~~~~Urgent advice needed for very sick 8 month old kitten – Calci virus and neurological damage from steroid injection!! We homed Otis from a rescue centre when he was 10 weeks old, he is an amazing little cat with the sweetest calmest, confident nature. At the foster home he was living with 10 other cats all of different ages and there was some health issues with some of the other residents.
When he came to live with us and our 2 other cats aged 4, he had no health issues at all, and He had all of his kitten injections at around 14 weeks. He has always had a very health appetite and eats well with the other 2 cats at set meal times in the morning and evening, food is down for all 3 cats all day, so they can have a nibble whenever they feel like it. Otis has always loved his food, especially fresh meat such as ham or chicken. Our other 2 cats can go outside when we let them, but Otis has not yet left the house 3 weeks ago Otis was not himself, we noticed on the Friday morning he was quiet but he came down to breakfast, by the evening he was still a lot calmer but still ate dinner. On sat he was really subdued and we made a massive fuss of him and checked he was using the litter tray as normal no upset tummy issues. By sat night we were really worried he could barely open his eyes and was curled up in a ball,
First thing on Sunday we rushed him to an Emergency vets, not our usually vet as they were closed. We saw a young vet who checked him over and confirmed that he had a really high temperature, swollen glands to the neck and bad breath, she suspected he had a virus of some kind and advised us to go see our own vet on the Monday, she gave him a steroid injection to help with the fever and a 24hr hr. antibiotic. We took him home and kept him comfortable. On The Monday morning we took him to the vets first thing, vet checked over again and had the faxed notes from the emergency vet on Sunday, he was still running a very high temp, and she believed also he was trying to fight a virus of some sort, she prescribed him Loxicom oral with the syringe and advised on the correct dosage, she also gave us antibiotics for any secondary infections that might come along, we needed to look after him keep him fed and comfortable and see how the week went for him.
At this point Otis weighted 2.7kg We saw some improvement this week, he ate, toileted and seemed to be picking up by the Thursday night, still very sleepy not his usual self but better. On Friday we returned home from work to find him waiting for us but with huge dilated eyes, moaning and walking painfully and wobbly on the back legs, he looked like he had stroke and he was completely blind and disoriented. We had a terrible night with him he seemed afraid of the dark jumpy and scared. First thing sat we took him straight back to the vet, we saw the same vet as the Monday, he is now very tender, we can barely touch him without him screaming, vet checks over eyes and temp, his temperature is now back to normal. Poor Otis cannot see a thing, vet claims she suspects him to have FIP due to the slightly swollen stomach, eye hemeriage and the tenderness of limps, she takes bloods, warns us its fatal and we will have results on the coming Monday, she also tells us to be prepared for the worse as he is case book FIP. We left with antibiotic drops for his eyes and told to continue with the Loxicom.
All weekend we cared for him, drops to eyes 3 times a day, helping him to toilet food act, we were devastated and convinced we would be putting him to sleep on the Monday. Back to vets on Monday, Otis has now developed a sneeze, and congestion, eyes somewhat improved, and his vision if back slightly. We saw a different vet on the Monday, the day we thought would be his last.
Vet gave him the all clear on the blood s claimed he was clear for FIV, FELV that his bloods, and kidney function good, however the results did indicate he had been exposed to Calcivirus. His illness has been a mystery because it seems now that he has some sort of Neurological issue, he has an inch in the tail that cannot be touched as it causes him great pain and the front right paw seems to be lame, vet advised to try him for a day without the loxixom and see how he responds. We booked a follow up visit the following week after being advised that the cat was the only one who could fight the virus and we need to keep him calm and content to see if the nerves heal in the tail and the poor. We left feeling that we would fight this virus and he could heal from the neurolcal issues, he is eating fine at this point loves his food in fact drinking plenty of water and using the tray, we have had no vomit, not diareah at this point.
We have a good week with him he moves around a little, pleased to see us home, still having eye drops, resting, but his tail is very tender and his hind legs are week. Fast forward to the weekend, he stops eating, he is still congested, sneezing stops, we spend hours trying to tempt him but he’s not interested in anything other than water. We take him to vets on Monday he is very weak discuss issue for the last 24 hrs not really interested in food but drinking lots of water. Vet believed Loxicom is the issue tells us to stop giving the daily dose as it may make his stomach sick, give him a steroid pick me Up1, meant to boost his metabolic rate, kick start appetite back, so he will eat to get the strength up. We leave take him home, within 1 hr he is panting swaying head, heart rate super-fast and we thought he was going to die. We spent all night up with him soothing him giving him water, very next day call the vet in the morning tell him what has happened vet now thinks that he has had a reaction that he hoped would have helped with the steroid injection, I leave work early afternoon to be home with him and he has vomited, he is very weak and hiding, this is not like his behaviour at all! He wants to drink water often.
On the evening he seems to be interested in food smells meats, and pouches. I blend this up and make chicken broth fresh and we start syringing this and kitten milk into the evening. On wed morning he has some improvement, we continue with the syringe feeding, milk, broths and food, I researched vitamin c and Lysine he now has some supplements in the syringe food. This morning he is really poorly again, can barely walk and sitting on his front, we have another vet appointment this evening. I have said to partner no more Steroids and intrusive drugs, his little body can’t handle it, if we are to get him over this nutrition is the only way.
Are we fighting a losing battle, he wants to eat but is just falls out of his mouth, his interest is there! Has anyone had anything similar with the neurotically issue after or during a virus, is it the steroid, was it his high fever, is his body given up, his sneezing and wheezing is practically gone, but when he tries to eat it sounds like gurgling is this the issue with swallowing. If we think we have a chance we will keep at the syringe feeding and giving all the care and TLC under the sun if we can fight this, we love him so much, he is our little man, and the care we are giving just doesn’t seem enough. Please is anyone has any advice???
When he came to live with us and our 2 other cats aged 4, he had no health issues at all, and He had all of his kitten injections at around 14 weeks. He has always had a very health appetite and eats well with the other 2 cats at set meal times in the morning and evening, food is down for all 3 cats all day, so they can have a nibble whenever they feel like it. Otis has always loved his food, especially fresh meat such as ham or chicken. Our other 2 cats can go outside when we let them, but Otis has not yet left the house 3 weeks ago Otis was not himself, we noticed on the Friday morning he was quiet but he came down to breakfast, by the evening he was still a lot calmer but still ate dinner. On sat he was really subdued and we made a massive fuss of him and checked he was using the litter tray as normal no upset tummy issues. By sat night we were really worried he could barely open his eyes and was curled up in a ball,
First thing on Sunday we rushed him to an Emergency vets, not our usually vet as they were closed. We saw a young vet who checked him over and confirmed that he had a really high temperature, swollen glands to the neck and bad breath, she suspected he had a virus of some kind and advised us to go see our own vet on the Monday, she gave him a steroid injection to help with the fever and a 24hr hr. antibiotic. We took him home and kept him comfortable. On The Monday morning we took him to the vets first thing, vet checked over again and had the faxed notes from the emergency vet on Sunday, he was still running a very high temp, and she believed also he was trying to fight a virus of some sort, she prescribed him Loxicom oral with the syringe and advised on the correct dosage, she also gave us antibiotics for any secondary infections that might come along, we needed to look after him keep him fed and comfortable and see how the week went for him.
At this point Otis weighted 2.7kg We saw some improvement this week, he ate, toileted and seemed to be picking up by the Thursday night, still very sleepy not his usual self but better. On Friday we returned home from work to find him waiting for us but with huge dilated eyes, moaning and walking painfully and wobbly on the back legs, he looked like he had stroke and he was completely blind and disoriented. We had a terrible night with him he seemed afraid of the dark jumpy and scared. First thing sat we took him straight back to the vet, we saw the same vet as the Monday, he is now very tender, we can barely touch him without him screaming, vet checks over eyes and temp, his temperature is now back to normal. Poor Otis cannot see a thing, vet claims she suspects him to have FIP due to the slightly swollen stomach, eye hemeriage and the tenderness of limps, she takes bloods, warns us its fatal and we will have results on the coming Monday, she also tells us to be prepared for the worse as he is case book FIP. We left with antibiotic drops for his eyes and told to continue with the Loxicom.
All weekend we cared for him, drops to eyes 3 times a day, helping him to toilet food act, we were devastated and convinced we would be putting him to sleep on the Monday. Back to vets on Monday, Otis has now developed a sneeze, and congestion, eyes somewhat improved, and his vision if back slightly. We saw a different vet on the Monday, the day we thought would be his last.
Vet gave him the all clear on the blood s claimed he was clear for FIV, FELV that his bloods, and kidney function good, however the results did indicate he had been exposed to Calcivirus. His illness has been a mystery because it seems now that he has some sort of Neurological issue, he has an inch in the tail that cannot be touched as it causes him great pain and the front right paw seems to be lame, vet advised to try him for a day without the loxixom and see how he responds. We booked a follow up visit the following week after being advised that the cat was the only one who could fight the virus and we need to keep him calm and content to see if the nerves heal in the tail and the poor. We left feeling that we would fight this virus and he could heal from the neurolcal issues, he is eating fine at this point loves his food in fact drinking plenty of water and using the tray, we have had no vomit, not diareah at this point.
We have a good week with him he moves around a little, pleased to see us home, still having eye drops, resting, but his tail is very tender and his hind legs are week. Fast forward to the weekend, he stops eating, he is still congested, sneezing stops, we spend hours trying to tempt him but he’s not interested in anything other than water. We take him to vets on Monday he is very weak discuss issue for the last 24 hrs not really interested in food but drinking lots of water. Vet believed Loxicom is the issue tells us to stop giving the daily dose as it may make his stomach sick, give him a steroid pick me Up1, meant to boost his metabolic rate, kick start appetite back, so he will eat to get the strength up. We leave take him home, within 1 hr he is panting swaying head, heart rate super-fast and we thought he was going to die. We spent all night up with him soothing him giving him water, very next day call the vet in the morning tell him what has happened vet now thinks that he has had a reaction that he hoped would have helped with the steroid injection, I leave work early afternoon to be home with him and he has vomited, he is very weak and hiding, this is not like his behaviour at all! He wants to drink water often.
On the evening he seems to be interested in food smells meats, and pouches. I blend this up and make chicken broth fresh and we start syringing this and kitten milk into the evening. On wed morning he has some improvement, we continue with the syringe feeding, milk, broths and food, I researched vitamin c and Lysine he now has some supplements in the syringe food. This morning he is really poorly again, can barely walk and sitting on his front, we have another vet appointment this evening. I have said to partner no more Steroids and intrusive drugs, his little body can’t handle it, if we are to get him over this nutrition is the only way.
Are we fighting a losing battle, he wants to eat but is just falls out of his mouth, his interest is there! Has anyone had anything similar with the neurotically issue after or during a virus, is it the steroid, was it his high fever, is his body given up, his sneezing and wheezing is practically gone, but when he tries to eat it sounds like gurgling is this the issue with swallowing. If we think we have a chance we will keep at the syringe feeding and giving all the care and TLC under the sun if we can fight this, we love him so much, he is our little man, and the care we are giving just doesn’t seem enough. Please is anyone has any advice???
