Seizure or Stroke or?

My six year old Chartreu had a scary event yesterday morning.

She's been perfectly healthy. I never saw the episode, but heard her
trashing around and hitting the walls. When I got to her, she was
over it, trying to stand up and using the wall for support.

I took her to the vet right away. Vet gave diagnosis as seizure.
Blood work was done (triglycerides results will come tomorrow) Her
cholestrol is very high and vet said this could be factor for seizure.

From all I am reading, I don't think this is a seizure. Mainly
because, she has not fully recovered control of her motor skills. She
wobbles and all legs are weak. Her one front leg is most affected.
She has to raise it higher and then it will make a circular movement
before she can get it down to the floor. Sometimes she favors it a
lot looking like an injury. Sometimes she has better control. She
goes from bad to better to bad, in terms of controlling her limbs.

All that I read on seizures, this is not the norm. In seizures, motor
skills are restored completely and soon. This appears to be something
that has caused permanent damage.

Anyone who can offer more information on this will be greatly
appreciated.
Thanks.

Carol R

(Carol R) wrote in news:d165fe69.0410200614.64da2a75
@posting.google.com:

My six year old Chartreu had a scary event yesterday morning.

She's been perfectly healthy. I never saw the episode, but heard her
trashing around and hitting the walls. When I got to her, she was
over it, trying to stand up and using the wall for support.

I took her to the vet right away. Vet gave diagnosis as seizure.
Blood work was done (triglycerides results will come tomorrow) Her
cholestrol is very high and vet said this could be factor for seizure.

From all I am reading, I don't think this is a seizure. Mainly
because, she has not fully recovered control of her motor skills. She
wobbles and all legs are weak. Her one front leg is most affected.
She has to raise it higher and then it will make a circular movement
before she can get it down to the floor. Sometimes she favors it a
lot looking like an injury. Sometimes she has better control. She
goes from bad to better to bad, in terms of controlling her limbs.

All that I read on seizures, this is not the norm. In seizures, motor
skills are restored completely and soon. This appears to be something
that has caused permanent damage.

Anyone who can offer more information on this will be greatly
appreciated.
Thanks.

Carol R


I don't know much about it, but the way you describe it makes me think it
sounds like it could be a stroke. Did you ask your vet if s/he had
considered that? I would call the vet again, voice your concerns, and
possibly consider getting a second opinion from another vet if you are
not happy with your conversations with your current vet. It may well be,
though, that your vet revises his/her opinion based on the new
information.

I'm sorry your kitty is unwell. I hope things improve soon.

--Catherine
& Rosalie the calicohead

(Carol R) wrote in news:d165fe69.0410200614.64da2a75
@posting.google.com:

My six year old Chartreu had a scary event yesterday morning.

She's been perfectly healthy. I never saw the episode, but heard her
trashing around and hitting the walls. When I got to her, she was
over it, trying to stand up and using the wall for support.

I took her to the vet right away. Vet gave diagnosis as seizure.
Blood work was done (triglycerides results will come tomorrow) Her
cholestrol is very high and vet said this could be factor for seizure.

From all I am reading, I don't think this is a seizure. Mainly
because, she has not fully recovered control of her motor skills. She
wobbles and all legs are weak. Her one front leg is most affected.
She has to raise it higher and then it will make a circular movement
before she can get it down to the floor. Sometimes she favors it a
lot looking like an injury. Sometimes she has better control. She
goes from bad to better to bad, in terms of controlling her limbs.

All that I read on seizures, this is not the norm. In seizures, motor
skills are restored completely and soon. This appears to be something
that has caused permanent damage.

Anyone who can offer more information on this will be greatly
appreciated.
Thanks.

Carol R


I don't know much about it, but the way you describe it makes me think it
sounds like it could be a stroke. Did you ask your vet if s/he had
considered that? I would call the vet again, voice your concerns, and
possibly consider getting a second opinion from another vet if you are
not happy with your conversations with your current vet. It may well be,
though, that your vet revises his/her opinion based on the new
information.

I'm sorry your kitty is unwell. I hope things improve soon.

--Catherine
& Rosalie the calicohead

"Carol R" wrote in message
om...
My six year old Chartreu had a scary event yesterday morning.

She's been perfectly healthy. I never saw the episode, but heard her
trashing around and hitting the walls. When I got to her, she was
over it, trying to stand up and using the wall for support.

I took her to the vet right away. Vet gave diagnosis as seizure.
Blood work was done (triglycerides results will come tomorrow) Her
cholestrol is very high and vet said this could be factor for seizure.

From all I am reading, I don't think this is a seizure. Mainly
because, she has not fully recovered control of her motor skills. She
wobbles and all legs are weak. Her one front leg is most affected.

Is it the right leg? Does her paw feel cool, and/or do her nailbeds look
bluish?

Phil




She has to raise it higher and then it will make a circular movement
before she can get it down to the floor. Sometimes she favors it a
lot looking like an injury. Sometimes she has better control. She
goes from bad to better to bad, in terms of controlling her limbs.

All that I read on seizures, this is not the norm. In seizures, motor
skills are restored completely and soon. This appears to be something
that has caused permanent damage.

Anyone who can offer more information on this will be greatly
appreciated.
Thanks.

Carol R

"Carol R" wrote in message
om...
My six year old Chartreu had a scary event yesterday morning.

She's been perfectly healthy. I never saw the episode, but heard her
trashing around and hitting the walls. When I got to her, she was
over it, trying to stand up and using the wall for support.

I took her to the vet right away. Vet gave diagnosis as seizure.
Blood work was done (triglycerides results will come tomorrow) Her
cholestrol is very high and vet said this could be factor for seizure.

From all I am reading, I don't think this is a seizure. Mainly
because, she has not fully recovered control of her motor skills. She
wobbles and all legs are weak. Her one front leg is most affected.

Is it the right leg? Does her paw feel cool, and/or do her nailbeds look
bluish?

Phil




She has to raise it higher and then it will make a circular movement
before she can get it down to the floor. Sometimes she favors it a
lot looking like an injury. Sometimes she has better control. She
goes from bad to better to bad, in terms of controlling her limbs.

All that I read on seizures, this is not the norm. In seizures, motor
skills are restored completely and soon. This appears to be something
that has caused permanent damage.

Anyone who can offer more information on this will be greatly
appreciated.
Thanks.

Carol R

Is it the right leg? Does her paw feel cool, and/or do her nailbeds look
bluish?

Yes it is her right front leg. I think pad feels a little cooler, I
can't see any difference in the nail bed color. I will look again
tomorrow during daylight. She also now walks low on her rear hocks.
But Dr observed she sets her paws down well.

The clinic I went to called and asked me to bring her in again today,
they wanted another Dr there to check her. This Dr. was the one to
see, she was more experienced. She also asked me to leave her for a
couple of hours as she has a friend who is a Neurologist and she would
ask him to come check her. I learned after that he had not seen this
before and thinks she may have had a stroke or embolism.

He said take a wait and see stance. She will either adjust to being a
bit wobbly or continue to decline.

I'll check back here for further feedback.

Thanks for all your answers.

Carol R.




Phil

Is it the right leg? Does her paw feel cool, and/or do her nailbeds look
bluish?

Yes it is her right front leg. I think pad feels a little cooler, I
can't see any difference in the nail bed color. I will look again
tomorrow during daylight. She also now walks low on her rear hocks.
But Dr observed she sets her paws down well.

The clinic I went to called and asked me to bring her in again today,
they wanted another Dr there to check her. This Dr. was the one to
see, she was more experienced. She also asked me to leave her for a
couple of hours as she has a friend who is a Neurologist and she would
ask him to come check her. I learned after that he had not seen this
before and thinks she may have had a stroke or embolism.

He said take a wait and see stance. She will either adjust to being a
bit wobbly or continue to decline.

I'll check back here for further feedback.

Thanks for all your answers.

Carol R.




Phil

"Carol R" wrote in message
om...

Is it the right leg? Does her paw feel cool, and/or do her nailbeds
look
bluish?

Yes it is her right front leg. I think pad feels a little cooler, I
can't see any difference in the nail bed color. I will look again
tomorrow during daylight. She also now walks low on her rear hocks.
But Dr observed she sets her paws down well.

The clinic I went to called and asked me to bring her in again today,
they wanted another Dr there to check her. This Dr. was the one to
see, she was more experienced. She also asked me to leave her for a
couple of hours as she has a friend who is a Neurologist and she would
ask him to come check her. I learned after that he had not seen this
before and thinks she may have had a stroke or embolism.

Based on your description, my guess is an embolus in her right brachial
artery. That was my first hunch and reason for asking the questions that I
did. This type of embolism isn't very common - most affect the hind legs
("saddle thrombus").

If it is a thrombus, the outcome is very difficult to predict - it depends
on the size of the embolus and the thrombolytic ability of the cat. The
fact that she's walking on the leg and not dragging it is a very good sign -
means the embolus may not be very big and/or her thrombolytic ability is
good. Thrombolysis is a somewhat slow process, but you should see a little
more improvement every day.


He said take a wait and see stance. She will either adjust to being a
bit wobbly or continue to decline.


I would want a definitive diagnosis before I settled on a wait and see
strategy.


I'll check back here for further feedback.

Thanks for all your answers.

Carol R.


Best of luck,

Phil





Phil

"Carol R" wrote in message
om...

Is it the right leg? Does her paw feel cool, and/or do her nailbeds
look
bluish?

Yes it is her right front leg. I think pad feels a little cooler, I
can't see any difference in the nail bed color. I will look again
tomorrow during daylight. She also now walks low on her rear hocks.
But Dr observed she sets her paws down well.

The clinic I went to called and asked me to bring her in again today,
they wanted another Dr there to check her. This Dr. was the one to
see, she was more experienced. She also asked me to leave her for a
couple of hours as she has a friend who is a Neurologist and she would
ask him to come check her. I learned after that he had not seen this
before and thinks she may have had a stroke or embolism.

Based on your description, my guess is an embolus in her right brachial
artery. That was my first hunch and reason for asking the questions that I
did. This type of embolism isn't very common - most affect the hind legs
("saddle thrombus").

If it is a thrombus, the outcome is very difficult to predict - it depends
on the size of the embolus and the thrombolytic ability of the cat. The
fact that she's walking on the leg and not dragging it is a very good sign -
means the embolus may not be very big and/or her thrombolytic ability is
good. Thrombolysis is a somewhat slow process, but you should see a little
more improvement every day.


He said take a wait and see stance. She will either adjust to being a
bit wobbly or continue to decline.


I would want a definitive diagnosis before I settled on a wait and see
strategy.


I'll check back here for further feedback.

Thanks for all your answers.

Carol R.


Best of luck,

Phil





Phil

I would want a definitive diagnosis before I settled on a wait and see
strategy.


How would I get a definitive diagnosis? Is there a test that would
resolve this question?

Many Thanks... Carol R