16 yr old cat - sudden temporary hind leg paralysis

silent meowlook

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I would start with a group that has multiple and get in with an internal medicine vet. I have concerns it could be more involved than the “slipped disk” because it is so rare in cats. It does happen but it would be fairly severe I would think to see without an MRI. But I can be wrong.
 
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Cesrenia

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It's not a slipped disc. It's disc disease. He has a narrowing between two of his vertebrae. It's compressing the disc, inflamed and causing the paralysis.
 

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oh, boy .. catching up on posts...what a weekend ! glad you see your regular vet Monday ! ER vets are there to deal with emergencies . Not to advise on chronic conditions .. like kidney disease or disc disease. They confused and upset you , and you are dealing with enough already !! Having determined your kitty did NOT have a fecal impaction was where their responsibility ended. Sheese !! Kidney disease , Bun/ Creatinine numbers .. fluctuate and your poor kitty is very stressed. dehydration will cause constipation by drawing water from the bowel/stool ; that's why injecting fluids is a big help. My kitty snowball had CKD , and we treated her successfully for 3 years ! she was 14 when diagnosed and did ok with diet and some lifestyle adjustments. it doesn't have to be a death sentence . at 17 she also developed cancer ,and the combination of the 2 forced us to make the decision about her quality of life. That said.. it was not the kidney issue that did it. I am sorry to say I have encounter good and bad vets along the way ( like any profession) not all of them are perfect, for sure. You are on the right track and I see some great tips from seasoned kitty parents here. awesome.:rock: Good luck today and glad you got some poo from the baby ! Kitties are used to going in their spot and will resist going elsewhere ( on pads or in a diaper) .. but they can adjust . ..:bluecat: I once rearranged my kitchen . Moved my kitty , Bella's feeding bowls to the other side of the room. she sat and cried and would NOT eat there. Went on a hunger strike and didn't eat for an entire day until I moved them back where they were !! I told her .."you CAN eat your food over here ya know".. nope! would not have it ! :lol: a wee bit off topic, but though maybe you could use a smile. these kitties are something sometimes:kitty: !! hang in there !!! thanks for updates !!!
 
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Cesrenia

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Hey everyone. For all who's been keeping up with Jo, I took him back to the vet this morning. He was acting like he didn't feel well last night, even after a large bm finally happened. No purrs when I petted his favorite spots. This morning was the same. Did not want his canned food that he loves. After some encouraging I got him to eat a few of his favorite treats. I have him his meds, then came back home to take him to the vet and he was eating and drinking. But I still left him at the vet to get checked out and compare his recent bloodwork to the ER bloodwork.
Vet update- They thought his different behavior might have been just some pain he was having. They said they did not believe the numbers that he has kidney failure. They said it could be several things that caused his numbers to be so high. He was dehydrated and his bladder is staying full, and stress. A lot of what you guys were saying. They decided to keep him overnight and express his bladder. They told me his bladder is so full it's been overflowing that's why he's been peeing almost non-stop. So it needs to be emptied. They did give him a different steroid to help with his back hopefully. I didn't get the chance to ask about a specialist but when I go get him tomorrow, I believe we'll have a more thorough discussion and I can bring it up.
 

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Thanks for letting us know. Poor baby. I am guessing they will teach you how to express his bladder - and, maybe even his bowels??
Please continue to keep us posted. Will keep best wishes going for the both of you. :vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::alright:
 
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Cesrenia

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Maybe so. Ugh I dread it because I tried this before with my CKD cat and never got the hang of it. All the prayers for this anxious kitty Mama.
 

CindyH66

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aw, thank you for update ! I am glad your vet sounded more encouraging ! Poor kitty ..full bladder. Glad he went poo poo ! It has not escaped my attention that despite the lecture you got from the ER doc, they failed to notice his full bladder ?? hmm.. anyway, it sounds like your regular vet is more on the ball and doing what he/she can for your baby !! I will be offering up extra prayers for your jangled nerves and for successful treatments for your kitty tonight. Thanks for updates ... hope we get a great update next time! hang in there !:alright:
 

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I can’t help but wonder if a neurologist would be able to offer a procedure to take the pressure off the nerves in the disc disease area. I heard about something similar like this that happened to someone with a dog not long ago, they went to a specialist neurologist and got it fixed somehow. And they did acupuncture afterward during recovery to help the nerves recover. Food for thought?
 
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Cesrenia

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I can’t help but wonder if a neurologist would be able to offer a procedure to take the pressure off the nerves in the disc disease area. I heard about something similar like this that happened to someone with a dog not long ago, they went to a specialist neurologist and got it fixed somehow. And they did acupuncture afterward during recovery to help the nerves recover. Food for thought?
This is a great suggestion to bring up, I definitely will! Thank you so much!
 
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Cesrenia

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Heartbroken update.
The vet called this morning saying he's not progressing any. Still paralyzed and is not going to walk again. They said they have aggressively tried everything they can for his back. If I take him home, he will need his bladder expressed twice a day. I asked about being referred to a neurologist but they say they will probably tell me the same thing. So I think the hard decision will be made today after work. My heart is shattered. There's no way I can take care of him and work and honestly I don't think that's fair to him to live like that. Any kind words are appreciated. I've had my sweet baby since I was 18. I'm 35.
 

klunick

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Heartbroken update.
The vet called this morning saying he's not progressing any. Still paralyzed and is not going to walk again. They said they have aggressively tried everything they can for his back. If I take him home, he will need his bladder expressed twice a day. I asked about being referred to a neurologist but they say they will probably tell me the same thing. So I think the hard decision will be made today after work. My heart is shattered. There's no way I can take care of him and work and honestly I don't think that's fair to him to live like that. Any kind words are appreciated. I've had my sweet baby since I was 18. I'm 35.
I am so sorry you are going through this. He had a good life and he knows you tried your best to cure him. :redheartpump:
 

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If you can afford the neurologist, please get a second opinion. Even if it doesn't end up in correcting everything, they still are in a better position to advise you in ways to help and possibly improve his living conditions. I would think they are in a much better position to do so than a regular vet.

I understand your vet believes that they know as much as a neurologist, and perhaps they do. But, they shouldn't deny you the opportunity to exercise your right to at least look into it. If your vet is your only access to a neurologist, they aren't being very fair to you to not help you with getting to see one.
 

hopscotch

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It is never wrong to have hope and seek out other ideas and second opinions, either here or from a neurologist. Thank you for reaching out here with your story and letting us give you ideas as you navigate through this difficult time. Whatever you decide, you get to make your own decision and it needs to be right for you. There is nothing wrong with seeking a second opinion from a neurologist, especially if it helps settle your mind that you did everything you could. It doesn’t sound like you need to make an urgent euthanasia decision. This may allow you chose to take the path to talk with a neurologist.

When my Simba was diagnosed with aggressive gastric lymphoma at almost 14 everyone told me it was hopeless. I decided if it was hopeless it wouldn’t hurt to hear it from an oncologist and she actually offered chemo anyway. My case was unique and it worked and he’s still here, closing on 16 now. I have also been in the situation where it didn’t turn out so lucky and I was still glad to have been to a specialist. They see a lot more than a regular vet, but even specialists don’t know how things will turn out, they only know the stats.

You know Jo better than anyone else and I’m sure you’ll make the best decision for you and for Jo. Best wishes and hugs. ❤
 
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Cesrenia

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Thank you for your replies. I'm trying to prepare myself for the worst (which I never am), but I want to talk to my vet thoroughly tonight before making any decisions. I honestly have no clue as to cost of a specialist but it's probably more than I can afford. And I hate to put him through anything traumatic at his age or prolong any suffering. That's my ultimate goal, what is best for him.
 

hopscotch

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A consultation with a neurologist doesn’t obligate you to anything further. It should be an opportunity for them to review the medical records, see Jo, and talk to you about potential options and costs and see what their experience has been in similar situations.
 
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Cesrenia

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Thank you. I promise I'm not trying to argue with you guys. My vet did tell me this morning that he has no pain in his back limbs which I haven't mentioned on this forum. And I've been looking up similar situations and that's a very poor prognosis for any type of recovery. :(
 
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