Topic: Tom has gone wobbly (Read 12005 times)

Christine (Blip) · « **Reply #21 on:** July 15, 2007, 11:04:46 AM »

Just caught up with this and hope you can get to the bottom of it very quickly.

Pinkbear (Julie) · « **Reply #20 on:** July 15, 2007, 10:52:26 AM »

Have you ruled out an ear infection?

Ela · « **Reply #19 on:** July 15, 2007, 10:43:39 AM »

Quote

I agree Ela but in Tom's case, the young vet I saw yesterday was stumped so I'm hoping experience will help tomorrow

In reality the old and the new compliment each other.

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #18 on:** July 15, 2007, 10:34:51 AM »

I agree Ela but in Tom's case, the young vet I saw yesterday was stumped so I'm hoping experience will help tomorrow

Ela · « **Reply #17 on:** July 15, 2007, 08:45:32 AM »

Quote

Whilst the vet I saw yesterday was very young, she seemed very thorough but no substitute for experience in situations like this.

To be fair I must say that sometimes the young vets are excellent as they have the latest ideas, I know a few years ago it was a young vet who came up with the latest technology that saved one of my cats. My vet who is wonderful and can usually tell what is wrong by almost looking at a pet but he did not know about the latest treatment for the condition. Can't remember what it was now.

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #16 on:** July 15, 2007, 08:32:25 AM »

Got your PM. Many thanks. Delighted that Polly so much better now. Poor baby though having to cope with balance problem. Bloomin VetsNOW. Doesn't bear thinking about.

Afraid Tom back to as wobbly as he was yesterday morning but thankfully he is eating although haven't seen him drink so think will lock him away today to ensure he doesn't eat any dry food. He woke OH as usual this morning at 4am for food (you were up in the wee hours I see too). It does seem to be his hind quarters that are very weak making him stagger. Difficult for him to turn around without big wobble so he does it slowly. Hes not circling. He staggers to left as much as to the right. He doesn't appear to be in any discomfort apart from uneasy at wobbliness so I'm not sure this can be spondylosis as that is painful?. He gets downstairs without too much difficulty but very slow going up. I'm not going to give him his metacam today as this can mask things coz it's such a good painkiller altho I feel a bit wicked.

I will google vestibular disease to see if symptoms link up.

I also locked everyone in last night to keep an eye on things; bedlam of course as Billy and Freddie kept me awake most of night with their antics. Had to "sleep" in spare room so Tommie and OH wouldn't be disturbed. Anyway Freddie threw up a little again this morning but otherwise the other two are very well.

I will ring our vet first thing tomorrow and see if I can get an appointment with our Mr Watts who I have a lot of faith in but will certainly bear Mr Bate in mind. I think of you and Polly each time I drive to Cotteridge. Whilst the vet I saw yesterday was very young, she seemed very thorough but no substitute for experience in situations like this.

Hippykitty · « **Reply #15 on:** July 15, 2007, 04:11:54 AM »

Rosella, Polly is much better now. My vet thinks she has vestibular disease, which is a balance problem. Some cats vomit with this (P did at first) because they feel so giddy. May be a good idea to take Tom to my vet, as he's very good. If there had been something doing the rounds, he would have said so. He put Polly on antibiotics and prednisolone (though Polly's now withdrawing from these, as the vet was concerned about the effects on her other organs, considering her age).

If you think it would help, ask to see Mr Bate at the Oaks Vet Centre on Watford Road (on the way to Cotteridge).

Is Tom circling at all? P did this in the first 24 hours, and it was really distressing. She's now walking properly (almost) and eating for an army of cats. For the first few days, she wouldn't put her head down to the dish. Raising her dish didn't help. I had to hand feed her pieces of meat. I think this was because putting her head down made her giddy.

Will PM you my email address. (If I can work out how to PM!)

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #14 on:** July 14, 2007, 22:47:14 PM »

I do hope Tom is Ok Rosella and maybe improving tonight

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #13 on:** July 14, 2007, 21:27:34 PM »

Oh dear

blackcat · « **Reply #12 on:** July 14, 2007, 21:25:12 PM »

Giddiness perhaps not, but wobbliness is a common sign of poisoning........

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #11 on:** July 14, 2007, 21:23:10 PM »

Yes I know Nick. It is odd but Tom never threw up (or not that I know of) which tbh is unusual for him as he has been a regular vomit machine since he were a wee lad. He did however do a bit of a runny number 2 in cat tray in bedroom at about 5am

(he always does number 2s outside) but I think he was too wobbly to make it downstairs.

Tom doesn't go into neighbours garden to which dog also has access but OH did do a reckie of the garages at back of house for anything looking like could cause poisoning but found nothing. Don't know if giddiness could be caused by poisoning anyway???? It is a worry though that this can have come on so quickly without knowing the cause. Just went upstairs to check on him and he is still a bit wobbly but managed to get downstairs OK and is eating again for third time today and keeping it down which is fab.

I see that I have changed spondylosis into sponylitis in earlier posts. Perhaps I've invented a new illness lol.

Nick (Peanut & Boo) · « **Reply #10 on:** July 14, 2007, 20:51:20 PM »

bit odd that your other cat and the dog next door also threw up !..

Neither of mine have been sick for over a year .It might be an idea to check both gardens for anything that might have caused this. It might be something the dog has dragged out of the rubbish bags next door ? or weed killer ? slug pellets ? just a few ideas

hope he's better real soon.

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #9 on:** July 14, 2007, 20:24:22 PM »

Vet also mentioned she detected a slight heart murmur in Tom but, googling, this seems to be quite common in older cats so, unless anyone thinks otherwise, I'm gonna try and chill on that one for the weekend at least.

I'm not going to give Tom his Metacam tomorrow and think I'll go ahead with blood tests next week. If it is spondylitis, general consensus seems to be that continuous use of Metacam is not a good idea as it doesn't work well after a while if used continuously. Having said that, altho Tom has been on Metacam since last November, due to my worries about side effects on kidneys, I have been VERY sparing with it's use. Blood tests should also be able to tell me if there have been any side effects on Toms kidneys so far.

I suppose you gotta expect probs at 17 1/2 but his wobbling and lost of appetite really upset me this am.

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #8 on:** July 14, 2007, 20:00:01 PM »

I bin googling as you'd expect and look what I found Lynn!

http://www.catchat.org/discus/messages/18/45138.html?1156318563

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #7 on:** July 14, 2007, 18:54:16 PM »

Vet asked that as well and I said (not really thinking it thru) all 4 legs. Difficult to say tho but thinking about it might just be back legs. How does spondylosis manifest itself Lynn? Does it come and go as he did seem so much better this afternoon and has eaten quite well this afternoon.

CurlyCatz · « **Reply #6 on:** July 14, 2007, 18:45:05 PM »

sounds like a silly question rosella but is he wobbly/weaving on all his legs or just the hind ones ?

As he already has arthritis i was wondering if he could also have something like spondylosis.

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #5 on:** July 14, 2007, 16:41:37 PM »

Thanks All

Cheers Tab I'll mention that again when we go back but vet this am said that, looking a blood vessels in back of eye, she thought blood pressure unlikely to be the problem but couldn't rule out. Happily (very much touching wood) Tom has eaten some more food and is far less wobbly than this morning which is all so odd but very welcome. Obviously going to keep an eye on our little man.

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #4 on:** July 14, 2007, 16:15:04 PM »

Hope Tom is feeling better soon, it can only be a positive thing that the vet couldn't find anything obviously wrong

Bazsmum · « **Reply #3 on:** July 14, 2007, 15:32:55 PM »

Hope not the poison thing

Get better soon Tom.......hope nothing too serious

tab · « **Reply #2 on:** July 14, 2007, 14:47:22 PM »

It might be worth having his blood pressure checked. Its a long shot but Mogs was wobbly but I never really noticed until her back legs gave way completely and it turned out she had really high blood pressure and (as the vet put it) it was making her 'woozy'
I hope hes ok soon
love
Tab

edited to add Mogs is fine now just has daily tablets

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #1 on:** July 14, 2007, 14:41:41 PM »

Tom ate OK last night but didn't give OH his usual wake up call at 6am and, although showed interest in food at 8am, didn't want to eat when he got to plate. More worryingly he has started to wobble, sort of weaving like a drunk when he walks. He is on Metacam for cats for his arthritis in back legs (2 drops yesterday and due 2 drops tomorrow maybe). The arthritis makes him walk with a stiff gait when it's playing up not weaving like this.

Anyway brought him to vet first thing (I swear she looked about 12, boy am I getting old!). She gave him thorough check (ears, eyes, teeth, tummy, back legs) but apart from confirming that he is weaving when he walks, she could find nothing wrong. She suggested that he go in for blood tests if still a problem on Monday. Thankfully he did eat a little when we got back from vets. Any ideas anyone?

Did wonder if it might be same problem as HippyKitty's Polly (e.g. virus doing the rounds?) as Hippy lives only a few miles away. Billy has been subdued for a few days but eating, Freddie was also sick this am (pretty unusual for him) and next doors doggie William was throwing up all day yesterday so wondered if someone might have put poison down.

Author Topic: Tom has gone wobbly (Read 12005 times)