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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / October 2007Sudden loss of use of a leg
At 11 am this morning my favorite cat Buddy was in good shape. Happily sleeping on a towel by my bathroom sink. He had been grooming and was looking fine. At 2:30 he was trying to walk dragging his right rear leg limply behind him and mostly falling down. I rushed him to the vet. No broken bones. He has a good pulse in his leg, no coldness, no heart murmur but very diminished sensation in the leg - he can feel but not much. So they gave him a pain killer and an anti-inflammatory and said we have to wait and see. They are inclined not to think blood clot at this time though it is not ruled out. He did manage to drag himself into the litter box before I put him in the carrier. So that is good, he at least has control of his bowels and bladder. This is all so sudden, no warning at all. I mean he was fine just hours earlier. At this point all I can do is wait and worry. Has anyone been through this? I am thinking acupuncture but that has to wait till Monday. Paul A little update. Well the back leg is now feeling colder than the left leg. There is definitely a difference between the afflicted leg and the healthy ones. His toe pads on the bad leg feel quite cold actually although his pads are still a healthy pink color (he had unpigmented pads). Possibly a clot? How do they treat these in cats? Or can they be treated? Paul > At 11 am this morning my favorite cat Buddy was in good shape. Happily > sleeping on a towel by my bathroom sink. He had been grooming and was [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Paul >A little update. Well the back leg is now feeling colder than the left >leg. > There is definitely a difference between the afflicted leg and the healthy > ones. His toe pads on the bad leg feel quite cold actually although his > pads are still a healthy pink color (he had unpigmented pads). Possibly a > clot? How do they treat these in cats? Or can they be treated? Poor baby. I wish I knew. Phil might know. >>A little update. Well the back leg is now feeling colder than >>the left leg. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Poor baby. I wish I knew. Phil might know. I hope so too. I think the cold is not a good sign. ER?  SignatureCheryl > I hope so too. I think the cold is not a good sign. ER? I think I would. I am hoping it is just some sort of nerve damage. But could that make a limb cold? > > I hope so too. I think the cold is not a good sign. ER? > > I think I would. I am hoping it is just some sort of nerve > damage. But could that make a limb cold? I hope so too. The vet who saw Buddy seemed pretty sure it was. Which is why Buddy is home now and not in an ER. He is sleeping comfortably at the moment. He lets me rub his leg and does not complain. But it is driving me nuts because if this is something time critical I'm wasting time. I can call his vet on Monday but that's about it. All I can do is call the ER and get a second opinion I suppose. Paul > A little update. Well the back leg is now feeling colder than the left leg. > There is definitely a difference between the afflicted leg and the healthy > ones. His toe pads on the bad leg feel quite cold actually although his > pads are still a healthy pink color (he had unpigmented pads). Possibly a > clot? How do they treat these in cats? Or can they be treated? Paul, Coolness and paresis/paralysis of a rear leg leads me to suspect a clot- a thromboembolus lodged at the terminal abdominal aorta (the aortic trifurcation). This type of clot usually extends down one or both iliac arteries- if both its called a saddle thrombus. However, with this type of clot the paw pads and/or nail beds are often cyanotic. So he might just have a sprain or pinched nerve. Sometimes clipping a claw back to the quick will rule in but not necessarily rule out a clot. If there's no blood flow to the paw it won't bleed. If he has a partial clot, a small amount of black-colored blood will usually ooze from the cut quick. You might want to speak to your vet about that- although I'd be surprised if he didn't try it already . Best of luck, Phil > > A little update. Well the back leg is now feeling colder than the left > leg. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Best of luck, There is no blue coloration of his feet. In fact they are a healthy pink color. He has unpigmented pads and I've noticed they change color from whitish to pink. Mood pads I call them. The vet pinched his toes fairly hard to gauge his reaction, which was not much. He barely felt it apparently. I can feel a pulse in his leg so it is strong enough for me to detect it. His claws are not purple or even discolored, they are the usual pale white color. There is nothing I can see that looks any different on his bad leg than the other 3. His appetite is great, he ate a fairly large amount of food earlier this evening. More so than usual. I guess all I can do is wait and see. I have some pain meds I am to administer for now. I will call the ER if things change - but they really do not have my confidence so I hesitate. Still, if he shows any distress whatsoever he will in immediately. His PC vet is back in tomorrow morning. Why does this always happen on a weekend? Paul OK, Buddy seems to be feeling OK. He's not moving from his bed but he's responding well to my attention and is purring. The affected leg seems to be OK from the knee up. If I gently (very gently) prod him with a pin he flinches. Below the knee he doesn't seem to feel much of anything, though. If I pull on his leg he has the strength to pull back some after he gets tired of me. The foot feels cool to the touch, but not cold. Since he's half white I can see his skin under the white fur and it looks like it has color, it's not gray. It's just driving me nuts not knowing how this developed so fast. And the Internet searches aren't coming up with much either. No stories, no prognosis - nothing. I have no idea where this will lead, and what hope there may be. Paul > At 11 am this morning my favorite cat Buddy was in good shape. Happily > sleeping on a towel by my bathroom sink. He had been grooming and was [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Paul Paul did the vet check for diabetes or at least the sugar level > OK, Buddy seems to be feeling OK. He's not moving from his bed but he's > responding well to my attention and is purring. The affected leg seems to [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] >> >> Paul No, nothing like that. He mentioned possibly neuropathy but I did not make the connection to diabetes. This is all completely out of nowhere. Just last night he was in my kitchen getting up on the counter to smell my soup ingredients. No trouble at all jumping or getting about. > Paul did the vet check for diabetes or at least the sugar level > [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] >>> >>> Paul The reason I say have them check which I am not vet is that diabetic cats can get sudden loss of appendages and they can go cold. Rumble showed no signs that he was I noticed that he was playing with water way more than normal. It went from there happy to say he has been insulin free for over a year on a FF diet > No, nothing like that. He mentioned possibly neuropathy but I did not > make the connection to diabetes. This is all completely out of nowhere. [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] >>>> >>>> Paul Forgot to add with unregulated sugar levels > The reason I say have them check which I am not vet is that diabetic cats > can get sudden loss of appendages and they can go cold. [quoted text clipped - 64 lines] >>>>> >>>>> Paul I'll ask, but he has displayed no symptoms at all for anything really, especially diabetes. Despite the fact that he has quite a few health issues, he has been remarkably stable until now. Paul > Forgot to add with unregulated sugar levels > [quoted text clipped - 66 lines] > >>>>> > >>>>> Paul Paul My rumble was perfect ate great played like a kitten. He had regular vet visits blood work was fine. The only reason I noticed a problem is Rumble would play for hours with the dripping faucet. He had never done that. I mentioned it to my vet he said bring him in he had a hunch and away we went. I am not a vet your vet knows best ( hopefully ) I am just offering my 2 cents. It never hurts to ask > I'll ask, but he has displayed no symptoms at all for anything really, > especially diabetes. Despite the fact that he has quite a few health [quoted text clipped - 88 lines] >> >>>>> >> >>>>> Paul And let me add when Phil pipes in he will know a lot more than me > Paul My rumble was perfect ate great played like a kitten. He had > regular vet visits blood work was fine. The only reason I noticed a [quoted text clipped - 101 lines] >>> >>>>> >>> >>>>> Paul It never hurts to ask. And I will. I will have him up to his PC vet first thing in the AM. I am holding off on the ER because he seems to be comfortable and eating and he managed to get himself into the litter box OK. He has bad arthritis in his right hip joint and I am hoping perhaps he had a bad landing and twisted his leg. I've been awake all night reading up on blood clots in cats and also diabetes since you mentioned it. So far, it really does not seem to fit the symptoms. Paul > Paul My rumble was perfect ate great played like a kitten. He had regular > vet visits blood work was fine. The only reason I noticed a problem is [quoted text clipped - 97 lines] > >> >>>>> > >> >>>>> Paul I hope everything goes ok The only reason I mentioned diabetes is I have seen cats that unregulated sugar levels loss the ability to use one or more legs. I have seen them get cold before. It was just my 2 cents. I hope everything works out. PS It always happens on a weekend for that is the time when we are at ease > It never hurts to ask. And I will. I will have him up to his PC vet > first [quoted text clipped - 128 lines] >> >> >>>>> >> >> >>>>> Paul OK, my superstitious side wouldn't let me post until I had waited so as not to tempt fate. But Buddy seems to be doing a bit better. He's clearly not comfortable back there. But he is able to put weight on the foot and walk albeight like a drunken sailor on liberty. He seems to know spatially where his foot is now and it is not dragging like a limp rag and getting his claws caught up in the carpet. He is mostly inactive but he did eat well tonight and can get around when he wants to. OK, so that's sure better than yesterday. Would everyone agree that we seem to be dealing with a nerve issue here? I'm calling 2 vets in the general area who practice accupuncture. Long drive in a car for a cat but if it helps him he'll just have to be brave. What a scare this has been. I sure hope it's just a freak accident. This is Buddy, a most dignified, wise and gentlemanly cat. http://i20.tinypic.com/312jqyv.gif Paul > Would everyone agree that we seem to be dealing with a nerve issue here? Sounds like it to me. I'm calling 2 vets in the > general area who practice accupuncture. Long drive in a car for a cat but > if it helps him he'll just have to be brave. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > http://i20.tinypic.com/312jqyv.gif He's very handsome. I wish his ear had not been tipped. Hope he's feeling better soon. >> Would everyone agree that we seem to be dealing with a nerve issue here? > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > He's very handsome. I wish his ear had not been tipped. > Hope he's feeling better soon. Thank you. He was neutered as part of a state run program while he was living rough in an industrial park. Had it not been for that program he would have been put down instead. So he lost half an ear but kept his life. Which is when I found him shortly after my first cat had passed away. The two of them share remarkable similarities in personality. But unfortunately those hard years seem to be haunting him now in his golden years. Paul >>> Would everyone agree that we seem to be dealing with a nerve issue here? >> [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > Paul Paul good luck. After reading everything late last night the nerve part seems like the issue. I hope everything goes ok today > >> Would everyone agree that we seem to be dealing with a nerve issue here? > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > - Show quoted text - Now there is a handsome cat :o) Good luck, I hope this all works out well.... Best Wishes, Sheelagh >"o"< > Thank you. He was neutered as part of a state run program while he was > living rough in an industrial park. Had it not been for that program he > would have been put down instead. So he lost half an ear but kept his > life. Well of course it was worth losing a little piece of ear. I just hate that practice, for no better reason than I find cats so lovely, and it seems there should be a better way than this. > Which is when I found him shortly after my first cat had passed away. The > two of them share remarkable similarities in personality. > > But unfortunately those hard years seem to be haunting him now in his > golden years. I pray for cats! ;) He's a very lucky boy to have you and you him. I'm in the same position. I cat D.J. ended up losing legs motor function in the rear legs and loss of bladder control this morning at around 3:00 AM. I will have to wait another 3 to 5 hours for the vet to open up. The unfortunate thing is I live in Japan and the on base vet is gone on TDY so there is no emergency clinics and the off base vet clinics don't open unit 7 -9 AM. > I'm in the same position. I cat D.J. ended up losing legs motor > function in the rear legs and loss of bladder control this morning at > around 3:00 AM. I will have to wait another 3 to 5 hours for the vet > to open up. The unfortunate thing is I live in Japan and the on base > vet is gone on TDY so there is no emergency clinics and the off base > vet clinics don't open unit 7 -9 AM. Purrs of comfort & Prayers again. Let us know how you get on when you see the vet please? Thanks in advance, Sheelagh >"o"< Took him back early this morning with some movement in his tail and not much of the his right leg. The vet is going to keep him for the rest of the day and see what he can do. It isn't good guys. Just found out that he has a rare disease that causes heart inflammation and the vet said it's pretty much terminal. Maybe 3 months to live. I will be picking up some medicine tomorrow to help get the blockage from his vein so he start walking again. Sometimes I think that just maybe something will happen and he will get better. If the medicine doesn't help him get rid of the blockage I will have no choice to put him to sleep earlier than I wanted out of mercy sake. He won't be able to walk. Just wanted to let you know. It isn't good guys. Just found out that he has a rare disease that causes heart inflammation and the vet said it's pretty much terminal. Maybe 3 months to live. I will be picking up some medicine tomorrow to help get the blockage from his vein so he start walking again. Sometimes I think that just maybe something will happen and he will get better. If the medicine doesn't help him get rid of the blockage I will have no choice to put him to sleep earlier than I wanted out of mercy sake. He won't be able to walk. Just wanted to let you know. It isn't good guys. Just found out that he has a rare disease that causes heart inflammation and the vet said it's pretty much terminal. Maybe 3 months to live. I will be picking up some medicine tomorrow to help get the blockage from his vein so he start walking again. Sometimes I think that just maybe something will happen and he will get better. If the medicine doesn't help him get rid of the blockage I will have no choice to put him to sleep earlier than I wanted out of mercy sake. He won't be able to walk. Just wanted to let you know. Suddenly, without warning, Forsteen@gmail.com exclaimed (10/9/2007 7:46 PM): > It isn't good guys. Just found out that he has a rare disease that > causes heart inflammation and the vet said it's pretty much terminal. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > I will have no choice to put him to sleep earlier than I wanted out of > mercy sake. He won't be able to walk. Just wanted to let you know. I'm so sorry to hear that. It's times like this that we desperately hope the vet is wrong... I do hope the medicine works. Is there no treatment for the inflammation? Can you get a second opinion? jmc > Suddenly, without warning, Forst...@gmail.com exclaimed (10/9/2007 7:46 PM): > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > jmc I've read up on heart disease and what the vet told me was that it has progressed to far. I will go see the on-base vet tomorrow, but I don't know. They gave me the x-ray and we will see. Well I had to put my D.J. to sleep. The medicine to remove the clot didn't work and it was completely uncomfortable for him trying to move around. Didn't have a choice so he went silently. To bad he was only a couple of years old. >Well I had to put my D.J. to sleep. The medicine to remove the clot >didn't work and it was completely uncomfortable for him trying to move >around. Didn't have a choice so he went silently. To bad he was only >a couple of years old. Oh, I'm sorry. My cat LuckyBoy developed a clot in the saddle area. I found him downstairs one morning in a cardboard box. He must have made it down with his back legs not working and crawled into the box. A heart condition was the underlying problem it turns out (no surprise there). While he was in for treatment at the specialty vet they called me and said that he had more clots in the heart waiting to emerge and that it would ge pointless to try to save him LuckyBoy was around seven when he died. I groan whenever I see a post that mentions the back legs not working, like yours. I always hope for a better outcome, but that subject line seems to be a bad one. I am soooo sorry for your loss. You really loved him and tried everything you could. Gail > Well I had to put my D.J. to sleep. The medicine to remove the clot > didn't work and it was completely uncomfortable for him trying to move > around. Didn't have a choice so he went silently. To bad he was only > a couple of years old. I am so sorry for your loss > Well I had to put my D.J. to sleep. The medicine to remove the clot > didn't work and it was completely uncomfortable for him trying to move > around. Didn't have a choice so he went silently. To bad he was only > a couple of years old. Response from "Paul M. Cook" <pmBERMUDA_SHORTScook@gte.net>: All right Paul, it has been a full week since your last post. What is going on with Buddy? Thanks. Signature-Lost Remove the extra words to reply by e-mail. Don't e-mail me. I am kidding. No I am not.
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