Hi there! It's been a while since I've been around, but I need to talk about my Genever. I didn't want to post here for fear of being judged, but I am judging myself pretty harshly already, so I hope there will be at least a bit of support or encouragement or just a virtual hug. I know I'll type too much, but there's lots to tell. I'm also typing on my phone, so I apologise if I miss any typos. You've been warned!
Genever is about 8 and a half now, and on February, the day before the Superbowl, she had what I'm pretty sure was a seizure. We took her to the ER vet, they kept her 2 nights because she was rolling, barely about to move, wouldn't eat on her own. Still pitifully dragged herself to the litterbox though. Her fastidious litterbox behavior is what brought me to TCS in the first place! Anywayx she was super vestibular. The vet thought it's possible she had a stroke, or maybe seizure and stroke. He didn't think it was an inner ear thing, but no way to know for sure what caused thisome or if it would happen again.
We took her to our regular vet Mon-Thu that week during the day because she still wouldn't eat on her own, but was slowly able to get around a little better each day, though very wobbly. Thursday she was a bit and Friday we left her home, put her in the bathroom so she wouldn't try to get on furniture and injure herself, and I was sick all day at work worrying about what I would find. She was happy to see me and happy to get out of that room and hobble around the house!
Over the next few weeks, G kept improving, not tipping over so much, eating fine, instigating fights with Rose, finding new ways to get up on the sofa or bed, etc. I'd say after about 6-8 weeks she was pretty much back to normal, and she gained back the pound she lost that week of the incident. My babygirl!
Fast forward to 3 weeks ago today. I woke up around 5am by Genever walking on the bed across me. But it felt awkward, like she was having trouble walking straight, and sure enough she was stumbling. She was doing this hyper-extension of her arms and legs, almost pawing at the air in very slow motion, and her eyes were spacey. I took her to the vet when they opened, and she was nasty! Hissing, growling, snapping, just from the stethoscope and regular exam. I kept my hands in front of her face so she'd bite me and not the vet. Of course she didn't wobble when walking around the exam room, but when I put her in the carrier she started doing the paw thing, so at least the vet saw it, and was concerned. I kept her there while I went to work because I am a paranoid catmom, and they said she was fine all day, seemed pretty normal and more friendly. She was off and on normal and wobbly that night, and has been like that since then. The vet recommended a neurologist since the whole seizure/stroke thing recurred, and she just had no more answers for me about what could be the problem. We saw the neurologist 2 weeks ago, and he basically said it could be any number of things causing the wobbliness and vestibular stuff. The only way to know for sure is an MRI.
I hate to put her through anesthesia for that, and what will it tell us, she's ok and this is just how she is now, or she's got a tumor or something else horrible. Yes then there's the cost of almost $2000, which I hate even mentioning because this is my little girl! How can I let money make a decision for me? I am by no means wealthy, but I'd be willing to take on some more debt for a bit for my Genever. I can tell you I would not go through with surgery if it was a tumor, I feel like it's too risky. She seems to have a good quality of life other than being off-balance now and then. She eats, drinks, uses the litterbox, smacks her sister Rose, wants to be on our laps (especially her daddy's lap) and hangs in the same room as us. If she started hiding under the bed or something like that, I would be very worried.
I guess I want to ask, would you get an MRI done based on our situation? My vet couldn't really tell me what to do. I know it's a very personal thing but I am knotted up inside worrying (and trying not to cry all the time). I feel like I want to at least know, even if I can't fix it.
Also, when I get home, I'll get on the desktop and try uploading some pics and or videos. Like insaid, it's been a while!
Thanks for reading and for any support you may have to offer.
Genever is about 8 and a half now, and on February, the day before the Superbowl, she had what I'm pretty sure was a seizure. We took her to the ER vet, they kept her 2 nights because she was rolling, barely about to move, wouldn't eat on her own. Still pitifully dragged herself to the litterbox though. Her fastidious litterbox behavior is what brought me to TCS in the first place! Anywayx she was super vestibular. The vet thought it's possible she had a stroke, or maybe seizure and stroke. He didn't think it was an inner ear thing, but no way to know for sure what caused thisome or if it would happen again.
We took her to our regular vet Mon-Thu that week during the day because she still wouldn't eat on her own, but was slowly able to get around a little better each day, though very wobbly. Thursday she was a bit and Friday we left her home, put her in the bathroom so she wouldn't try to get on furniture and injure herself, and I was sick all day at work worrying about what I would find. She was happy to see me and happy to get out of that room and hobble around the house!
Over the next few weeks, G kept improving, not tipping over so much, eating fine, instigating fights with Rose, finding new ways to get up on the sofa or bed, etc. I'd say after about 6-8 weeks she was pretty much back to normal, and she gained back the pound she lost that week of the incident. My babygirl!
Fast forward to 3 weeks ago today. I woke up around 5am by Genever walking on the bed across me. But it felt awkward, like she was having trouble walking straight, and sure enough she was stumbling. She was doing this hyper-extension of her arms and legs, almost pawing at the air in very slow motion, and her eyes were spacey. I took her to the vet when they opened, and she was nasty! Hissing, growling, snapping, just from the stethoscope and regular exam. I kept my hands in front of her face so she'd bite me and not the vet. Of course she didn't wobble when walking around the exam room, but when I put her in the carrier she started doing the paw thing, so at least the vet saw it, and was concerned. I kept her there while I went to work because I am a paranoid catmom, and they said she was fine all day, seemed pretty normal and more friendly. She was off and on normal and wobbly that night, and has been like that since then. The vet recommended a neurologist since the whole seizure/stroke thing recurred, and she just had no more answers for me about what could be the problem. We saw the neurologist 2 weeks ago, and he basically said it could be any number of things causing the wobbliness and vestibular stuff. The only way to know for sure is an MRI.
I hate to put her through anesthesia for that, and what will it tell us, she's ok and this is just how she is now, or she's got a tumor or something else horrible. Yes then there's the cost of almost $2000, which I hate even mentioning because this is my little girl! How can I let money make a decision for me? I am by no means wealthy, but I'd be willing to take on some more debt for a bit for my Genever. I can tell you I would not go through with surgery if it was a tumor, I feel like it's too risky. She seems to have a good quality of life other than being off-balance now and then. She eats, drinks, uses the litterbox, smacks her sister Rose, wants to be on our laps (especially her daddy's lap) and hangs in the same room as us. If she started hiding under the bed or something like that, I would be very worried.
I guess I want to ask, would you get an MRI done based on our situation? My vet couldn't really tell me what to do. I know it's a very personal thing but I am knotted up inside worrying (and trying not to cry all the time). I feel like I want to at least know, even if I can't fix it.
Also, when I get home, I'll get on the desktop and try uploading some pics and or videos. Like insaid, it's been a while!
Thanks for reading and for any support you may have to offer.
:cross:
