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Mzblackcat - 05 Aug 2006 17:47 GMT

my 10yr cat is all of a sudden walking around with him head down as if its
broke. I raised it gently and he didn't experience pain. he is drinking water
still and I am not sure if he is eating yet because I haven't seen him do
that this morning. He is now in the air condition room which he enjoys
because when he is hot he pants excessively. I don't know whats wrong with
him but I am so worried. Hubby say maybe he had a stroke..Is it possible? Has
anyone else seen this in a cat? please someone help me to understand whats
going on with my poor kitty. I love him so, I am so worried

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Barnabas Collins - 05 Aug 2006 19:58 GMT

>my 10yr cat is all of a sudden walking around with him head down as if its
>broke. I raised it gently and he didn't experience pain. he is drinking water
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>anyone else seen this in a cat? please someone help me to understand whats
>going on with my poor kitty. I love him so, I am so worried

I'd very carefully get him to a vet to have it looked at. (You want
to do it carefully becuase it sounds like a back/neck/nerve injury
was sustained.

(In a perfect world you'd immobilize him and get the medical attention
without allowing him to move and aggravate what injuries he has.
You'll never get the cat to co-oeprate or understand.)

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Mzblackcat - 05 Aug 2006 23:00 GMT

Thank you so much Barnabas for responding to me and being kind because I
accidently post this twice and in my other post I got attacked and called a
troll and that really hurt, I mean my heart is broke as it is. However, I
did call the vet and she said from the symptoms sounds like he has suffered a
stroke but since he is eating fine and drinking fine that he should be ok for
the weekend. I am taking him in first thing monday morning. I called around
and found an emergency clinic, just in case things get worse before then.
Once again thank you for your understanding response. right now I am dying
inside. I am so hurt..we have had Meow since my twins were little babies so
you know they are so upset too. My poor baby.

>>my 10yr cat is all of a sudden walking around with him head down as if its
>>broke. I raised it gently and he didn't experience pain. he is drinking water
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>without allowing him to move and aggravate what injuries he has.
>You'll never get the cat to co-oeprate or understand.)

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~*Connie*~ - 06 Aug 2006 04:52 GMT

I am so very sorry!! I pray he will get better.. and kudos to you for
finding an emergency clinic!!

> Thank you so much Barnabas for responding to me and being kind because I
> accidently post this twice and in my other post I got attacked and called
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
>>without allowing him to move and aggravate what injuries he has.
>>You'll never get the cat to co-oeprate or understand.)

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Barnabas Collins - 06 Aug 2006 16:10 GMT

>Thank you so much Barnabas for responding to me and being kind because I
>accidently post this twice and in my other post I got attacked and called a
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>inside. I am so hurt..we have had Meow since my twins were little babies so
>you know they are so upset too. My poor baby.

The first thing I'd do is not move anything until the cat is
immobilized. I'm an EMT it sounds to me an awful lot like a neck
injury.

Bear in mind a stroke effects one side, not the other.

"my 10yr cat is all of a sudden walking around with him head down as
if its broke." That indicates to me a neck/back injury rather than
a stroke. If you had said one side was paralyzed i'd agree it was
a stroke.

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4742

One of the difficulties in this type of case is a cat can't verbalize
what is wrong.

In this case the proper treatment is immobilize, get a diagnosis
(xrays, etc.) to rule out neck injury. The neck may be fine but
as an EMT my job would be to assume it is a neck injury, immobilize,
and keep it immobilized until the delivery to the hospital where it
can be diagnosed and treated.

Remember the role of the EMT/First Responder/First Aider is get the
patient treatment and care but do no further harm in the process.

When you do find out the diagnosis i'd be interested in what it was,
but in the mean time I wish you and your cat luck.

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Barnabas Collins - 06 Aug 2006 16:17 GMT

>Thank you so much Barnabas for responding to me and being kind because I
>accidently post this twice and in my other post I got attacked and called a
>troll and that really hurt, I mean my heart is broke as it is. However, I
>did call the vet and she said from the symptoms sounds like he has suffered a
>stroke but since he is eating fine and drinking fine that he should be ok for
>the weekend.

Oh great.....another vet diagnosing a patient by phone.

To properly diagnos a case like this you really need to see
the cat, do xrays, examine the affected area, etc.

>I am taking him in first thing monday morning. I called around
>and found an emergency clinic, just in case things get worse before then.
>Once again thank you for your understanding response. right now I am dying
>inside. I am so hurt..we have had Meow since my twins were little babies so
>you know they are so upset too. My poor baby.

I would add to my previous post that I know where the nearest vet
and animal hospitals are if I need to get the cat there fast.

Bear in mind with proper treatment promptly your cat may very well be
fine. The key may well be getting prompt treatment and transporting
the patient without aggravtating the condition.

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sriddles@aol.com - 07 Aug 2006 06:21 GMT

> Thank you so much Barnabas for responding to me and being kind because I
> accidently post this twice and in my other post I got attacked and called a
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> inside. I am so hurt..we have had Meow since my twins were little babies so
> you know they are so upset too. My poor baby.

If you possibly can, take the cat to a different vet. Any vet who would
diagnose stroke over the phone solely on the basis of what you've
described, is a crappy vet.
It doesn't sound like a stroke at all to me. A cat with kidney disease,
suffering from critically low potassium would hang its head that way.
Or a cat who had been injured.

Sherry

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Barnabas Collins - 07 Aug 2006 18:48 GMT

>If you possibly can, take the cat to a different vet. Any vet who would
>diagnose stroke over the phone solely on the basis of what you've
>described, is a crappy vet.
>It doesn't sound like a stroke at all to me. A cat with kidney disease,
>suffering from critically low potassium would hang its head that way.
>Or a cat who had been injured.

That is a possibility, but get the cat to the vet first, assume
neck injury until the x rays, etc. rule it out.

The point is you don't know in the field whether it is
a neck injury or not. So the proper treatment is
assume it is, get them to the vet without making
the injuries worse.

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sriddles@aol.com - 07 Aug 2006 21:06 GMT

> >If you possibly can, take the cat to a different vet. Any vet who would
> >diagnose stroke over the phone solely on the basis of what you've
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> assume it is, get them to the vet without making
> the injuries worse.

I understand that Barnabus; I was not disputing that at all. The funny
business I'm having a problem with is that this poster claims her vet
said the cat "would be fine until Monday." I simply don't buy that. I
don't buy that any vet would diagnose stroke over the phone, either.

Sherry

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Barnabas Collins - 08 Aug 2006 20:25 GMT

>I understand that Barnabus; I was not disputing that at all. The funny
>business I'm having a problem with is that this poster claims her vet
>said the cat "would be fine until Monday." I simply don't buy that. I
>don't buy that any vet would diagnose stroke over the phone, either.
>
>Sherry

I've never been a believer that any medical doctor diagnos squat over
the phone.

The only way that can be done is at our local hospital down town
(major trauma center) where some one comes into the ER, within
minutes a doctor can view exrays/cat scans/etc. over the computer
using high speed connections.

A local trauma center for humans in a big city may have it but
I would doubt the vet has it.

The vet must see the cat in person before determing if it will be
fine unitl Monday.

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