Flying with a Epileptic Cat

My cat developed a seizure disorder in Feb. She was doing great but suddenly is having seizures again. Most involve a lot of saliva and staring. Some are very twitchy and a few very bad. They last 20 seconds to a few minutes. I live in the Caribbean and am heading to the US Sept. 2 and want to take her up for an eval. I have to have a health certificate to take her. The Caribbean vet said he will NOT give me one if she is seizuring as something could happen in the high altitude.

Do I lie and say she is seizure free and take her to a the US where she can be properly assessed and treated or not take her and let her live like this? I am so torn. We have absolutely no diagnostics here and both vets I have seen are at a roadblock.

The reason they won't give you the certification is to protect the cat (hopefully) so I would suggest you not fly with her until you can get her better under control. Is there perhaps a way to tranquilize her for the flight so as to prevent seizures? If yes, then maybe the vet will give you the "ok" provided she's medicated for the flight.

Unfortunatly there is no way to get around a health certificate. If the vet won't give one cause of seizures, you can't just lie about it. The vet knows the cat has them.

I would not even try to tranqualize either. Cats react negatively to meds sometimes in flight......and with her condition, you are risking her really getting in trouble, possible death even.

Right now there is nothing you really can do. Hopefully your vets will be able to help keep the seizures under control.

Sigh..well if she cannot get to the vet in the US there is nothing to do. The vets here have said they cannot do anything else for her. I read barbituates can hurt a cat in flight so will not take her. I can watch her have seizures and live with it or euthanize her. She does not appear to be suffering but she is chewing her legs which is something epileptic cats do.

If I do take her on the plane she would be with me in the cabin NOT under the cargo. Any way this changes things?

How about contacting a U.S. veterinary specialist in the U.S. by phone and explaining your situation? Maybe the specialist could work with you and your local vet by phone, and your cat would get better care that way.

I called 3 vets. None will work with me unless they can see her. All make unrealistic recs such as see a cat neurologist. Despite my explaining the lack fo care here they still make such recommendations. Does anyone have a vet that will work with me from Bonaire??

Has anyone had a cat that was not managed on any meds and were they ok??

Since you're not limited to region when it comes to phone calls, I'd try contacting the top veterinary schools. How about Cornell? They have a dedicated Feline Health Center there.

The foreign vets wouldn't be able to work with your cat directly, but if your local vet is agreeable, he or she could perform requested tests and then send the results back to the specialist.

I'd call or write Cornell. That's probably the best thing to do. Hopefully they can work out something with your vets regarding testing.

Doesn't matter if the cat is in cargo or on board with you - its not safe to fly a cat who has seizures.

I am from MA. I had contacted Angel and Tufts and no one will treat w/o seeing her. Thanks all..I am upping her meds a little to see if I can manage her seizures for the flight. If not, I need to make a horrid decision.

I still would be very leary of flying the cat with or without meds. The stress of the flight could have a negative reaction. What would you do if the cat all of a sudden has a seizure in mid-air flight????

Prayer and ...

Boni is going great. I have her on her pheno every 8 hours:
1. 6 AM 12.5 mg
2. 3 PM 5 mg
3. 11 PM 12.5 mg

She is seizure free. No need to fly...my pet sitters will love her..thanks ALL..I pray she continues to be ok..