11/17 Chewie AMPS 190/ +3 209/ PMPS 267/ +2 322

Virginie said:
Thanks Jackie :cat: I keep scrolling through old pics, I love seeing her in all her floofy and sassy glory. That picture is only two years old, it all went downhill so fast after her back injury in March 2022.
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I remember when Celeste was getting older and her robust ruff got less robust, and she got smaller. Gettin’ old ain’t for sissies…these kitties are tough. I’m sorry she hurt herself- how did Chewie hurt her back?
 
Jackie and Biggie said:
I remember when Celeste was getting older and her robust ruff got less robust, and she got smaller. Gettin’ old ain’t for sissies…these kitties are tough. I’m sorry she hurt herself- how did Chewie hurt her back?
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Yep, it's tough seeing them decline and get more fragile. It's the same heartbreak of seeing my late grandmother, a force of nature and a first-class stubborn lady, get so meek and small in her last years. Like you said, it's not for sissies.
Chewie hurt her back jumping down from a bed - suddenly she could barely walk a few steps before her back legs would buckle under her. We did X-rays but couldn't afford an MRI or CT, so the vet diagnosed a probable herniated disk causing weakness in her back legs. We treated it with confined rest, short course of steroids and pain meds, and acupuncture + laser therapy. She has regained a lot of her mobility but now she shuffles in the back legs, and can't jump up very well. We have pet stairs everywhere in the house so she can access her favorite spots.
While reading everything I could find about acromegaly, I noticed a paper mentioned spondylosis of the spine (abnormal wear and tear of the cartilage and bones) was a frequent finding in acrocats, so now I wonder if she's had hidden acromegaly for longer than we knew before it ever affected her blood glucose, and her back may have been fragilized by it!
 
Virginie said:
so now I wonder if she's had hidden acromegaly for longer than we knew
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In hindsight, I figured out the first symptom with Neko (weepy eye) was 7 months before her diabetes diagnosis. Some acros never become diabetic - which is probably one of the main ways in which caregivers actually notice it. Later on, I could feel the spondylosis.

I'm curious to see if Solensia makes a difference with her.
 
Virginie said:
Yep, it's tough seeing them decline and get more fragile. It's the same heartbreak of seeing my late grandmother, a force of nature and a first-class stubborn lady, get so meek and small in her last years. Like you said, it's not for sissies.
Chewie hurt her back jumping down from a bed - suddenly she could barely walk a few steps before her back legs would buckle under her. We did X-rays but couldn't afford an MRI or CT, so the vet diagnosed a probable herniated disk causing weakness in her back legs. We treated it with confined rest, short course of steroids and pain meds, and acupuncture + laser therapy. She has regained a lot of her mobility but now she shuffles in the back legs, and can't jump up very well. We have pet stairs everywhere in the house so she can access her favorite spots.
While reading everything I could find about acromegaly, I noticed a paper mentioned spondylosis of the spine (abnormal wear and tear of the cartilage and bones) was a frequent finding in acrocats, so now I wonder if she's had hidden acromegaly for longer than we knew before it ever affected her blood glucose, and her back may have been fragilized by it!
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It’s a bittersweet feeling where every day is such a gift and then you are sad that they aren’t as vibrant as they used to be.

Poor girl… It’s sad she has been fighting this little fight inside, and kitties can’t tell us how they are feeling or what is causing it. She is so lucky to have a mama who devours all the research and information she can to understand her condition and give her the best chance possible to feel better. I love that she has little stairs everywhere to help her along.
 
Jackie and Biggie said:
It’s a bittersweet feeling where every day is such a gift and then you are sad that they aren’t as vibrant as they used to be.

Poor girl… It’s sad she has been fighting this little fight inside, and kitties can’t tell us how they are feeling or what is causing it. She is so lucky to have a mama who devours all the research and information she can to understand her condition and give her the best chance possible to feel better. I love that she has little stairs everywhere to help her along.
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Ahhhh now you're making me tear up :bighug::bighug: I really wish cats were more like dogs and came to us with their pain sooner. All of my 4 cats will come to me for small booboos ("mom there's something stuck in my paw plz fix"), but they are masters at hiding true pain and illness. Us humans can only do our best with our dull senses to take care of our weird little house panthers.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
In hindsight, I figured out the first symptom with Neko (weepy eye) was 7 months before her diabetes diagnosis. Some acros never become diabetic - which is probably one of the main ways in which caregivers actually notice it. Later on, I could feel the spondylosis.

I'm curious to see if Solensia makes a difference with her.
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It's nuts to think of the many effects it can have on cats that don't end up developing diabetes, and therefore never end up getting diagnosed or treated... Hopefully the data will keep accumulating until vets are a bit better informed about it, and more kitties get treatment. Did you mean you could feel the spondylosis while petting Neko?

I'm really looking forward to trying Solensia for her. Both she and my civvie Mew are starting to show improvement on week 3 of weekly Adequan, but it's still not cutting it for me. Mew isn't a great candidate for Solensia because she already has chronic skin issues, but I think it would be good for Chewie, and the new vet will surely be on board (she was very happy to hear she was already on Adequan). I'm also giving her one glycoflex 3 chew every day. She hates the cosuquin/dasuquin powders, so I stopped giving those.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
I was giving her acupressure daily, and could feel it then. I could also feel bumpy growths on the spine when petting her. Mind you, this was 4 years after diagnosis.
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Did the acupressure help with her back pain? I would love to learn how to do that. When she first hurt her back I searched far and wide for info on how to massage the back and hips for IVDD cats, but couldn't find much at all. All the info is for dogs.
 
The acupuncture vet showed me how to do the acupressure. Including how much pressure to apply. She said it would extend the benefits of the acupuncture if I did it daily. It was part of our post AM shot cuddle routine.
 
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