Hi.
About two weeks ago, we started to notice that our 8 year old Himalayan Sealpoint started acting funny - she was hiding more than usual. A day or so later, we saw that she was limping or walking funny with a slight limp.
Thinking she might have been hurt by injury or falling (she's an indoor cat) I took her to the vet for a check up. Precious didn't show the same signs as she was probably nerved up from the vet visit. But the vet seemed to think she did have some soreness due to her reaction when he touched her hips.
He gave her a steroid and a pain relief med. The next day she appeared fine.
About three days later, the limping worsened to slumping. And her legs seemed to give out. She was circling and circuling in the same direction. We took her back to the vet and this time he kept her for observation and saw the same behavior. He provided us with a steroid liquid and another medicine in the case it was infection.
We gave the meds a few days to work, but still nothing and her condition seemed to worsen. We went for a second opinion and didn't get any additional direction accept an offer for supportive care (IVs etc). But they said they couldn't "cure her" so they suggested Tufts University near Boston.
We took her to Tufts on Veterans Day. The staff was helpful and diagnosed her with a possible central vestibular syndrome. I write possible because we didn't have an MRI or Cat Scan done, but peripheral was ruled out by the nerologist. The prognosis we were told was not good. Obviously, its been a very, very sad few weeks for all of us. Concerned about how she felt, we were assured that she knew she could do things that she used to and that something was wrong, but she is not suffering.
Since she's not always eating on her own, we were given syringes and high protein food to mix with 50 cc of water which we've been giving her faithfully 4 times a day, and water by syringe. We were told we could continue this until she refuses to take food and water.
At times she surprises us by righting herself and cleaning herself. She also navigates against the walls to find the liter box. But sometimes will stay in there until we get her out. She now hides quite often. Occassionally I can entice her with a cat treat. And help her eat it. She also will lick ice cream from a spoon.
We plan on taking her for yet another opinion tomorrow. I guess we are sort of thick or in denial. Or maybe we are hoping to hear something different or a glimmer of hope by this doctor who's been practicing for 25 years.
I can go on and feed her for as long as it takes. I just wondered if anyone has experienced this. Has anyone seen a recovery or am I prolonging her life for my own selfish reasons. The notion of putting her down is horrific beyond anything we've ever known. Each day is an emotional battle, but it is worth it if we can spend just a little more time with her and she is not suffering.
I don't know, any thoughts, ideas, suggestions?
I feel pretty spent. I probably sound a little pathetic. But thanks for "listening".
