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

[Furballsmom]

To your point of being more patient with her, what about utilizing a gentle touch and petting to help her to feel more comfortable? Will she not allow you to pick her up so that you can bring her back into the bedroom during those times she's crying?

Also, when she's crying in the hallway, since her sense of smell seems to be intact can you find something that will give her comfort, through an odor or fragrance? What about a piece of clothing that you've worn and haven't yet washed, something like that and see if it calms her.

And is it possible for her eyes pupils to constrict in day light if she was totally blind?

It seems to depend on what caused the blindness, but the answer can often be yes.

 

[iPappy]

miguel99nyc this is all so strange and so stressful for you. If she's just adjusting to being blind, yes, it can be done and often they adjust better than we would. Does she allow you to pick her up/carry her? It would be wonderful if her vision would come back, even some, but if it doesn't she will adjust. I have noticed that blind pets usually navigate by sense and foot feel, so if she's having trouble finding anything, you can play rugs or something that would feel differently to her paws as a sort of signal that the (bed, bowls, box, etc.) are right behind that. I keep a blind little dog and she has trouble finding her water bowl unless we put it on a certain rug and keep it in the same spot. Just keep things in the same place and she will learn the lay out.

 

[miguel99nyc]

So one thing I just noticed I noticed as of few hours ago, has been a reddish tint area in her right eye . I looked it up and seems to align with bleeding from the high pressure in eye. It wasnt like that yesterday and noticed it today this morning.

Shes sleeping right now but as soon she wakes up I will attempt to take her pressure as I got this machine. Stressing her out taking her out blind as she is just not worth it and feel it's a torture for her to go out - let alone have pressure skyrocket because of it.

She's been on this amlodipine medication for a week exactly. She was prescribed a 0.625mg gel that came in this pen - and instructs two clicks per dose. Does that mean 2 clicks - she's taking in 1.25mg per dose or just 0.625? I ask because I now fear if it hasn't been enough that now caused one of her eyes to develop that bleeding? Vet did say to get it checked in a week and I could do it at home. Adjustment in dose would needed he said - such as if it wasn't enough, that the gel would get applied in both ears as opposed to one ear? Or have her on this dose as long its maintained. But I just fear now since this one eye gone red like that, her blood pressure hasn't gone down or minimally to develop that.

I read elsehwere online that with pressure over 200, 1.25mg should be a starting point to control the high blood pressure. I just don't know if the two clicks of her current med means 1.25mg or 0.625mg. Dose anyone have thoughts?

 

[fionasmom]

You are at the one week point with the administration of the meds, so the first thing to do is to update your vet on the new symptom that you have seen today. Don't take dosing into your own hands without consulting him. An overdose of amlodipine can cause low blood pressure and slow the heart rate, two situations you don't want to add to this.

 

[daftcat75]

If it’s two clicks per dose, then it is two clicks for the 0.625 dose. It would be two more clicks for a 1.25 mg dose. I’m assuming this is the Twist-a-dose pen from Wedgewood? Had the same concern with a pred pen. Two clicks are needed for one dose. Call the pharmacist if you’re unsure.

 

[miguel99nyc]

So I wrote back to vet. He believes its 2 clicks for the 0.625 dose. Took Sassy's pressure twice and her pressure readings were 149 then 143. So vet mentioned it was normal.

As for the eye, he says hard to tell in pictures (mind you he's old..) so he said if it doesnt resolve or gets worse then to bring her in to get it checked. Its just one eye and has this reddish hue to it.

 

[daftcat75]

Wow! She looks a lot like Betty.

 

[miguel99nyc]

Oh wow she does!! Amazing!! Almost like twins!!

Sassy today seemed more disoriented...bumping into things bit more. Not sure if she's just off or what. But I still guided her back to her bed today and such. At times it feels shes accustomed and aware of her surroundings and being blind, but other times it seems hard for her. But regardless I hang around her to assist to walk in certain directions and such.

Since vet couldn't distinguish in pics, what could the red hue/tint in one eye be? Is it really bleeding from pressure being high behind the eye?

 

[fionasmom]

It is very hard to look at the picture of an eye and make a diagnosis. I don't know how effective a pic you can get, or if it would even help that a picture taken with a regular camera would be sent in. I do understand that you don't want to take her back to the vet as it upsets her terribly, but this is a hard call without either a clear pic (if possible) or a visit.

I don't know if you would want to go the route of house call vets. It is bringing in someone else, and is very expensive, at least out here.

 

[miguel99nyc]

Hi There.

So currently awaiting on email from vet. Sassy's eye appeared to be lightning up and less of that reddish tint/haze but today i noticed it much darker. I managed to take some better photos in daylight as well moments ago - attached here. Is it really blood from high pressure?

 

[fionasmom]

You sent the pic to the vet? This one is much clearer and they should be able to see what you are talking about. Blood in the chamber of the eye can be from high blood pressure, but your vet really has to make the call about what is going on with the eye. I have seen in humans whose blood pressure spikes that the blood vessel in the eye burst, but that makes the entire white area of the eye red, so very easy to spot that it is probably related to this.

 

[miguel99nyc]

You sent the pic to the vet? This one is much clearer and they should be able to see what you are talking about. Blood in the chamber of the eye can be from high blood pressure, but your vet really has to make the call about what is going on with the eye. I have seen in humans whose blood pressure spikes that the blood vessel in the eye burst, but that makes the entire white area of the eye red, so very easy to spot that it is probably related to this.

I have and he just responded.
"Blood in the anterior chamber of the eye. Most common cause is uveitis, inflammation of the uveal track. Consider schedule an appointment with reception, as meds may be indicated."

So i made an appointment for tomorrow. Did quick search just now on what it is and treatments...appears to require a med such as prednisolone for anti inflammation or if its some infection then antibiotic. Do you think if she will need further meds as such, getting them transdermal exists? And if she is currently on Amlodipine, and such other meds exist as Transdermal, would I be able to apply each med to both ears respectively?

And also, I did wonder if its from Blood Pressure. But redness just appeared about a week ago while she had been for a good week already on Amlodipine to lower pressure.If it was from high blood pressure and was on the med for at least a week, shouldn't this not have occurred? Unless her pressure has remained high still in some way or, from being very high prior to Amlodipine, this was just a delayed incident to have occurred?

 

[fionasmom]

Search Results for Query: uveitis

If you look through these threads, you will find some experiences of other members.

Uveitis in Cats | VCA Animal Hospital

This will give you some background for a discussion with the vet about treatment.

I really don't know if an eye medication is able to be applied transdermally.
Transdermal Medications How They Work and How to Apply Them | VCA Animal Hospital
Ask you vet if he thinks this is blood pressure related or not.

 

[daftcat75]

Some meds can be compounded into treats or flavored oils. You may want to keep the most critical medicine as transdermal and explore another compounding option for the other meds. If you do end up going with two transdermal meds, I would alternate ears with each med (med A goes in one ear and B goes in another), and wash both ears before putting new doses on. If you go through Wedgewood, I believe they can send you blank samples of their flavored oils (e.g. the oil without the medicine) to see which Sassy might like. If they can't do that, I know they will work with you if you buy a flavor she won't take. They will help you pick another flavor and rush it out to you. Wedgewood is excellent like that!

 

[miguel99nyc]

Right. This is all depending of course what the outcome is after visit and the diagnosis.

Another thing came to mind. Im certain Im going to ask if they can do another BP reading on her. Now, while I know she will be stressed out completely and her BP should shoot up, in theory considering she been on her Amlodipine Transdermal now for 2 weeks, her BP reading at office should be somewhat lower than what it was (200+) 2 weeks ago? Perhaps my machine i have now isn't accurate and her BP is still high to potentially have caused that bleeding into the eye?

 

[daftcat75]

Right. This is all depending of course what the outcome is after visit and the diagnosis.

Another thing came to mind. Im certain Im going to ask if they can do another BP reading on her. Now, while I know she will be stressed out completely and her BP should shoot up, in theory considering she been on her Amlodipine Transdermal now for 2 weeks, her BP reading at office should be somewhat lower than what it was (200+) 2 weeks ago? Perhaps my machine i have now isn't accurate and her BP is still high to potentially have caused that bleeding into the eye?

I can't really help with the issue at hand. I have no experience with it.

But it seems like another issue is that she gets stressed with vet visits and you may need another or a few more to get her treatment right--and to monitor and follow-up. Does she calm down any if you are given some quiet alone time in an exam room? Or are Covid protocols still preventing you from being in the exam room with her? Can she take gabapentin? Can you ask the vet if she can have gabapentin before a vet visit to calm her down? It would seem an accurate (not stressed) reading would be important for monitoring progress and possibly intervening if the dose isn't right. My last kitty, Krista, got spicy with the vets in her final years. I had one vet whom I l loved who would simply give her a puff of anesthesia gas--not enough to put her under but just enough to calm her down--before she did anything with her. When she left that practice, all the remaining vets didn't bother. They just insisted that Krista be sedated for her visits. I miss that one doc. I don't know that sedation would be appropriate here. But maybe your vet knows a shortcut like a puff of the chill gas to get Sassy to calm down for an accurate reading.

 

[Furballsmom]

Perhaps my machine i have now isn't accurate

Take the machine with you, and have them not only show you how to use it to be sure you're placing it correctly etc, but also check it's reading against their reading so you can better determine if it's accurate.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Take the machine with you, and have them not only show you how to use it to be sure you're placing it correctly etc, but also check it's reading against their reading so you can better determine if it's accurate.

Yes, to that! Not only that but most vets take several BP readings throughout the course of a visit to get an average. Once is never enough, probably not even at home. Is she getting good readings at home?

 

[iPappy]

Take the machine with you, and have them not only show you how to use it to be sure you're placing it correctly etc, but also check it's reading against their reading so you can better determine if it's accurate.

EXCELLENT idea!!

 

[miguel99nyc]

So I just got back from the vet. As suspected, her blood pressure was still extremely high through use of their machine. It read 238. Last visit was 242. So the vet was concerned the medication isn't strong enough at first. But then he used my machine to see if it still read high, and while he mentioned the small cuff Im using still might be a tad too big which would result in inaccurate reading, they proceeded with using my machine, and the reading still came out high at 212. Though still seems a bit of a difference between theirs and mines, but he didn't say it wasn't a good machine. Then went on saying it's actually a good thing I would keep track of her BP at home rather than to stress her out with visit, so he suggests to do a reading 1 hour prior to medication, and an hour or so after medication and to provide him those numbers via email to see if the medication is even doing enough or needs increased dosage. My concern here is, while I had hoped I had started on this med possibly in time weeks ago to have any chance of restoring some vision, to see her BP that high still as of this morning - surely also because of visit despite giving her med yesterday 5pm, now it has to be at the point of no return of her vision coming back...which is unfortunate but fine I suppose. He even mentioned its completely irreversible...sure, after her having her high BP for so long and there was no way of knowing it prior. It troubles me that the initial visit with other vet (2 vets, 1 older guy worked there for 20 years and another younger guy) should have possibly prescribed a higher dose given her very high BP. Then again as this younger vet said today - we also don't want to increase it if it does bring it down with initial dose, then risk giving her higher dose and then her BP becomes too low. I'm guessing there's no in between?

As for the eye, he put some gel into her eye to see if its any cuts or tear in cornea but it all seemed fine. So vet think its coming from inside. And after taking the blood pressure, he deemed it because its still high, that is what caused it. He did provide Neomycis and Polmyxin B Sulfate gel which is an anti-inflammatory - to apply to eye twice a day for 7 days. And it should resolve it he said at least the bleeding and any inflammation going on.

So no Uevitis, and just seems to be stemming from her high blood pressure. Wouldn't that mean then her current med isn't strong enough? To check her BP before and after med seems like a good idea to see if it has any impact with the med but also if this bleeding is from high BP, is it possible to affect one eye only? Forgot to ask him that in the end.