Cat walks on flat paw - back right paw

karriew4

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On January 27, 2010, I took my cat to the vet because I knew that he was not feeling well. After taking his temp, Boo was running 105 degrees fever. They kept him the rest of the day and gave him fluids through an IV. The also gave him 2 Baytril injections at 22.7 mg each. I was able to take him home late that afternoon, with the understanding that I would take him back the next day so he could be hooked back up to the IV. The vet left the shunt in his arm. I took him back the next day, left him him all day and picked him up late that afternoon. Again, he had 2 Baytril injections at 22.7 mg each. He still had fever, but was feeling much better. On day 3, the same routine, but he was given 1 Baytril injection 68mg. He is still running a low grade fever but looking and feeling much better. When I picked him up that afternoon, the vet met me and said that he is curling his right back paw toes under but he should be fine in a couple of days, but I was instructed to bring him back in the next morning. (We all agreed he would be less stressed if he could sleep at home everyone night but be brought back to the vet hospital the next morning.). When I got home with him on day 3 and put him on my hardwood floors, I could not believe what I was seeing. The poor cat could not walk on his back right paw. His toes were curling under and he could not put any weight on his paw. He walked fine when I took him in that morning. I called the vet and told her how upset I was because he was being treated for a fever and he was walking normally when I left him this morning. I asked her if I could bring him immediately back to their office because I was shocked to see what I was seeing. When I took him back , she said that this is what she had noticed that day and she thinks that she hit a nerve when she injected him, but he should be walking normally in a couple of days.

On day 4, I took him back to the vets office that morning. He had no fever and they removed the shunt from his arm. I took him back home that morning. My friend is a vet and owns the clinic that Boo has been going to. The problem is my friend, Dr. Laura, had been sick herself, so I was seeing another vet that works there only part time as a fill in.

Today is Feb 25, almost a month after his first visit to the vet, and he is still walking flat on his right back paw. He is not curling his toes under any more. He progressively, over time, quit that. Sometimes when I am carrying him and I go to put him down, he seems to have a hard time straightening out that back paw so he can put in on the floor.

I do know that he had a bunch of blood work done, which came back normal. He had a CBC, full chemistry panel on Jan 27 and again on Feb 1. The only thing that was a little off was his potassium, which they said was on the low side of normal. At my request, they exrayed his foot to see if there were any broken bones and there were not. My friend, Dr Laura, who has taken over his case now, said that she see this in diabetic cats, but according to his blood work, he is not diabetic. She assures me, even though she was sick and not there at the clinic while Boo was an out patient, that he was not harmed or mistreated.

Dr Laura is still reseaching the problem, but she seems to think that the fill in vet, who gives injections in the leg, hit a nerve and caused nerve damage and that, in time, the nerve will rejenerate itself. She said his flat foot due to the injection is rare, and in her 25 years of practice, this is the 2nd time she has seen this. Dr Laura said that she personally gives shots in the back and not the leg because of the risk of just this problem.

So, while Dr Laura is reading up on this and researching Boo's flat back paw, I am wandering if he will ever walk right again. He is a bit quicker then he was at first, but still has a horrible limp because of the flat paw, and not able to jump onto his favorite places like he used to could. He doesn't seem to be in any pain, but his right back paw seems lighter and thinner then his left back paw, as if he has lost muscle mass or something ...... its hard to describe, but it seems to be more floppy then his left back paw.

Any advice, thoughts, diagnosis or help would be much appreciated!! Thank you!
 

strange_wings

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It definitely sounds like nerve or neurological damage to me - it can happen in both humans and animals. I wonder, if possibly, that it wasn't the fever?

Please tell your vet that you worry about his leg getting weaker. That can make it harder for him to recover. I know in humans and some animals they do a type of hydrotherapy (swimming) to keep the muscles strong... I have no idea if that could even work in a cat - though it works great for dogs.
But maybe something can be done to keep those leg muscles from getting weak.

Add chairs and steps to assistant him in getting up and down for now. Even going up and down those will give him some exercise.
 
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karriew4

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Dear Strange Wings -

Thank you for your reply and imput. Boo is such a great cat that I hate to see him have this problem.

I had to smile at the hydrotherapy. I definitely know what would happen if I presented him to a swimming pool. Furr would fly!!!

Again, you are very kind to answer to my post. Have a great day!!!

KW
 

otto

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I am sorry you have had this happen to your beloved Boo.

I agree with strange wings post. If it is nerve damage, as your vet says, it may improve with time, which you and he have plenty of!

Check with your vet about doing some range of motion exercises to help keep the muscles from deteriorating as he heals.

By the way, keep in mind that Boo doesn't know there's anything wrong with him. There's no pain, right? I mean, he will adapt to the lack of use in that paw, if it doesn't return (tripod cats do very well), he will learn to jump and all eventually, but the important thing to remember is he isn't suffering the emotional anguish you are over the loss of use of that leg.

So..as long as there is no pain, try not to worry too much, and stay in touch with your vet.


Welcome to TCS, please keep us posted on how Boo is doing.
 

strange_wings

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I have an idea that you could try - I don't know if it will help, but it certainly won't hurt. Gently massage his leg every day. From hip to foot. Massaging known to help circulation which can aid in healing.
 

pookie-poo

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You might want to talk to your vet to see if Potassium supplementation would be appropriate. Cats with low Potassium levels (as well as diabetes)can walk with 'Plantigrade Stance' or on their hocks.

Here is a picture of a cat with renal failure related low Potassium, with a plantigrade stance. It was corrected with Potassium supplementation.
http://www.felinecrf.org/symptoms.ht...muscle_wasting

Potassium supplementation must be done with a vet's input. Too much Potassium can cause serious cardiac arrythmias. Long term low serum Potassium levels can cause muscle wasting and cause cardiac arrythmias also.
 

esrandall2000

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

I have an idea that you could try - I don't know if it will help, but it certainly won't hurt. Gently massage his leg every day. From hip to foot. Massaging known to help circulation which can aid in healing.
Great idea!!! Also as part of the massage, moving his leg, ankle and toes through a full range of motion might be helpful.
 

the_food_lady

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Originally Posted by Pookie-poo

You might want to talk to your vet to see if Potassium supplementation would be appropriate. Cats with low Potassium levels (as well as diabetes)can walk with 'Plantigrade Stance' or on their hocks.

Here is a picture of a cat with renal failure related low Potassium, with a plantigrade stance. It was corrected with Potassium supplementation.
http://www.felinecrf.org/symptoms.ht...muscle_wasting

Potassium supplementation must be done with a vet's input. Too much Potassium can cause serious cardiac arrythmias. Long term low serum Potassium levels can cause muscle wasting and cause cardiac arrythmias also.
Excellent response, I agree. Even though if low potassium was the cause of muscle weakness, you'd think you'd see it in BOTH hindlegs and not just the one.....the low potassium should still be addressed with proper supplementation and recheck of potassium level........and some investigation into the CAUSE of the low potassium to begin with. A very good Vet of mine, when I was dealing with a CRF kitty explained to me that by the time a cat's potassium level is "low" according to the lab results, it's even LOWER at a cellular level........so while many Vets will just "blow it off" because it's just below the low end of the normal range, it really SHOULD be treated.

Low potassium causes hindleg weakness, lethargy, constipation, generalized muscle weakness, poor appetite.......and yes, can impact heart function (it plays a key role in muscle function and the heart is a muscle). Too much supplementation can adversely impact cardiac muscle function as well so it's important when supplementing that accurate current serum potassium levels are checked (eg: if kitty had potassium level done 1-2 weeks ago, I'd request a retest so you know exactly what current level is)......and levels rechecked after 10-14 days. Tumil-K is the most common potassium supplement given to cats; comes in caplet, powder and gel. As it's a 'salt' it can be upsetting to tummy so should be given with food.

Good thing diabetes was ruled out because it was sounding like diabetic neuropathy - though again, if you see this it's generally to both hindlegs, not just one.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by the_food_lady

A very good Vet of mine, when I was dealing with a CRF kitty explained to me that by the time a cat's potassium level is "low" according to the lab results, it's even LOWER at a cellular level........so while many Vets will just "blow it off" because it's just below the low end of the normal range, it really SHOULD be treated.
O/T But I've found that most doctors are like this. Maybe because it's something common or maybe because they don't realize that if it's low and there's no other direct cause for it that it's a chronic issue - I'm not sure.
But I have yet to find a doctor that really takes chronic hypokalemia seriously.
 
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