# Help with UTI and weakness in muscles...



## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Hi everyone,

I really hope someone can help me here. I am really confused and lost.

It is a long story but please bear with me.
Snowy was diagnosed with ringworm a month ago. He was put on ketaconazole for 10 days and itraconazole for 9 days. He puked 4 times while on ketaconazole, and ever since he started eating the oral meds, his appetite went down. The last day he ate the pill was on Sunday. His weight has also dropped from 4.65 kg to 4.1 kg. However, even though his appetite went down while on the oral meds, he was never weak. He just sleeps a lot.

As I have posted on another thread, Snowy didn't pee from Saturday morning till Sunday afternoon. Took him to a vet and he peed and poop later on Sunday night.

Come Monday evening and he has yet to pee again. So I took him to the vet again (albeit a different but more experienced one). He peed on the doctor's table and it was all red, so the vet said he has UTI. He was also still constipated so she performed an enema on him. Also, as he was dehydrated, he was put on the drip. The vet told me to stop giving itraconazole to him as she think Snowy doesn't have ringworm anymore. She gave me a medicine for his UTI and told me to feed him only the prescription wet food that I bought from her and to come back next week.

Now this is where my dilemma starts. It is Wednesday afternoon where I am now. Snowy has peed 3 times (2 of them quite a big puddle too) and pooped once yesterday. The amount of food he ate is still not a lot, but pretty much the same as what he has been eating these past few weeks. However, he seems to be really WEAK now. He can walk but there are times when you can see his front legs slightly giving away when he walks. Also, when I am feeding him his wet food, sometimes when I bump into him, he would fall over and collapse to the ground on all fours. 

Also, when I am feeding him his medicine, I usually tilt his head a bit while I put the syringe into the side of his mouth. But now, when I try to tilt his head, his entire neck will give away so I had to use my other hand to support his head while I use the syringe. I really don't understand why he is like this...what could have happened? It's like he doesn't have much control over his muscles or something. I am so worried right now.
Could this be a side effect of the enema or the UTI medicine? 

I have sent a text to the vet asking why but I have yet to get a reply.
My vet will only be in tomorrow. She doesn't come in today. What should I do? PLEASE HELP!


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

OMG Christine!
You guys can't seem to catch a break...
What was Snowy prescribed for his UTI?
Were any other tests ran, or suggested by the vet?
What is the Prescription Food?
The symptoms you're describing, that he's having now, do sound scary...
Possibly brought on by a reaction to the various medications, but I certainly don't know...
((((HUGS))) and Healing Prayers for Snowy, 
Sharon
P.S.
Afterthought. ..
If he was peeing RED/blood, I think it could also signify kidney problems (?)
Keep an eye on him, if he stops peeing, He's BLOCKED! That's life threatening, and you could lose him quickly...


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Christine,
ARGHHH please forgive me, I worked a Graveyard shift, and I should be sleeping...

But I was thinking more about all the drugs Snowy has been on, him peeing red/blood, and his kidneys...

Can you get him to a vet for more subcutaneous fluids??
If it is a build-up of all the drugs, the extra SubQ fluids will help to flush it out, sometimes, that is what will save a kitty...
The extra SubQ liquid, will also help flush his liver, the other organ, that can take a hard hit from some medications...

Talk to your vet about this first, since I'm not a vet...
((((HUGS)))) and Healing Prayers for Snowy, 
Sharon


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

cpr34, how is Snowy? Maybe the weakness is an adverse reaction to one of the medications? I hope he's ok.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Christine,
How are you and Snowy doing today?? Is he any better??
(((HUGS))) and Healing Prayers for him, 
Sharon


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Hi everyone.

This has been one of the most stressful week in my life ever. And I am sad to say that the I don't think the worst is over. Let me put down what had happened thus chronologically so that it is easier to understand.

Monday:
- took Snowy to the vet coz he hasn't peed in more than 24 hours. 
- he peed on the vet's table and it was all red, suspected UTI.
- the vet also performed an enema on him.
- put on the drip for dehydration as well.
- prescribed the following medication for his UTI.
SPIRADAN | FARMASI-ID.COM | INFO OBAT, KOMPOSISI, INDIKASI, DOSIS, INTERAKSI OBAT, EFEK SAMPING, ATURAN PAKAI, kontra indikasi, produsen, kandungan obat, aturan minum, obat apa, manfaat obat, kegunaan obat, fungsi obat, khasiat obat, kapsul, tablet, 

Tuesday:
- he peed 3 times on Tuesday (once in the morning, afternoon and night)
- he also pooped at night.
- appetite still down but still eating
- very weak in the legs, staggering a lot when walking and would often fall down on all fours when bumped.
- no strength in his neck either

Wednesday:
- doesn't want to eat at all (he was still willing to eat albeit very little up till this point)
- still very weak in the legs and overall not much body strength
- brought him back to the vet
- vet feared that he might have kidney failure so we did a full blood test
- result was negative for kidney or liver damage (slight high AMY count as well as low trombosite count again) 
- Snowy was also running a very high fever (about 39.7 degress celsius)
- vet say he is suffering from dehydration (shown by the high levels of RGB, HGB & HCT) so he was put on more drip, and I even brought the drip back with me
- vet told me to come back again tomorrow to check in with the head vet (the head vet is only in on Monday, Thursday & Saturday)



















Thursday:
- I should point out that after coming back from the vet on Wednesday, things were looking pretty good for Snowy. He was willing to walk around for about an hour (I had to carry the drip for him as he walked about), played with his scratching post and was willing to eat a bit again.
- But come Thursday morning, and he is back to his weak self. No appetite but I used a small spoon to make sure he ate a bit. 
- He was also weak in the legs again.
- By this point, he hasn't peed in 2 days (last time he peed was Tuesday night).
- Took him back to vet and he peed on the vet's table again after the vet squeezed his bladder. But pee is now yellow, no longer red/bloody.
- Put on drip again and vet performed acupuncture. 
- Once again, after we came back from the vet, he seemed to be doing much better. Was walking about around the house, gained a bit of an appetite (vet fed him some food while she was checking him out btw) and even groomed himself for a bit.
- And he peed twice too by himself after coming back from the vet.

Friday (today):
- Alas, he became all weak again this morning.
- I was looking for him everywhere this morning only to find him sitting in his litter box. He peed but seemed to be too weak to walk out of the litter box.
- I used a spoon again to feed him more food this time round as well as used a syringe to make him drink some water.

I am really confused just what is wrong is Snowy 
His symptoms for now seem to be pointing to dehydration. My vet said to make him drink at least 100 ml of water a day, so I will do that. I will also try to make him eat more by feeding him every few hours so that he can get his strength back.

I intend to bring him back to the vet again tomorrow. But in the meantime, what else can I do to help my poor baby???
Please help...


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

I forgot to add that the vet also gave him some injections last night.

This was my poor baby when he was being put on the drip in the clinic on Wednesday night:









And this was him yesterday at the clinic looking slightly better after he peed:


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Christine, 
How are you supposed to get that 100ml of water into him?
Are they leaving in the 'drip' attachment? 
Or are you supposed to get him to swallow it??

If, it's by mouth, be very careful, you don't get it down his windpipe, that would cause more serious problems...
Just put the syringe inside of his cheek, and slowly, give him the water, he has to be able to swallow between each one...

Even if it meant going back to the vet, to have him put on a drip, that might be the best idea...100ml is a lot of fluid to try and get into a cat, by mouth, even when it's broken down throughout a day...
More Prayers and (((HUGS)))
Sharon


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Hi Sharon.

I use a syringe and give it to him slowly. Luckily he is still willing to drink them. I give him about 10 ml every hour. I have given him 80 ml so far today and he has peed 3 times.
He is also walking a bit now after I made him eat some dinner.

He still has the drip attachment on his right leg. The vet left it just in case he needs to be brought in for more drips or injections.
I might be taking him back to the vet tomorrow depending on his condition. Hopefully I won't have to though. Crossing my fingers...


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Christine, 
I pray Snowy will start improving soon...it's so scary when you don't know what's going on, and you just want them to feel better...
(((HUGS)))
Sharon
Low Potassium levels can cause weakness of muscles, and bad coordination...


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Thank you Sharon.
Yes I know! All I want is just for my baby to feel better soon 
Oh, thank you so much for that information! His potassium level was still in the normal range when we took the blood test...but I will definitely ask about it if I were to bring him back tomorrow.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Christine, 
I was thinking about the the extra fluid he's receiving, which he needs, but all that extra fluid can also flush out important things, he also needs, like potassium! 
So do check with your vet, potassium isn't just something you can give indiscriminately, it does need to be monitored, and it's different for each cat!
(((HUGS))) and Lots of Healing Prayers for Snowy, 
Sharon


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear Snowy's not well. 

Most of the bloodwork seems to point out to dehydration, even the elevated TP (total protein), but I'm not so sure if the amylase is ok...it's rather high, isn't it? I'd ask the vet about that, it could point out to something else, which I seriously hope isn't the case.

Did the vet do an x-ray on him recently? The fact that he's having coordination issues, has muscle weakness and not walking properly really bothers me most. I'd wonder about clotting, or neuro, but again, I hope I'm wrong and this is all a temporary blip for him.

Sending a big hug with positivity and healing vibes to you and Snowy. You're both in my thoughts...


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## LakotaWolf (Aug 10, 2012)

I wish I had some info or insights for you :{

Maybe reading over these will give some insight:

What Do Those Lab Tests Mean | College of Veterinary Medicine

https://www.vet.purdue.edu/vth/sacp/documents/understandingyourpetsbloodwork.pdf

What Do Your Dog And Cat's Blood And Lab Work Results Mean ? DxME

Hoping Snowy perks up soon :{


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Well it is Saturday and I am happy to say that Snowy is doing slightly better today 

He was still quite weak when I woke up this morning. I fed him breakfast (still have to force feed him though) and made him drink some water. And after taking a short nap, he was actually walking about on his own!!! He had also peed twice since last night by himself. Still no poop though...but he is definitely walking about more and sleeping less. He doesn't stagger as much too.

So I decided not to bring him in today. I think the journey to the vet, long waiting hours and presence of dogs are quite stressful for him. So I will bring him back on Monday instead.

Gonna keep trying to make him eat more and drink more and hope for the best. *crossing my fingers*


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Christine, 
I pray Snowy is turning the corner finally!
Lots more Healing Prayers being sent for him! 
(((HUGS))) for you!
Sharon


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Poor Snowy - he looked quite miserable in the pic where he's hooked up to the IV! 

I'm glad to hear he's doing better and hope he continues to improve. But I think I'd also ask for an xray, to see if it shows anything up that could explain this particular cluster of symptoms. Does his ability to control his hind legs correspond to his ability to pee on his own?


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

A bit of an update on Snowy. He peed for the third time last night before I went to bed and he pooped this morning! Quite a lot too. Quite a bit was stuck on his butt and legs, but I just trimmed those parts off.

To be honest, I was kinda worried and down again yesterday evening coz even though he seems to be doing better in the morning, come evening and he was all weak again 

But once again, after dinner, he was walking about and seems better again. In fact, he even managed to go up to the second floor. I can't even recall the last time I saw him going up!

And then this morning, after pooping, once again he was walking about. I think more so than yesterday too. I should also say that he was willing to eat by himself too. Not a lot though...so I still have to force feed him to finish the rest. 

I will be bringing him back to the vet tomorrow. And I will definitely ask about doing xrays and scans tomorrow. I really hope he is at least improving and on the way to recovery


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

Oh well the fact that Snowy's able to walk around and is eating & eliminating on his own are indeed improved signs. 

I hope the vet's office is super slow tomorrow, just so you and Snowy can get in quicker and without all the extra stress. Crossing all paws here for you, and sending more positive thoughts to you both.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Christine, 
These really sound like some positive signs! That Snowy is peeing and finally had a good poo, is very, very good, and he feels like he wants to move around! YAY!
More Healing Prayers for Snowy! 
(((HUGS)))
Sharon


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Hi everyone,

So I think we finally figured out what was wrong with Snowy last night. He was suffering from Thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency. The vet came to this conclusion pretty quickly the moment she saw how Snowy was struggling to stand up after being taken out of his carrier. 

And I gotta say the symptoms are really spot on too:

Neurological signs are frequently seen with thiamine deficiency and include: 


*Ventriflexion* (bending towards the floor) or curling of the neck
*Incoordination*
Abnormal or spastic gait
Circling
*Falling*
*Head tilt*
Dilated pupils
Opisthotonos (backward arching of the head, neck, and spine)
Stupor
Seizures
No.1, 2 5 and 6 are definitely what Snowy was experiencing this past one week. 

And I think the cause in Snowy's case is definitely "prolonged lack of appetite" that was brought on ever since he started the oral medication for his ringworm like 3 weeks ago.

The vet gave me some vitamin B1 oral supplement and a medication for his nerves last night, and told me to come back on Thursday if needed (she said if Snowy can run by then, then I need not come back).

I gotta say the improvement in Snowy's condition is really amazing after we came back from the vet. He was walking about everywhere this morning already! And his appetite also came back (still not as much as before but at least he is eating on his own). He also has enough strength to fight me back now so I cannot force feed him anymore.

All in all, this was the best I have seen my baby in weeks! I really hope this is it and he will slowly go back to his old playful self now. He is still slightly thin, and not able to run or jump yet...but I really hope those will change soon. I will be bringing him back to the vet again on Thursday just to make sure he is really all right.

Thank you to those who have responded to my thread. I hope I will be posting more good news on Snowy soon


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Here is a picture of him walking about last night after we came back from the vet


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Oh my goodness! Christine, this is such positive news for Snowy!
Once he starts eating well, and putting the weight on, that he's lost, since being sick, he should be on the road to recovery!!

It's so good to see him walking, and it looks like he had a swooshy tail going as well!!

He's such a Handsome little guy!

You're a Special Cat Mama!
You have refused to give up on him!
Blessings, and (((HUGS))), and continued Healing Prayers for Snowy! 
Sharon


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

He is absolutely adorable! I am SO glad you figured out what's going on, and that it's something that's easily treatable. You must be incredibly relieved, and he has to be so much happier. I had no idea that thiamine deficiency could cause these symptoms. 

You're probably also happy to see him fighting you about being force-fed, as it's a sure sign that he's feeling stronger. With my cat who passed away a year ago, I knew she really wasn't feeling well when she didn't try to kill the vet and the vet techs.  

It's frustrating that the treatment for one condition can bring on other issues, but it looks like he's making a quick and fully recovery. Yay!


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

Oh thank goodness! I kept wondering what was wrong with him, so happy for you and Snowy!

I'm glad he's walking around again and eating more, I hope he continues to recuperate and returns to his normal weight soon.

Just fyi, I've read that some commercial canned food, kibble and even feeding raw fish can also cause thiamine deficiency in cats. You may want to look at this article later:

How Your Pet Can Become Thiamine-Deficient

Hopefully you wont need to supplement after this, but it's just good info to know anyway!

Thanks for posting Snowy's picture...I can really see his "happy tail" there, too.


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Thank you everyone for the kind words. It really means a lot to me 

Snowy has been eating on his own these past 2 days...but the amount is sadly quite little I think. I have been trying to get him to eat more...opening like 3 different brands of wet food even...but he just refused to eat more than what he is eating. I even tried to force feed him again but he just kept spewing them out 

I am already giving him an appetite stimulant that I got from the vet twice a day. 

He is walking about much more now. But I think his hind legs are still weak coz I can see them kinda wobbling when he walk sometimes. He is still unable to run or jump too  

I am going to take him back to the vet tomorrow and I think I might ask about injecting the thiamine into him instead of relying on oral supplement only.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

That's a good idea. In the article that TabbCatt linked to about thiamine deficiency, I believe it said that treatment was normally several injections. I'm sure those won't be fun, but maybe they'll be more effective. 

His tummy has probably shrunk, too, so maybe it will take several more days for him to start eating more. 

Still, this is so much progress!


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Indeed the progress has been great, and I am really happy and relieved by it!

But I guess I am just being greedy here and I want him to show more improvements. It just pains me that whenever I pat him, all I can feel are his bones 
I really want him to gain more weight asap I guess.

Well he did eat more this morning compared to yesterday. So I really, really hope it is all just a matter of time now. Crossing my fingers!!!


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Sigh...I just came back from the vet again with Snowy 

Up till Monday, Snowy has been peeing just fine...about two to three times a day. That was why the vet said I can stop giving him the UTI medicine on Monday.

However, he only peed once yesterday in the morning and it was a pretty small clump. The same thing happened again this morning (another small clump). And then, when I came home from work today, I saw him going in and out of his litterbox while crying. I thought maybe he just wanted to pee without me looking in on him, so I left him alone and went upstairs to change my clothes. But when I came back down, he was still going in and out of the litterbox while crying.

Fearing his UTI has came back, I immediately brought him to the vet. The vet felt his bladder and said that it wasn't very full yet but she still inserted a catheter into him just in case. The catheter went in quite easily so she doesn't think it is blocked. His pee was also yellow and not red in color, so she doesn't think his UTI came back. But his penis was kind of bluish when she tried to insert the catheter so she said that Snowy was either holding in his pee or having difficulty in peeing, but she is not clear why.

I will be bringing him back again tomorrow to see the head vet and I will definitely ask about this. I am back to feeding him the prescription wet food, and for some reasons, the poor boy seem really weak and depressed ever since we got back home 

He ate about half his dinner once again, but this time, I was able to force feed him to finish the rest. I know my poor baby's stress level must be off the roof and I really felt bad for having to take him back to the vet so often...but I really don't know what else to do


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Christine, 
Ask your vet about some safe pain meds!
Tramodol, Buprenorphine, and another one or two, could help with his not wanting to pee, since it probably hurts, due to inflammation still...

I'm including a link to another thread, where a cat was having difficulties, and there's some pretty good information about some of the pain meds...

Stay away from Metacam!
Even if your vet trys to push it on you!
Stick with the Safer ones!

Snowy wouldn't need to be on them that long...maybe a week (?) just long enough for the lining of his bladder, and urethra, to heal, from any inflammation, which definitely, will make it painful for a cat to pee!

More Healing Prayers for Snowy, and some Big (((HUGS))) for you,
Sharon

http://www.catforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=322873


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Oh Sharon...what would I do without you.
I am on the verge of a mental breakdown right now.

It is 1 am where I am now and Snowy just kept going in and out of his litter box while crying again! I am both mentally and physically exhausted. All these trips to the vet had also broke my bank big time 

I am willing to pay as much as needed as long as he would heal. But it just seems like more and more problems keep popping up 

I will definitely ask about the pain meds tomorrow. And I really hope that will stop him from crying and circling the litter box


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Oh my god Sharon...I just read the thread and Snowy is exhibiting the same symptoms!!! His tail is low and his butthole is often smeared with poop!!! I am so mad right now! How can the vet not have seen this earlier on? 
His tail was still upright after we came back from the vet on Monday...how could I have let something like this happened!? 
The vet drained a lot of his pee using the catheter just now...so it should be safe to wait till this evening to bring him back right?


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Oh no, I'm so sorry that Snowy is still having trouble peeing.  I know the heartache of having a constantly sick kitty when you don't really know what's wrong.  

I can't remember if the vet has already done x-rays or scans, and I'm not sure that they'd show anything that could explain what's going on, but it can't hurt. If he can hold his tail upright, at least he has feeling in it, but there could be a lesion or something somewhere that's affecting his ability to pee/poop. 

I do hope it's just inflammation that's making him not pee and that once it's no longer painful, he'll be back to normal. As hard as it is to keep taking him to the vet, it's the best thing you can do for him. Maybe try to cram in everything that you can possibly think of - get x-rays done, get pain meds, have the vet palpate his tummy and whole back end, do a urinalysis if one hasn't been done since this new episode....When this has happened with Celia, I've been able to avoid a couple of extra visits by having everything done at a certain point, whether there was a reason or not, so that bringing her in wouldn't have been helpful anymore. I was able to just call and ask for the vet's opinion on her condition.

Sending hugs and good wishes!


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

Oh no, poor Snowy, and poor you. 

I'm so sorry for all that you and Snowy are going through! I am thinking of you both again tonight and thinking of lots of positive thougths and sending healing vibes your way.


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Here is a an update on Snowy. Sorry for the long post 

So on Wednesday night, after I had read Sharon's post, I decided to try using Microlax (a liquid gel you insert into the anus) on Snowy thinking that constipation might be what is causing him to behave that way. 

It worked and he pooped about 10 minutes later. The poop wasn't hard though. But it was a bit big and I had to pull it out for him. But I think I used a bit too much for the Microlax and he kinda had poop flowing out of his butt every few minutes. And then, when I was cleaning the poop that was stuck on his hair, he peeped while I was holding him in my lap 

Then, some time after I had cleaned up the mess, I saw him going into his room where his litterbox was. But I think he either couldn't hold it in or he was too weak to climb inside, but he peeped on the mat that I put near the litterbox. Stupid me instead of putting him in the box, I kinda send him away. Then after I cleaned the mess in his room, I came out to find that he had peed near my kitchen door and his tail and hind legs were soaked in it 

So I confined him to his room that night. The next morning (Thursday morning), i woke up and found there was a bit of pee on his bed, a small piece of poop near the door and a small clump of pee in his litterbox. After I fed him breakfast (he didn't have any appetite so I force feed him), he went to his litterbox and peed again. I also let him play for a bit in the garden and he seemed pretty happy to be out. He also walked about a lot. 

Naturally, I took him to see the head vet yesterday afternoon. I told the vet about his crying while going in and out of the litterbox and his inappropriate peeing...but after feeling his abdomen, she didn't think his UTI came back. But she gave me a medicine to feed him just in case. She also said she didn't feel any hard poop in his abdomen. So I really hope the big poop I pulled out last night was the cause of his crying.

I told the vet about how he lost his appetite, so she fed him some food while we were there. Oh, and she also said Snowy was a bit dehydrated again so she gave him some fluids via the back of his neck. After we came back home, I fed him his meds and a bit of water and let him sleep. But then he puked about an hour and half later 
I called and asked if I should feed the meds again, but the vet said no need and told me to just feed him again so I did that.

This morning (Friday morning), I woke up to find he had peed twice in his litterbox. I thought that the peeing problem was solved but for some reason, he peed in the living room later on in the afternoon  
But he no longer cries while going to the litterbox though.
His appetite is also still non-existent so I force feed him again. But after eating, he seemed fine. He was walking around the house a lot too.

But then come this evening, he seemed all weak again. He had slept from 2 pm and by like 8 pm, he was still sleeping. I tried to wake him up so he can eat, but he would cry when I carry him. When I tried to make him stand up, he would cry, walk a few steps then sit down. Is he just sleep deprived? He was walking about a lot yesterday and today.

I force feed him again at around 8.30 pm and fed him his meds. I should mention he peed once in his litterbox after I fed him dinner. He is sleeping again now.

I am really at my wit's end. Every time I think he is making progress, there would be a new set back one way or another. I can deal with the inappropriate peeing coz I know it is something that is curable, but why is he not eating...and why did he keep crying when I woke him up or carry him just now? He seemed fine this morning too 

I really hate to keep taking him back to the vet. Should I just wait and see his condition first or take him back to the vet again tomorrow???
Please advise...I am really in need of one...


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

I'm so sorry that he's still uncomfortable.  

The fact that he doesn't want to stand or have you carry him suggests that he's in pain. Maybe it's not his tummy but something about his hind legs or tail? If I remember, he's a pretty young cat, so it probably isn't arthritis. Is there any way he could have hurt himself, by jumping up on something or jumping down? 

As for his inappropriate peeing, if it's because it's painful for him to get in, you could try a low-sided box that would make it easier for him to get in and out. 

It could also be that he's avoiding the box because he associates it with pain. Or he might be having trouble holding his pee. When my stray hurt his tail, he was incontinent for a while. 

Even if the vet didn't suggest x-rays, I would insist on having one done. Another member has a kitty who was, like Snowy, up and down about eating. The vets never thought an x-ray was necessary, but after months of multiple vet visits, she finally insisted on one, and it showed a foreign object in his tummy. After surgery to remove it, he was completely back to normal. 

At this point, it doesn't seem likely that Snowy will just get better on his own, so personally, I wouldn't wait. I would call the vet, tell him about the crying and his unwillingness to stand. The vet may have been focusing on his lack of appetite and not thought about other issues. 

And then, regardless of what he says, I would take Snowy in for an x-ray. Even though it's so stressful for him, in the long run, it might be worth it. And it could also at least rule out any kind of injury or physical reason for his symptoms.


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Thank you sprite for your advice. 

The thing with Snowy is he would sometimes pee in the box and sometimes not. Last night after I posted my thread above, he peed once in the box and once on the mat again. Then this morning, I woke up to find a small clump in the box and another puddle on the mat again.

His appetite was still non-existent so I force fed him again just now. And even though he was walking about last night (after I posted the thread above) and this morning at like 6 am before I woke up (my mom was the one who told me he was walking about...and was even following her around), by the time I woke up at about 8 am, he is back to how he was last night. He cries when I try to carry him and seemed really weak. 

He is sleeping now after I had fed him though,.
But I will listen to your advice and take him back to the vet today to do another blood test and xray.
I really hope it is nothing serious. All I want is for him to be healthy again


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

I'm sending all of my best wishes and positive thoughts that this will be his last vet visit for a while. 

It's so stressful for both kitty and human to have to keep going back. My Celia is extremely easily stressed and has developed colitis and a UTI just from the stress of being at the vet. I sometimes wonder whether the visits are doing more harm than good, but I know that in the long run, they're worth it. Just try to keep in mind that Snowy will recover from the stress of the visits, but he won't necessarily recover from whatever is bothering him without a vet's help. 

That said, I know it just feels awful to have to bundle up a kitty who's already not feeling well to go to the vet. If he's very stressed, do you have a pheromone spray that you could spray in his carrier? That does really seem to lessen my kitty's anxiety, at least a little.


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

*Snowy still has no appetite...*

Some update on Snowy...so I took him back to the vet on Saturday evening. And after examining him, the vet said that Snowy seems to be in pain and looks like he lost the will to live 

So she did acupuncture and prescribe some pain meds for him. I asked if we should do a blood-test and xray, but she told me to see how the pain meds work first. If he is still lethargic even with the pain meds, then we can do the blood-test and xray on Monday.

Well, it is Monday now. And Snowy hasn't been lethargic at all since he is on the pain meds, which is a good thing. He is walking a lot (still can't jump or run though) and peeing in his litterbox, but for some reasons, he keeps wanting to go out of the house. He will keep standing/sitting near the doors and meow to me to let him out.

Also, another thing that is really worrying me is that he has no appetite AT ALL. I have been force feeding him since last Thursday I think. He swallows them just fine when I force feed him though. But with his strength coming back, it is getting harder and harder to make him swallow the food. I just don't get it...he is walking about, doesn't seem lethargic but why doesn't he want to eat???
This morning, I tried the prescription wet food, his usual wet food, a raw egg yolk, his dry kibble and I even boiled a fish! But he just doesn't seem interested in ANYTHING 

I think I will have to bring him back in tonight again and do a blood-test and xray. I really hope we can find out why he doesn't want to eat


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Oh no! Could it be that the pain meds are making him feel nauseated? Which one did he get? 

If he he licking his lips or looking hungry but then backing away from his food, it's likely that he's nauseated. Vets here often recommend 1/8 tablet of famotidine (brand name Pepcid), a human antacid that you can buy at a pharmacy or grocery store. There must be something similar where you are. 

If he's not nauseated but just has no appetite, ask your vet for Periactin. It's a very effective appetite stimulant. Your vet may also have Fortiflora, which all kitties seem to love, even when they won't eat anything else. You can mix it into wet food. If your vet doesn't have any, though, you'd probably have to order online. 

I hope that the bloodwork and x-rays help the vet to finally figure out what's going on. Insist on both, even if she doesn't think they're necessary. 

We're all rooting for you and Snowy. Hang in there!


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Thank you sprite for your advice as always.

I decided not to take him to the vet today. I am kinda worried that all these trips to the vet has been stressing him out (and the stress is what is making him not want to eat) and if I were to take him in again today, he wouldn be even more stressed out. 

I just took him out to the garden to play for a bit and he seemed really happy. His tail even fluffed up a couple of times. I bought different brands of wet food just now for him to try later on for dinner. Hopefully there will be one that will make him want to eat.

I also decided not to take him in today because the head vet is really popular. I usually leave work early to get there early so I can be in the front, but I had to work late today and if I were to go now, it would be at least a 3 to 4 hour wait, and that would be really stressful for him.

I think if I want to do a bloodtest and xray, it's better for me to do it tomorrow or on Wednesday with the other vet that is not as crowded. I can then just show the results with the head vet on Thursday. 

Hopefully Snowy would want to eat tonight and tomorrow. Crossing my fingers tightly...


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Oh and if by tomorrow he still does not want to eat, I would definitely ask for another blood test, an xray and ask about the medicine you mentioned above to help decrease his nausea and increase his appetite.


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Oh, about the pain meds that was prescribed for Snowy...I forgot what the name was. The vet gave me Rimadyl at first. Thank God I googled about it first before giving it to Snowy at home. I called the vet and told her I would prefer another pain medication. She said she thinks it is ok to give Rimadyl in small dosis to cats but she listened to me and gave me another medication that is milder and safe for cats. The name is kinda long so I can't remember it, but it is in liquid form. The liquid is clear with a light greenish tone, and I got enough for 6 doses in two 10 ml syringes (3 ml once a day).
I did ask about Tramadol (buprenorphine is not available in my country) but she thinks Tramadol is too strong for cats. 

That is the thing with my country. Most people here prefer dogs. It is evident just by going into any pet shops...you can find so many brands of food for dogs, but for cats, it is always just one small corner. The head vet is very experienced and she is very renowned and respectable here (it is very common to wait for at least 2 to 3 hours to see her), but I think she has more experience with dogs than cats. I mean every time I go to see her, I will be like the only one with a cat and there will be at least 10 dog owners in the waiting room


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Yeah, it's really a fine line between going to the vet and not risking more stress. And definitely, the longer Snowy has to wait at the vet, the more stressed he will become. I always sprayed the carriers with a pheromone spray, and then sprayed again when we got to the vet. It really helped, but it doesn't last very long, so the kitties would be relatively calm for the first 45 minutes or so, but after that, even if I sprayed again, it didn't help. 

What you say about people's attitudes towards dogs v. cats is true in most countries. Even here, many people see cats as self-sufficient and not eally in need of help. The unfortunate thing is that if the vets don't see many cats, they probably don't have a lot of experience treating cats, and they may tend to treat them like they would dogs. 

I'd never heard of Rimadyl. I'm not sure it's prescribed much here. But it's a hard situation with cats, because there are very few pain meds that are safe for them. One of my vets prescribed meloxicam "off-label" (used for a condition for which the med hasn't been approved) for my stray. I stopped that. Celia got a little aspirin for arthritis, even though it can cause stomach ulcers in cats. She couldn't take buprenorphine or other opioids, because she's prone to constipation, and that's a very common side effect of opioids.

I can't remember - has the vet already tried steroids (usually prednisolone)? That might help.

Is Snowy still have issues with peeing or crying when you pick him up, or is it just the lack of appetite? 

I am so sorry that you and Snowy are going through this.


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Alas they don't sell the pheromone spray here in Indonesia 
But Snowy has always been a very good boy when it comes it going to the vet. I never have any problem getting him into his carrier and he has only ever peed once in his carrier last week when he was having trouble controlling his pee.

I think Rimadyl is not allowed to be prescribed for cats in the US...that's why you have never heard about it. They use it in the UK though.

I will ask about steroids tonight. Snowy still refuses to eat last night 
Since Saturday, he hasn't had any problems peeing (always in the box now...but the clumps are always small...never big like time) and he doesn't cry when I pick him up anymore. So it is really just his appetite that is worrying me now...


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## LakotaWolf (Aug 10, 2012)

I remember reading about Rimadyl on Tanya's website for kidney-failure cats:

Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Antibiotics and Painkillers

I would be scared to use it too, unless there were NO other options available! I am glad your vet can give Snowy something else. 

Tanya's site also has some info about Tramadol:

Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Antibiotics and Painkillers

It looks like it's NOT too strong for cats, if prescribed appropriately.

Continuing to cheer for Snowy from over here in California! We're keeping fingers and claws crossed!


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

A little update on Snowy...

Tuesday (yesterday):
So I brought Snowy to the vet again. Alas I couldn't get them to do a blood-test because Snowy just wouldn't stay still enough for them to draw the blood. And this is with two men holding him down. They even tried to put him in a bag-like carrier so he wouldn't wriggle as much but it still didn't work. The vet managed to poke the needle into both his front legs but he wriggled...she tried one of the hind legs next but it was too hard to find a good vein. The vet then wanted to try the neck next but at this point, Snowy was just too upset already, so she suggested to give up on the blood-test for today.

In the end, Snowy got another round of acupuncture (head vet was in for some operations and she was nice enough to step out to do the acupuncture for Snowy) and some anti-nausea pills. Head vet also told me to stop giving the UTI medication as well as the nerve medication and see if it will help to get his appetite back.

Wednesday (today):
Snowy pooped this morning! Been almost a week since he pooped so I am really, really happy!!! His appetite is still non-existent but he continues to be a little ball of energy! He even managed to make a small dash and jump a bit last night! I only stopped giving him the nerve and UTI medication last night so maybe it is still a bit too early to tell, but I really hope his appetite will come back soon. I also think I will stop giving him the pain meds as of today and see if that will help to bring back his appetite. Will bring him back to the vet either tomorrow or Saturday and hopefully we will be able to do a successful blood-test then!


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Christine, 
Poor Snowy! That must have freaked him out!
Instead of just cutting the pain meds cold turkey, why not just reduce the amount you're giving him??
I hope he gets his appetite back! 
Sending Healing Prayers for Snowy, and (((HUGS))) for you,
Sharon


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Snowy hadn't pooped in a week? Maybe he just hadn't eaten enough to poop yet, but maybe he was constipated? My cat refuses food when she's constipated. 

How is your little guy doing now?


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Oh, he pooped on Wednesday morning ^^
He is actually doing pretty good. He pees in his litterbox now, is walking about more, but he still can't jump too high and his appetite is still on the low end.

So I brought Snowy back for the blood-test yesterday. And the vet managed to draw his blood without much struggle this time round. Everything came back good except for his CA and Monocyte percentage which were a bit high, but the vet said that it’s ok. She also did an ultrasound on him and everything was good.



















The main reason why I insisted on doing another blood-test was because Snowy has been peeing more often lately (he peed like 5 times on Wednesday), and I read that increased urination might be a sign of kidney damage. And since he was on so many medications this past month, I really want to rule out any signs of kidney or liver damage.

Also, I finally found out what is the name of the pain meds that was prescribed for Snowy. It was Meloxicam…aka Metacam. I clearly remember Sharon was very against it and so I googled it up extensively. It seems like the dosage used in the US (where it is banned to use on cats) is somehow triple of those in other countries like Australia, New Zealand and Europe which still uses them. Thus, even though renal failure and even death are commonly reported in the US, very few adverse effects have been reported in those countries and they continue to use them. I checked the one used by the head vet and it was made in Australia. The dosage she prescribed was also on the low end (0.1 mg/kg). And most importantly, Snowy has been on it for 4 days and the blood-test for his kidney and liver came out normal last night. 

Of course I was petrified at first. So I stopped giving it to him on Thursday morning. But by Thursday afternoon when I took him back to the vet, he was all weak and lethargic again. The head vet assured me that it is fine to continue using Meloxicam on Snowy, and he does seem to be more energetic and happy when on it, so I decided to continue giving it to him (I got enough for another week…although at a lower dosage of 0.05mg/kg).

Snowy also began to show more interest in eating when he was still on Meloxicam on Wednesday morning, so I really hope his condition will continue to improve. He was even capable of dashing and jumping a little bit on Wednesday night! So I really hope I am on the right track.
If nothing else goes wrong, I will bring him back for a check-up next week.


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## LakotaWolf (Aug 10, 2012)

Did they do just a blood test, or a urinalysis? I'm not sure if a blood test can accurately test kidney values... they should do a urinalysis and check his BUN and creatinine.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Any further news? How has Snowy been?


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Sorry for the late reply...

Lakotawolf, we only did a blood-test last Thursday. I am bringing him back to the vet today and I will ask about doing a urinalysis.

Sprite, unfortunately, I don't really know how to answer your question...

So I didn't giving him the Meloxicam last Thursday morning (I gave him 0.3mg a day up till this point) and he was rather weak by the time I brought him to the vet on Thursday evening. We did the blood-test and everything was good except for the CA and Monocyte count. Head vet injected some painkiller for him (I don't think it is Meloxicam) and told me to give him 0.3mg of Meloxicam again the next day (loading dose), and then at a lower dose of 0.15 mg everyday after that.

When I google Meloxicam, the recommended dosage is 0.05 mg/kg for long-term use. Snowy still seemed fine on Friday and Saturday. He even pooped on Saturday morning. But come Sunday morning, he was all lethargic again. It was to the point where he would just lie down all the time, and every time I try to carry him or touch him, he would cry in pain again. So I asked the vet and she told me to give him the old dosage of 0.3 mg of Meloxicam again. By Sunday afternoon, after a nap and the additional 0.15 mg of Meloxicam, he does seem to be better. He was walking about again and doesn't cry as much anymore.

This morning, he was walking about as usual and doesn't cry when I carry him (I gave him 0.3 mg of Meloxicam again this morning). His appetite is still non-existent, so I am still force-feeding him (he still swallows though thank God). But his hind legs still seemed a bit weak. There are times when I can see them giving way when he is walking, and he would even stumble at times. I asked about injecting thiamine directly (instead of relying on oral supplement alone) but the vet said that thiamine injection is no longer available in my country 

I am taking him back again today to ask if it is really okay to keep giving him Meloxicam everyday. And I also wanna ask about the thiamine injections again.

I am really at a loss...I don't know what to do anymore. Sometimes, I even think...am I the one who is holding him back? I would anything in my power to make him recover...but it has been 3 weeks...and Snowy still seems to be in pain...his appetite is still non-existent...he still can't run and still stumbles when he walks sometimes...

I just want some reassurance that if I continue to do what I am doing now, he WILL get better eventually...

The vet I am taking him to is already one of the most famous one where I live. I don't know who else can I turn to to ask for advice... 

PS: I should also add that he doesn't pee that frequently anymore. He pees about 2 to 3 times a day now...


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## Mochas Mommy (Dec 9, 2013)

I am so sorry Snowy doesn't seem any better. I really hate to bring this subject up.....has the vet said anything about this possibly being dry FIP? I see a lot of similar symptoms between Snowy and my Simba....I wish I didn't.....


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Mochas Mommy, I did ask about FIP a couple of weeks ago, but she said with FIP, there will usually be a lot of liquid retained in the abdomen area, and Snowy doesn't have that so she doesn't think it is FIP.
But I will ask about it again later


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## Mochas Mommy (Dec 9, 2013)

Wet FIP has the fluid accumulation. There is a dry version, which Simba has, that has no fluid. I really hope Snowy has neither version.


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

So I just came back from the vet.

Mochas Mommy, I have been reading a bit about dry FIP earlier on and I made sure to ask about the symptoms with the vet just now. She doesn't think Snowy has it and she made sure to check Snowy's eyes and gums, and none shown signs of jaundice which is common with dry FIP. I also found a website that uses the Albumin to Globulin ratio to help determine if a cat has dry FIP or not. According to Snowy's blood-test result last week, his ratio is 0.86 which is >0.8, i.e less likely to be dry FIP (a ratio of <0.4 means a high chance of dry FIP). So I am really hoping that he does not have dry FIP.

We did an Xray just now (finally!) and everything looked good. I wanted to test for hyperthyroidism but alas we could not draw his blood again, so it will have to wait till our next visit. The reason I wanted to do this was because Snowy has yet to gain weight...he still weighs at 3.5 kg. I am trying to feed him more though...so hopefully he will gain weight soon.

The vet checked Snowy's eyes...ears...no fever...everything looks fine except he is still weak in the legs. Vet thinks it is because he is still in pain so I will continue giving him Meloxicam for a week and then come back for a check up. The vet also gave him a thiamine injection and acupuncture treatment again. He was willing to eat a bit after we got back so I really hope that is an improvement. Crossing my fingers that my baby will get better soon...


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## LakotaWolf (Aug 10, 2012)

We've all got our fingers and claws crossed for you and Snowy too!

SO glad FIP seems unlikely - though it's sometimes more frustrating to not have a diagnosis. 

HyperT can be very easily managed, so if you do a test on his T4 in the future and he is hyperT, make sure the vet starts you on a low dose of methimazole/felimazole. It seems like the #1 "bad" thing I've heard about vets treating hyperT is that they start the cats on an unnecessarily huge dose! My girl was given 2.5mg/day and she had some side effects, but they went away after a few weeks.

I think, just from what I've read, Snowy isn't ready to give up just yet! He might still be in pain and feel sick, but I think he still wants to stay with you :}


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Christine, 
I'm so sorry Snowy isn't doing better...
Check with your vet about adding some Potassium! 
At 10 years of age, Snowy might need a little extra!
I'm praying that it's not any kind of FIP!

You hang in there Sweetie! 
Snowy couldn't have asked for a better Cat Parent, than you!

I know how rough it is...I've been there, and I know, as long as I continue to have four-legged fur kids...I'll be there again...

Blessings for both of you, Prayers for Snowy, and (((HUGS))) for you,
Sharon


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

I'm glad that at least the peeing and pooping seem to be back to normal. So if I'm following, the situation now is that bloodwork, xrays, ultrasound, and urinalysis show nothing unusual, but Snowy still has no appetite and shows weakness in hind legs, and apparent pain (crying). 

You're giving meloxicam to treat the pain. Are you still giving an appetite stimulant, like Periactin? And is he still getting the thiamine? 

I think I missed something. The vet is treating Snowy for pain, but where's the pain coming from? Is the muscle weakness causing pain? Or something else?


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Sharon, thank you for your kind words as always. And Snowy is not even 2 years old yet actually. That was a mistake made by the vet.

Spirite, last time he pooped was on Saturday actually. And I have been adding Miralax everyday to his food. And we haven't done a urinalysis yet.

Well it is not just the hind legs...all four legs seem to be weak still. I am giving a children vitamin supplement that is supposed to be an appetite stimulant as well. And I am also still giving the vitamin B1 supplement everyday.

That is the thing...she doesn't know why Snowy seems to be in pain either. She just told me to try giving him Meloxicam and see first. She is also very puzzled by Snowy's condition. 

Snowy was lethargic yesterday morning and this morning again. Strangely enough, he was actually fit enough to run and jump yesterday afternoon in the garden (he was chasing a dragonfly). I asked the vet why is Snowy in pain one moment and fine the next...and she told me to try getting a second opinion. She fears that she might have missed something that she couldn't see. So I am taking a day off from work today and currently trying to find a vet that is experienced in handling cats. But google is not helpful at all and I am really worried I won't be able to find one in my country. But I won't give up. His expression doesn't seem lifeless...he seems to want to be able to move but can't. And I just love him so much. I am not ready to let him go yet. I am a crying wreck everyday thinking about my poor baby. And I can't help but blame myself...all this started because of his ringworm. I should have just let him be instead of forcing him to go to the vets and eat all those medications that made him sick. He was still so bubbly and healthy at the start of February! And now everyday, I cry myself to sleep fearing of when I have to say goodbye to him...

Sorry for the long post...hopefully I will be able to find a good cat savvy vet today and come back with some good news...


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

I feel so bad for what you're going through.  But hang in there! Since he's still running around in the garden and chasing things, it seems that he's not planning to go anywhere! And what could you have done except treat him for the ringworm? You did what any of us would have done. There was no way to foresee what happened afterwards. 

But I do hope that you'll be able to find another vet for a second opinion. It's to your vet's credit that she was the one to suggest this. It just seems like she is more focused on treating the symptoms than on trying to find the cause. Of course, when all the tests show nothing, I suppose there aren't very many options...

The only other thing I can think of is having a radiologist read the xrays. I imagine they were read in-house, by one of the vets. Vets can tell the obvious things, but they're not trained to read xrays the way radiologists are. Maybe a radiologist would see something that the vet missed. 

It might not be that unusual for him not to be pooping frequently since he's not eating very much. But if you suspect that he is constipated, you could try increasing the dose of Miralax for a couple of days. With Celia, I up the dose to 1/2 tsp. when she's having trouble pooping then decrease it a bit when she's back to normal. 

Is he showing any signs of nausea, like licking his lips, or going to his food and then backing away? Or is it just a lack of appetite? 

Do you know anyone with cats who might be able to recommend a vet?


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

So I managed to find a feline clinic yesterday! It was a bit far from my house but I still took Snowy there regardless. I really, really love this new vet I met. She is very knowledgeable about feline medicine and she was really thorough with her examination! She took time to listen to my entire story and then she went on to check the reflexes of Snowy’s legs one by one. She even checked his spine and eye reflexes as well. 

As what my other vet had suspected, this vet also said that Snowy has neurological problems. It is not just thiamine deficiency anymore. After listening to my story, she was puzzled how did it come down to this though. Usually some sort of trauma would have to be involved for there to be problems with the nerves, but I really don’t remember Snowy having any sort of trauma at all. It just kind of happened gradually.

And since MRI or CT-scans for animals aren’t available in my country, it is very hard to pinpoint exactly which nerves are the ones that are hurting Snowy. But from her examination and the way Snowy walked, she thinks that the problem mainly lies in his front left leg and hind legs. The reason why he is still crying when he goes to the litter box is also because his hind legs are hurting.

I took Snowy for a full body X-ray yesterday (the one we did on Monday was only a partial x-ray) and thank god nothing looks bad from the x-ray. So the only way to treat Snowy is by oral medication for now. She prescribed Tramadol (5 mg a day) and what looks like a better vitamin B supplement for Snowy, and told me to come back in 10 days. As Snowy is still young, she is optimistic that he will recover. But she did warn me that it will take time as it is not easy to heal neurological problems, especially when you don’t know which nerves are causing the problem. 

Overall, I am really happy and satisfied with this vet. And I am really hopeful for my poor boy now. He started his new medications this morning. I hope I will be able to post some good news soon!


PS: The xray showed that he has a lot of poop in him yesterday! So I used Microlax on Snowy after we got back and he pooped...A LOT! But the poor boy was still so weak in his knees he got poop all over his tail and left hind leg, so I had no choice to wash them last night. Hopefully his hind legs would hurt less after he starts eating Tramadol and it won't be so painful for him to use the litterbox anymore...


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Christine, 
How are you and Snowy doing??
I pray he's getting better....
(((HUGS))) and Healing Prayers for Snowy,
Sharon


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Hi Sharon.

Thank you for asking *hugs*

My last post was on 7th April. So I took Snowy back to the vet one week later, and although there was a bit of an improvement in his reflexes, poor boy is still wobbly when walking. But at least he is not lethargic anymore. We did another round of blood test and everything was good this time except for his Calcium which somehow went up. I feared that he might have Hypercalcemia coz his CA reading was slightly above 14, but the vet said Snowy didn't exhibit any other signs of it and told me not to worry about it too much. She said Snowy still seemed a bit dehydrated and told me to just give him more water (she thinks that might be the reason for the high CA reading). She also told me to continue with the Tramadol and Vitamin B supplement, and also suggested acupuncture to help improve the healing process. 

To be honest, I was a bit hesitant of doing acupuncture at first but after googling the acupuncture vet's name, he seemed to be really famous. And as it turned out, my aunt is a patient of him too. She told me how her dog was not able to walk at all last time, but after undergoing acupuncture sessions with this vet, he was able to walk properly again. So I decided to give it a try.

The feline vet told me to try doing it for a month, twice a week first. Today I brought Snowy in for his 3rd acupuncture session and I gotta say the improvement is really good. He doesn't dragged his hind legs as much anymore and his steps seem to be sturdier now. He is still not able to run or jump yet though. And for some reasons, he tends to pee outside of his litter box from time to time now (he even peed on his bed twice while sleeping...) I mentioned this to both vets and both say it is ok. What is important is we heal his nerves first...the inappropriate peeing problem can be solved later, and what is important is he is at least peeing which is a good thing. 

His appetite is still non-existent though. I still have to force feed him, but he still swallows them as usual. His weight is kinda stuck at 3.5 kg now...I really want him to put on more weight but it is just so hard to do.

Oh, I should also mention that one of the other acupuncture patient I met suggested I give Snowy this supplement call "Transfer Factor Plus" twice a day. She said it really helped her dog who got distemper last time to gain control of his limbs again. She showed me a video of her dog when he was unable to walk and another recent video of how he is able to run about now. She told me to just stick to the acupuncture routine and to give the supplement twice a day, and Snowy should recover soon. So I am giving that to Snowy now too. 

The acupuncture vet did say it takes about 4 sessions to be able to detect any improvements. Snowy has only gone for three and I can already see the results. I really hope he will continue to improve more from now on


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Here is a picture of him during his 1st acupuncture session:










And here is him sunbathing 2 days ago before his 3rd session:


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

He's really a beautiful kitty and looks so sweet.  It's great to hear that he's regaining some strength in his legs and that the acupuncture is helping! Does he resist the acupuncture at all? I've been considering acupuncture for Celia, for her arthritis, but I'm not sure the stress of taking her somewhere is worth it. Maybe his peeing outside of his box will also stop as his legs feel better. 

For his bed, are you able to clean it with an enzymatic cleaner so that he's not as likely to keep peeing there?


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Christine, 
It sounds like you have a good plan in place, for Snowy now.
And it sounds like the one vet has some good experience! 
Snowy is Adorable! He's got a big fluffy tail, like my Snowflake! 
They could be brother, and sister!
(((HUGS))) and more Healing Prayers for Snowy!
Sharon


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## LakotaWolf (Aug 10, 2012)

He looks so much better! Yay! 

Looks like he enjoys that acupuncture... ;}

If he is still having any litterbox problems, or getting any poop on himself when he goes, you could consider having his heiny area trimmed/shaved at least while he is recovering. This is something that is commonly done for longhaired cats. It just helps keep things in the area clean :}

Here's to hoping he gets completely better! I think the vet is correct, it's much easier for young critters to recover from neurological problems - both cats and humans alike!


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

spirite said:


> He's really a beautiful kitty and looks so sweet.  It's great to hear that he's regaining some strength in his legs and that the acupuncture is helping! Does he resist the acupuncture at all? I've been considering acupuncture for Celia, for her arthritis, but I'm not sure the stress of taking her somewhere is worth it. Maybe his peeing outside of his box will also stop as his legs feel better.
> 
> For his bed, are you able to clean it with an enzymatic cleaner so that he's not as likely to keep peeing there?


Hi Sprite,

Thank you. He is a really sweet boy 

Well, the acupuncture treatment he is undergoing now actually uses electric current. He did several acupuncture before with the head vet last time, but those did not use currents. At first he was still ok with it. But once we start to use the current, he did show a bit of resistance. The vet did mention Snowy is very sensitive so we had to take things slow. Up until the second session, we were only able to do his hind legs. But he seems to be getting used to it and we managed to do part of his upper spine yesterday. Each session lasts about 30 minutes (15 minutes for each side) and I will just stroke him gently and be by his side the entire time, and that usually calms him enough to tolerate it. 

I don't know how skittish Celia is, but Snowy has always been a pretty tolerant boy. I never have any problem putting him into his carrier and taking him to the vet. So I might have been lucky that he is pretty accepting of the acupuncture sessions. But I think it should be ok as long as you take things slow. The vet tried to insert the needles into his neck during the 2nd and 3rd session and he hissed. So he stopped and said he will try again next time. He says it is useless to rush things and we must adjust the treatment according to how much the pet can tolerate. So just take things slow and it should be fine 

I really think you should try acupuncture though. My aunt's dog was suffering from arthritis too last time and acupuncture helped him regain the use of his limbs (the dog has passed away from old age now though). 

And yes, I am really hoping that the inappropriate peeing will stop once his regain full control of his limbs. He seems to be able to get inside his litter box just fine, so I really don't know why he is still peeing outside sometimes.

Well, he has 3 beds, and he has peed once on 2 of them. Both times he was still sleeping when he wet his bed. So I don't think he is doing it intentionally. But I did was them with detergent and they don't smell of pee anymore. Is that not enough? He hasn't peed on his beds yet again so far (but he is still continuing to pee elsewhere...and it is never at the same place...)


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Thank you Sharon *hugs*

Lakotawolf,
Yes I do trimmed his rear areas. But I think his lack of strength in his hind legs is still causing him some diffculty when pooping. He got poop smeared all over his rear legs and tail last week and I ended up having to wash him tail and rear legs with shampoo. But thank god things weren't so messy when he pooped yesterday. 
And yes, he is not even 2 years old yet! I really hope he will recover soon too... *crossingmyfingers*


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Oh wow, you are lucky that Snowy is so tolerant! And I think I'd hiss if someone tried to put needles in my neck too.  Celia resists a little when I put her in the carrier but at the vet, she's so scared that she just makes herself as small as possible and shakes visibly the entire time we're there.  The vet mentioned laser therapy, but I think I'd rather try acupuncture first. I found a couple of holistic vets in my area and am going to try to get some feedback/reviews about them. 

It's interesting that they use electrical current. Is it delivered through needles? I get electrical muscle stimulation, and the current is delivered through little pads that adhere to the skin. But I guess that would be difficult with furry patients.  

For cleaning, yes, you do need a cleaner that's specifically formulated to get rid of cat pee. Because kitties' noses are so much more sensitive than ours, even if we no longer smell pee, they can. 

Your poor little guy.  If he peed while he was sleeping, he may be partially incontinent, like my stray. Casper mostly seems to know when he has to pee, but at least twice, he has peed (while awake) and freaked himself out. The vet said that the location of his tail injury (base of the tail) shouldn't have any neurological effects that would make him incontinent, but the two are definitely connected somehow. 

Does Snowy seem to be searching out places where he can pee, or do you get the sense that he is peeing wherever he is when he needs to pee?


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Hi Sprite,

Well, if you look at the photo I posted earlier, in the background there is this small machine with buttons on them. That is what generates the current. So the vet will poke the needles in first, then he would clip the wires that are attached to the machine onto the needles. If you looked closely, you can see one of the clips that is attached to a blue wire on Snowy's hind leg. 

Oh dear...I wonder if they sell such cleaners in my country. So far it is an on and off thing with Snowy. Sometimes he pee in his litterbox, sometimes he doesn't. But he doesn't tend to pee in the same spots outside the litterbox though. So I think he is just peeing whenever and wherever he wants to pee. I do hope it will improve overtime. And the vet did say it might have something to do with his nerves indeed. But for now, I think I just wanna focus on healing his nerves first. I can still deal with the inappropriate peeing. 

I hope you can find a good holistic vet for Celia. And I hope she will be able to tolerate it as Snowy does!


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Thanks cpr! Aha, it's a clip that I'm seeing! The machine looks pretty much like the ones they use for muscle stimulation, but I couldn't tell how it was delivering the current. It's so great that you have vets that do acupuncture, and yours seems to be very understanding about Snowy and not pushing treatment beyond what he's comfortable with. 

The most well-known enzymatic cleaner here is probably Nature's Miracle, but there are several other brands, like Fizzion. Maybe your vet would know if such cleaners are available where you are? Here, NM is carried at all pet stores. Some of the regular cleaning brands that you find in a grocery store now also have products that they claim will remove pet urine odor, though I'm not sure how effective they are. 

Snowy is such a trooper, handling all the vet visits and the acupuncture so well. Hopefully, he knows that this is all because you want him to feel better!


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Christine!
Checking in to see how you and Snowy are doing!
I'm praying he's responding well to the acupuncture, and is continuing to improve!
(((HUGS))) and Healing Prayers for Snowy!
Sharon


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Hi Sharon 

Well...it is sad to say there has been not much of an improvement. The acupuncture vet did say Snowy is very sensitive, so we have to take things slow. Maybe that is why...but he is still not able to jump or run...and I still have to force feed him everyday. He also still pees on the mat occasionally 

But I guess I have to be thankful he is at least walking around now...ever since he is on tramadol he has never been lethargic anymore. He is also peeing and pooping regularly now. He is still thin though...and it is so hard to make him put on weight 

I just have to be patient and keep on hoping for the best I guess. I am taking back to see the feline vet next week to check his reflexes though. So hopefully I will be able to get some good news then


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Oh, and I forgot to mention he seems to be getting used to the acupuncture now. The vet was able to insert needles into his neck the past 2 sessions. So I am really hoping things will continue to improve. 

Here is him on Friday during his 5th session. He actually slept halfway through the session


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Christine, 
Time, and lots of patience, are needed for Snowy to improve...
If he twisted something, or hurt a nerve, or fractured a disk in his spine, it will be slow healing, the good news is, Snowy is still young, and younger cats heal quicker than older ones!

Very much the same way with humans! My 'mind' is still willing to do a lot of things, I did when I was in my 20's and 30's...
However...my body doesn't heal or rebound as fast anymore!

What is really good news to me, is he's walking now! YAY!
Hang in there! More (((HUGS))) and Healing Prayers for Snowy, heading your way,
Sharon


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Awwwww...Snowy is such a Cutie! 
Glad hes getting used to the acupuncture, maybe he's tying in to the fact, he feels better afterwards! 
S.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Christine!
This very interesting article, I just got, reminded me of Snowy's troubles, and symptoms...
What kind of poisonous spiders, or bugs/insects do you have there??
Dr. Becker says that because the symptoms mimic so many other issues, it can be hard to diagnose...
Just some food for thought...
Healing Prayers for Snowy, and (((HUGS))) for you,
Sharon

http://healthypets.mercola.com/site...=20160503Z1&et_cid=DM104506&et_rid=1467275901


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Sharon thank you for the link!
That is a very interesting article indeed.
But we rarely have any spiders in my house. I don't think I've seen one before...at least not in recent times.
As for bugs or insects, the most common ones are lizard and cockroaches. I caught him playing with lizards and cockroaches a few times before in the past (he actually enjoyed literally playing with them to death -_-), but those are not poisonous, right?


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Christine! 
How are you, and Snowy doing? 
Some Lizards, and frogs can have toxins in their skin...it's what they use for defense, so they don't get eaten!
I don't know about what kind of lizards or frogs you might have...
I just hope and pray that Snowy is getting better, (((HUGS))) and more Healing Prayers for Snowy! 
Sharon


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Hi everyone,

Just wanna post some updates about Snowy 
I am so happy to say that the last couple of days has been really awesome! 
I took Snowy back to the feline vet on Tuesday and the vet mentioned that Snowy showed improvement in his reflexes and looks much better now.

I have been giving him an appetite stimulant called Pronicy, which is a type of cyproheptadine, for about 6 days now, and I don't know whether it is because of it or not, but since Friday night, Snowy is willing to eat his wet food again! He still couldn't finish it by himself, so I do still have to force feed the rest, but it is definitely an improvement. I weighed him 2 days ago and his weight is 3.7 kg now 

He has been willing to eat his dry food again. I know dry food is not good for him, but I want him to put on weight so I am letting him eat some dry food for now. I do make sure to give him plenty of water as well. Oh, and he has also started drinking on his own too!

But this where the weird part comes in. My mom told me the other day to try changing his bowls back to the plastic ones. His food bowl used to be plastic (coz I didn't know better when I first got him), but I changed his drinking bowl to a ceramic, and his food bowl to a stainless steel one sometime at the end of last year. And I don't know of it is just coincidence or not, but ever since I switched it back to his old plastic ones, that was about the time when Snowy started drinking and eating on his own again. I know plastic is not good, but I think I will stick to it for now.

Also, since about 2 days ago, Snowy has been able to play with his scratching post again! Ever since he got this neurological problem, he hasn't been able to scratch his post at all so I was really happy to see this! 

I also bought some new litter boxes with lower sides and ever since then, he has never peed outside his litter box 

Overall, he really just seems to be much happier and energetic these past few days and I am so, so happy. He even walks with his tail pointing up again! This has been like the best I have seen him since mid-March when he first got diagnosed with UTI and dehydration not long after that.

Now all that is left is for him to be able to jump and run like he used to. I will continue with the acupuncture treatment and I really hope I will be able to post more good news soon! (^____^)


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Christine, 
WOOHOO! That's Excellent news!!
I'm so glad to hear this, and you have to be so happy, and relieved!! 
YAY SNOWY!!
Sharon


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Gahl Just wrote a response that disappeared. Anyway, what wonderful news, especially that he's willing to eat and drink on his own and that he's using the litterbox regularly. 

Maybe it's a coincidence that he's eating again since you changed the bowls back, but maybe he just preferred them. Personally, I wouldn't worry about the plastic - unless he develops feline acne - or giving some dry food for now, since he needs to gain weight. 

It seems like it was some combination of changing his bowls, the cipro, changing the litterboxes, and the acupuncture - maybe all of them - that worked together to make him feel better. And it seems most likely that the neurological improvement is due to the acupuncture, and maybe eating more. 

Whatever the reasons, it is so great to hear that he's slowly returning to his normal self. He could be hesitant to jump and run because he still has some weakness in his hind legs or maybe just because he's not yet confident that he can depend on them. 

From what you've said, it sounds like he's going to continue to improve. Fingers crossed...He's so lucky to have a human who takes such good care of him!


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## cpr34 (Jun 1, 2015)

Yes Sharon, I am really so relieved! He was even capable of doing a little dashing around last night 
I am actually leaving for a 12-day trip tomorrow (I booked this trip from last year, before Snowy became sick). Thank god I can leave in peace now! 

Hi Sprite! Indeed, what matters is that he is returning to his normal self and I am so, so happy! He actually managed to run a bit last night, so hopefully he will be able to jump again soon. I am bringing him for his 7th acupuncture session tomorrow


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Wow, what a long thread, and a good ending!

you can start a new thread for updates :grin:


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