Hi everyone
I am new to this site and I suppose I am hoping someone might have an answer or maybe I just need some closure.
I have two other rescue cats and a Boxer but just couple days ago my beautiful 6 year old gray tabby Smokey passed away. Let me give you a brief history of what he went through the last 9 months.
January - noticed that Smokey is showing some type of wobbly or slipping of his hind legs. Start googling for what it could be... possibly diabetes? He was slighly overweight. Start adjusting his diet.
February - no change but not getting any better either. He's his old self happy, playing, jumping etc. Take him to the vet they suggest urinalysis which comes back normal. Doctor did exam and no sign of pain or neurological disorder. Doctor suggests to give the cat Glucosamine. Start glucosamine.
March-April - No improvement. Noticed that the hind legs are getting weaker more wobbly and slipping out from under neath him. Can't jump anymore and has difficulty walking.
May - Switch vets for second opinion. We do blood work for taxoplasmy. Blood works comes back normal.
New vet suggest xray. Xray doesnt show anything. Sends xrays to neurological vet for expert opinion which he can't find anything.
June - Smokey is getting worse. Extremely difficult walking. Hind legs give out and when he eats his legs spread apart. No change in appetite cat has same personality. New vet suggests additional blood work to screen for EVERYTHING. He thinks might be a parasite in the spine. Blood work comes back which indicates a "healthy" cat.
July - Do a follow up appointment since he is not gettinf better. Vet prescribes anti inflammatory and a liquid dewormer that we administer through a syringe. For a week or two we think Smokey is improving. Even jumped on the couch which he hasn't done for months. But soon after starts taking a decline.
August - Smokey takes a turn for the worse. Can barely walk and stairs prove especially difficult. Stopped using litter box but would pee beside it. Appetite is still there but he's lost a lot weight in the last month. Follow up with Vet who's at his wits end. He refers us to University of Guelph which is renowned for its veterinary reputation. We take Smokey two hours away to this hospital spend several hours there. Neurological docotors examine him, blood work and uranalysis. Doctors can't find anything and suggest a $4000 MRI to screen for cancer which might be in his brain (mentally he was functioning perfectly). This MRI is not possible as I just had a baby in July and I am on maternity leave.
September - Smokey is now unable to walk. He spends his days lying on a blanket with a pee pad. He still had an appetite and was alert. We are desperate for answers but now exhausted all our options. Lots of research but hard to find exactly what his ailment is.
September 17 - Smokey refuses food and water. I known deep in my heart that is not a good sign. Husband is working out of town 4 hours away I am home alone wih a new born and it's late in the evening. At this point Smokey starts meowing pretty much non stop. My heart is breaking because I feel so helpless. Early morning of September 18th Smokey passed away. My husband left at 3 am to be with his cat however he passed before he was able to see him. Smokey was his boy and was extremely attached to him.
Despite everything and all the vet visits, meds etc. No one was able to determine what it was.
I am sorry for this long post but I would like to know if anyone dealt with something similar or might have any insight? Our hearts are broken and we miss him so much but deep down I would like to know what took my Smokey away.
Thank you
I am new to this site and I suppose I am hoping someone might have an answer or maybe I just need some closure.
I have two other rescue cats and a Boxer but just couple days ago my beautiful 6 year old gray tabby Smokey passed away. Let me give you a brief history of what he went through the last 9 months.
January - noticed that Smokey is showing some type of wobbly or slipping of his hind legs. Start googling for what it could be... possibly diabetes? He was slighly overweight. Start adjusting his diet.
February - no change but not getting any better either. He's his old self happy, playing, jumping etc. Take him to the vet they suggest urinalysis which comes back normal. Doctor did exam and no sign of pain or neurological disorder. Doctor suggests to give the cat Glucosamine. Start glucosamine.
March-April - No improvement. Noticed that the hind legs are getting weaker more wobbly and slipping out from under neath him. Can't jump anymore and has difficulty walking.
May - Switch vets for second opinion. We do blood work for taxoplasmy. Blood works comes back normal.
New vet suggest xray. Xray doesnt show anything. Sends xrays to neurological vet for expert opinion which he can't find anything.
June - Smokey is getting worse. Extremely difficult walking. Hind legs give out and when he eats his legs spread apart. No change in appetite cat has same personality. New vet suggests additional blood work to screen for EVERYTHING. He thinks might be a parasite in the spine. Blood work comes back which indicates a "healthy" cat.
July - Do a follow up appointment since he is not gettinf better. Vet prescribes anti inflammatory and a liquid dewormer that we administer through a syringe. For a week or two we think Smokey is improving. Even jumped on the couch which he hasn't done for months. But soon after starts taking a decline.
August - Smokey takes a turn for the worse. Can barely walk and stairs prove especially difficult. Stopped using litter box but would pee beside it. Appetite is still there but he's lost a lot weight in the last month. Follow up with Vet who's at his wits end. He refers us to University of Guelph which is renowned for its veterinary reputation. We take Smokey two hours away to this hospital spend several hours there. Neurological docotors examine him, blood work and uranalysis. Doctors can't find anything and suggest a $4000 MRI to screen for cancer which might be in his brain (mentally he was functioning perfectly). This MRI is not possible as I just had a baby in July and I am on maternity leave.
September - Smokey is now unable to walk. He spends his days lying on a blanket with a pee pad. He still had an appetite and was alert. We are desperate for answers but now exhausted all our options. Lots of research but hard to find exactly what his ailment is.
September 17 - Smokey refuses food and water. I known deep in my heart that is not a good sign. Husband is working out of town 4 hours away I am home alone wih a new born and it's late in the evening. At this point Smokey starts meowing pretty much non stop. My heart is breaking because I feel so helpless. Early morning of September 18th Smokey passed away. My husband left at 3 am to be with his cat however he passed before he was able to see him. Smokey was his boy and was extremely attached to him.
Despite everything and all the vet visits, meds etc. No one was able to determine what it was.
I am sorry for this long post but I would like to know if anyone dealt with something similar or might have any insight? Our hearts are broken and we miss him so much but deep down I would like to know what took my Smokey away.
Thank you
