Extreme Lethargy

Hi

I was wondering if anyone has seen the likes of this. On the 23rd of July I
took my cat Timothy to the vet for his annual checkup/vaccination. The vet
said he had a significant heart murmur, and elevated urea/creatinine levels
in the blood. He gave him his vaccinations, since Tim is an outdoor cat. I
decided to switch the cat to a lower protein food for a couple of weeks and
then take him for a urinalysis. All was going fine until 3rd August, when
the cat started showing signs of lethargy. It started with taking the
stairs one at a time on the way down instead of the usual streak, and
sleeping all night on my bed without the usual 4:00 am playtime.

Took the cat back to the vet yesterday (August 6), and had the urinalysis
done, as well as heart and kidney x-rays and another blood test. Tim has a
slightly enlarged heart, but no obvious defects otherwise. Also one small
kidney with a probable stone, but the other is fine. He now sleeps ALL day
and seems a little unsteady on his feet when he does get up. He is eating
and drinking normally, and urinating and defecating in his litter box. The
vet said he was grooming himself, which is a good sign. His breathing seems
normal.

I'm just amazed that the deterioration is so sudden. The vet can't locate
anything obviously wrong, and frankly I can't afford much more in the way of
investigative testing. I'm taking him in for FIV tests later. He's a
completely different cat from 7 days ago (he caught a bird last week, first
time I've seen that!) Could this be a reaction to the vaccinations? Any
other ideas?

Thanks for any input.

Toni

In article ,
"Toni from T.O." wrote:

I'm just amazed that the deterioration is so sudden. The vet can't locate
anything obviously wrong, and frankly I can't afford much more in the way of
investigative testing. I'm taking him in for FIV tests later. He's a
completely different cat from 7 days ago (he caught a bird last week, first
time I've seen that!) Could this be a reaction to the vaccinations? Any
other ideas?

Thanks for any input.

Toni

We saw something like this once in the vet clinic where I worked. It was
apparently a vaccine reaction and came up at about the time frame you
describe. If I remember correctly the cat in question had a very high
fever--does yours?

-Alison in OH

In article ,
"Toni from T.O." wrote:

I'm just amazed that the deterioration is so sudden. The vet can't locate
anything obviously wrong, and frankly I can't afford much more in the way of
investigative testing. I'm taking him in for FIV tests later. He's a
completely different cat from 7 days ago (he caught a bird last week, first
time I've seen that!) Could this be a reaction to the vaccinations? Any
other ideas?

Thanks for any input.

Toni

We saw something like this once in the vet clinic where I worked. It was
apparently a vaccine reaction and came up at about the time frame you
describe. If I remember correctly the cat in question had a very high
fever--does yours?

-Alison in OH

"Alison Smiley Perera" wrote in message
...
We saw something like this once in the vet clinic where I worked. It was
apparently a vaccine reaction and came up at about the time frame you
describe. If I remember correctly the cat in question had a very high
fever--does yours?

-Alison in OH

Hi Alison

I'm hoping that's what it is, and that he gets over it and back to his
normal spunky self. No, he does not have a fever...I kinda wish he did! I
read in the archives that someone's cat had a vaccine reaction that lasted
for 10 days. If the viral tests show up nothing, I guess I'll just have to
wait it out. The good thing is he doesn't seem to be in any pain (he shows
a mild interest in strings etc. dangled in front of him). sigh I just
hate to see him so inactive. I'd give anything to have him pestering me in
the middle of the night with the gentle paw on the face and the 80 decibel
purring!

Toni

"Alison Smiley Perera" wrote in message
...
We saw something like this once in the vet clinic where I worked. It was
apparently a vaccine reaction and came up at about the time frame you
describe. If I remember correctly the cat in question had a very high
fever--does yours?

-Alison in OH

Hi Alison

I'm hoping that's what it is, and that he gets over it and back to his
normal spunky self. No, he does not have a fever...I kinda wish he did! I
read in the archives that someone's cat had a vaccine reaction that lasted
for 10 days. If the viral tests show up nothing, I guess I'll just have to
wait it out. The good thing is he doesn't seem to be in any pain (he shows
a mild interest in strings etc. dangled in front of him). sigh I just
hate to see him so inactive. I'd give anything to have him pestering me in
the middle of the night with the gentle paw on the face and the 80 decibel
purring!

Toni

From: "Toni from T.O."

On the 23rd of July I
took my cat Timothy to the vet for his annual checkup/vaccination. The vet
said he had a significant heart murmur, and elevated urea/creatinine levels
in the blood. He gave him his vaccinations,

Took the cat back to the vet yesterday (August 6), and had the urinalysis
done, as well as heart and kidney x-rays and another blood test. Tim has a
slightly enlarged heart, but no obvious defects otherwise. Also one small
kidney with a probable stone, but the other is fine. He now sleeps ALL day
and seems a little unsteady on his feet when he does get up.

I don't understand why your vet vaccinated an animal that clearly was not
healthy. It even says on the vaccine insert to administer to healthy animals
only.

Lauren
________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm

From: "Toni from T.O."

On the 23rd of July I
took my cat Timothy to the vet for his annual checkup/vaccination. The vet
said he had a significant heart murmur, and elevated urea/creatinine levels
in the blood. He gave him his vaccinations,

Took the cat back to the vet yesterday (August 6), and had the urinalysis
done, as well as heart and kidney x-rays and another blood test. Tim has a
slightly enlarged heart, but no obvious defects otherwise. Also one small
kidney with a probable stone, but the other is fine. He now sleeps ALL day
and seems a little unsteady on his feet when he does get up.

I don't understand why your vet vaccinated an animal that clearly was not
healthy. It even says on the vaccine insert to administer to healthy animals
only.

Lauren
________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm

"PawsForThought" wrote in message
...
I don't understand why your vet vaccinated an animal that clearly was not
healthy. It even says on the vaccine insert to administer to healthy
animals
only.

Lauren


Well, to be fair to the vet, he administered the vaccine only because
Timothy is an outdoor cat.

Toni

"PawsForThought" wrote in message
...
I don't understand why your vet vaccinated an animal that clearly was not
healthy. It even says on the vaccine insert to administer to healthy
animals
only.

Lauren


Well, to be fair to the vet, he administered the vaccine only because
Timothy is an outdoor cat.

Toni

"Toni from T.O." wrote in
:

Tests were negative for leukemia and FIV. The vet thinks it may be
hemobartonella (parasite), the bloodwork should be complete today. From
some research on the net, it sounds about right. Fingers crossed the
tetracycline will work.

Toni


I hope so too. Lethargic cats are a huge reason to worry. Good luck and
let us know.


--
Cheryl

"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough."
-Mario Andretti.