Sudden loss of use of a leg

At 11 am this morning my favorite cat Buddy was in good shape. Happily
sleeping on a towel by my bathroom sink. He had been grooming and was
looking fine. At 2:30 he was trying to walk dragging his right rear leg
limply behind him and mostly falling down. I rushed him to the vet. No
broken bones. He has a good pulse in his leg, no coldness, no heart murmur
but very diminished sensation in the leg - he can feel but not much. So
they gave him a pain killer and an anti-inflammatory and said we have to
wait and see. They are inclined not to think blood clot at this time though
it is not ruled out. He did manage to drag himself into the litter box
before I put him in the carrier. So that is good, he at least has control
of his bowels and bladder.

This is all so sudden, no warning at all. I mean he was fine just hours
earlier. At this point all I can do is wait and worry. Has anyone been
through this? I am thinking acupuncture but that has to wait till Monday.

Paul

A little update. Well the back leg is now feeling colder than the left leg.
There is definitely a difference between the afflicted leg and the healthy
ones. His toe pads on the bad leg feel quite cold actually although his
pads are still a healthy pink color (he had unpigmented pads). Possibly a
clot? How do they treat these in cats? Or can they be treated?

Paul

"Paul M. Cook" wrote in message
news:AoCLi.211$n92.116@trnddc06...
At 11 am this morning my favorite cat Buddy was in good shape. Happily
sleeping on a towel by my bathroom sink. He had been grooming and was
looking fine. At 2:30 he was trying to walk dragging his right rear leg
limply behind him and mostly falling down. I rushed him to the vet. No
broken bones. He has a good pulse in his leg, no coldness, no heart
murmur
but very diminished sensation in the leg - he can feel but not much. So
they gave him a pain killer and an anti-inflammatory and said we have to
wait and see. They are inclined not to think blood clot at this time
though
it is not ruled out. He did manage to drag himself into the litter box
before I put him in the carrier. So that is good, he at least has control
of his bowels and bladder.

This is all so sudden, no warning at all. I mean he was fine just hours
earlier. At this point all I can do is wait and worry. Has anyone been
through this? I am thinking acupuncture but that has to wait till Monday.

Paul

"Paul M. Cook" wrote in message
news:vdDLi.281$0I5.190@trnddc08...
A little update. Well the back leg is now feeling colder than the left
leg.
There is definitely a difference between the afflicted leg and the healthy
ones. His toe pads on the bad leg feel quite cold actually although his
pads are still a healthy pink color (he had unpigmented pads). Possibly a
clot? How do they treat these in cats? Or can they be treated?


Poor baby. I wish I knew. Phil might know.

"Cheryl" wrote


I hope so too. I think the cold is not a good sign. ER?


I think I would. I am hoping it is just some sort of nerve
damage. But could that make a limb cold?

"cybercat" wrote in message
...

"Cheryl" wrote


I hope so too. I think the cold is not a good sign. ER?


I think I would. I am hoping it is just some sort of nerve
damage. But could that make a limb cold?


I hope so too. The vet who saw Buddy seemed pretty sure it was. Which is
why Buddy is home now and not in an ER. He is sleeping comfortably at the
moment. He lets me rub his leg and does not complain. But it is driving
me nuts because if this is something time critical I'm wasting time. I can
call his vet on Monday but that's about it. All I can do is call the ER and
get a second opinion I suppose.

Paul

OK, Buddy seems to be feeling OK. He's not moving from his bed but he's
responding well to my attention and is purring. The affected leg seems to
be OK from the knee up. If I gently (very gently) prod him with a pin he
flinches. Below the knee he doesn't seem to feel much of anything, though.
If I pull on his leg he has the strength to pull back some after he gets
tired of me. The foot feels cool to the touch, but not cold. Since he's
half white I can see his skin under the white fur and it looks like it has
color, it's not gray.

It's just driving me nuts not knowing how this developed so fast. And the
Internet searches aren't coming up with much either. No stories, no
prognosis - nothing. I have no idea where this will lead, and what hope
there may be.

Paul

"Paul M. Cook" wrote in message
news:AoCLi.211$n92.116@trnddc06...
At 11 am this morning my favorite cat Buddy was in good shape. Happily
sleeping on a towel by my bathroom sink. He had been grooming and was
looking fine. At 2:30 he was trying to walk dragging his right rear leg
limply behind him and mostly falling down. I rushed him to the vet. No
broken bones. He has a good pulse in his leg, no coldness, no heart
murmur
but very diminished sensation in the leg - he can feel but not much. So
they gave him a pain killer and an anti-inflammatory and said we have to
wait and see. They are inclined not to think blood clot at this time
though
it is not ruled out. He did manage to drag himself into the litter box
before I put him in the carrier. So that is good, he at least has control
of his bowels and bladder.

This is all so sudden, no warning at all. I mean he was fine just hours
earlier. At this point all I can do is wait and worry. Has anyone been
through this? I am thinking acupuncture but that has to wait till Monday.

Paul

No, nothing like that. He mentioned possibly neuropathy but I did not make
the connection to diabetes. This is all completely out of nowhere. Just
last night he was in my kitchen getting up on the counter to smell my soup
ingredients. No trouble at all jumping or getting about.


"Matthew" wrote in message
...
Paul did the vet check for diabetes or at least the sugar level


"Paul M. Cook" wrote in message
news:cTGLi.301$0I5.68@trnddc08...
OK, Buddy seems to be feeling OK. He's not moving from his bed but he's
responding well to my attention and is purring. The affected leg seems
to
be OK from the knee up. If I gently (very gently) prod him with a pin he
flinches. Below the knee he doesn't seem to feel much of anything,
though.
If I pull on his leg he has the strength to pull back some after he gets
tired of me. The foot feels cool to the touch, but not cold. Since he's
half white I can see his skin under the white fur and it looks like it
has
color, it's not gray.

It's just driving me nuts not knowing how this developed so fast. And
the
Internet searches aren't coming up with much either. No stories, no
prognosis - nothing. I have no idea where this will lead, and what hope
there may be.

Paul

"Paul M. Cook" wrote in message
news:AoCLi.211$n92.116@trnddc06...
At 11 am this morning my favorite cat Buddy was in good shape. Happily
sleeping on a towel by my bathroom sink. He had been grooming and was
looking fine. At 2:30 he was trying to walk dragging his right rear leg
limply behind him and mostly falling down. I rushed him to the vet. No
broken bones. He has a good pulse in his leg, no coldness, no heart
murmur
but very diminished sensation in the leg - he can feel but not much. So
they gave him a pain killer and an anti-inflammatory and said we have to
wait and see. They are inclined not to think blood clot at this time
though
it is not ruled out. He did manage to drag himself into the litter box
before I put him in the carrier. So that is good, he at least has
control
of his bowels and bladder.

This is all so sudden, no warning at all. I mean he was fine just hours
earlier. At this point all I can do is wait and worry. Has anyone been
through this? I am thinking acupuncture but that has to wait till
Monday.

Paul

I'll ask, but he has displayed no symptoms at all for anything really,
especially diabetes. Despite the fact that he has quite a few health
issues, he has been remarkably stable until now.

Paul

"Matthew" wrote in message
...
Forgot to add with unregulated sugar levels

"Matthew" wrote in message
...
The reason I say have them check which I am not vet is that diabetic
cats
can get sudden loss of appendages and they can go cold.

Rumble showed no signs that he was I noticed that he was playing with
water way more than normal. It went from there happy to say he has
been
insulin free for over a year on a FF diet


"Paul M. Cook" wrote in message
news:KeILi.701$P06.211@trnddc05...
No, nothing like that. He mentioned possibly neuropathy but I did not
make the connection to diabetes. This is all completely out of
nowhere.
Just last night he was in my kitchen getting up on the counter to smell
my soup ingredients. No trouble at all jumping or getting about.


"Matthew" wrote in message
...
Paul did the vet check for diabetes or at least the sugar level


"Paul M. Cook" wrote in message
news:cTGLi.301$0I5.68@trnddc08...
OK, Buddy seems to be feeling OK. He's not moving from his bed but
he's
responding well to my attention and is purring. The affected leg
seems
to
be OK from the knee up. If I gently (very gently) prod him with a
pin
he
flinches. Below the knee he doesn't seem to feel much of anything,
though.
If I pull on his leg he has the strength to pull back some after he
gets
tired of me. The foot feels cool to the touch, but not cold. Since
he's
half white I can see his skin under the white fur and it looks like
it
has
color, it's not gray.

It's just driving me nuts not knowing how this developed so fast.
And
the
Internet searches aren't coming up with much either. No stories, no
prognosis - nothing. I have no idea where this will lead, and what
hope
there may be.

Paul

"Paul M. Cook" wrote in message
news:AoCLi.211$n92.116@trnddc06...
At 11 am this morning my favorite cat Buddy was in good shape.
Happily
sleeping on a towel by my bathroom sink. He had been grooming and
was
looking fine. At 2:30 he was trying to walk dragging his right rear
leg
limply behind him and mostly falling down. I rushed him to the vet.
No
broken bones. He has a good pulse in his leg, no coldness, no heart
murmur
but very diminished sensation in the leg - he can feel but not much.
So
they gave him a pain killer and an anti-inflammatory and said we
have
to
wait and see. They are inclined not to think blood clot at this
time
though
it is not ruled out. He did manage to drag himself into the litter
box
before I put him in the carrier. So that is good, he at least has
control
of his bowels and bladder.

This is all so sudden, no warning at all. I mean he was fine just
hours
earlier. At this point all I can do is wait and worry. Has anyone
been
through this? I am thinking acupuncture but that has to wait till
Monday.

Paul

"Paul M. Cook" wrote in message
news:vdDLi.281$0I5.190@trnddc08...
A little update. Well the back leg is now feeling colder than the left
leg.
There is definitely a difference between the afflicted leg and the healthy
ones. His toe pads on the bad leg feel quite cold actually although his
pads are still a healthy pink color (he had unpigmented pads). Possibly a
clot? How do they treat these in cats? Or can they be treated?

Paul,

Coolness and paresis/paralysis of a rear leg leads me to suspect a clot- a
thromboembolus lodged at the terminal abdominal aorta (the aortic
trifurcation). This type of clot usually extends down one or both iliac
arteries- if both its called a saddle thrombus. However, with this type of
clot the paw pads and/or nail beds are often cyanotic. So he might just
have a sprain or pinched nerve. Sometimes clipping a claw back to the quick
will rule in but not necessarily rule out a clot. If there's no blood flow
to the paw it won't bleed. If he has a partial clot, a small amount of
black-colored blood will usually ooze from the cut quick. You might want to
speak to your vet about that- although I'd be surprised if he didn't try it
already .

Best of luck,

Phil

"Phil P." wrote in message
news:IGQLi.957$6Y5.714@trnddc07...

"Paul M. Cook" wrote in message
news:vdDLi.281$0I5.190@trnddc08...
A little update. Well the back leg is now feeling colder than the left
leg.
There is definitely a difference between the afflicted leg and the
healthy
ones. His toe pads on the bad leg feel quite cold actually although his
pads are still a healthy pink color (he had unpigmented pads). Possibly
a
clot? How do they treat these in cats? Or can they be treated?

Paul,

Coolness and paresis/paralysis of a rear leg leads me to suspect a clot- a
thromboembolus lodged at the terminal abdominal aorta (the aortic
trifurcation). This type of clot usually extends down one or both iliac
arteries- if both its called a saddle thrombus. However, with this type
of
clot the paw pads and/or nail beds are often cyanotic. So he might just
have a sprain or pinched nerve. Sometimes clipping a claw back to the
quick
will rule in but not necessarily rule out a clot. If there's no blood
flow
to the paw it won't bleed. If he has a partial clot, a small amount of
black-colored blood will usually ooze from the cut quick. You might want
to
speak to your vet about that- although I'd be surprised if he didn't try
it
already .

Best of luck,


There is no blue coloration of his feet. In fact they are a healthy pink
color. He has unpigmented pads and I've noticed they change color from
whitish to pink. Mood pads I call them. The vet pinched his toes fairly
hard to gauge his reaction, which was not much. He barely felt it
apparently. I can feel a pulse in his leg so it is strong enough for me to
detect it. His claws are not purple or even discolored, they are the usual
pale white color. There is nothing I can see that looks any different on
his bad leg than the other 3. His appetite is great, he ate a fairly large
amount of food earlier this evening. More so than usual.

I guess all I can do is wait and see. I have some pain meds I am to
administer for now. I will call the ER if things change - but they really
do not have my confidence so I hesitate. Still, if he shows any distress
whatsoever he will in immediately. His PC vet is back in tomorrow morning.
Why does this always happen on a weekend?

Paul