Slow Loss Of Rear Legs Only

Katiekat412

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Ok, so background, especially about why we aren’t immediately at the vet. My baby, my dearest 15 year old flower, has nearly died at lesser three times in three years.
1. Hyperthyroidism. In addition to 6 months of fluids, meds, and tons of rotisserie chicken to finally get her to eat, I was an hour from lyrtying her down or an E Tube.
2. Took her to internal medicine specialist. Cholangeohepatitis, potential small cell lymphoma. I didn’t biopsy because the treatments are the same. She started eating, stopped throwing up and enjoyed life.
3. Her liver failure slowed but didn’t remit. They are shocked she does so well with bilirubin that high.
4. Mammary cancer. One year ago this month. At her recent f/u appointment three months ago she was already developing rear leg weakness; vet sakdpossible muscle loss from chronic prednisolone (only 2.5 mg per day).

Well over three weeks now, it’s awful. Went from no stairs to no jumping up to no jump jumping down....and she’s dragging her legs today. I’m bawling. I’ve given b12 injections. She’s eating. Purrs when I hold her, but can’t ambulate T all.

Please!! Anything g??
 

abyeb

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So she just started dragging her legs? Is it possible that she fell off something and hurt her back?
 

Furballsmom

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Hi!
Wow
You all are amazing.

I guess my main concern is, will this effect her ability to pee and poop?
 
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Katiekat412

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So she just started dragging her legs? Is it possible that she fell off something and hurt her back?
No, but thanks. It was very slow. Wobbbly, then off balance. Then a trip her or there, that falling. Now Perry much useless appendages. She was trying to drag herself. This has transpired over 6-8 weeks
 
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Katiekat412

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Hi!
Wow
You all are amazing.

I guess my main concern is, will this effect her ability to pee and poop?
No, and she used to have awful diarrhea when other issues weren’t under control. She used her litter box even with the lack of coordination until today. She peed on the flooor. But she doesn’t soul herself from paralysis; she just can’t walk. I’m guessinv it’s her end, but just hoped someone had an idea why. It’s not a thrombus or injury. She wasn’t diabetic 4 months ago. Don’t know since then.
 
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Katiekat412

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Hi!
Wow
You all are amazing.

I guess my main concern is, will this effect her ability to pee and poop?
I guess with regards to your question- it will affect her. Like she won’t be able to get to box. So sad. I just helped her walk and she ate a whole plate of chicken while I held her back legs up. Ugh.
 

Furballsmom

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Can you get some reusable, absorbent puppy pee or hospital pads so that the pee is wicked away from her, and you'll want to help her keep clean either with soft cloths (baby face cloths could be good or non chemical wipes), and either a hair dryer on low or flour sack towels (Walmart has some, they're absorbent) to help get her dry. Also if she's a long-haired cat, shaving her bum will help.
 
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Furballsmom

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I've read that other members have tried to avoid the steroid because of side effects. Is your question about that?

Can you discuss with your vet to decrease the pred, and/or try something else instead of it, and see if her back end muscles and/or nerves come back?
 

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Hi Katiekat412.

I suggest you do take her in and have a couple of blood values checked........

I'm giving you a link to a reputable and reliable site where's there an alphabetical index of symptoms & causes with information on treatment.

Under "W", have a look at "Weakness in Back Legs" and "Wobbliness" and you'll see high potassium levels and low potassium as potential causes. Right here: Index of Symptoms_& Treatments - W

Because this came on gradually, I have a sneaky suspicion it may be one of these.

I say take her in asap and insist on testing these two blood levels - it's what I'd do.
.
 
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Katiekat412

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I've read that other members have tried to avoid the steroid because of side effects. Is your question about that?

Can you discuss with your vet to decrease the pred, and/or try something else instead of it, and see if her back end muscles and/or nerves come back?
I tried reducing it and increasing it with no luck. They did say it could cause weakness when I specifically said her legs were failing but she’s in a REALLY low dose abc it’s keeping her intensives in check. But it’s worth asking. Thanks I will. I fear it’s her end....but maybe not. Her spirit is still going.
 

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My advice would be to take her in: you never know until the vet sees them and what you assume to be something terrible could be something they can immediately help with. When my previous, elderly cat, went off her back legs suddenly I assumed it was something irreversible and no way would she have quality of life. I tripped off to the vet in tears assuming I was about to say goodbye right there and then. They said it was probably a bony spur in her back that was trapping a nerve and gave her local anti-inflammatory injection to see what happened. She was moving better within a couple of hours and back on all fours within 2 days.
It didn't give us much longer together but it did mean she was more comfortable and back to moving about her self. It meant we had time to review her overall health before making any decisions.
 

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I've had two cats who suffered gradual loss of hind legs. The first was Fritz (RIP) he had HypERthyroid, it caused sever muscle wasting, so eventually he could not walk. The onset was very gradual (slow, weak, not jumping as high...), we just thought that because he was old and fat he had some arthritis. Then we moved to a house with stairs, and at that moment he started losing weight. We thought, "GREAT!", he's getting more exercise. Then all of a sudden, he's falling, can't stand, use the litter box, nothing. Unfortunately is was muscle mass he was losing, not fat, and his heart was also affected by the disease. We did palliative care for him, and he passed at home very quickly from cardiac arrest.
My second, Toby, has CKD, the weakness was gradual as his toxicity levels continued to grow, he has some muscle atrophy, but with sub-Q fluids and some physical therapy, he has regained much of his function again.
Has your vet mentioned any of these two diseases as a potential cause for the hind leg problems?
 
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Katiekat412

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I've read that other members have tried to avoid the steroid because of side effects. Is your question about that?

Can you discuss with your vet to decrease the pred, and/or try something else instead of it, and see if her back end muscles and/or nerves come back?
Can you get some reusable, absorbent puppy pee or hospital pads so that the pee is wicked away from her, and you'll want to help her keep clean either with soft cloths (baby face cloths could be good or non chemical wipes), and either a hair dryer on low or flour sack towels (Walmart has some, they're absorbent) to help get her dry. Also if she's a long-haired cat, shaving her bum will help.
Hi All,
I wanted to post a reply and also say thanks for all of your feedback and support. AS far as keeping her on absorbant pads, I have one down for her at the present time, but I am horrible with making "the decision", but I've promised myself I won't let her linger with a horrible quality of life. So if she can't walk at all but isn't going to pass imminently, I fear it will be her time.
That said, I did take her to the vet yesterday- a hard decision because stress affects her so badly. I didn't take her to the specialty clinic because it's 45 minutes away and she HATES it there, but I did go to our local vet who I know well (they just have limited resources and don't always go to outstanding lengths to find new treatment options, etc. ).
I probably drive him crazy because I research the crap out of everything before going. So I said " this seems weird with the slow onset. I've read it could be potassium, I doubt she's diabetic- I guess it's possible she's injured herself but again...slow onset". He said it's very common in older cats and often is arthritis but could be several things. He asked how much I wanted to investigate. I said, "although ignorance is bliss, please do x-rays." She's had mammary cancer for over a year which means she's waaaaaay beaten the odds. If she was full of cancer....Also, we did a regular blood work panel. So, results:
1. x-rays were fabulous. He was shocked that she has no signs of arthritis, vertebral fusion, and he ruled out a ruptured disk.
2. No signs of OBVIOUS metastases of her cancer.
3. Kidneys are great and she's not diabetic.
4. All electrolytes in normal range.
The bad news:
- Her liver is worse every month. He called her highliter yellow but said he was amazed that she eats so much, doesn't throw up, etc. Literally amazed. Recognized she's been a fighter. But it likely that her potential diagonisis a while back of cholangeo hep was in fact, small cell lypmhoma that progressed significantly.
- If you've made it this far- the second he started reading the results I could see she was anemic. I myself suffer from anemia, so it could be worse, but her hematocrit is very low. This is very possibly the reason for her weakness. We are possibly going to give her iron. I'm not sure how much it will help versus make her nauseous, but we always try.

Also, she had a few bad patches of skin I recognized right before going to the vet. He said the long term pred and poor health probably led to a weak immune system. She was given an injection of convenia.

Hope this helps if anyone has similar issues. We surely welcome all prayers that she has some quality time left (we sit together on the sofa every morning for coffee, still). And if you've got time for a second prayer, I would love for her to pass peacefully in her sleep versus needing to be put down. I know it's not likely, but it would be so much better for the both of us.

Thanks again!
 
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Katiekat412

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Just wanted to share how precious she is. I have "prettier" pics, but this is her this week. <3
 

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Furballsmom

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Oh, gosh she's such a doll!!
Can you get some goat milk, in addition to the extra liver?
Can you get some milk thistle, clean --with no other ingredients in it? It's very good for liver support.
Is she getting filtered water?
And of course, every prayer I have!!
 
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Katiekat412

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Oh, gosh she's such a doll!!
Can you get some goat milk, in addition to the extra liver?
Can you get some milk thistle, clean --with no other ingredients in it? It's very good for liver support.
Is she getting filtered water?
And of course, every prayer I have!!
So I gave her milk thistle for about 6 months and she didn't have any improvement (progressively worse). I specifically bought a brand for cats, as I should, but then read reasearch that it was waaaaay too low of a dose. about a year ago I started giving her denamarin, a combo of milk thisle and SAM-e. I highly recommend it to anyone with kitty issues!! But she threw up every morning she was getting it and was nauseous all the time. I gave it three months but no improvement with the side effects.
But YES!!! She does get BOTTLED filtered water!! HAHA. People laugh at me.
What's the story with goat milk???? I never heard of that!
 

Furballsmom

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about a year ago I started giving her denamarin, a combo of milk thisle and SAM-e.
Oh my goodness, you're way ahead of me :p
I'm sorry your baby's tummy wasn't up to it - what if you tried it again, at a lower dose or less frequency?

Goat milk as a lot of nutritional value and can be anti-inflammatory, here's a post that talks about it a little more.
Goat's Milk for Cats?

Speaking of anti-inflammatory, have you considered CBD oil? If you do, be sure and obtain tru CBD, not hemp that's being sold as CBD.
 
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