Emergency: Weird Episodes

"Mary" wrote in message
r.com...
First, Buddha is on her way to the after hours clinic right now. My
husband
took her and will call and tell me what they say.

History:

The morning I first took Buddha in to the vet a month or so ago I did so
because after I put her food in her dish, I looked down to place it in
front
of her and saw her doing something really strange. (She is a weird girl
anyway, but she would not respond to me at all when I spoke to her or
petted
her.)

She was listing to one side and going in a circle, essentially lying on
the
floor, feeling around in front of her with her paws. He head was tilted to
one side and her eyes were half closed. There was no jerking and she made
no
sound. I thought immediately that she was having a stroke, just instinct
because of the listing to one side. (And she has been fat for way too
long.)
I ran upstairs, phoned the vet, got the carrier, and when I got back to
her
(maybe three minutes later) she was absolutely fine and chowing down on
her
food.

The vet said he had no idea what it was, but that it might have been a
"little fainting spell." Then when he retested her thyroid, we thought
that
might contribute. Now as everyone knows she has been on Tapazole for a
while, and her thyroid levels are within normal range, though I am still
trying to find the right dosage.

Well, tonight after dinner she had another of these fits. Exactly the
same,
would not respond, it lasted maybe ten seconds then she was up and
playiing
with the laser pointer. But ten minutes later she began having balance
problems and was doing it again. We packed her up and my husband is on his
way to the clinic with her, as I said.

Has anyone ever had a cat that did this, and if so, what is it?

My idea: Sounds like it could be idiopathic vestibular disease. Debbie had
a variant of it, with episodes now & again for 2 - 3 years. Idiopathic,
because the origins aren't know, although it's common in cats.

Debbie had a seizure (short lasting) at the beginning of each episode,
rubbing her chin frantically on whatever surface she happened to be on at
the time.

The cat's balance is *way* off during these episodes, since they're
vestibular - so the cat will stagger when they walk - if they can even walk.
Even while lying down on the floor while experiencing this, Debbie would
often lean against a piece of furniture for support.

With her, each episode'd last up to 24 hours, but the acute part would be
for less. She'd often throw up, since she was so off-balance (& I assume
dizzy - yech, poor girl!), & sometimes even lose control of her bladder &
bowels. Debbie's idiopathic vestibular disease showed up out-of-the-blue, &
also spontaneously vanished 2 - 3 years later. She was left with a
permanent slight head tilt, which became less pronounced as the subsequent
years rolled by. People always told me how cute & coy she looked, but in
reality, it was a medical deal.

Nystagmus - the eyes moving rapidly from side-to-side - is a common symptom
of this condition, but that's one symptom Debbie never exhibited.

If it is idiopathic vestibular disease, the good news is that the episodes
are self-limiting. But the poor cat must feel *awful* in the middle of one.
My vet gave me meclizine to give to Debbie when I noticed the very first
signs of the onset of a new episode - that helped her to some degree: the
episodes were less severe w/ the meclizine. (Meclizine is the main
ingredient in some motion sickness meds, like Bonine.)

I hope this is what Buddha has, because although scary to witness, it isn't
really a biggy on the grand veterinary scale of medical probs.

Cathy



Also: some may remember the "funny" thing I mentioned that she does when
you
rub her spot at the base of her tail, where she says "mow mow mow" and
wags
her head? Well, the last time we did that she kind of jerked her head and
gnawed at her arm AND said "mow mow mow." Needless to say we do not do
that
any more. I am thinking this is related, and that we are looking at some
sort of serious nervous system problem, such as a brain tumor.

Can anyone shed any light while I wait for the news from the clinic? Thank
you.

She was listing to one side and going in a circle, essentially lying on the
floor, feeling around in front of her with her paws. He head was tilted to
one side and her eyes were half closed. There was no jerking and she made no
sound.

It sounds like mild seizures. I've had squirrels with seizures and some are so
slight that they just get real still, kind of lean to one side, sometimes fall
over, eyes might dart a couple of times or they stare out into outer space then
they start to come to and finish what they were doing. There can be many causes
for seizures. It doesn't sound like a stroke. Hopefully your vet can figure out
the cause. I know with humans when it's hot and people get dehydrated, they're
more likely to have seizures.

She was listing to one side and going in a circle, essentially lying on the
floor, feeling around in front of her with her paws. He head was tilted to
one side and her eyes were half closed. There was no jerking and she made no
sound.

It sounds like mild seizures. I've had squirrels with seizures and some are so
slight that they just get real still, kind of lean to one side, sometimes fall
over, eyes might dart a couple of times or they stare out into outer space then
they start to come to and finish what they were doing. There can be many causes
for seizures. It doesn't sound like a stroke. Hopefully your vet can figure out
the cause. I know with humans when it's hot and people get dehydrated, they're
more likely to have seizures.

"Cathy Friedmann" wrote in message
...


If they figure out exactly what's going on - whether this or
something else,
good. If not - for instance, if they say "Hey, to tell you the
truth we
have no clue, but she seems fine now," & send your husband & Buddha
back
home w/ that message, you could bring up the *possibility* (hey, I
assume
could be something else, too - but this seems the most likely - off
the top
of my head, considering it's quite common) of this being the problem
& see
what the vet says. I haven't Googled for this condition, but I bet
you
could find plenty of info on it. So, let's see what pans out. Good
luck.

Cathy

I thought it was feline vestibular disease too. I found a link about
it.
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/vestibular_disease.html

Mary , hugs to Bhudda.
Alison

"Cathy Friedmann" wrote in message
...


If they figure out exactly what's going on - whether this or
something else,
good. If not - for instance, if they say "Hey, to tell you the
truth we
have no clue, but she seems fine now," & send your husband & Buddha
back
home w/ that message, you could bring up the *possibility* (hey, I
assume
could be something else, too - but this seems the most likely - off
the top
of my head, considering it's quite common) of this being the problem
& see
what the vet says. I haven't Googled for this condition, but I bet
you
could find plenty of info on it. So, let's see what pans out. Good
luck.

Cathy

I thought it was feline vestibular disease too. I found a link about
it.
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/vestibular_disease.html

Mary , hugs to Bhudda.
Alison

"Alison" wrote in message
...

"Cathy Friedmann" wrote in message
...


If they figure out exactly what's going on - whether this or
something else,
good. If not - for instance, if they say "Hey, to tell you the
truth we
have no clue, but she seems fine now," & send your husband & Buddha
back
home w/ that message, you could bring up the *possibility* (hey, I
assume
could be something else, too - but this seems the most likely - off
the top
of my head, considering it's quite common) of this being the problem
& see
what the vet says. I haven't Googled for this condition, but I bet
you
could find plenty of info on it. So, let's see what pans out. Good
luck.

Cathy

I thought it was feline vestibular disease too. I found a link about
it.
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/vestibular_disease.html

Mary , hugs to Bhudda.
Alison


Thank you. Alison. That link does make it sound like this is what it is,
except, as Cathy mentioned, that her attacks last seconds and she is
perfectly fine the next minute. That last bit about the brain tumor really
worried me. But I am going to think good thoughts.

"Alison" wrote in message
...

"Cathy Friedmann" wrote in message
...


If they figure out exactly what's going on - whether this or
something else,
good. If not - for instance, if they say "Hey, to tell you the
truth we
have no clue, but she seems fine now," & send your husband & Buddha
back
home w/ that message, you could bring up the *possibility* (hey, I
assume
could be something else, too - but this seems the most likely - off
the top
of my head, considering it's quite common) of this being the problem
& see
what the vet says. I haven't Googled for this condition, but I bet
you
could find plenty of info on it. So, let's see what pans out. Good
luck.

Cathy

I thought it was feline vestibular disease too. I found a link about
it.
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/vestibular_disease.html

Mary , hugs to Bhudda.
Alison


Thank you. Alison. That link does make it sound like this is what it is,
except, as Cathy mentioned, that her attacks last seconds and she is
perfectly fine the next minute. That last bit about the brain tumor really
worried me. But I am going to think good thoughts.