18 yo tonk cant use back legs

fionasmom

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It could be a little of everthing. Cats, and even dogs, do not instantly take to steps and ramps. Some of them see it as strange and unsteady, or something that puts them off. Maybe if you show her she will make an attempt. If she eats when you sit with her, that is probably what has to happen for now. It is good to hear that she is moving around a lot.
 

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It all sounds like neediness/insecurity, probably a combination of aging and what she went through. Maybe over more time she will try to use those stair steps you have for her. I think that is part of her current insecurity and not being familiar with using steps to get places.
 
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nanniecat

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It could be a little of everthing. Cats, and even dogs, do not instantly take to steps and ramps. Some of them see it as strange and unsteady, or something that puts them off. Maybe if you show her she will make an attempt. If she eats when you sit with her, that is probably what has to happen for now. It is good to hear that she is moving around a lot.
It could be a little of everthing. Cats, and even dogs, do not instantly take to steps and ramps. Some of them see it as strange and unsteady, or something that puts them off. Maybe if you show her she will make an attempt. If she eats when you sit with her, that is probably what has to happen for now. It is good to hear that she is moving around a lot.
thnx. i am happy she is "on the move". i guess a month of bedrest helped too! the poof at the foot of my bed that WAS her first transition to the bed, is still in place.since she had been using it for abt a year i thought she would try that. i had a pillow on it to deter her for the past month but now it is free and clear. i fully expected to wake up and find her on the bed. NOT! i recently opened the door to her old litter box and she has used itYAY! i am trying to restore what she knew to give her some confidence to venture around and hope she would get over her depression and eat more. she has always had a tendency to shut down when she is upset. i will keep working w/her. too late to stop now! for 15 yrs she never let me pet her or hold her. so i am not complaining now. better late than never! i never gave up!:thanks::thanks::hugs:
 
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nanniecat

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thnx. i am happy she is "on the move". i guess a month of bedrest helped too! the poof at the foot of my bed that WAS her first transition to the bed, is still in place.since she had been using it for abt a year i thought she would try that. i had a pillow on it to deter her for the past month but now it is free and clear. i fully expected to wake up and find her on the bed. NOT! i recently opened the door to her old litter box and she has used itYAY! i am trying to restore what she knew to give her some confidence to venture around and hope she would get over her depression and eat more. she has always had a tendency to shut down when she is upset. i will keep working w/her. too late to stop now! for 15 yrs she never let me pet her or hold her. so i am not complaining now. better late than never! i never gave up!:thanks::thanks::hugs:
thank yall for the encouragement. last nite i had to pick her up and pet her to stop the crying. itried to show her the way to get down off the bed but she fell off cause she quickly took the long way. she seemed ok. this wkend i will take the litter box out of the bedroom which< i hope, will force her to travel to use the old one(down the hall way) i do think she needs to use her limbs more? i do not want them to atrophy!
 
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Could we have circled back to arthritis attributing to this? Is she still on gabapentin?
indeed. i thnk that is where we are now. she had been on 25 mg gabapentin twice daily for months when the episode happened. i was reluctant to keep her on that dosage cause i would not be able to tell is she feeling bad or is the gaba? is she not moving around because of the gaba? so i returned to 12.5 twice daily. AND gaba does make her list!:dizzycat: 2wk ago? when i noticed she was consistently on the move and she would growl when i picked her up i wen to 12.5 in am and 25 mg at nite. then i noticed during the day she was still in discomfort(growling hissing when picked up)so now we r back to 25 mg twice daily. so i do think the bed rest helped that. but i also think the walkin around is good for her. but i dont want her falling to the floor. i am back to putting her on the bed,brushing her(she likes it) but i wont take my hands off of her again. it is not far but i dont want a setback. so yes, i thnk the neuropathy is gone? so this is now just the arthritis?cause she can now support herself. doesnt drag her rear anymore but that one leg where she was on her hock less so now! isnt their a word for it? i heard aug for Solensia!btw-prior to the episode! she was getting on the bed(up and down)
 

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There may be a level of neuropathy in that one leg that is taking longer to regenerate. I have read it can take 6 - 12 months for recovery, so...

It doesn't seem like extra gabapentin would be appropriate for her. I just don't know if neuropathy can cause some degree of pain, or perhaps just general discomfort (like numbness or tingly-ness). So, that would be the question to ask next - and, if movement is her best therapy at this point.
 
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nanniecat

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There may be a level of neuropathy in that one leg that is taking longer to regenerate. I have read it can take 6 - 12 months for recovery, so...

It doesn't seem like extra gabapentin would be appropriate for her. I just don't know if neuropathy can cause some degree of pain, or perhaps just general discomfort (like numbness or tingly-ness). So, that would be the question to ask next - and, if movement is her best therapy at this point.
vet had increased gabapentin for arthritis prior to the incident. i was so overwhelmed and scared i was forgetting to give it to her on schedule the timing was off so i would just give her 12.5. but when i could exhale, i tried going back on schedule but at the lower dose and gradually got back to the 25mg twice daily. she seems more comfortable at that dose. the vet increased cause he thought she had gotten adj to the lo dose(on it for a couple yrs.) or the arthritis is worse. i removed the pillows to provide her with a place to stay by me. it is a lo transition to the floor. she likes it? i am keeping an eye on her to c how she handles going to the floor! it cant be good for her to not use that leg. ppl i know who have neuropathy say it is a tingling? she little so maybe a little worse. she seems very comfortable and not in any pain . next wk we r going for a f/u w/reg vet for blood work and a discussion. it was her onco(fgesf) who did ultrasound and bld wk. her knowledge and trtmnt is specific. she is great but everything else is not her lane.do u think i should bring her to an orthopedist? i kinda want her leg xrayed to make sure nothing broken. i do not have any trust in vet techs who take her out of my sight. she has been manhandled b4. and i worder if somebody didnt cause harm?i did discuss this w/reg vet and he gave me a referral but they said i could not be with her. more inner sanctum stuff!
 

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nanniecat

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There may be a level of neuropathy in that one leg that is taking longer to regenerate. I have read it can take 6 - 12 months for recovery, so...

It doesn't seem like extra gabapentin would be appropriate for her. I just don't know if neuropathy can cause some degree of pain, or perhaps just general discomfort (like numbness or tingly-ness). So, that would be the question to ask next - and, if movement is her best therapy at this point.
she just went to the floor with NO PROBLEM! she going to the litter box! YAY:hyper:
 

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next wk we r going for a f/u w/reg vet for blood work and a discussion.
Ask the regular vet about taking an x-ray since you have an appt. I don't know if your vet would allow you to be present for the x-ray or not, but I doubt an ortho vet would either. So, might as well have it done with the regular vet and see if anything shows up.
she just went to the floor with NO PROBLEM! she going to the litter box! YAY:hyper:
Good news!!!
 

fionasmom

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Usually liability insurance prevents any pet owner from being in the back areas of hospitals with their pets. I don't think that they will let you anywhere near an xray machine...but that applies to everyone, so certainly not just you. An xray can be read by anyone and you can have it sent anyplace you like.

Neuropathy can cause odd feelings such as tingling and on/off again numbness. To some animals, this is upsetting and can affect their behavior.
 
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nanniecat

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Ask the regular vet about taking an x-ray since you have an appt. I don't know if your vet would allow you to be present for the x-ray or not, but I doubt an ortho vet would either. So, might as well have it done with the regular vet and see if anything shows up.

Good news!!!
i did ask and he said he would have ortho vet call me. not sure why? but now that i am not hysterical i will talk to him again. ;)in my defense when i saw her laying in a urine puddle i thought she was dying. then at his offc she couldnt stand up on her own i thought she had a stroke. it took me a couple of weeks to exhale. yall help!
 
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