Head jerking to one side

[ginny]

That's good! I hope they can find and treat a cause. Let us know!

 

[parisinthe30sx]

I hope he gets better soon. It's great they haven't diagnosed him with anything serious but at the same time frustrating because you want answers. I've never heard of symptoms like his before. I know my dog will sometimes jerk her head before a seizure, sometimes the day prior, but not 20+ like your poor kitty. I'm sorry you and he are going through this,I know it's tough not knowing and dreading the day you do, but don't give up, hopefully you'll get answers soon and it'll be something fixable.I'll keep him in my prayers, Keep us posted on his progress

 

[2Cats4everLoved]

Wow, this is crazy.  Seems they've ruled out almost everything.  Since Cooper is still young, is there a chance he may grow out of this?

I hope he's able to find some peace.  It's great he's trying and has interest in playing with the older kitty.  What is your older cats name?  Just curious...

Hopefully answers will come to you.  

 

[artiemom]

Sorry to ask this, but did they rule out environmental causes? It could be anything that he has taken a sudden allergy or sensitivity to. 

It is so expensive.. I know you want to find out the cause...wonder if they can do and how much it would be to have him hospitalized and do an EEG on him....

I do know some people and kids have epilepsy which does not respond to medication..they can have 20 or more seizures a day. It is rare, but I remember reading about it. There is no organic cause for it. It just happens. I think they were treating it with electric shock or brain surgery...

I am not suggesting this for your guy. I just wanted you to know that this does happen to humans. 

Must be so scary, frustrating... and sad to have to deal with...

(((hugs))) poor baby, and poor you...

I hope I did not upset you.. not my intention. 

 

[alibali]

I know this thread is ancient but I just realized I never updated. so in case anyone in the future is having a similar problem and somehow finds this thread I thought I should update it!

We aren't 100% positive, since they were basically treating him for everything and taking stabs in the dark, but we're pretty sure it was brainstem myoclonus.

I majored in bio in college, so of course I was reading journals and researching the whole time this was going on, and found something that sounded similar for which the treatment was simply vitamin B (sorry I can't remember if it was a certain one, or the whole b-12 complex). I printed out the article and showed the vet and they were trying anything at that point so they gave him an injection and a few days later he was totally fine! He has never had any reoccurrence, and is a healthy, happy boy!!

I don't want to take all the credit, maybe he would have gotten better anyways and it was a coincidence, but if anyone ever has the same problem, tell your vet to try vitamin B - it's worth a shot! (literally LOL)

Here is more info about Myoclonus if anyone is interested: Myoclonic disorders: a practical approach for diagnosis and treatment

 

[DreamerRose]

That's wonderful! So glad he is well and you figured out the cause. Such a simple solution, too. Who knew?

 

[alibali]

Yes it was such a relief! And apparently vitamin B deficiency can also cause anemia so we think that is what helped his unexplained anemia too. So crazy! He is totally fine now so we are happy!!

 

[Anca Nicolae]

Hello! I have the same problem with my cat. The veterinarian has no idea what diagnostic to put. You gave me great hope with these posts. Please be nice, if you can tell me how many injections of vitamin B did you do? I give him a syrup containing B vitamins, but there are no improvements yet. I also took a medicine called pyracetam. I did a few investigations and there was nothing wrong with it.
Thanks and I hope to solve this problem because I am very stressed!

 

[alibali]

Anca Nicolae we only did one shot of the vitamin B I believe. He also was (and still is) on Keppra and Phenobarbital. Sorry I had never heard of Pyracetam but I googled it and it looks like it isn’t available in the US.

I’m so sorry this is happening to your baby. I know how awful it feels. For some reason your video wouldn’t play. Does your cat jerk randomly? Or is it triggered by anything? For my cat, it was set off whenever he was startled.

 

[Anca Nicolae]

Do you see the video now?

 

[Anca Nicolae]

Thank you so much for your reply! I'm from Romania and on Romanian sites I have not found any information about my cat's problem. I started looking for foreign sites and so I went over this forum.
My cat jerk when I stretch my hand to her or some object and when she smells then she reacts. Also when she sleeps in my lap she reacts.
In 2017 he had two episodes that resembled a kind of convulsions. But they have not been repeated.

 

[Anca Nicolae]

Armillaria Plus - 60 capsules - Mushrooms-4-Pets - Pets
I'm thinking of administering it. What do you think?

 

[alibali]

Anca Nicolae I can see the video now and wow it really looks exactly like what was happening to my cat!

I haven’t heard of those pills before, sorry! All I can say is what worked for my boy seemed to be the vitamin B. But it could have also been a mix of that plus something else he was on.

Like I said before he was on Keppra and Phenobarbital which are seizure medicines, plus he was briefly on Midazolam which is a sedative. And then they put him on Prednisolone which is a steroid, in case he had inflammation in his brain. Then finally they tried the vitamin B shots and that was when he suddenly got better. Maybe it was a mix of 2 or more things, I wish I knew for sure!

Is there a neurologist you can take your cat to?

 

[Anca Nicolae]

Hi! I came back with news about my kitty. This Monday I went to another veterinarian and I told her about your kitten case and agreed to try vitamin B treatment. She also made her injections with antibiotic, an anti-inflammatory and something for the brain. Head jerkings have begun to be more rare. After the injection treatment is finished she will receive a medical treatment.
I would like to thank you very much because you posted the information because they helped me! I hope your kitten is fine!
All the best!
P.S. Sorry if my English is not perfect. If you don't understand something, please write to me!

 

[alibali]

Anca Nicolae I’m so happy to hear your kitty is improving! Great news! Thank you for keeping me updated.

I’m really glad my info was helpful!!

 

[Anca Nicolae]

Hi! I'm back with great news! Kity has completely healed and is a happy cat again. alibali thank you again for your help. Your information was very useful and saved Kity. Hope Cooper is fine!