Neuropathy/Leg Weakness from Kidney Disease?

[misskalamata]

I'm wondering if anyone's cat has experienced this, and how you dealt with it.

My 17 year old cat is believed to have peripheral neuropathy due to chronic kidney disease. She can't stay standing for any length of time, although she can walk unsteadily from place to place. She eats while lying down. She is recovering from hospitalization for heart failure, and no doubt that is contributing to the weakness. She's much more lethargic than usual.

She is not diabetic; the doctor said this can happen in kidney patients. Not a lot they say they can do for it, though they did give her a b12 shot as a deficiency can be a factor. Her kidney numbers aren't great, but they're not terrible... BUN 46, crea 4.

Most info I can find on neuropathy relates to diabetes, so if anyone has experience with neuropathy from kidney disease, it would be quite helpful!

Thank you!

 

[boney girl dad]

I don't know about neuropathy, but my Boney Girl had CKD and walked on her back hocks (ankles) her last few months. Her back legs were not working well at all her last 3 days. It sure hurts not to be able to do something. Boney sure did try to use those back legs and I'm thinking that is probably the best therapy. Sorry you and your cat are going through this.

 

[white shadow]

Hi MissKalamata !

There's a wonderful alphabetical list of feline CKD symptoms on the 'CKD Oracle' site....here's the "W" section - look for the 'weakness' and 'wobbliness' (2) right here: http://felinecrf.org/symptoms_treatments_index.htm#W

I'd be looking at the phosphorous and potassium levels to start, personally.

You might want to bookmark the list itself: http://felinecrf.org/symptoms_treatments_index.htm   and the Intro/Overview page to this section of the site: http://felinecrf.org/symptoms.htm

Helen (who owns/keeps that site) also sponsors a premiere specialized online community for CKD caregivers....that's here: https://tanyackd.groups.io/g/support   and, you can read about that group here: http://felinecrf.org/tanyas_support_group.htm

 

[Geoffrey]

I am a human doctor, not a vet and any advice that I give about cats should be checked with a vet.   Peripheral neuritis is common in human uraemia, I can see no reason why that is not the same in cats.  I am a specialist in human internal medicine, as well as cardiology, and have seen a number of cases of human peripheral neuritis in my practice. 

In general the peripheral neuritis becomes worse as the kidney failure (uraemia) deteriorates.   The toxins, produced as the waste material accumulates in the blood, act directly on the nerves, damaging their myelin sheathes (the fatty material surrounding nerves acting as an insulator, just like plastic is used in ordinary electrical wires).  As the nerves lose their insulation, so they fail to work ie. they short circuit - hence peripheral neuritis.  Peripheral because the neuritis involves mainly the periphery of the body - the tips of the toes, spreading up the hind limbs, and later spreading to the fingers, (the paws) of the front legs . 

The peripheral neuritis is also contributed to by uraemic acidosis (increased acid in the blood), hyperphosphataemia  and alterations to the serum calcium and potassium.  All these abnormalities contribute to peripheral neuritis, which is present in 65% of uraemic cats.

As the peripheral neuritis deteriorates, then the lack of sensation in the hind limbs becomes worse and this is associated with apparent weakness as the cat cannot feel where their hind legs are in space.  There is also direct motor (muscle) damage causing further weakness of (usually) the hind limbs.  The front limbs are affected as the peripheral neuritis worsens, but the effect is mainly on the hind limbs.

Lethargy is caused by the toxins produced by the uraemia directly affecting the brain. 

With all best wishes to @MissKalamata  and to the cat,

Geoffrey