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- Sep 17, 2016
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I am so sorry for the long post but I am so desperate and there is a lot of information to cover that will hopefully help me find an answer. I love my cat so much, a lot of people think I am crazy the way I am with him but I know you will all understand the amount of love you can have for a cat companion, he’s a member of my family, and I feel so helpless not being able to make him better or even know what is wrong.
I am running out of options and have drained all my funds/maxed out all lines of credit and still no answers to what is wrong with my Mr. Kitty.
I am hoping someone may have had a similar experience and was able to get answers.
Mr. Kitty is roughly 10 years-old he was a rescue his age could be plus or minus 1-2 years. He has been with me for the past 8 years. For the past 2 ½ years he has had mild kidney disease, and is on a renal diet (Royal Canin).
About 7 months ago he had what the vet is now referring to as a neurological episode/seizure. These episodes are happening 1-3 times a month (at least that I know of, I work fulltime and am a student so could be happening while I’m away). They vary in time, from 10 seconds-2 ½ minutes. They are not what you think of when you think seizure.
Symptoms of his episodes include:
· Usually after jumping down from bed, couch, and ottoman.
· Is still able to walk but zig-zags, is unstable falls over(appears intoxicated)
· Legs seem stiff
· Neck feels stiff and turned to one direction.
· Usually less than 30 seconds(last one was much longer, and much scarier than usual)
· Immediately eats after.
· Purrs and acts normal after done eating (except for one episode he seemed dazed and upset after, happened while I was asleep and pretty sure he fell off the back of the couch may have correlation to distress after the episode)
· Usually at night or very early hours of the morning.
· Does not lose consciousness.
During his first episode I immediately scooped him up and took him to the 24-hour VCA hospital (luckily down the street, 5 minute drive) by the time he was there he was fine. They were confused to why I had brought him in and thought that maybe I just saw him dragging his bottom on the carpet (and thought it was something else).., I explained no something was very wrong I descried it to them as if he were drunk, he was stumbling and uncoordinated trying to run away and hide form me but could not walk correctly. They tested his blood pressure which was high and suggested I take him to his primary vet later that day to re-check (they though might be high from being there and examined) they took a blood and urine sample for testing.
I did as they suggested, and took him to his primary vet later that day his blood pressure was normal. From what I had described they were concerned it could have been a stroke and perhaps caused by blood clots and advised I take him to a cardiologist.
I did as they advised and took him to a cardiologist for a consultation and a cardiogram, the cardiologist said his heart was fine, that the wall of his right atrium was a little thick but not a concern. He did mention that his thyroid seemed a little pronounced (the blood work did show normal thyroid levels) he suggest I do a secondary test on his thyroid levels(at the time I did not have the funds available for the additional test)
A few weeks went by and Mr seemed fine, and then had another episode, I took him back to his primary vet. Feline vestibular disease was ruled out, weight loss was noted, and I proceeded with the secondary thyroid test.
It was confirmed that he did have hyperthyroidism but that may not explain his episodes, he was started on Felimazole which he takes on pill every morning. He has been on this medication for about two months. After a 4 weeks on his medication he went back in for another blood sample to re-test his levels again weight loss noted but much less, and his thyroid levels improved, kidney levels were slightly elevated.
His episodes have not stopped, and he appears to becoming thinner. He still eats and drinks normally, cuddles and purrs as he did, but does not play as much. My primary vet has told me at this point there is nothing else they can do and advised I take him to a neurologist, and have an MRI. It pretty much comes down to neurological disorder or brain tumor. I cannot afford the neurologist I would if I had the means but I do not. I may be able to do a consultation with the neurologist but not the MRI ($2700 minimum is what I was told).
Has anyone had something similar like this before? Any idea to what might be going on. I do not know what to do. Do I just love him as much as I can, do I try to find a way to get the MRI (have done pretty much everything to try to come up with the funds but could keep trying)
Summary:
Current Conditions:
· Minor kidney disease (maintained and treated)
· Hyperthyroidism (maintained and treated)
· Weight loss
· Unexplained “neurological episodes”
Ruled out:
· High blood pressure
· Cardiovascular disease
· Feline Vestibular disease
· Toxins/Poisons
If you took the time to read this whether you can help or not, thank you it means a lot to me.
I am running out of options and have drained all my funds/maxed out all lines of credit and still no answers to what is wrong with my Mr. Kitty.
I am hoping someone may have had a similar experience and was able to get answers.
Mr. Kitty is roughly 10 years-old he was a rescue his age could be plus or minus 1-2 years. He has been with me for the past 8 years. For the past 2 ½ years he has had mild kidney disease, and is on a renal diet (Royal Canin).
About 7 months ago he had what the vet is now referring to as a neurological episode/seizure. These episodes are happening 1-3 times a month (at least that I know of, I work fulltime and am a student so could be happening while I’m away). They vary in time, from 10 seconds-2 ½ minutes. They are not what you think of when you think seizure.
Symptoms of his episodes include:
· Usually after jumping down from bed, couch, and ottoman.
· Is still able to walk but zig-zags, is unstable falls over(appears intoxicated)
· Legs seem stiff
· Neck feels stiff and turned to one direction.
· Usually less than 30 seconds(last one was much longer, and much scarier than usual)
· Immediately eats after.
· Purrs and acts normal after done eating (except for one episode he seemed dazed and upset after, happened while I was asleep and pretty sure he fell off the back of the couch may have correlation to distress after the episode)
· Usually at night or very early hours of the morning.
· Does not lose consciousness.
During his first episode I immediately scooped him up and took him to the 24-hour VCA hospital (luckily down the street, 5 minute drive) by the time he was there he was fine. They were confused to why I had brought him in and thought that maybe I just saw him dragging his bottom on the carpet (and thought it was something else).., I explained no something was very wrong I descried it to them as if he were drunk, he was stumbling and uncoordinated trying to run away and hide form me but could not walk correctly. They tested his blood pressure which was high and suggested I take him to his primary vet later that day to re-check (they though might be high from being there and examined) they took a blood and urine sample for testing.
I did as they suggested, and took him to his primary vet later that day his blood pressure was normal. From what I had described they were concerned it could have been a stroke and perhaps caused by blood clots and advised I take him to a cardiologist.
I did as they advised and took him to a cardiologist for a consultation and a cardiogram, the cardiologist said his heart was fine, that the wall of his right atrium was a little thick but not a concern. He did mention that his thyroid seemed a little pronounced (the blood work did show normal thyroid levels) he suggest I do a secondary test on his thyroid levels(at the time I did not have the funds available for the additional test)
A few weeks went by and Mr seemed fine, and then had another episode, I took him back to his primary vet. Feline vestibular disease was ruled out, weight loss was noted, and I proceeded with the secondary thyroid test.
It was confirmed that he did have hyperthyroidism but that may not explain his episodes, he was started on Felimazole which he takes on pill every morning. He has been on this medication for about two months. After a 4 weeks on his medication he went back in for another blood sample to re-test his levels again weight loss noted but much less, and his thyroid levels improved, kidney levels were slightly elevated.
His episodes have not stopped, and he appears to becoming thinner. He still eats and drinks normally, cuddles and purrs as he did, but does not play as much. My primary vet has told me at this point there is nothing else they can do and advised I take him to a neurologist, and have an MRI. It pretty much comes down to neurological disorder or brain tumor. I cannot afford the neurologist I would if I had the means but I do not. I may be able to do a consultation with the neurologist but not the MRI ($2700 minimum is what I was told).
Has anyone had something similar like this before? Any idea to what might be going on. I do not know what to do. Do I just love him as much as I can, do I try to find a way to get the MRI (have done pretty much everything to try to come up with the funds but could keep trying)
Summary:
Current Conditions:
· Minor kidney disease (maintained and treated)
· Hyperthyroidism (maintained and treated)
· Weight loss
· Unexplained “neurological episodes”
Ruled out:
· High blood pressure
· Cardiovascular disease
· Feline Vestibular disease
· Toxins/Poisons
If you took the time to read this whether you can help or not, thank you it means a lot to me.
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