Slight Limp...horned Pad?

Matt M PA

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Hello all! Just when I hoped we were done with cat issues. Our two sister, Aggie & Allie are getting along much better...but it took three months after misdirected aggression.

Over the past few days, I've noticed Aggie was favoring her right, front leg. Today, I took a look at her by sitting on the floor and holding her upside-down in my lap. She had no issues with the moving her arm, paws, claws, etc...except when I played around with the small horn-like growth sticking out the front of her smallest toe pad.

We took her to the local emergency vet. When they examined her, she didn't flinch, etc when they checked that pad. They moved her arm and paws around and didn't find anything. She seemed to walk better there....but more crouched and not the way she'd walk at home. They trimmed the "Horn" off without issue and gave us some pain medicine in liquid form. They didn't want to do x-rays as they didn't think we'd learn anything. They assume it's some sort of tissue pain. I asked if it was caused by jumping, etc and said it could be. In the end, they suggest using some of the pain medicine and watch her.

They're not convinced that the small horn sticking out was causing her to favor that leg. I'm not a vet, but I know she only reacted to that little horn being touched. She still jumps and acts largely normally.

She is still favoring it since we're home and I'll keep an eye on her...hoping that she gets better. I know she's a bit bananas usually running around, etc...so I wouldn't be surprised if she did something that caused something like a sprain.
 

verna davies

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Horns in pads are quite common and dont usually cause a problem. If she has pulled a muscle by being energetic as you say, then it will take several days to get back to normal.. Try to stop her from as quiet as you can. Please keep us updated
 

molly92

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I agree it seems unlikely that the horn is causing the limping. You can trim the horn at home yourself in the future if you think she would benefit, because it will grow back like a nail, but it doesn't have a blood supply so no quick to worry about.

You might try some cosequin-extra glucosamine doesn't hurt, and the other ingredients have anti-inflammatory properties. My parents' dog is always bouncing off the walls and he has a little limp sometimes, and daily cosequin makes a big difference.
 

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Hi! How old is Aggie? The reason I ask is because Feeby, who is 14+, started limping - not from a horn - but likely from being older mixed with some arthritis. I think she may have "over done" it and caused a bit of an injury. I don't think I found any one spot in particular that was sensitive, however. But, is it possible that Aggie injured herself, and that somehow the area around the horn is bugging her because of the injury?

Just in case Aggie might be getting some arthritis: I started Feeby on Glyco Flex Plus - after both my vet and I researched options. She's only been taking it for just under 3 weeks, but she is no longer limping and has started jumping back up on furniture that she was avoiding before. Could be just the mystery injury is healing itself, but I am hoping the Glyco Flex will help her over the long haul.
 
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Matt M PA

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Thanks everyone!

I gave her one dose of the pain medicine, (Gabapentin?) and she didn't like it a bit. Shook her head and took off. She doesn't seem to have pain...so I've been holding off on that.

Aggie is 7 years old. The Vet asked the same and thought it was possible that she could be developing arthritis. Her sister tended to be more laid back and Aggie was, as I write above...bananas. I don't know if it's the change of seasons...but they're both more laid back the past few days. I should add that there's a bit of a different dynamic since they went through the mis-directed aggression episode in July. They get along, but the play has changed a bit...it's just different.

I'm going to find that Glyco Flex Plus, or similar locally and see if it helps.

Except for the limp and lessened amount of activity...she's largely herself. Talkative, digs like crazy in the litter box, still sharpens her claws on the post....so I cannot imagine she has much discomfort. This AM, she jumped from the window perch to the bed and back...
 

verna davies

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Are you able to get Yumove where you live. It has had good reviews and a few of my friends use it on their older pets with success. Amazon sell it in the UK. Worth a look.
 
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Matt M PA

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Well, that was odd. This AM, she's favoring that leg/paw a bit more. Walking sometimes with using only the opposite front leg.

I gave her some food, and she took a few steps with one paw held up....then walked behind the TV stand (as best I could see) someone normally. When she came out from behind the TV, she took a few three-legged steps then some seemingly normal steps into her cat bed.

All her life, she has favored that paw the same way when walking on a stone floor. She'd walk on three legs...then go back to normal when on wood or carpet floor. I always assumed she didn;t like the feeling of the colder stone floor...

I don't know if I should go back to the 24-7 vet that we went to Friday night, or? The vet suggested we watch her for awhile so maybe I'm jumping the gun here...
 

FeebysOwner

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If she is doing everything else normally - and it sounds like she is - I think you can wait to call your (regular?) vet when it is normal business hours. I know people here didn't seem to think the horn would likely cause limping or discomfort, but after you saying that she has favored that paw all her life, I am having a difficult time thinking there isn't some correlation to the horn. Maybe for whatever reason, the horn 'annoys' her or feels so weird that it causes the limping and her being over-protective about that paw pad being touched.

It might be a weird comparison, but I have a wart on one of my fingers (for a long time), and while it doesn't technically hurt, there is a strange sensation in it when I grip certain lawn tools/kitchen utensils that touch it...just sayin'.
 
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Matt M PA

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Thanks for all the thoughts! Very much appreciated!

I tried to give her the liquid Gabapentin this AM shortly after my post. Aggie spit most of it out all over me. My wife was looking at her paw and she reacted at one place.

We took her back to the emergency vet place and we got a different vet. He too examined her paws, shoulder, etc and said that there's nothing broken and suggested a different medication in pill form, Onsior. One pill each day for three days. They say it should last about 7 days and figure by then she'll be better.

The vet said that he'll gladly spend my money, but that he too felt it was some sort of soft tissue issue that should resolve.

I'ver really been impressed thus far with Cares in Langhorne, PA
 
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Matt M PA

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Yet another update....as Aggie snores on the other chair beside me.

I've been reading way too much on line about this Onsior...and am now concerned about giving her a second dose. I just don't want to cause her issues from any potential side effects.

Last night, she climbed the cat tree and slept for hours.
 
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