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Sitting and waiting (sad)

post #1 of 37
6/14/10 at 6:30am
Thread Starter 
We had to take Marshmallow to the vet today. He began by having trouble bearing weight on his back legs; he was staggering/dragging his legs. He had an episode a few weeks ago, but it went away almost as quickly as it happened. Last night, he started wobbling when he walked. This morning, he was significantly worse, falling over.

The vet is running tests and doing x-rays. He asked if he could have been hit by a car, which is not possible, since Marshmallow is a house cat. He asked if I had noticed that Marshmallow's pupils were unequal in size. He wanted to know if our other cats were sick, if we used OTC flea medicine or if he could have been exposed to other toxins. He is sure the problem is neurologic.

He told me the best case scenario is encephalitis.
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post #2 of 37
6/14/10 at 6:38am
Oh hun, I am so, so sorry for you and Marshmellow. I'm hoping for the best possible outcome and sending LOTS of vibes!
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post #3 of 37
6/14/10 at 12:00pm
Best case is encephalitis? Isn't that from mosquitos? Could he have been bitten in the house? Since that is best case, I'm hoping that's what it is, but that still doesn't sound good at all, poor little guy. Here's hoping whatever it is can be "fixed"
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post #4 of 37
6/14/10 at 12:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by nurseangel View Post
He wanted to know if our other cats were sick, if we used OTC flea medicine or if he could have been exposed to other toxins. He is sure the problem is neurologic.

He told me the best case scenario is encephalitis.
So are you other cats fine? When did you give the OTC meds? How old is Marshmallow? Vibes for Marshmallow
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post #5 of 37
6/14/10 at 2:21pm
I'm so sorry to hear about Marshmallow. I'm sending lots of and lots of That Marshmallow gets better.
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post #6 of 37
6/14/10 at 4:02pm
Please give us an update on Marshmallow. I am so sorry. Sending prayers for you and your cat.
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post #7 of 37
6/14/10 at 4:07pm
Prayers for your cat. Please update us. I hope things turn out ok.
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post #8 of 37
6/14/10 at 6:53pm
Praying for you and your kitty. Hope all is well.
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post #9 of 37
6/14/10 at 7:11pm
Marshmallow. It's so lonely when one is away from home, isn't it? Especially when you don't know what's wrong.
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post #10 of 37
6/14/10 at 7:27pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you all so much! It's been a long day. We thought we were going have to have Marshmallow PTS. The vet had talked to me this morning about brain and spinal cord tumors. He said he didn't often see those in young cats (Marshmallow is under two). However, the x-rays turned out fine. The bloodwork showed anemia and apparent metal poisoning. We won't know for sure until tomorrow evening...the vet is going to send the blood off for special analysis. We are relieved and hoping this is the problem, because the vet says both conditions can be treated. As far as the metal poisoning goes, we think it is because he has eaten snacks off aluminum foil. The vet was asking if Marshmallow drinks from the drain, but he doesn't.
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post #11 of 37
6/14/10 at 7:31pm
Can you have them check for fia?
Coco had that and the er vet missed what it was.
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post #12 of 37
6/15/10 at 1:40am
for marshmallow i hope hes better soon

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post #13 of 37
6/15/10 at 3:31am
I'm so glad the news is encouraging. Hugs to all of you!
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post #14 of 37
6/15/10 at 4:09am
Metal poisoning. How awful.

I am sending prayers for you and your Marshmallow. My cats eat off a pizza pan. That is changing today.

God bless..
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post #15 of 37
6/15/10 at 6:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mews2much View Post
Can you have them check for fia?
Coco had that and the er vet missed what it was.
What is FIA?

Metal poison? that's scary! What are you feeding them?

Marshmallow, and some for you too
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post #16 of 37
6/15/10 at 6:53am
Not to scare you, but if the cat does turn up positive for metal poisoning, you should probably have your doctors run blood tests on you as well. How old is your home - any chance of it being lead poisoning?
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post #17 of 37
6/15/10 at 7:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by darlili View Post
Not to scare you, but if the cat does turn up positive for metal poisoning, you should probably have your doctors run blood tests on you as well. How old is your home - any chance of it being lead poisoning?
I'm glad you brought that up! I was just coming back in to do so. If Marshmallow has been nibbling on or licking old paint...
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post #18 of 37
6/15/10 at 9:21am
Hmm. This is very interesting. I really hope Marshmallow is OK.

My first thoughts when I read about the possibility of metal poisoning was also lead.

Lead used to be used in the UK for waterpipes and gas pipes. We had them in our house when I was a little girl (back in the early 1960s). I remember my mother, first thing in the morning, running the cold-water tap for about 10 minutes before she filled the kettle. This was to get the build up of lead out of the water before we used it.

Lead pipes have not been used here in the UK for decades now. Our pipes are made of copper or strong plastic.

I have never heard of any animal or human getting metal poisoning from eating off an aluminium plate. Much of our food is packed in aluminium so I think adverse reactions would have been widely reported.

Paint used to be lead-based too, but hasn't been for decades because of the known dangers.

I would certainly check, as a matter of urgency, whether your house might still have lead pipes in it somewhere, not just for your cats' health but yours too.

Here is a link to lead poisoning in cats:

http://www.peteducation.com/article....+2118&aid=1521

and another one to lead poisoning in humans - note the neuroligical symptoms.

http://children.webmd.com/tc/lead-poisoning-symptoms

I hope this helps a bit.

Sending to you and healing vibes to Marshmallow
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post #19 of 37
6/15/10 at 10:58am
FIA is Feline Infectious Anemia.
Did you use any otc stuff on him?
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post #20 of 37
6/15/10 at 2:44pm
I also can't imagine eating off of aluminum foil causing any kind of health problems. They sell it just for that purpose. If your house is old, there may be lead paint still on the walls/windowsills/etc. Or lead pipes. Also there have been issues with stuff like jewelry lately.....lead, cadmium, other toxic metals. Is it possible he chewed on something like that?

Best vibes to Marshmallow! Hope this gets cleared up soon.
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post #21 of 37
6/16/10 at 6:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Willowy View Post
I also can't imagine eating off of aluminum foil causing any kind of health problems. They sell it just for that purpose.
Also, wet cat food comes from a can, so .....
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post #22 of 37
6/16/10 at 10:32am
Update on Marshmallow?
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post #23 of 37
6/18/10 at 12:35pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you all for your prayers, vibes, and thoughts. This is very hard to say, but Marshmallow died yesterday. The vet tested for everything possible (the toxicology results came back normal...so it wasn't zinc poisoning from the alluminum foil). The vet thinks it was some kind of neurologic disorder that may have even been present since birth. The vet was puzzled; he hadn't seen symptoms like that in a cat before. We refused an autopsy, I couldn't bear the thought.
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post #24 of 37
6/18/10 at 12:42pm
So sorry he died.
You did everything you could for him.
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post #25 of 37
6/18/10 at 12:43pm
Oh no. I am so sorry.
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post #26 of 37
6/18/10 at 2:15pm
So very sorry to hear Marshmallow's gone to the Bridge.

to you.

RIP Sweet Marshmallow. Play happy at the Bridge

Just read your original post again. I wonder if Marshmallow had a series of strokes or a brain haemorrage. That could account for the unequal pupils and I don't think that would show up on an x-ray? It would explain him dragging his legs, being wobbly and falling over.

I am really so, so sorry
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post #27 of 37
6/18/10 at 5:29pm
I am so sorry.
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post #28 of 37
6/18/10 at 5:32pm
Aww, no I hate to see this. I am so sorry. I hope you can take some comfort in knowing that because of you he knew much love and happiness.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Another TCS Bridge Angel. It's a happy place you know, those of us left behind are the ones who suffer.

Marshmallow.
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post #29 of 37
6/19/10 at 9:35am
I am very sorry to hear about Marshmallow.

You are in my prayers.
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post #30 of 37
6/19/10 at 10:44am
I am so sorry to hear about Marshmallow. He's now happily playing over the RB waiting for the day when he will see you again.
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