MRI, since xrays can't always detect everything. Xrays could have detected cruciate ruptures, hip dysplasia, ricketts, congenital defects, etc all somewhat common things to rule out in young kittens.
So, on to neurological and immunological. The fact she still has reflex actions is a good sign as long as it does not progress.
Do you know if a urinalysis was also done? No bladder problems or bladder weakness? Are her urination/bowel habits normal? Are her stools formed normally?
Did the new vets say anything about soft tissue injury? I.e., overplaying and exhausting her muscles when playing that first day you had her home? While it would be extremely rare in light of the short timing, something like jumping from a tall level onto a hard surface can cause soft tissue injuries and lameness. Her reluctance or inability to stand or walk however, is concerning. Hopefully there is no pain evident, were they able to assess if she has pain?
I know how frustrating this is for you. But, I have to say, you're an angel for caring so much and opting for all the diagnostics, I'm sure she has royally tugged at your heart (as she would mine too)!!
..........Traci
Re: Help 4 month Kitten won't walk
It sounds like they really want to do a MRI and they keep saying they think the muscle mass in her back legs might be her problem. They keep going back to that issue. I'll ask about the Urinalysis as I just assume they would had runned it with the other lab. Her stools and urine was fine at home, Of course I would have to take her to the litter box. I have gone over a hundred times if she could had anyway gotten hurt and for the life of me I cannot think of how. She did go under the couch and chair but both times she walked out. She never seems in pain. In fact she was just laying in the living room and I went to pick her up and took her into the kitchen, when I put her down she just flopped over, thats when I started looking more closely at the fact she was not standing.When she was at home though she did want alot of comforting. I just thought due to her new enviroment. But she did sit by our window watching the birds following their movement with no problem. She would play on her back batting the string using her back feet to kick. I'll be going up there today so hopefully they can tell me more.
Re: Help 4 month Kitten won't walk
If they thought it was a soft tissue injury, I'm sure they would have stated such a suspicion.
Any chance of insect bite (spider etc)?
The muscle mass problem is indication but of what remains to be determined. If her muscles are weak, with no apparent pain, this would explain the inability to stand or walk. That she still has reflex, no apparent pain, can still kick and move the tail etc are all still good signs that muscle and nerves are still intact. But, an MRI could be helpful to detect more about the muscle or joints, even in other locations like the neck and spine (for example, even if one disk is out of place, it can cause partial paralysis of the hind legs, but this doesn't sound like paralysis at this point, as long as it is not progressing).
Keep trying with the shelter, try to rule out a nutritional problem, overvaccinating, mishandling, a fall at the shelter, etc. I noticed her last vaccination was "MS", I have no idea what that means unless they injected the vaccine in a muscle, which is a NO-NO! Also try to find out from the shelter if they injected anything else, like injectable antibiotics, or anything injected in the hip/rear leg region. A rabies vaccine, if given, would be given in the right rear leg muscle; an FELV vaccine if given, would be given in the left rear leg, but subcutaneously. No other injections should have been given in these areas unless a specific medication. The high WBC is indicative of bacterial infection and/or inflammation somewhere, and might coincide with the muscle mass problem.
Any chance of insect bite (spider etc)?
The muscle mass problem is indication but of what remains to be determined. If her muscles are weak, with no apparent pain, this would explain the inability to stand or walk. That she still has reflex, no apparent pain, can still kick and move the tail etc are all still good signs that muscle and nerves are still intact. But, an MRI could be helpful to detect more about the muscle or joints, even in other locations like the neck and spine (for example, even if one disk is out of place, it can cause partial paralysis of the hind legs, but this doesn't sound like paralysis at this point, as long as it is not progressing).
Keep trying with the shelter, try to rule out a nutritional problem, overvaccinating, mishandling, a fall at the shelter, etc. I noticed her last vaccination was "MS", I have no idea what that means unless they injected the vaccine in a muscle, which is a NO-NO! Also try to find out from the shelter if they injected anything else, like injectable antibiotics, or anything injected in the hip/rear leg region. A rabies vaccine, if given, would be given in the right rear leg muscle; an FELV vaccine if given, would be given in the left rear leg, but subcutaneously. No other injections should have been given in these areas unless a specific medication. The high WBC is indicative of bacterial infection and/or inflammation somewhere, and might coincide with the muscle mass problem.
..........Traci
Re: Help 4 month Kitten won't walk
As strange as it sounds Traci I also question the Kittens age. They show her born on 8/2/2010 which make her five months old. (which is something I also need to speak to the Vet about). She looks and acts more like a kitten at 3-4 months at tops. I figured at first it was from being at the shelter but I really question her age also.
Re: Help 4 month Kitten won't walk
She could be the "runt" of the litter, or very petite, the vets should be able to determine her age very closely by examining her teeth - her adult teeth should be in by 5 months of age.
Could try to find out from the shelter if she had littermates and/or if those kittens are healthy, what kind of environment they came from etc.
Could try to find out from the shelter if she had littermates and/or if those kittens are healthy, what kind of environment they came from etc.
..........Traci
Re: Help 4 month Kitten won't walk
Sorry I did not post last night. Well they had some good news and not so sure news. They said they think something ( they asked if she been around a dog) bite her. They said its in a unusal place to be bite. But they found the area and its a small nodule toward her back end. They said its not a tick though. Now that being said they also think thats not her only problem but it could be part of it. She also has some apathy of her left back muscle. That again they said could be just from not walking now since last Thursday since she does have a reflex. They also said around her 5th disc has some inflamation but does not look out of place. Good news is she took about 5 crouching steps using the weight on her back legs. Which they cautioned me is a good sign but to take a wait and see how she progresses. So far except for her WBC count everything is coming back negative so far. They also contacted the SPCA themselves and asked if she had been around any other animals and what was going on with her (Not much of a answer), But now that being said my sister says they have loss a few kittens recently from what they called upper resp infections. They also offered to take her back (This is coming from the Vet) and refund me but of course I said no way in (blank). They want to keep her again and do a few more things.