Cat Hind Legs Giving Out - Most things ruled out but getting worse

[kittygirl123]

We have a rescue kitty that is between 15 and 18 or so. Last year she started having weakness in her hind legs. She has IBS and is on Prednisolone.
We ran a lot of tests numerous timex now including diabetes Xraya few months ago did not reveal anything.
She is too old for an MRI due to anesthesia (says vet).
She does not seem to be in pain when her hips/hind legs or anywhere is examined. Never cries. The Vet is stumped and feels possibly a tumor or something we cannot see in imaging "or" neuropathy. We have not tried Gabapentin because she is already stumbling and falling time to time so we fear it could make her weak and hurt herself. She eats, drinks, grooms and plays BUT this has progressed just in the past 2 weeks the legs are yet weaker. She used to stumble, now she has fallen and just today i noticed either she shook them or they shook on their own. It is both legs. Not sure if there is anything left to try. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[white shadow]

Hi K kittygirl123

Here's something that may help with diagnosis.

Look for "Weakness in Back Legs" in centre of page. Underneath are two columns....on left, possible causes, on right are treatments.

Right here.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

My first though was low potassium, which is referenced in the above chart. Did they check that?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Has her heart been checked out? An EKG might require a mild sedative, but not anesthesia. You mentioned an MRI, but could an ultrasound shed any light? It also does not typically require anesthesia, but some cats do need a light sedative - mostly because of being shaved, rather than the procedure itself.

Is it possible to consult with an internal med vet, preferably one that is part of a larger specialty group whereby they can confer with other vets of different disciplines, such as cardiology and neurology?

 

[kittygirl123]

Hi K kittygirl123

Here's something that may help with diagnosis.

Look for "Weakness in Back Legs" in centre of page. Underneath are two columns....on left, possible causes, on right are treatments.

Right here.

Thank you so much. Low potassium or high phosphorus makes sense for her she is on Pred but not sure if this is an OTC supplement? My vet never tested her for these so I am worried.

 

[kittygirl123]

My first though was low potassium, which is referenced in the above chart. Did they check that?

No, not that I know of and it makes sense to me. What would cause this and is there a way to supplement somehow?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Low potassium or high phosphorus makes sense for her she is on Pred but not sure if this is an OTC supplement? My vet never tested her for these so I am worried.

Both of these would be tested as part of a Chemistry panel. If there was no Chemistry panel done, it should be done.

 

[kittygirl123]

Both of these would be tested as part of a Chemistry panel. If there was no Chemistry panel done, it should be done.

Yes it was done so that is interesting. Vet has no appts. until next week unfortunately. Very distressing. But hope it won't progress fast.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Since your vet has already discussed test results with you, you should be able to call their office and ask for the blood work results to be emailed to you, so you can look at them yourself. The results are yours for free.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

No, not that I know of and it makes sense to me. What would cause this and is there a way to supplement somehow?

As to the cause, there could be many reasons. But as to the fix, there are OTC supplements for low potassium, but you do not want to give them without know if it's low or not because you could then cause it to get too high. High phos can also be helped with phos. binders, or low phos food, but again, same issue,you do not want to use those unless you know it's high. Better to wait and discuss with the Vet. As mentioned above, you should be able to have them send you copies of the bloodwork since it's already been run. Then if everything looks within normal range, you might ask your Vet to consult with the nearest teaching hospital (for Veterinarians) to get their take on what might be happening. They are usually up on the latest and greatest.