Ok sorry for the super long title but wanted to let you know what you're getting into in reading this.
My neighbor, who just happens to be the lady that got me started in cat rescue some 6 years ago or so and is a super sweet person has a 5 year old male cat that is currently on his last legs.
My neighbor has already shelled out thousands and has gone through 3 vets so far plus 1 specialist. Lots and lots of tests and medications, but nobody has a clue as to what is wrong with him. My neighbor is at the point of finally giving up, but I asked her to give it just a tiny bit more time and said I would try to locate information for her and promised to ask around to at least get as many eyeballs and brains looking at the symptoms in the hope that someone, somewhere has seen these symptoms before and may have some sort of an answer at least.
The vets she has gone to so far (including every on-duty vet at one clinic (8) scratching theirs heads at it) has come up completely empty as to what is the cause. My neighbor is ready to put him down this week. She loves her cat, his name is "Lucky" and up to a few months ago, he was a perfectly healthy, energetic indoor/outdoor 5 year old cat.
So, if you feel up to it, please please take a look at this cat's symptoms and history of treatment and if anything jars your brain or you recognize something or have had experience with anything, please respond to this post ASAP. Like I said, my neighbor is thinking of putting the cat down in the next few days and to me, it just seems horrible that she doesn't at least have a reason for it. Any responses, suggestions, any questions, or even just some prayers out to here will be greatly appreciated. I, myself have no formal veterinarian training other than what is needed to address normal health problems in relation to doing TNR cat rescue and taming and fostering feral kittens. I am however fairly adept at finding requisite information online and am quite capable of doing deep in-depth research on things. On this though, I'm coming up empty.
I'll try to answer any questions as quick as I can and will update as things progress.
I thank you in advance
-Art
"Lucky" - 5 yo indoor/outdoor DSH
- perfectly healthy until app. 3-4 months ago
- symptoms started with very labored gurgly breathing and URI symptoms:
Gurgle came from his sinuses area and not from his lungs (asthma ruled out). These symptoms were addressed with a Convenia injection and a Depo Medrol injection and the gurgly breathing has not returned.
Current Symptoms:
- eyes are always dilated, progressive blindness
Eyes are always dilated and he has been progressively losing his eyesight. He is now mostly blind. This symptom began about 1 month ago and was sudden onset (overnight I think but I'm not sure). My neighbor says he does not have any seizures, although she said he does curl his hind paws often. Not sure if this could be an indicator of a seizure or not. I had a friendly feral at one point that also lost his eyesight in one night and had the continuously dilated pupils starting the next morning. We determined that cat had a brain tumor. He was also having regular seizures. We treated him with occasional hormone injections until he was starting to have multiple seizures throughout the day and because of costs involved plus unlikelihood of a positive prognosis, we had to put him down. He was also a very young cat.
My neighbor's cat isn't having seizures (at least not anything similar to the feral cat that had the brain tumor).
My own initial (and still continuing) thinking is this has to be related to a neurological issue such as a brain tumor or cancer. Lucky has been x-rayed and no issues have been detected. He has also had an ultra-sound. Again, no problems detected in his head.
- other symptoms:
His other symptoms are in my experience all normal indicators that he has given up and is dying. These include:
Treatments and Findings
from 3 vets:
- Urinalysis SDMA test: positive for kidney disease
- 3 Convenia injections so far
- 1 Depo Medrol (hormone) injection. (this cleared up the gurgly breathing which has not returned)
- 3 fluids injections so far
- 2 blood panels: showed 3.2 creatinine (high)
- Radiology of head and body (no problems found)
- Toxoplasma titer test (negative)
from specialist:
- hydration
- blood pressure (normal)
- ultrasound showing possible small mass on kidneys
- needle biopsy on kidney - cytology "inconclusive"
- appetite stimulant (up until this weekend, this did get him to eat on his own but only until the drug wore off. Have started syringe feeding)
- retinas checked (normal)
The specialist initially didn't even address the dilated pupils until my neighbor pressed the issue as it was the only reason she agreed to see the specialist in the first place. Specialist checked retinas and could not come up with any reason for the dilation.
Okay, that's the list so far. My neighbor is currently not at home, but she's supposed to be returning this evening. I'll discuss with her about other possible symptoms etc that aren't included here yet.
Again, I thank you for any help, love or questions you can give. I just have a feeling that somebody out there has an answer or at least a good direction we can pursue. I'm having my neighbor hold off on letting her cat go for just one last possible chance, just in case.
much purrraise to you all
-Art
My neighbor, who just happens to be the lady that got me started in cat rescue some 6 years ago or so and is a super sweet person has a 5 year old male cat that is currently on his last legs.
My neighbor has already shelled out thousands and has gone through 3 vets so far plus 1 specialist. Lots and lots of tests and medications, but nobody has a clue as to what is wrong with him. My neighbor is at the point of finally giving up, but I asked her to give it just a tiny bit more time and said I would try to locate information for her and promised to ask around to at least get as many eyeballs and brains looking at the symptoms in the hope that someone, somewhere has seen these symptoms before and may have some sort of an answer at least.
The vets she has gone to so far (including every on-duty vet at one clinic (8) scratching theirs heads at it) has come up completely empty as to what is the cause. My neighbor is ready to put him down this week. She loves her cat, his name is "Lucky" and up to a few months ago, he was a perfectly healthy, energetic indoor/outdoor 5 year old cat.
So, if you feel up to it, please please take a look at this cat's symptoms and history of treatment and if anything jars your brain or you recognize something or have had experience with anything, please respond to this post ASAP. Like I said, my neighbor is thinking of putting the cat down in the next few days and to me, it just seems horrible that she doesn't at least have a reason for it. Any responses, suggestions, any questions, or even just some prayers out to here will be greatly appreciated. I, myself have no formal veterinarian training other than what is needed to address normal health problems in relation to doing TNR cat rescue and taming and fostering feral kittens. I am however fairly adept at finding requisite information online and am quite capable of doing deep in-depth research on things. On this though, I'm coming up empty.
I'll try to answer any questions as quick as I can and will update as things progress.
I thank you in advance
-Art
"Lucky" - 5 yo indoor/outdoor DSH
- perfectly healthy until app. 3-4 months ago
- symptoms started with very labored gurgly breathing and URI symptoms:
Gurgle came from his sinuses area and not from his lungs (asthma ruled out). These symptoms were addressed with a Convenia injection and a Depo Medrol injection and the gurgly breathing has not returned.
Current Symptoms:
- eyes are always dilated, progressive blindness
Eyes are always dilated and he has been progressively losing his eyesight. He is now mostly blind. This symptom began about 1 month ago and was sudden onset (overnight I think but I'm not sure). My neighbor says he does not have any seizures, although she said he does curl his hind paws often. Not sure if this could be an indicator of a seizure or not. I had a friendly feral at one point that also lost his eyesight in one night and had the continuously dilated pupils starting the next morning. We determined that cat had a brain tumor. He was also having regular seizures. We treated him with occasional hormone injections until he was starting to have multiple seizures throughout the day and because of costs involved plus unlikelihood of a positive prognosis, we had to put him down. He was also a very young cat.
My neighbor's cat isn't having seizures (at least not anything similar to the feral cat that had the brain tumor).
My own initial (and still continuing) thinking is this has to be related to a neurological issue such as a brain tumor or cancer. Lucky has been x-rayed and no issues have been detected. He has also had an ultra-sound. Again, no problems detected in his head.
- other symptoms:
His other symptoms are in my experience all normal indicators that he has given up and is dying. These include:
- lethargy
- refusing to eat or drink water, even with appetite stimulant. (have started syringe feeding)
- "far off look" in his eyes (fading)
- unresponsive
Treatments and Findings
from 3 vets:
- Urinalysis SDMA test: positive for kidney disease
- 3 Convenia injections so far
- 1 Depo Medrol (hormone) injection. (this cleared up the gurgly breathing which has not returned)
- 3 fluids injections so far
- 2 blood panels: showed 3.2 creatinine (high)
- Radiology of head and body (no problems found)
- Toxoplasma titer test (negative)
from specialist:
- hydration
- blood pressure (normal)
- ultrasound showing possible small mass on kidneys
- needle biopsy on kidney - cytology "inconclusive"
- appetite stimulant (up until this weekend, this did get him to eat on his own but only until the drug wore off. Have started syringe feeding)
- retinas checked (normal)
The specialist initially didn't even address the dilated pupils until my neighbor pressed the issue as it was the only reason she agreed to see the specialist in the first place. Specialist checked retinas and could not come up with any reason for the dilation.
Okay, that's the list so far. My neighbor is currently not at home, but she's supposed to be returning this evening. I'll discuss with her about other possible symptoms etc that aren't included here yet.
Again, I thank you for any help, love or questions you can give. I just have a feeling that somebody out there has an answer or at least a good direction we can pursue. I'm having my neighbor hold off on letting her cat go for just one last possible chance, just in case.
much purrraise to you all
-Art
