No balance or strength in hind legs

[mickeys mom]

I'm not sure what's going on with Mickey, but I need to take him to the emergency vet this morning.  He can't get around on his own, his hind legs are too weak and he can't walk, it's so bad that he can't even go to his litter box. This just came in the pass couple of days. Before this it was only one leg that he struggled with and I gave him 1/4 of a baby aspirin every 3 days for that, which was prescribed by my vet. Now it's real bad and affecting both his hind legs. My vet is not open on Weekends, and due to the fact that the vet hospital is so far from where I live a couple of days ago I decided to look into another vet that is closer and wouldn't stress Mickey out so much by the long drive. So when I called the new vet this morning, of course I didn't have an appointment, but I explained everything that Mickey, is going through and they told me to go the the emergency clinic because they haven't seen Mickey at all yet, plus they also haven't yet gotten Mickey's vet records faxed over to them from the other vet we were seeing. I was really upset that they turned me down and I guess I still am upset cause it cost a lot more at the emergency clinic than it would at the regular vet hospital.  Since Mickey, is crying so intensely I've got to take him to the emergency clinic I don't have any other chose. Right now I'm crying so much I just hope can stop crying so I can see the road while driving. 

Well, I just decided to call anther vet that he had seen a in December and they are going to have a technician call me back and let me know if they have time to see Mickey, today.  So now I'm waiting to here from them, they just called I'm on my way with Mickey to the vet. Will post when I return and give an update. Thanks for being here for us.

 

[pushylady]

Poor Mickey. Let us know how it went. I hope they can give you some answers and help him.

 

[mickeys mom]

We just got home from the Vet's and the doctor told me that Mickey's temperature was down and he's dehydrated. They gave him some fluids and also some medicine for nausea. I need to take his temperature twice a day and if it's down I need to put a heating pad or something to warm him up. I also need to give him 1/2 tablet of Cerenia daily for 4 days for nausea. I will also be giving Mickey Sub-Fluids once a day and 1/2 tablet of Pepcid AC once a day to help with any acidity in his liver. 

They said his weakness maybe caused from being dehydrated.  I know he wasn't drinking water like he use to but I didn't realize it was taking such a toll on him in this way that it would deplete his strength. The Vet told me the strength in his legs may or may not come back. Mickey might be coming to his last days. The Vet also had suggested that I bring Mickey to the Emergency Clinic for 24 hour monitoring it may or may not help and Mickey could very well die there. When he said that I knew I didn't want Mickey to die in a strange place and that I could watch Mickey and treat him at home. The doctor said that if this were a human than that person would be in ICU cause Mickey is that sick.  I hope I'm not making a mistake but due to Mickey's age (he will be 18 years old next month) I really don't want him to have to be with strangers and in a strange place. If I notice that Mickey is not getting better and can't eat at all or use his litter box on his own. If I see that the quality of his life is gone than I will think about looking into the fact that if this the type of life that Mickey will have than maybe I might have to consider putting him to rest.  That will be the worst!!   Oh by the way, he's been losing a pound a month. Last month he was 9.3 lbs today he's 8.3 lbs.

 

[kittyandco]

You have no time to waste, man. Has Mickey been eating? You say he's lost weight? I'd recommend high calorie wet foods. The vet can give you some needle-less syringes to forcefeed him with. Make sure he's eating, drinking, everything. He HAS TO EAT, before he's at a stage when he can't keep it down anymore. They deteriorate super fast.

The strength in his legs will almost certainly come back once he regains his weight.

Poor old(?) Kitty the cat had the EXACT same thing. She was anemic and eventually stopped eating, drinking, and everything. She lost the use of her hind legs twice, the first time we saved her by forcefeeding her. Not eating and drinking can very well lead to liver failure and jaundice. He needs his calories. We know exactly how you feel right now.

We couldn't save Kitty, but you can save Mickey. Best of luck! Hurry!

 

[mickeys mom]

You have no time to waste, man. Has Mickey been eating? You say he's lost weight? I'd recommend high calorie wet foods. The vet can give you some needle-less syringes to forcefeed him with. Make sure he's eating, drinking, everything. He HAS TO EAT, before he's at a stage when he can't keep it down anymore. They deteriorate super fast.

The strength in his legs will almost certainly come back once he regains his weight.

Poor old(?) Kitty the cat had the EXACT same thing. She was anemic and eventually stopped eating, drinking, and everything. She lost the use of her hind legs twice, the first time we saved her by forcefeeding her. Not eating and drinking can very well lead to liver failure and jaundice. He needs his calories. We know exactly how you feel right now.

We couldn't save Kitty, but you can save Mickey. Best of luck! Hurry!

Yes, I've been spoon feeding him twice a day, and he's been eating fine plus I'm giving him water a bit at a time in his mouth.  Thank you for your concern.

 

[jcat]

I'm sorry Mickey is so sick and you're going through such a terrible time. Mega that he pulls through this.

 

[kittyandco]

Ah, okay. That's a good sign. You keep doing that, then. (Sorry if I sounded panicky, I was recalling what poor Kitty went through!)

We've found that dehydrated/sick animals find water with a LITTLE sugar dissolved in it more appealing, just a tip.