Older Cat ( 22years old ish ) Bad Arthritis In Back End Now Legs Have Gone

Hi all, I'm new to this site.

I have been a cat lover for many years and have looked after and cared for all my furry friends for many years.  I currently have 5.

Now to the point, my oldest cat, KYLIE, has been suffering with arthritis in her back legs for nearly 2 years and has had regular intervention from my vet during this time with monthly injections to ease the inflammation.  As time has gone on, we never expected her to make it to last christmas, but she did which made us all happy  .

Last thursday, i went out at 11am she was ok, walking about ( slowly but able ).  I returned at 4pm to find her unable to stand etc.  I called my vets immediately and took her in to be seen.  We agreed that she will now have her injection every 5 days.  The injection doesn't seem to be doing anything now and she appears to have lost all sensation in her legs.  She is really bright and happy but is now starting to soil herself  .  Ive ordered a pet wheelchair for her which should arrive in the next couple of days so she can still enjoy roaming around etc and is currently on antibiotics for a UTI.

Like i said above, she is happy and content still and i feel she has quality of life ( we still have cuddles and kisses and she comes to bed still with me on a night - although she does wear a little nappy in case she has an accident )

Last night i have noticed that she appears to have developed hiccups, which are still there today ........... anybody know what this could be? i do have her next vets appointment on fri morning so will mention it to him but any ideas/advice etc would be gratefully appreciated.  She is eating fine but will not drink from water bowls of the water fountain so i have been adding water to all her wet food meals.

Thanks in advance

Lee

This is Kylie xxx

My Sandra (almost 19 years old) has trouble with her back legs when her potassium gets too low.  She is on a potassium supplement for this.  It helps correct the problem whenever it starts up.  Has your vet checked Kylie's potassium levels?  When Sandi's levels got too low, she was also barely able to stand.  She also has very advanced arthritis.  For arthritis, she gets Adequan injections.  With the Adequan, we had a loading phase of twice a week for a month.  Now Sandi gets the injections once every two weeks.  She walks, but she is a bit slow.  

Also, has your baby been checked for kidney issues?  Sandi also has kidney failure.  Her phosphorus is above normal.  Higher phosphorus levels do interfere with the nerve signals to the back legs.

Hope little Kylie gets better.  Sending hugs to you both.

Hi & thanks for your reply

So far there has been no signs of kidney issues, the vet does have a feel overtime she goes ( although it is a known fact that the DEPO MEDROL injection she has does eventually cause kidney damage and she's been having these injections for nearly 2 years now ) . My other cat GIZMO had to be put to sleep last year for kidney disease, he did well and lasted nearly 3 years with it AND without medication as he would not take it no matter what !!!

She's never had her potassium levels checked ....... i will maybe mention this on fri at her next appointment.  I was set, and prepared for having her put to sleep on monday but she's bounced back a bit although these injections don't seem to be working now but she's bright, alert and still has quality of life ( which is why we've ordered her a wheelchair )

She moves her back legs as if to say i want to get up, so we assist her and allow her to go where she wants ......... which we don't mind doing, she's a member of our family so its our duty ! but 99% of the time she just drags her back legs ( as if theres no feeling there at all, if you "tickle " her feet there is no reaction.  She has had a couple of "accidents" where she's wet where she's laid, but she does let us know when she wants her litter tray so we help her there.  Don't get me wrong, this is hard work but it has become a lot easier over the last couple of days and hopefully the wheelchair will give her back some of her independence

I will definitely mention the potassium to the vet and see what he says

Thank you so much and hope SANDRA is doing ok

Lee

Hi Lee and welcome to the forum !

There's a marvelous website that I think you will find helpful. It's written by an English woman, a cat lover, (and now back in the UK) who started from scratch years ago to learn as much as she could about cat health. Its primary focus is kidney disease, but the scope naturally expands and is widly applicable to all cats. It's written in plain English but thoroughly science-based, accurate and reliable. It's won numerous awards and referenced in veterinary publications ***.

I'll give you a link from it which details a number of common causes of rear leg weakness in cats.

I think it will help you prepare for Friday's appointment - perhaps you might share the info with your Veterinarian.

(The one link should allow you to also find your way around the rest of her site.)

Here you are:  Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Alphabetical Index of Symptoms & Treatments - W

Hope it helps !

*** http://felinecrf.org/index.htm#reviews_awards

Welcome to TCS!

One medication I have found useful in cats with arthritis is Adequan. It is marketed for use in dogs, but is also being used "off-label" in cats. It is given by injection, though contains no steroid.

If she is losing feeling in her legs, I have to wonder if there is not some nerve damage of some kind. Gabapentin is a great medication used to treat nerve pain.

Another medication to consider would be Onsior. This is a cat-specific NSAID. It is labeled for a 3 day use; but, again, is being used off-label for some cats.

I would suggest a full blood work up for her before using an NSAID long term.

Other options for dealing with arthritis and/or nerve uses is use of a therapeutic laser, chiropractic care and possibly some physical therapy. There is also the option for acupuncture.

My RB baby Lucky had severe arthritis, mostly due to a tail-pull injury when he was 3/4 years old. The combination of meds that worked best for him was Adequan injections every 2 weeks, Onsior 1-2 times per week (as needed), and Buprenex to manage any breakthrough pain.

BTW, Kylie is gorgeous! You are taking excellent care of her. I hope you are able to find a treatment plan that eases her symptoms. It really is kind of trial and error as to what works for each cat.