Odd symptoms in cat

[Misha_Bun_and_Pika]

Hi All,

My 12 year old cat Bun has been sick for a week now. He didn't eat and was extremely lethargic at the beginning, and I took him to the vet after 2 days. He had an exam and also bloodwork done (although I don't know exactly what the blood test was looking at, I think it was a standard panel) where everything was normal. He was lip smacking a lot, and the vet thought it was a gastrointestinal issue which should be self limiting. He got an appetite stimulant which seemed to help. He is eating now, although only small portions at a time, using the litter box normally, but still sleeps the whole day. I've been watching him closely and have noticed three main symptoms:
Excessive salivation, causing lip smacking and swallowing
He is walking flat footed (plantigrade). I read that this is a common sign of uncontrolled diabetes, but nothing on this blood test indicated this. I think his belly seems to be hanging lower
He has some balance issues, and has toppled sideways a couple times.

Vet doesn't seem to know whats happening and thinks it will resolve on it's own. Today is day 8 since symptoms started. Has anyone seen something similar? Is there some kind of test the vet should perform beyond the standard bloodwork? Any advice would be appreciated

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hi All,

My 12 year old cat Bun has been sick for a week now. He didn't eat and was extremely lethargic at the beginning, and I took him to the vet after 2 days. He had an exam and also bloodwork done (although I don't know exactly what the blood test was looking at, I think it was a standard panel) where everything was normal. He was lip smacking a lot, and the vet thought it was a gastrointestinal issue which should be self limiting. He got an appetite stimulant which seemed to help. He is eating now, although only small portions at a time, using the litter box normally, but still sleeps the whole day. I've been watching him closely and have noticed three main symptoms:
Excessive salivation, causing lip smacking and swallowing
He is walking flat footed (plantigrade). I read that this is a common sign of uncontrolled diabetes, but nothing on this blood test indicated this. I think his belly seems to be hanging lower
He has some balance issues, and has toppled sideways a couple times.

Vet doesn't seem to know whats happening and thinks it will resolve on it's own. Today is day 8 since symptoms started. Has anyone seen something similar? Is there some kind of test the vet should perform beyond the standard bloodwork? Any advice would be appreciated

Hello Misha_Bun_and_Pika and welcome to TCS! I wish I could offer some helpful information, but unfortunately, no, I haven't seen this set of symptoms. I would strongly, strongly recommend a second opinion if you can do it, ASAP, though, because Bun really sounds as if he needs it. *Prayers* for him!!!

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. You need to get him in to a feline only vet or an internal medicine vet.
The symptoms you describe can be many things. This sounds critical.
is he drinking allot of water

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Find out what tests were run and what the vet was looking for through the tests, and what the actual results were. Both blood and urine glucose tests are typically used to try to identify diabetes, but a single testing may not be sufficient. Cats can develop a short-term elevation in blood glucose as a response to stress. You might ask the vet about running another lab test called a fructosamine concentration test. It gives a rough average of a cat’s blood glucose concentration over a two week period, so the results would less likely be be affected by stress.

As mentioned above, a second opinion (from a vet in an entirely different practice) might be useful too. You can share test results with them to help with redundant costs. And, if both vets concur that diabetes isn't the issue and neither has any other ideas, ask them to consult with a vet university - they tend to see cases/issues that some vets rarely run into through their lifetime.

 

[fionasmom]

I agree that you have too many symptoms and, while we cannot diagnose your cat, these all sound serious. IMO he is definitely nauseated which accounts for the lip smacking and this can be from a number of things. Balance issues and falling are always of great concern; walking plantigrade is usually associated with neuropathy, the primary cause usually being diabetes.

Diabetes in Cats - Testing and Monitoring

It seems to me that your vet did not run sufficient tests to get to the root of what is going on. A simple blood test is not enough and the article above will help if diabetes is the primary concern now.

If he is diabetic, don't panic. You can get help here and elsewhere.

 

[Misha_Bun_and_Pika]

Bun definitely hasn't been drinking a lot of water. Probably less than usual because he was also eating less than usual. I'll ask for those test results from the vet and maybe take him for a second opinion. It's the long weekend and I don't really want to take Bun to a 24hr or emergency place because he seems "stable", in that he's eating and using litter box, and still has some interest in the world around him although he sleeps almost the whole day.
I don't know of the foot thing is causing him pain because he meows sometimes while trying to walk. But I don't know if that's a pain reaction or he's just confused why his legs are not working properly.

 

[Misha_Bun_and_Pika]

Now that I think about it I'm not sure if he actually has a balance issue or if its that his legs are too weak to support him normally

 

[tarasgirl06]

Now that I think about it I'm not sure if he actually has a balance issue or if its that his legs are too weak to support him normally

Second vet opinion A/O, if you can.

 

[fionasmom]

If this is diabetic neuropathy, it can have pain along with tingling and numbness which might also cause his reaction. Those symptoms are common to almost all nerve damage conditions in the rear legs.

 

[FeebysOwner]

If this were to be diabetes, the neuropathy has a good chance of reversing with insulin treatment.

 

[silent meowlook]

If the blood glucose was normal, a plantigrade stance can also be caused by kidney disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, hypocalemia (low potassium), and neurological issues, as well as injury. I hope your cat is doing better today.

 

[Misha_Bun_and_Pika]

I now think its Guillain-Barre syndrome. Bun got vaccines 2 weeks ago. And as mentioned he also had a very thorough exam where everything looked normal. The onset of the apparent peripheral neuropathy was very sudden. I also realize that his neck is drooping (cervical ventroflexion) and maybe the excess salivation is due to dysphagia?
If it's not GBS it's some kind of severe electrolyte imbalance or vitamin deficiency.

 

[silent meowlook]

I wouldn’t consider that at this point. There are to many other things to rule out. He may have kidney disease and low potassium which would cause it. Could be spinal issue or missed diabetes. No matter what, he needs a vet check to figure it out.
No plants or flowers in the house?
No essential oils?
Nobody uses progesterone cream or excess cream? No rogaine?

 

[FeebysOwner]

it's some kind of severe electrolyte imbalance or vitamin deficiency.

Not all, but many of these elements would have been tested with a Super Chemistry blood panel. So, it's back to you finding out what tests were run and seeing what the results were. There are other tests outside the norm CBC & Super Chem, such as B12 absorption, that would have to be specifically ordered to find out what his counts are.

The Super Chem would also give you kidney numbers as well as potassium, among a whole host of other numbers.

 

[Misha_Bun_and_Pika]

Not all, but many of these elements would have been tested with a Super Chemistry blood panel. So, it's back to you finding out what tests were run and seeing what the results were. There are other tests outside the norm CBC & Super Chem, such as B12 absorption, that would have to be specifically ordered to find out what his counts are.

The Super Chem would also give you kidney numbers as well as potassium, among a whole host of other numbers.

Yes I will ask for that tomorrow! Bun seems to be in much better spirits now except for the difficulty in walking

 

[Chiliwillow]

I now think its Guillain-Barre syndrome. Bun got vaccines 2 weeks ago. And as mentioned he also had a very thorough exam where everything looked normal. The onset of the apparent peripheral neuropathy was very sudden. I also realize that his neck is drooping (cervical ventroflexion) and maybe the excess salivation is due to dysphagia?
If it's not GBS it's some kind of severe electrolyte imbalance or vitamin deficiency.

Was one of the vaccinations Felocell 4? My boy became very ill about a week after his vaccinations. Fever, lethargic, and not eating. Multiple visits to vets with conflicting diagnosis of FeLV and/or FeLV which were both negative on PCR test. In researching the vaccinations he had I learn that some cats can have a delayed reaction to the Felocell 4 with onset about 7-10 days after the vaccine. The reaction is prolonged fever, anorexia, and lethargy. They put him on multiple antibiotics which didn’t help but when they gave him Prednisolone he slowly got better but then developed pillow paw and could barely walk. I started giving him an immune supplement and probiotic and now he is back to normal. Some people here told me vaccinations should not be given all at once but spaced out and I have noticed several people here with post about a suddenly sick cat mentioned that they had recently had their cat vaccinated.

 

[Misha_Bun_and_Pika]

Was one of the vaccinations Felocell 4? My boy became very ill about a week after his vaccinations. Fever, lethargic, and not eating. Multiple visits to vets with conflicting diagnosis of FeLV and/or FeLV which were both negative on PCR test. In researching the vaccinations he had I learn that some cats can have a delayed reaction to the Felocell 4 with onset about 7-10 days after the vaccine. The reaction is prolonged fever, anorexia, and lethargy. They put him on multiple antibiotics which didn’t help but when they gave him Prednisolone he slowly got better but then developed pillow paw and could barely walk. I started giving him an immune supplement and probiotic and now he is back to normal. Some people here told me vaccinations should not be given all at once but spaced out and I have noticed several people here with post about a suddenly sick cat mentioned that they had recently had their cat vaccinated.

It was rabies and FVRCP-chlamydia. I wish I had never vaccinated him. I feel like I'm going to become a hardcore anti-vaxer now. Bun is eating well but his leg weakness is even worse. I think he is confused as to why his legs suddenly don't work. He is still able to wobble over to his litter box and is eating normally

 

[silent meowlook]

Are you able to get him to the Vet tomorrow?

 

[Chiliwillow]

It was rabies and FVRCP-chlamydia. I wish I had never vaccinated him. I feel like I'm going to become a hardcore anti-vaxer now. Bun is eating well but his leg weakness is even worse. I think he is confused as to why his legs suddenly don't work. He is still able to wobble over to his litter box and is eating normally

I would still have him vaccinated just space them out especially if he goes outdoor. It was also suggested to have a steroid injection prior to vaccines if the cat has had a reaction. You might try an immune supplement and probiotic. I used Immune Harmony and Power Probiotic for pets.

 

[tarasgirl06]

It was rabies and FVRCP-chlamydia. I wish I had never vaccinated him. I feel like I'm going to become a hardcore anti-vaxer now. Bun is eating well but his leg weakness is even worse. I think he is confused as to why his legs suddenly don't work. He is still able to wobble over to his litter box and is eating normally

You're eating those smart pills, Misha_Bun_and_Pika -- when you get educated on the deep and wide subject of the biomedical empire, you reconsider a lot of things they brainwash us to accept. I've always had a hard time deciding where my beloved cats are concerned, because what I decide for my own health is one thing, and what I decide for someone in my care is sometimes another. Some of the cat illnesses are so virulent. But I did lose one beloved kitten to wet-form FIP after she had checked out completely healthy -- and I opted to get the vax for her because I had lost my beloved Sun to dry-form FIP. She developed the symptoms very rapidly and passed away during the night. She was due to have an appt. the next day. I feel she contracted it from the vax. I never got that again. And I never will. I do get the rabies because it is forced on us, and the FVRCP because it has always been "the one to get" for wide-spectrum protection. Now, I guess, THAT has to be mistrusted as well.