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Help for Vinny
Hello Everyone, I've just read this entire blog and am thankful to read that some of your kitties have recovered after having hind leg weaknesses. I have two cats-Vinny & Veto. Vinny, a purebread blue pt siamese who is 4 and 1/2 years old is the smartest and most friendly and loving cat I have ever known. (Veto is a great cat too, but often skiddish and moody and as healthy as a tank.) Vinny has had different health problems since the first week in our home as a tiny kitten. Most notably at 1 years old (on his birthday) he was having difficulty breathing, wheezing alot and coughing. We took him to our regular vet who quickly referred us to Vet Specialists out-of-town since his lungs were filling w/fluid. We took him there. He was hospitalized that day and stayed there in their ICU for about a week. They honestly saved him..He was in one of those oxygen tents the newborns go into! They performed every test in the book and then treated him for broncho-pneumonia with complications from asthma. We had no idea he was asthmatic! He now has an albuterol inhaler (which he never needs anymore) but is also on a daily steroid-dexamethasone.
About a year ago, we noticed the his right hind knee would pop-out when walking/running..sometime he could get it back in himself and continue on his way..other times my husband would lay him down and stretch it out..This went on for weeks..then miraculously it quit happening. We thought perhaps a side affect from the daily steroid.
A week ago on Saturday, something worse happened for the first time. He was walking beside me and just fell-down..kinda like a face-plant. He got back up himself and started hobbling. (He was just at the vet on 1/22/10 for his rabies shot and check-up. He had also had had a couple days of diareah right before the appt that we thought maybe started from a change in his food flavor (lamb to chicken). My husband had to wash his backside 2x b/c it got on his legs. That completely went away and the Vet said he looked great.)
Now we've been watching him to see if the hip-hind leg thing gets better like before with the knee. Over the past 7 days, I have been watching him. There are days where it seems like he is fine. He still jumps on the bed, couch, sink, etc. He goes all around the house and is eating/drinking fine. But then there are days when it seems like it is getting worse like today. It doesn't seem like it is the knees either but rather both hindlegs, like the hips maybe. He hasn't fallen down again that I've observed but they definitely go-out..sometimes he just stops and starts again and he hobbles..like an old man. He is still super happy, jumping on things, eating/drinking, purring but seems more tired. I also think his gums are less pink.
My husband isn't going to be game for another $5K worth of testing/treatment hence our not taking him to the vet yet (plus he has had the knee thing before that totally went away and is otherwise acting normal.) I'm going to just take him anyway tomorrow, but wanted to get feedback from you all that have gone down this path. PLEASE.
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