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Take the plunge! Okay!
Feb 24, 2007



Here's the situation:

3 year old previously healthy indoor male cat, vaccinated, normal weight. Ten days ago we found him in distress, mewing loudly and unable to move his legs. The vet said it was probably a spinal injury, ordered an RTG and started him on corticosteroids and vitamin shots. The RTG came back negative. There was gradual progress, and during the next few days the cat regained use of its back legs but kept "folding" his forelegs in the tarsal joint while walking. The shots were administered daily.

Then, on the fifth day, complete disaster. Absolutely no more use of the legs. It's been five days since, and the only improvement is some movement of the right foreleg. The other three just kind of hang there. They are sensitive to pain, but show no reflexes. The cat uses hips to crawl, and still controls defecation, although I have to use suppositories, and urination (in the car to the vet office every day, of course).

My vet doesn't know what to say any more. He says we'd need to do an MRI or CT scan to see whether one of the spinal discs is protruded (?), but there are no veterinary facilities in my country that do that kind of diagnostics. Another possibility he mentioned was a blood clot, but he's decided to postpone trying with therapy before we do another, more specific, RTG on Monday that will hopefully help with the diagnosis. He has also started asking me questions that make me extremely pessimistic, such as "Are the kids attached to the cat a lot?".

Any ideas, experiences, anything? I am quite desperate and Monday seems an eternity away.

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basicblack
Oct 9, 2004

That basic little black dress.


I am not a vet, just a cat owner. My first thought reading your post was Saddle Thrombus: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=3351&S=2

I am so sorry for your kitty and really, really hope I am completely wrong.

Take the plunge! Okay!
Feb 24, 2007



basicblack posted:

I am not a vet, just a cat owner. My first thought reading your post was Saddle Thrombus: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=3351&S=2

I am so sorry for your kitty and really, really hope I am completely wrong.

Thanks. The vet said it probably wasn't a clot because the cat doesn't seem to be in pain at all.

CoolCat
Jun 29, 2015

Please give this brave kitty a big hug for me!

Asstro Van
Apr 15, 2007

Always check your blind spots before backing that thang up.
What all blood work has been performed?

Topoisomerase
Apr 12, 2007

CULTURE OF VICIOUSNESS
Your cat most likely either has a neuromuscular problem or a neck/brain problem based on the signs that you are describing. Bloodwork results might be helpful. Sorry your cat is so sick. :(

Take the plunge! Okay!
Feb 24, 2007



Thank you guys, you're too kind. I'll see my vet tomorrow and ask for blood tests. We also have another, more specific, RTG test scheduled so we'll see how that goes.

Topoisomerase
Apr 12, 2007

CULTURE OF VICIOUSNESS
I'm not really sure what an RTG test is, to be honest.

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Take the plunge! Okay!
Feb 24, 2007



Topoisomerase posted:

I'm not really sure what an RTG test is, to be honest.

Sorry, that's a Croatian abbreviation of Röntgen. It's an X-ray.

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