This morning we were awakened at 7:30 by one of the cats Yelling for me as he lay beside the bed on the floor. This is definitely unusual because all of our gang generally sleeps as late as we do and we are night owls. I mention this because when one of the kibs holler for me I know something is not right. I picked Rocky up and talked to him and checked him over when I realized he couldn't walk or stand without falling down. Finding no physical evidence of injury I thought he must have ingested something toxic that damaged his nervous system.
Having been at the bottom of the financial barrel for something like forever now I immediately started wondering just who, what, and how I would get him taking care of because blood tests, etc. can add up to big $$$ fast.
I ended up deciding the finance would work themselves out and called his vet who was the only one he'd ever been to after his neuter and the office manager told me to bring him in to be checked. (I will honestly admit that I thought it was kind of a death sentence taking him in because I'd already decided he was suffering one of the worst fates.
Needless to say, my imagination was working on a much grander scale than reality.
The vet looked at Rocky and said he's dizzy, it's an inner ear thing. When I realized she meant Vertigo I was just shocked. It had never occurred to me that cats could/would get such a thing. I too suffer Vertigo and told the vet that I knew exactly what he was experiencing, the poor boy. She gave him a steroid shot and filled a script for Antivert, (the same drug I take).
I told the vet and her office manager that it was just getting to weird when the cats and I are taking the same drugs.
Right now Rocky is in the Cat Playpen in the living room with blankets on the sides of the cage to keep the light low so as to bother him less. I was a concerned about whether he would eat because I think he'd been off his food for a day at least, but when I put some canned food in for him he went right to eating even though his head still has the right leaning twist to it and he kind of had to lay his head on/in the dish to eat.
I just want to say to others that even though we are almost sure what we think is wrong, don't just give up. I know that my Rocky may never be an entirely straight cat after this, but the diagnosis was such a relief to what I was imagining. He may have to get another steroid shot Saturday if he doesn't show vast improvement by then, but I am no longer thinking of him in a past-tense and knowing how much I will miss him.
So............... all vibes for Rocky to get past his Vertigo quickly and to never suffer another bout of it.
Having been at the bottom of the financial barrel for something like forever now I immediately started wondering just who, what, and how I would get him taking care of because blood tests, etc. can add up to big $$$ fast.
I ended up deciding the finance would work themselves out and called his vet who was the only one he'd ever been to after his neuter and the office manager told me to bring him in to be checked. (I will honestly admit that I thought it was kind of a death sentence taking him in because I'd already decided he was suffering one of the worst fates.
Needless to say, my imagination was working on a much grander scale than reality.
The vet looked at Rocky and said he's dizzy, it's an inner ear thing. When I realized she meant Vertigo I was just shocked. It had never occurred to me that cats could/would get such a thing. I too suffer Vertigo and told the vet that I knew exactly what he was experiencing, the poor boy. She gave him a steroid shot and filled a script for Antivert, (the same drug I take).
I told the vet and her office manager that it was just getting to weird when the cats and I are taking the same drugs.
Right now Rocky is in the Cat Playpen in the living room with blankets on the sides of the cage to keep the light low so as to bother him less. I was a concerned about whether he would eat because I think he'd been off his food for a day at least, but when I put some canned food in for him he went right to eating even though his head still has the right leaning twist to it and he kind of had to lay his head on/in the dish to eat.
I just want to say to others that even though we are almost sure what we think is wrong, don't just give up. I know that my Rocky may never be an entirely straight cat after this, but the diagnosis was such a relief to what I was imagining. He may have to get another steroid shot Saturday if he doesn't show vast improvement by then, but I am no longer thinking of him in a past-tense and knowing how much I will miss him.
So............... all vibes for Rocky to get past his Vertigo quickly and to never suffer another bout of it.
