I read that this is uncommon to rare in cats. My moggy suddenly started limping badly last Thursday, he has paresis and ataxia. He started stopping a lot while walking the week before that. He has severe lower back pain when touched while walking, but not while at rest. The vet says spinal lymphoma is at the top of his suspicions. I was asking around on the Internet and a vet on PetCoach said Intervertebral disc disease is a possibility. Does anyone have any information on or experience with this disease?
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Intervertebral Disc Disease?
- Thread starter wombat
- Start Date
Hello, I'm so sorry your baby is going through this!! I don't have experience in this but hopefully another member does 
MRI is needed to diagnose that and have the treatment if the cat has it. Vertebral Disc Inflammation in Cats - Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Recovery, Management, Cost
Physical things like this... their symptoms might vary. Even with pain different individuals have different pain threshold that makes physical exam not all very reliable without imagining tests. Our vet always tells the story of the cat who stayed all silent when he apparently had a broken bone they saw on the x-ray.
Physical things like this... their symptoms might vary. Even with pain different individuals have different pain threshold that makes physical exam not all very reliable without imagining tests. Our vet always tells the story of the cat who stayed all silent when he apparently had a broken bone they saw on the x-ray.
I have no personal experience with this, but do believe an x-ray might pick up on it and would be the way to go before the MRI, given x-rays can usually be done without sedation (which, if I recall you were worried about). Sometimes, care can be as simple as anti-inflammatory and steroidal meds, along with limiting your cat's movements for possibly several weeks. I think all of this and much more can be found in the article
MissClouseau
provided to you.
Feeby has two nearly fused vertebrae in her back, which cause some issues with her, but my point in bringing this up is that they were found during some x-rays, and she was not sedated for them.
You may have mentioned it in your previous thread, but just curious as what tests/etc. lead to your vet's suspicions.
MissClouseau
provided to you. Feeby has two nearly fused vertebrae in her back, which cause some issues with her, but my point in bringing this up is that they were found during some x-rays, and she was not sedated for them.
You may have mentioned it in your previous thread, but just curious as what tests/etc. lead to your vet's suspicions.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #5
They wanted to sedate him to perform the X-rays. They told me it was dangerous as they didn't know his health condition, so I declined.I have no personal experience with this, but do believe an x-ray might pick up on it and would be the way to go before the MRI, given x-rays can usually be done without sedation (which, if I recall you were worried about). Sometimes, care can be as simple as anti-inflammatory and steroidal meds, along with limiting your cat's movements for possibly several weeks. I think all of this and much more can be found in the article
Feeby has two nearly fused vertebrae in her back, which cause some issues with her, but my point in bringing this up is that they were found during some x-rays, and she was not sedated for them.
You may have mentioned it in your previous thread, but just curious as what tests/etc. lead to your vet's suspicions.
Spinal lymphoma is at the top of the list due to the fact that it's one of the most common spinal cord diseases to affect cats, his age (12)- although everything I read says that spinal lymphoma affects young cats, with a median of 36 months- and his blindness (which started in July), as lymphoma was one of the potential differentials in his blindness.
Perhaps, getting a second opinion from another vet (from an entirely different practice) might enable an x-ray without sedation? I can't imagine that I haven't already suggested this in one of your threads - but copies of all your cat's tests can be obtained and provided to a second vet in order to minimize redundant testing and costs.
At a minimum, you could at least ask your vet why sedation is necessary. Maybe it is just standard protocol for your vet, and perhaps not so with other vets?
At a minimum, you could at least ask your vet why sedation is necessary. Maybe it is just standard protocol for your vet, and perhaps not so with other vets?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #7
I believe one of the reasons why they wanted to sedate him was because he was so hostile (hissing and growling a LOT) both times we went to see the vet. I don't want to stress him out further by bringing him to the vet again. The vet couldn't examine him at all because he was so hostile.
You might want to consider 'testing' calming products at home with him and see if something helps calm him down. There are ton on the market, and not all work on all cats, so you might have to experiment some. Bach Rescue Remedy, which are drops you rub into a cat's ear, has been known to help calm a cat down before a vet visit.
The other issue might be some pain, so being poked and prodded by a vet could exacerbate the pain and cause hostility. Gabapentin, a pain med, has also been used in low doses to help calm a cat before a vet visit too.
Maybe you could ask the vet about other options besides sedation that might help calm him down enough to allow for a couple of x-rays to be done?
The other issue might be some pain, so being poked and prodded by a vet could exacerbate the pain and cause hostility. Gabapentin, a pain med, has also been used in low doses to help calm a cat before a vet visit too.
Maybe you could ask the vet about other options besides sedation that might help calm him down enough to allow for a couple of x-rays to be done?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #9
Thanks, FeebysOwner! He is on Gabapentin now. The trouble is, his lower back hurts so much now that there is no way we can manipulate him to get an X-ray without sedating him
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #10
How are things today?
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- #12
I noticed his back twitched a few times today. Not sure if they are muscle spasms. Apparently muscle spasms are common in iVDD.
He last peed around 11 pm yesterday (it's almost 11 pm now). There was some liquid that looked like it could be pee in the litter box today. It smelled of pee but when I threw it away, I saw that it was completely colourless. So I don't know if that was pee. Since then he hasn't peed at all. I'm worried. If he doesn't pee tomorrow I might have to call someone in to express his urine.
Any news, wombat?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #15
My poor moggy can no longer walk. He gets around by scooting around on his bum now. HIs appetite is still good, though
Oh no :-( You are both in my thoughts.
hang on there!!
