Cat Seizures +

[Angelapdx]

Our almost 10-year-old female kitty started having seizures recently, within the last few days but she has been having a lot. Twixe yesterday and already one today.. She has a high fever too, it was 103.8 when the vet called an hour ago. I don't know what to do. We can't find out if it is a tumor, but would a tumor cause a fever? Can't a fever cause the seizures? I'm struggling with the possibility of having to put her to sleep. In my mind, she is so young and i can't understand what is going on. Any advice? Thank you in advance.

 

[FeebysOwner]

What does the vet suggest the next steps might be? A fever can cause seizures, but if that were the case, what is causing the fever?

 

[Angelapdx]

What does the vet suggest the next steps might be? A fever can cause seizures, but if that were the case, what is causing the fever?

They are giving her antibiotics and antiseizure. They just keep mentioning her age and how sudden they are which is making them lean towards tumor in spite of the fever, I guess.

 

[FeebysOwner]

She is not really all that old. Unless she has a long history of illnesses that could contribute to her aging faster than normal, 10 is not that old. Are they planning on a CT scan or something similar after they get the seizures and fever under control? I am telling you, if they are suggesting putting her down instead of other actions, I'd seriously be considering getting a second opinion.

Full scale blood work and a complete urinalysis should be done, and then if nothing wrong shows up in them, the next step is a CT scan or a MRI. That is the least this vet should be offering.

Take a look at this article, just to help give you some information.
Seizures in Cats - Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Recovery, Management, Cost

 

[Angelapdx]

Thank you I'll check that. I can't afford the $3000 for a scan and they don't have the equipment to do it at that location. Her bloodwork was relatively normal, some things were high related to the stress of the seizures.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Where are you located? Is there a vet university anywhere nearby? They might be an option for a lower cost scan.

 

[Angelapdx]

It doesn't look like there is a school near us. Thank you tho.

 

[foxden]

Angelapdx
Seizures can be due to a brain injury, such as a stroke or due to a tumor.
When Allison started having seizures at around 6 or 7 years old, we discussed the options to diagnose and treat the condition. Our vet offered to send us for a $1500+ imaging test that would tell us if she had a tumor. We asked if we could treat her seizures without knowing the specific cause. Allison had minor seizures, not grand mal types that most people imagine seuzures look like. Allison had seizures that looked like she could not move or she simply fell over. We were able to determine if medication was helping her seizures by watching her behavior.
Allison was always terrified after a seizure, and would run and hide afterwards.
We successfully treated the seizures with a steady course of phenobarbital. The phenobarbital started to work 7-9 days after we started the drug. This treatment looked like it was not working until then. It was not a gradual improvement, it just started working.
We successfully treated her for 2-3 years using medications before the seizures increased in frequency and intensity and was no longer effective.
We evaluated her quality of life and her distress level at that point and decided to PTS at that time. We never determined the root cause of her seizures.

 

[Angelapdx]

Thank you! We ended up putting her to sleep. Hardest decision ever. It is so heartbreaking. I was prepared to give her pills but their medicine wasn't helping. She was having bad seizures, I don't know what kind, and also partial seizures, even on the medicine. She had managed to rip out her fingernails grabbing at the carpet. I couldn't let her suffer even though I didn't want to say goodbye when she was still so young. I miss her so much already! Thank you for your reply and I'm sorry for your loss!

 

[foxden]

I'm so sorry for your loss. You recognized she was in pain and you could not help.
It is hard every time I've lost a kitty. We have to allow them to leave us behind.
That's the hardest part of being a cat parent.

Consider starting a thread for Twixe in the Crossing the Bridge forum when you are ready to talk about her

 

[neely]

I just read your update and would like to express my heartfelt sympathies. She is free of pain now. RIP sweet angel.

 

[Angelapdx]

Thank you both! It's still hard to talk about but I'll try to come back when I feel better. It just all happened so fast, it's even harder to understand and accept.

This is her being smooshed by her brother.

 

[flowergirl]

I'm sorry for your loss! I had to put a cat down a few years ago who was having sudden uncontrollable seizures and they didn't know what was causing them. It is so hard to say goodbye.

 

[Angelapdx]

I'm sorry for your loss! They are so precious to us, it is so hard to say goodbye to them, even when it saves them from so much suffering.

 

[jcat]

The TCS team would like you to know that we are so very sorry for your loss. Threads are locked after someone has suffered such a loss, as a sign of respect. We invite you to place a tribute at http://www.thecatsite.com/f/19/crossing-the-bridge as an enduring testimony to your friend.