Vet says it's tetanus

Good afternoon, everyone!

I was hoping I could have some help on something that happened to Behr (about 6 months old) this weekend. Yesterday (Saturday), around mid-late morning, I noticed that his breathing seemed a little shallow and quick. We had just been playing and I hadn't turned on the AC for the day yet, so it was a little warm in the apartment. Therefore I figured it was the heat, so I turned on the AC and ran a quick errand to the bank.

I wasn't gone more than 30 minutes, and when I got back, his breathing had quickened and he was trembling. I called up the vet, and set up an appointment for the early afternoon. In the time leading up to the appointment, he stopped moving around, wouldn't have any food or water when set in front of him, and began to drool copiously. When we got to the vet and the doctor took him out of the carrier, poor Behr couldn't hold himself up and he collapsed on the table. As she checked him out, she noted that his jaw was clenched super tight and that his body was incredibly stiff throughout. She put pressure on his bladder in case of an obstruction and after a few moments reddish urine came out. She took him to run a few tests, and while his kidney function was normal, his proteins were high and so were his blood sugar and a liver enzyme.

She said the presentation of all his symptoms perfectly fit tetanus, and possibly a toxicity. They hospitalized him overnight with a 50/50 chance at surviving. When I got home I turned the place upside down, looking for anything he might have gotten into that could have harmed him so much so quickly. I found nothing, and there isn't any rusted metal lying around. When I got Zoey, I made sure to read the sticky stating what can be harmful to cats and so I kept all of that stuff stored away. He is an indoor cat and I am absolutely bewildered as to what the source could be. Zoey has been perfectly normal.

Overnight he got a ton of fluids, activated charcoal, and a blend of amoxicillin and metronidazole. It seemed to have worked wonders because he was doing a ton better this morning. They allowed me to take him home with instructions to keep him confined in a small room with the essentials, and to give him that blend of antibiotics twice a day.

So far, he seems a little shaky and uncoordinated, but he scarfed down wet food. He's been spitting out his dry food, I think because when he had his jaw locked so stiffly he had lost a baby tooth, and judging by the amount of blood, I don't think it left willingly. Therefore I believe that area is too sensitive for dry food for the time being. He doesn't seem all that interested in his water, but I'm happy he had the wet food. He pooped once, but I'm still waiting for him to pee. He's sleeping now, and his breathing is regular.

I'm sorry this is so long, but since I have no idea what the source may be, I didn't want to leave anything out in case it's somehow relevant. I am so happy they were able to save him, but it's killing me that I don't know where it came from. Has this happened to any of your pets?

When I first googled the symptoms, flea medication came up, but Behr hasn't had any of that.

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide!!

Wow, tetanus! A disease that has virtually disappeared, but was once so common in some locales that it was the custom to knock out the front teeth of young people as soon as they got their adult teeth, so they could take food and water while in the grip of "lockjaw."

That's scary.

I'll add that he is eating a ton of the wet food and doing his normal meow/scream while I put it together. I think that's a good sign

Tetanic symptoms are common with poisoning; the likelihood of an indoor only pet in a city getting tetanus (lockjaw) is remote, as the bacterium responsible reside in soil and enter the body through puncture wounds. Symptoms begin roughly two weeks after a puncture wound and don't clear up oernight. and cats are quite resistant to Clostridium tetani unlike humans and livestock. The quick recovery makes me think kitty got into something - potted plant, cleaner, maybe even some human food that isnt feline frriendly. Tetanus, on the other hand is weeks long recovery, if the animal (or human) recovers at all.

Originally Posted by sk_pacer

Tetanic symptoms are common with poisoning; the likelihood of an indoor only pet in a city getting tetanus (lockjaw) is remote, as the bacterium responsible reside in soil and enter the body through puncture wounds. Symptoms begin roughly two weeks after a puncture wound and don't clear up oernight. and cats are quite resistant to Clostridium tetani unlike humans and livestock. The quick recovery makes me think kitty got into something - potted plant, cleaner, maybe even some human food that isnt feline frriendly. Tetanus, on the other hand is weeks long recovery, if the animal (or human) recovers at all.

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I tend to agree for the reasons you listed. I was really surprised to see this poor kitty with tetanus symptoms. Humans and livestock are susceptible to tetanus while felines are not.

I'm hoping this turns out to be some type of poisoning instead of tetanus for the kitty's sake.

Zoey, this is terrible! Poor Behr. I do tend to agree with sk_pacer's opinion that this is some type of poisoning. I'm thinking Behr got into something that caused this. At least I hope that is the case. I know you've scoured the house for a possible source. Hopefully Behr will recover quickly!