MRI scan

[dunmopin]

The cat's been very active and out a lot since the weather got better. On Monday morning she was asleep when I went out, I thought she'd come in, had the food left for her and crashed. DP tried to wake her at lunchtime and she was very groggy and holding one foot off the floor. Vet kept her in overnight but no improvement - suspects nerve damage so a referral for a scan, tomorrow morning. This may lead to an op, an amputation, or just rest and recovery. Has anyone any experience of anything like this? She has no visible injuries and ate and drank loads when we brought her home today.

[cozietoesie]

Poor her and you.

So she goes out at night? (I'm wondering if she could have had an argument with a car. A bash could have done damage which wasn't immediately apparent.)

How old is she?

[dunmopin]

Thanks cozietosie. She will be five in July. I wondered about a car but her street sense is quite good and the road fairly quiet - I wondered if she could have caused it by overenthusiastic leaping from a tree. She'd suddenly gone from being (fairly) quiet during all the rain to extremely bouncy and she is clumsy sometimes. Not looking forward to keeping her in a crate at night, she will go crazy.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Good luck, I hope it goes well.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Is it a front leg? If so brachial plexus injuries are not uncommon. The brachial plexus is a net work of nerves that control the whole of that leg.

[cozietoesie]

How are they commonly caused, Lone?

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Variety of ways sometimes we never find out. Car accidents, compression injuries, 'hung up' injuries to name a few.

[cozietoesie]

Ah well - but I guess more common in cats who go outside then? (And no action which can be taken to prevent them, I assume.)

[dunmopin]

She didn't have the scan - vet didn't think it would help diagnosis. It is the front leg, he thinks two of the nerves at the shoulder there. He thinks it was some kind of fall. She will probably be okay.

He wasn't able to do as full an examination as he liked because she went for him, he asked me to hold her and she went for me too - she's never done that before. The place was an hour by taxi, and the taxi driver got lost, so she was wailing all the way and nearly hysterical, and weed and pooed in the carrier. She wasn't happy anyway because she'd fasted since the night before, because we thought she would have an anaesthetic.

But we are home now, with some painkillers for her. We are supposed to book in for a different kind of scan (name gone out of head) next week so that he can tell how much feeling she may recover, after some healing has taken place. But it would be a month or two before we could be really sure that she would not lose the paw. Call me a wimp, but I am wondering if we really have to go back there - I was on the verge of hysteria myself by the end. The really good news is no crate, just keep her in for the time being.

[cozietoesie]

dun

I know I'm fairly spoilt in that our vet is only a little bit down the road so at a pinch I could carry Seniorboy there rather than hire a taxi - but surely there's one closer that you could try? Have you had a look see?

[dunmopin]

Thanks cozie, our usual vet is just down the road too, this was a referral to a specialist neurology appointment. This was apparently the nearest - they originally suggested one out near Luton!

[cozietoesie]

Ah.

Now that you know how bad she is in travelling longer distances, maybe discuss with your usual vet now?

[dunmopin]

Yes, I think I will. We will see over the next few days whether she can move it more, and it seems only observation will tell whether the paw will be any good - all that trauma for a more exact diagnosis? I don't see the point. Risk/ benefit comparison is saying "no" to me.