What could be wrong with this cat?!?

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

nicola heaney — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:39:22 GMT

we had one like that too, it ended up being hyperkalemia.

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:05:08 GMT

Could his ataxia not be to do with partial retina detachment, follwed by complete detachment, due to high BP. Or he has a brain tumour. just a thought.

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

Louise B — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 21:39:06 GMT

Vague shot but FIP?

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

Claire Cameron — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:07:56 GMT

We saw a cat recently with dysautonomia which presented similarly to the cat you are describing. Hope little guy gets better soon

See the following link for info on dysautonomia

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/100802.htm

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

Heidi O'Toole — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:05:57 GMT

a clot?

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

Jo Mackenzie — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:30:30 GMT

Thanks guys - lots of ideas! Unfortunately although the owners are keen for him to get better they're not overly keen (or able) to spend a lot of money so we're a bit limited in what we can do.

He's been fed a diet of chicken, tuna and prawns his whole life ("he doesn't eat cat food"...) but was eating RC Ssensitivity no probs when he was in with us. We considered poisoning but think he would have either got it out of his system by now or would have got much worse? He's not really gone either way over the last 10 days or so. Not had any baytril, he's on prednisolone and antirobe but not having much effect at all. Ideally we would want to run bloods for every possiblity and maybe do a few x-rays, but as I said money is a real problem and he's not insured :-(

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

Sal the 1st — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 23:16:57 GMT

lead poisoning? - not carrying any lead shot is he?

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

Anonymous — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 23:03:45 GMT

parasites? I've heard of pets getting them in their heads and causing that sort of stuff :( poor lil puddy tat :(

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

sarah collins — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 21:32:18 GMT

Which antibiotics is he on for the toxo? Metrondiazole can have toxic effects. Hope he's getting better and you get to the bottom of it soon!

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

Busy bee — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 20:03:41 GMT

Poor cat - just out of interest has the cat had any Baytril recently?

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

Steph Worsley — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:27:16 GMT

what other bloods have been run?

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

fairy — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:26:46 GMT

Or poisoning?

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

fairy — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:26:01 GMT

I am only a student nurse but could it be anything like taurine deficiency? Are they still feeding it cat food?

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

Jo Mackenzie — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:19:01 GMT

Thought of that but unfortunately don't have a BP monitor of any description. He doesn't have bloodshot eyes or anything like that, and with hypertension would it not be more likely for the blindness to come before the ataxia?

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

Kerry Spain — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:05:14 GMT

[quote user="Jo Mackenzie"]

Wondering if anyone on here can give me any suggestions on a case we have in at the moment.

He is a 4 1/2 year old neutered male cat who presented with sudden onset blindness and severe ataxia. (The ataxia came first and was followed a day or two later by the blindness). He has been tested negative for FIV/FeLV and was being treated for toxoplasmosis but hasn't improved and has now started to have episodes of "cramping" of his legs which are painful for him. He's on antibiotics and steroids which have helped a little but not as much as we'd hoped. All we can think of is some sort of brain lesion. Any other ideas?

[/quote]

Have you checked his blood pressure?? We've seen a few in the past with onset of blindness due to hypertension.

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

Jo Mackenzie — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 18:58:10 GMT

[quote user="Steph Worsley RVN MBVNA"]

i can pick some brains at work for you if you want, i would think some sort of brain lesion too. but will see what we can come up with

[/quote]

Thank you! x

Re: What could be wrong with this cat?!?

Steph Worsley — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 18:56:20 GMT

i can pick some brains at work for you if you want, i would think some sort of brain lesion too. but will see what we can come up with