Re: Sassy - 19yr old (close to 20) - Not eating / Very Lethargic + losing balance

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louisstools

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You mentioned a convenia shot? My passed boy cat didn't do well with that antibiotic shot...usually take him a week to recover appetite. My girl only needs a few days.
 

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Hi
See if something here helps, either in the two articles or in the many posts from members;
Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!
I'm actually holding off on the Mirataz for now. Little by litttle she been eating bit more and more dry food at least. Not so much wet food.

One thing I noticed is she hasn't slept AT ALL since coming back from the vet. Yes she seems so alert, but too awake. She just sits in her bed doesn't even try to sleep. Could that be from the IV and fluids given most of day today while at vet?
It's a good sign that Sassy is at least eating dry food.
Whatever she eats, right now, is good.

Most likely the 'too awake' and 'too alert' behavior is from a 'pain medication'.
(Not sure which one they gave your Sassy, but my previous rainbow ckd cat was given buprenorphine, and it was way too strong.)

It's so hard for you, to know how much medication to give Sassy, without causing her side-effects to prevent her from eating.

I don't know why she was drinking so much water, after being on IV all day...but perhaps it's to soothe her throat/trachea...if she did have some sort of upper respiratory infection, and drinks the water to feel better.

**Have you tried raising her food plate, about 4-6 inches from the ground,...on some books, or wood.
***Also, try to 'puree/blend or mush all her food down, into a type of paste, with some warm water', to see if she will lick it up.
She may try eating the 'baby food without onions or garlic'...that Furballsmom, posted, in the thread with 'any good tips to get your cats to eat',... or those 'squeeze ups'... soft liquid delectable snacks for cats.
*If you can get the Hills A/D...from your Vet,..it usually is softer and can be placed in syringes, so that you assist feed her a bit at a time.
 
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miguel99nyc

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Ok here's an update for Sassy:

So as mentioned previously, Sassy seemed very alert and awake from the moment I brought her home (4pm yesterday). She attempted to sleep around 6pm or so as she laid in bed but got back up and just sat there and looked around. Walked back and forth around the apartment, drank water few times (plus the large amount upon getting home), and attempted to eat few times licking her food only.

She had remained awake the entire night through at least I had gone to sleep around 12:30am. I saw her then finally lay down. I've never seen her remain awake that long, over 8 hours! Maybe not since her younger years. Maybe was a combination of the injections given (pain + Nausea + IV fluids?) or from her sleeping the 2 days prior from being sick? Anyway, now today she seemed more normal in terms of actual sleeping.

I left her dry food - alot more than I usually do as I went to bed last night, in hopes MAYBE she'd get a few bites from it. I woke up at 5am to get rdy to take family into work. Not only she was sleeping in her bed but her bowl was completely empty. I was shocked. Didn't expect she'd eat her dry food, especially if you'd think that would hurt her throat being something hard compared to Pate or any wet food. Let alone she finished the entirely finished. I got up from bed and got ready and seemed she wanted more food but I told her to wait until I return. I got home, she got back up from bed and jolted to me again for food. I gave her usual small Fancy Feast can. She gave it more than few licks. I added again her other dry food (she has 2 kinds), and she ate more of that. She went to drink water, back to sleep. Then 2 hours later woke up, gave her canned and dry food and ate some of that, more of dry food.

Fast forward to now, she basically been getting up every 2 hours to actually eat now. Albeit be still slightly less than her normal, but she is finally eating, especially dry food. Vet called me to follow up. He at first thought it was the mirataz gel but I told him I actually never gave it to her last night because she seemed so awake/alert and was drinking and attempting to eat, so I held off it until this morning and was planning on giving it to her IF she didnt eat anything. But she has been all on her own. Vet thinks its great. He thinks the Vitamin B + IV fluids given maybe gave her that boost and energy to start eating again as she was sick. He sent me home with Cerenia and Buprinex liquid to give her daily for 4 days. But since I didnt even give her those meds and until now she still attempting to eat, vet said to hold off on those as well until as needed. And the mirtazapine to give her only as needed should she stop eating again. He didn't hear anything from radiologist yet about that possible mass under her trachea, but said the lack of eating or appetite issue could just simple be of old age.

So I don't know what really allowed Sassy to come thru a bit overnight and finally start eating a bit. I'd think the IV and nutrition given to her yesterday. But I also noticed she walks ALOT faster than even before she got sick. Whenever she'd follow me to my room after work from waiting at the door, she'd walk what I thought maybe a little slow, slower than her old pace, but thiis has been for months and I thought was from old age. But now she walks much quicker and without losing much balance. I wonder if these Vitamins were missing from her body? She just seems more agile again in which I haven't seen in such a long time. One thing I forgot to ask vet is if her blood work should get repeated to see at least if that Neutrophils had dropped from that 13,330 it was at? If so, that would ensure whatever infection she had is gone and maybe allowing her to eat again? not sure.
 

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... But she has been all on her own. Vet thinks its great. He thinks the Vitamin B + IV fluids given maybe gave her that boost and energy to start eating again as she was sick. He sent me home with Cerenia and Buprinex liquid to give her daily for 4 days. But since I didnt even give her those meds and until now she still attempting to eat, vet said to hold off on those as well until as needed. And the mirtazapine to give her only as needed should she stop eating again. He didn't hear anything from radiologist yet about that possible mass under her trachea, but said the lack of eating or appetite issue could just simple be of old age.

So I don't know what really allowed Sassy to come thru a bit overnight and finally start eating a bit.
I'd think the IV and nutrition given to her yesterday. But I also noticed she walks ALOT faster than even before she got sick. Whenever she'd follow me to my room after work from waiting at the door, she'd walk what I thought maybe a little slow, slower than her old pace, but thiis has been for months and I thought was from old age. But now she walks much quicker and without losing much balance. I wonder if these Vitamins were missing from her body? She just seems more agile again in which I haven't seen in such a long time. One thing I forgot to ask vet is if her blood work should get repeated to see at least if that Neutrophils had dropped from that 13,330 it was at? If so, that would ensure whatever infection she had is gone and maybe allowing her to eat again? not sure.
What an amazing cat Sassy is. :bluepaw:
Wonderful update. :thumbsup:

I think you are right, miguel99nyc miguel99nyc ...that it might be a combination, of getting the Vitamin B12, and the IV fluids, to help Sassy feel better...from whatever infection, URI, fever, lack of Smell, or lack of eating that she had previously.
The previous medication injections of antibiotics, and or pain medication,...may have also helped Sassy to start feeling better...but it sounds like the IV fluids, and her being at home, with you, and you offering her different foods to eat...also helped her.

I think I would hold off on getting any bloodwork, right now, ...just not to stress Sassy...(if going to the Vets,...causes her stress).
But if your Vet made house-calls for bloodwork, (and it were not as expensive), then perhaps it would be okay to do.
It's entirely up to you, though, since you really know what is best for your Sassy. :)

I'm going to be hoping and praying that the radiologist report comes back okay.
The main thing is that your Sassy is eating, and so amazing that she is eating on her own, without any meds, too. :yess:
Yay!! Keep doing what you're doing, Sassy. :lovecat2: :cheerleader::goodluck::clap:

Edit to Add: I think we all need a photo of your Sassy, if you can post one. :blush:
 

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Cats never cease to amaze me. My oldest cat, Lucy, a Tortie and White lived to the grand old age of 23. She was a rescue and one night emergency foster which lasted 15 years. When she was 16, she went down with a terrible dose of cat 'flu. She was an indoor only cat. She spent 4 days and nights at our vets being given intravenous fluids. She refused to eat. We visited her every day and even took her own food bowls in for her. Still didn't eat. All she did was glare at me in only the way Torties can. Vet advised PTS but I said no that we'd take her home and see how she went. Vet agreed but on the proviso that should she deteriorate, we took her immediately back to do the needful.

Well, when we got home I let her out of the carrier in my bedroom and she immediately starting meowing for food. She ate like there was no tomorrow, purring her head off. Rang the vet and told him. He couldn't believe it. From then she recovered quickly. We wondered how she'd contracted cat 'flu as she was an indoor cat only and until then hadn't even had as much as a sniffle. He thought it was probably something she'd had as a kitten and had lain dormant until she was older. She had several more bouts of cat 'flu over the years and all we did was ring the vet for the prescription.

The lesson Lucy taught me was never write off a cat. They are simply the toughest and most resilient creatures on the planet.
 
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miguel99nyc

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Cats never cease to amaze me. My oldest cat, Lucy, a Tortie and White lived to the grand old age of 23. She was a rescue and one night emergency foster which lasted 15 years. When she was 16, she went down with a terrible dose of cat 'flu. She was an indoor only cat. She spent 4 days and nights at our vets being given intravenous fluids. She refused to eat. We visited her every day and even took her own food bowls in for her. Still didn't eat. All she did was glare at me in only the way Torties can. Vet advised PTS but I said no that we'd take her home and see how she went. Vet agreed but on the proviso that should she deteriorate, we took her immediately back to do the needful.

Well, when we got home I let her out of the carrier in my bedroom and she immediately starting meowing for food. She ate like there was no tomorrow, purring her head off. Rang the vet and told him. He couldn't believe it. From then she recovered quickly. We wondered how she'd contracted cat 'flu as she was an indoor cat only and until then hadn't even had as much as a sniffle. He thought it was probably something she'd had as a kitten and had lain dormant until she was older. She had several more bouts of cat 'flu over the years and all we did was ring the vet for the prescription.

The lesson Lucy taught me was never write off a cat. They are simply the toughest and most resilient creatures on the planet.
Very interesting. Did anything show up on the bloodwork then? My cat was like that at least for an entire day. Just refused to eat and slept in same position nearly on my bed the ENTIRE day. Couldnt even lift her head up or anything to move around, very very lethargic. I took her to the vet that afternoon and she had a fever. Thing is, they implied its either from an infection or inflammation. Her blood showed that high Neutrophils - 13,300! Which I read up meant some either some kind of infection or cancer. But as to what kind of infection till today, if it was that, I have no idea what it could have been. But thing is her fever was gone as of 2 days ago, probably because of that Convenia shot she got that 1st day.
 
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I use the topical Mirataz and it works really well for my non-eater. If you use the directed amount, that is. My guy will practically kill for food when we use that 1.5 inches of the stuff.

I definitely recommend it over the pill form, as it doesn't seem to have the same side effects like the yowling, etc. Another thing you might try is offering her a different food right now. When my guys gets his Mirataz, he'll eat pretty much anything, but really goes for something different.
Right so my vet told me today that it's ok I use Mirataz to help Sassy eat. At that point yes, she'd be influenced by that gel that may get her to eat. I say may as I have yet to try the full amount, and the lesser amount I tried Wednesday didn't have effect.

So you give Mirataz to your cat I guess daily or as needed? I know my Sassy is old nearing 20, but the sharp turnaround of either not eating, say if it was an infection. Now that she's attempting to eat on her own again, it kinda seems she might attribute all this other food she used to have days prior, got her sick or something so she might not be as interested anymore. So to your point, once I'd need the Mirataz, I should try to give her new food (though she seems to still now enjoying her old dry food at least...) . Just hard to try and find new foods now a days at my local grocery with shelves being always empty. Sassy only sticks with Friskies or Fancy Feast. Been like that her whole life. I suppose I could try different flavors.

I'm guess since she has been eating much more today and very frequent, I don't think shes nausea. And I haven't given her Cerenia just yet as vet told me to hold off if shes eating. And to use Mirataz when her appetite goes down again and that its safe. My other concern was, when I did put the gel, she was still sick so I placed it as she was laying in her bed. Shortly after that ear was flat up against the rim of the bed so wondered if she wiped some it off there. And we have to stay away from touching the cat for 2 hours?
 

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Very interesting. Did anything show up on the bloodwork then? My cat was like that at least for an entire day. Just refused to eat and slept in same position nearly on my bed the ENTIRE day. Couldnt even lift her head up or anything to move around, very very lethargic. I took her to the vet that afternoon and she had a fever. Thing is, they implied its either from an infection or inflammation. Her blood showed that high Neutrophils - 13,300! Which I read up meant some either some kind of infection or cancer. But as to what kind of infection till today, if it was that, I have no idea what it could have been. But thing is her fever was gone as of 2 days ago, probably because of that Convenia shot she got that 1st day.
No, nothing showed up with the bloodwork except she was dehydrated and had a high temperature. She was on the drip for 3 days which rehydrated her and they put antibiotics through it as well. Lucy made a full recovery but the cat 'flu (and there are many different types) was something that recurred off and on for her remaining years. Usually lasted about 5 days. When she had the 'flu I also got Hills cans from the vet. I would mix some up with a little warm water and syringe fed her. A messy job but it got nourishment into her and also fluids. She was an amazing and very special cat. She was 23 when she finally passed, my oldest cat. We lost our second oldest 3 weeks ago. He was 22.

I would think Sassy probably had an infection of some kind. Germs can be airborne so even indoor cats can sometimes get ill. Younger cats might only sneeze a couple of times but older cats don't have such strong immune systems. Hoping she continues to improve.
 

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Right so my vet told me today that it's ok I use Mirataz to help Sassy eat. At that point yes, she'd be influenced by that gel that may get her to eat. I say may as I have yet to try the full amount, and the lesser amount I tried Wednesday didn't have effect.

So you give Mirataz to your cat I guess daily or as needed? I know my Sassy is old nearing 20, but the sharp turnaround of either not eating, say if it was an infection. Now that she's attempting to eat on her own again, it kinda seems she might attribute all this other food she used to have days prior, got her sick or something so she might not be as interested anymore. So to your point, once I'd need the Mirataz, I should try to give her new food (though she seems to still now enjoying her old dry food at least...) . Just hard to try and find new foods now a days at my local grocery with shelves being always empty. Sassy only sticks with Friskies or Fancy Feast. Been like that her whole life. I suppose I could try different flavors.

I'm guess since she has been eating much more today and very frequent, I don't think shes nausea. And I haven't given her Cerenia just yet as vet told me to hold off if shes eating. And to use Mirataz when her appetite goes down again and that its safe. My other concern was, when I did put the gel, she was still sick so I placed it as she was laying in her bed. Shortly after that ear was flat up against the rim of the bed so wondered if she wiped some it off there. And we have to stay away from touching the cat for 2 hours?
We only give it to our guy when his appetite wanes. Give it to him once and his appetite picks right up for several days,sometimes for a couple of weeks. And when we give it to him, he'll eat pretty much any wet food I present to him. Otherwise he is a very picky eater. He will NOT eat either Fancy Feast (any flavor or texture) or Friskies.

With the topical Mirataz, we rub it in pretty well and have never had it rub off on anything. AND I have never not touched him for a few hours since he's quite the lovebug. He usually ends up in my lap soon after dosing. I've never heard of keeping away from them for two hours, never saw that in instructions (maybe just didn't notice it?) and probably wouldn't do it anyway since it's not something like radiation or chemo.
 
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miguel99nyc

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An update as of today 05/30/2022:

So there's been some positive and negative with Sassy over the weekend.

I had left off that initially didn't seem the day stay at vet with IV along with anti nausea shot and pain shot helped...until she started to eat a tad that same late night. Friday she began to eat more. One thing on that Thursday bringer her home from vet was that she looked so alert, wouldn't sleep, remained awake for over 8 hours. I thought was a result of the shots. Her walking speed was rather quick and all, something I haven't seen from her in maybe over a year or so. So Friday and this weekend came along and that's where it changed a bit.

So without the use of any further mirtazapine gel or any of her meds provided (as vet told me Friday to just have it on side and use as needed should she not eat), Sassy has pretty much resumed her normal amounts of eating. It's gotten to the point where she gets off her bed every 2 hours to have smaller meals. Used to be previously 3-4 hours, but now its nearly every 2 hours. But at least now she's fully eating the same amount if not slightly more than her old self prior to getting sick. So that is great, especially without use of meds. She's basically eating on her own now. She comes to me to her eating spot and eats just fine.

However, now the issue that seems to have gone backwards is her being stable as she walks. She seems to be again walking wobbly, losing balance as she turns, and now walks quite slowly to her water bowl or elsewhere around apartment. That's been biggest difference since she came home from vet to now her being sluggish and poor balance at times. Vet initially thought last week was because she wasn't eating at all so she wasn't strong or nutritioned well. Made sense. But now she IS eating normally. So I now wondered if its just the pain shot wearing off and shes back to being in pain somewhat? I plan to ask the vet tomorrow as they were closed entire weekend...and maybe it's her old age? But it still slightly concerning how she walks, especially after seeing her so energetic and lively the day brought her home from vet.

Still awaiting on call of the further evaluation of her xrays. But I guess for now importnat is she eating on her own. Only thing is aside form poor balance and slow walk, she would eat and go straight to sleep. She doesn't really walk around apartment and such. So not sure what it can be.
 

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...However, now the issue that seems to have gone backwards is her being stable as she walks. She seems to be again walking wobbly, losing balance as she turns, and now walks quite slowly to her water bowl or elsewhere around apartment. That's been biggest difference since she came home from vet to now her being sluggish and poor balance at times. Vet initially thought last week was because she wasn't eating at all so she wasn't strong or nutritioned well. Made sense. But now she IS eating normally. So I now wondered if its just the pain shot wearing off and shes back to being in pain somewhat? I plan to ask the vet tomorrow as they were closed entire weekend...and maybe it's her old age? But it still slightly concerning how she walks, especially after seeing her so energetic and lively the day brought her home from vet.

Still awaiting on call of the further evaluation of her xrays. But I guess for now importnat is she eating on her own. Only thing is aside form poor balance and slow walk, she would eat and go straight to sleep. She doesn't really walk around apartment and such. So not sure what it can be.
Not sure what it could be either, miguel99nyc miguel99nyc ....but it does sound like 'ataxia'.
What would cause it, I am not sure.
Perhaps it could be pain from discs, too.

**Can you video tape Sassy, walking about the apartment...
and especially try to videotape her 'eyes'...for any movements, or how her eyes focus, what she is looking at.
Do her eyes move from side to side, rapidly, or up or down.

This would help your Vet, in seeing the video, and perhaps determining,..if the loss of balance...is from pain, or from something vestibular, neurological, or even from a side effect of convenia, or other pain meds.

Hopefully, your Vet gets those x-ray reports back, and could then know if you can administer some sub-q fluids at home, too,...if they would help at all. Or even pain meds, if Sassy has arthritis or disc pain.
The difficult part is knowing what that shadow around the heart and trachea are,...and if any fluid is involved...so as not to give too much dosage of sub-q fluids,...in case there is any heart involvement.

Wishing you the best for your Sassy, and still so glad that she is eating.

She may be eating less amounts...and more often,...because of that 'mass' or whatever it is...around her trachea, if it's causing her to feel full faster,...but it's still amazing that she is eating, regardless of the more times, that she has to get up to eat.
 
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Not sure what it could be either, miguel99nyc miguel99nyc ....but it does sound like 'ataxia'.
What would cause it, I am not sure.
Perhaps it could be pain from discs, too.

**Can you video tape Sassy, walking about the apartment...
and especially try to videotape her 'eyes'...for any movements, or how her eyes focus, what she is looking at.
Do her eyes move from side to side, rapidly, or up or down.

This would help your Vet, in seeing the video, and perhaps determining,..if the loss of balance...is from pain, or from something vestibular, neurological, or even from a side effect of convenia, or other pain meds.

Hopefully, your Vet gets those x-ray reports back, and could then know if you can administer some sub-q fluids at home, too,...if they would help at all. Or even pain meds, if Sassy has arthritis or disc pain.
The difficult part is knowing what that shadow around the heart and trachea are,...and if any fluid is involved...so as not to give too much dosage of sub-q fluids,...in case there is any heart involvement.

Wishing you the best for your Sassy, and still so glad that she is eating.

She may be eating less amounts...and more often,...because of that 'mass' or whatever it is...around her trachea, if it's causing her to feel full faster,...but it's still amazing that she is eating, regardless of the more times, that she has to get up to eat.
Hello and Thank you!

Right I would think its from some sort of pain... I mean the only thing that makes sense to me at this time is, since she was given some kind of pain injection and anti nasuea, I'm sure well this is the odd part. She was due to take pain meds the following day coming home from vet. But, she began eating fine and otherwise seemed pretty good - Friday thru Sunday at least. Vet himself thought at first whether was some kind of infection she had (unknown), or some kind of pain that was affecting her from stopping to eat (plus fever at onset), the relief from that pain from the injection would help. She hadn't eaten for 2 days entirely but was given that IV fluids and vitamin plus the shots during her 1 day stay at vet place. Sure, she got some energy into her with the fluids, but again, the way she walked so quickly, seemed so attentive and alert, to me would make sense that the pain relieving shot helped her to a greater extent. Again she was restless that entire first day she came home, would just sit in her bed, then go in and out from my room and walk around like her good old self. As the days went on though, sure she was eating her normal amounts, but the one thing that I noticed was her going slower and slower to the point she looks like shes hobbling. I initially thought maybe it was from the lack of eating, even the vet said it since she was so weak and not nutrition well. But now she has been eating, meanwhile her balance/walk has been resorting back to how she was prior to getting sick.

Her eyes don't look like they move, they seem pretty normal when she walks. If anything as she lays in bed, her eyes does keep track of my feet movement as I walk in or out of the room, or if anyone in family walks nearby. So she's alert in that sense. Just as she tries to make a turn, her back legs would want to give out. No head tilting. I definitely will record her later to show on here and to vet. Even up to the point of last week prior to getting sick, she would be sitting in brother's room crying to him for either food or attention. She would sit out in hallway by entrance of apartment and seem like she meditates there. But now that I've given her this new bed, she just either eats or drinks or uses litter box and goes straight back to her bed to lay down. She used to sleep on my bed for the past year or so, but I don't let her climb since last week for that reason of her looking weak and unstable... She was even stretching at some points yesterday which I haven't seen her do in a long while. I don't know if this balance issue would affect her not eating, which hasn't until this morning which kind of scared me as she seemed a bit more lethargic and didnt ask for much food. She didnt want to get up this morning which reminded me last Tuesday morning when she got sick in the first place... So I'm awaiting to see how she will be when I get back home from work. Definitely really nervous.
 
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miguel99nyc

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Here is finally the report for her xrays.

Thankfully it appears that shift in her trachea of being possible due to a mass isn't in due to any actual mass. There is some issues going on it seems in her spine/bones, perhaps that's explaining her slowing down again and hobbling?

Intestines seem to be ok thought suggest possibly inflammatory bowel disease. Wonder if that has any issues with her eating less this morning...but I don't think that would be on and off on its own without any meds. I had a cat previously before and he had to be on steroids I believe to combat it, but he would still eat though.

I spoke to vet this morning, he thinks it's from the pain shes feeling why she's moving much less of late and hobbling. He thinks the pain shot she got might have helped her feel better temporarily, but this may be something I administer the buprinex liquid as needed he mentioned to help her feel better from pain.

I asked the vet why did she seem so restless upon coming home from clinic but he had no answer. He says if anything, the pain shot given to her should have made her sleepy. But she wasn't that clearly and she walked so gingerly around the apartment then. The next step he said would be to do an abdominal ultrasound. Though Not sure if it's worth at this point when she's been eating ok this past weekend, irrelevant to her slow walking and seeming lethargic a bit? It's just a mystery, how a fever/total stop of eating last week could align with these spinal issues. I wouldn't think they relate.

Any further feedback/thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
 

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Here is finally the report for her xrays.

Thankfully it appears that shift in her trachea of being possible due to a mass isn't in due to any actual mass. There is some issues going on it seems in her spine/bones, perhaps that's explaining her slowing down again and hobbling?

Intestines seem to be ok thought suggest possibly inflammatory bowel disease. Wonder if that has any issues with her eating less this morning...but I don't think that would be on and off on its own without any meds. I had a cat previously before and he had to be on steroids I believe to combat it, but he would still eat though.
That is so thankful that there is no actual mass, and it may just be due to head positioning.
I spoke to vet this morning, he thinks it's from the pain shes feeling why she's moving much less of late and hobbling. He thinks the pain shot she got might have helped her feel better temporarily, but this may be something I administer the buprinex liquid as needed he mentioned to help her feel better from pain.

I asked the vet why did she seem so restless upon coming home from clinic but he had no answer. He says if anything, the pain shot given to her should have made her sleepy.
But she wasn't that clearly and she walked so gingerly around the apartment then. The next step he said would be to do an abdominal ultrasound. Though Not sure if it's worth at this point when she's been eating ok this past weekend, irrelevant to her slow walking and seeming lethargic a bit? It's just a mystery, how a fever/total stop of eating last week could align with these spinal issues. I wouldn't think they relate.

Any further feedback/thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Maybe the infection was caused by 'gastroenteritis'...as mentioned on page 2 of the above report...and somehow that is what caused the initial fever, and Sassy to stop eating.

Although, like you, I also wonder how the 'spinal issues' could align with this,...or is it more that the two issues are separate, but somehow occurred at the same time. Strange, but possible, maybe.

Could you ask your Vet, however, if you could somehow give Sassy the lowest possible dosage of the buprenex liquid, but that would still take care of her pain...from spinal spondylosis?

I am not sure why your Vet only thinks that it would cause sleepiness, since buprenex, is a strong opioid...and it does cause restlessness, and high alertness in cats. It totally gets them high.
Buprenorphine For Cats: What It Does, Dosage & Side Effects - All About Cats
If you could find the right dosage, that would take away her pain, but also allow her to sleep, and rest, then that would be best.

I would also ask your Vet if other pain medications are available to try, for her spine issues,...and even if something like glucosamine would help with Sassy.?
 
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