7/24 Tiggy results - sad news

Status
Not open for further replies.
Wendy&Tiggy(GA)

Wendy&Tiggy(GA)

Member Since 2011
So Tiggy went today to the neurologist for his tests on his legs. They had him walk around and agreed he was worse than June.

They did X-rays and found nothing abnormal.

They did the MRI and found nothing abnormal.

They did a spinal tap to look for inflammation and we should have results tomorrow but the neurologist specialist doesn't think it will find anything.

Summary - he thinks Tiggy has a genetic spinal degeneration at the cellular level which will continue to progress. He will get to the stage in months or a few years where he cannot walk and is fecal and urinary incontinent and at that stage the vet said it would be time for euthanasia.There is no treatment at all - steroids don't work. We could try some antioxidants etc but they generally don't work.

:sad: :cry: :cry: :cry:

I am devastated.... he is only 9...
 
((((Wendy)))) I am so sorry about the results. Many hugs to you and scritches to Tiggy. :YMHUG: :YMHUG: May it be a long time, many years, until you have to make any decisions.

When I worked at the shelter we had a kitty whose tail was run over as a kitten - he too was incontinent. Between food that helped give him solid results and diapers, he lived a long time afterwards. A vet clinic I've been to has a kitty in a wheelchair and diapers. Not sure if that would work for Tiggy.
 
me too, wendy. my philosophy is to always focus on the best scenario and assume that's what you're going to get. So I'm thinking Tiggy has many years ahead to be by your side. big hug!
 
((Wendy and Tiggy))) So sorry these weren't the results we were hoping for. No one knows the future though, I will continue to keep Tiggy and you in my prayers- hugs!
 
{{{Wendy}}}

I'm so sorry about the bad news. I hope you and Tiggy have lots of time together. Tiggy probably doesn't have any idea that there's anything wrong. Hopefully things progress slowly so that you and Tiggy can adapt to his limitations. May you and Tiggy be surrounded by peace and healing.
 
{{{Wendy}}}

I'm so sorry to read your devastating news. Do try to focus on the possibilities of "years". My kitty Sasha was diagnosed with joint abnormalities in both of her back legs when she was a kitten, and the vet said as she grew older, she would be in more and more pain and would require surgery. We started her on Cosequin, and I don't know if that helped, but within months there was no evidence of pain and she is 13 today and those two back legs are serving her very well as she had a front leg amputated due to cancer. So there is always hope. Hang in there. Your LL family is here for you.

Sending many healing vines and lots of hugs. :YMHUG: :YMHUG: :YMHUG:
 
Thanks guys.. It's nice to hear your support. The specialist was recommending as soon as he becomes incontinent as well as can't walk that we put him to sleep. He thinks we let animals go on too long with issues.

But we have Tiggy home now and because of the anaesthetic he is having issues walking... He can't really walk at all and is dragging himself around with his front feet. It gives us an idea of what it will be like and we are thinking as long as he is happy and not in pain, he can handle a cart and diapers..

At the same time he said antioxidants generally do nothing but can't do any harm.. Any suggestions?

I live in hope....

Wendy
 
Vets don't have crystal balls so they don't know what will happen with a special kitty. I hope you have many years with Tiggy.
Liz
 
Very true. He did say there isn't a lot of data on this so we don't know what will happen next.. I still wonder though if his issues are all interrelated to some weird condition.. Seems such a coincidence!

1. Diabetes at age 6 despite eating 50% low carb wet
2. Rare nerve cell tumor at age 7
3... This!

I still wonder there is some underlying nerve condition, obviously rare, that he has.. Or if this is a weird again rare diabetic neuropathy...

Wendy
 
(((Wendy))) My prayers are for many years with Tiggy. Also, I will continue to pray for improved health for Tiggy. Sending lots of love and scritches.
 
{{{{{WENDY}}}}} I am so, so very sorry to hear of this sad news. My heart goes out to you all. Can glucosamine not help to lubricate the joints, or anything, and hopefully slow the process down some...?
 
Its not a joint problem - its degeneration of the spine and nerves at the cellular level... hence the thought on antioxidants....
 
(((Wendy))) I'm so sorry to hear about Tiggy! Definitely focus on the year's possibility. Vets don't know everything, as we've all learned! Hope he's feeling better real soon.

~Suzanne
 
(((Wendy))))

I am truly, truly sorry for this news. I know it's at the cellular level but is there any chance any kind of physical therapy could help strengthen muscles around his back, legs, spine, to give him longer? Or is it that the neurons are not sending the signal to the legs?

My prayers for the best QOL for as long as possible. I hope the anesthesia clears soon.
 
I'm praying Tiggy proves the vet wrong. I've seen so many cats on the various lists do so much better than expected so I hope Tiggy is one of them. :YMHUG:
 
Its the neurons not sending signals to his legs. He just doesn't know where his legs are. The legs are currently very strong but its like when you lie funny at night and wake up and can't feel your leg....
 
Wendy,

Please, hang on to to positive thoughts. Reading your condo here, it seems like the vet just DUMPED a pile of bad news on you with no factual information to cement it.

I'm sorry, but I don't know anything about Tiggy's mobility issues at all. However, diabetic neuropathy isn't rare, as you know, so it also isn't so strange, don't you think?

Does Tiggy seem in pain and are you giving him anything for pain? Or, is he just walking on his hocks? Is he having issues with peeing and pooping on himself right now?

When you get a diagnosis this awful, a second opinion from another vet might be a good idea.

Meanwhile, hang in there and think positive. How much methylcobalamin does Tiggy get a day?
 
Its not diabetic neuropathy - at least thats what the vets think. He isn't walking on his hocks. If you look at the videos in a prior post you can see his legs just go out from under him and he is wobbly. He is not in pain and there are no issues with pooping and peeing at the moment.

We have seen our regular vet plus a neurological specialist. They believe its not weakness from neuropathy as much as ataxia. We did blood work, X-rays and MRI. No spinal or structural problems. No health issues that show in blood. No tumours or anything. All normal - but the issue continues to progress... and if you read back you will see he has had some issue since birth with this which is progressing... ie..

- the day we first got him at 8 weeks old the reason we noticed him is because he fell off a shelf... and cats aren't normally clumsy
- 2 days after we got him he fell again - down the stairs - no damage though
- he has always been clumsy - knocking things over and slipping on tile. We thought - furry feet are slippy!
- around age 3 he started to smack his tail on the floor hard when he jumped off things. We dismissed it as he was just clumsy but then again - cats aren't normally clumsy!
- at age 6 he started to take the stairs one at a time and developed a very slight limp and weird walk. Finally we took him to the vet and diabetes was diagnosed. everyone assumed diabetic neuropathy at that time and dismissed his history.
- from then his limp has worsened into his current state. He doesn't jump on the bed any more. He wobbles and sits down after a few steps. If he runs he falls over. If he jumps down from a chair ( the highest he can go) he crash lands on the floor and doesn't land on his feet. It has gotten worse in the last 6 weeks.



Wendy
 
((((Wendy)))) I just wanted to add to everyone elses, that my thoughts and prayers are with you. I'm so sorry that Tiggy isn't well and I'm sending many vines. I hope for the "many years" scenario too. Hugs!
 
Wendy;

So sorry and so sad to hear this news on Tiggy.............I have been looking here for an update since we spoke and was out yesterday, sure enuf here is the post. Be strong and we're all behind you with our prayers and well wishes. Talk soon,

Shawna, Harley & Davidson
 
You know what though? I really got to wonder if its something else given all the weird things he has... is there a connection? Or just bad luck for him?

- he got diabetes young - at age 6- on here most cats are over 10 before getting it. i know its more common than it used to be but struck me as unusual
- he had this nerve sheath tumour - unrelated?
- his diabetes has always been high dose. He was on 7 units lantus and now 4 units levemir - despite being fed nothing but low carb wet. Most cats are a lot lower dose on here when fed a low carb wet. Plus his BG has been wonky the whole time.
- we did test him for acromegaly and his IGF - 1 was at the very high end of normal at 104. I understand normal is under 100.

Then I googled neuropathy and acromegaly, and it seems some cats get ataxia with it.. maybe this is a coincidence but I have to wonder....
 
Wendy,

Like everyone else, just wanted to send hugs and healing vines your way. You and Tiggy are in our thoughts and prayers.

Tara & Scully
 
I got your pm, wendy. I don't have personal experience with this, but it's possible it's related to acro. I haven't heard of that symptom, but acromegaly affects a lot of the body systems.

Dr. Lunn, who was at CSU and is now at North Carolina State University told me in an email that and IGF-1 under 120 is normal, although i know it says 100 on the high dose forum here. She's the expert in the US on acromegaly, as far as i know. She started the SRT program at CSU then began one at NCSU. Here's some info about her, including her contact info: http://www.cvm.ncsu.edu/docs/personnel/lunn_katharine.html

When I was considering options for treating punkin in August 2011, I phoned her and she talked with me at least 5-6 different times to give me advice on him, and even though she was preparing to leave CSU and she was on vacation when i was there, she continued to email answers to me when i had questions. If i were you, I'd give her a call and see what she says. I can't think of anyone better to start with.

It can't hurt to explore this option. This reminds me slightly of Zener's cerebellar hyperplasia - he has some mobility issues too. i don't know that they are the same, but you might compare notes with Anne and Liz and see if it sounds similar.

Another option is to contact a university veterinary school near you.

Good sleuthing, wendy. Tiggy's lucky to have you in his court! Let us know what you find out.
 
Sending strength vines to you Wendy and to Tiggy's legs too. Keeping positive thoughts for you going every day.
 
I also think Tiggy is very lucky (very lucky) to have you, and am hoping that some other vet some where (like maybe at a university, like Julie suggested) can help him, and that he has many many years, enjoying his time, with your love.
 
And if not at the university, maybe another specialist? I know I would never go back to the original oncologist I used for Tiffany. I didn't know any better. She never should have been taken off chemo. I've tried 3 vets as well. Maybe you just need the right one.
 
Tiggy is very lucky, and you too are very lucky he chose you. :YMHUG: :YMHUG:

I'd say you've long had the hunch this issue may be related to BG or nueropathy (or something) so could it be related to growth hormone or acro?
 
Yeah dale, that's what I am wondering, it just seems unlikely to me that he has all these conditions at once and they are unrelated. I sent an email to CSU Dr lunn to get her thoughts...
 
Neurologic issues are a possible symptom of acromegaly, but you say Tiggy has been clumsy since you first knew him.

From "Feline Acromegaly" by Chelsea Sonius (Colorado State University) Spring 2011
http://zimmer-foundation.org/sch/csf.html

Finally, the cat may also display signs of neurologic disease. This clinical finding, unlike the other clinical findings, is not an effect of endocrine/hormone imbalance, but rather a direct effect of either a space occupying lesion in the brain due to the pituitary tumor itself or due to invasion of the tumor into adjacent brain structures. Cats with neurologic manifestations of acromegaly may show signs such as an abnormal behavior/temperment, an abnormal gait, circling behaviors, or seizure disorders
Click to expand...
Good luck getting an answer. I too would like to know what you hear.
 
hmmm that excerpt that Wendy posted is making me think . . . punkin's tumor was very large. the acro tumor grows on the pituitary gland, which is on the base of the brain above the eyes. when we were driving to Colorado to get him treated, i realized that his pupils had blown open and were no longer closing in bright light. apparently the tumor (which is benign) was pressing on his optic chiasm, which is where the optic nerve lies. that caused the open pupils. As the tumor shrunk, his pupils began to close some, but never went down to slits again.

i know you've assumed his dose was acro related for a long time. perhaps there is a tumor resting on something that is affecting his brain's ability to move his legs and hind end. Perhaps the current change in his mobility is from growth. i'm completely speculating, but sometimes brainstorming can turn up a direction to search.

please let us know what you hear from Dr. Lunn. I hope she can help.
 
Thanks everyone for your support... It really helps right now.. Keeps me getting too depressed.

Two questions though

- he is acting depressed a bit lethargic, and not eating as much, I assume this is anaesthetic related but it's been almost 48hours now.. How long does it normally take to recover? He has had surgeries before and never been like this. Can he be picking up on my emotions? I cried into his fur yesterday quite a lot and he was looking at me funny.

- he has lost his voice and is straining to speak. I spoke to the vet about this and they said its due to being intubated but again it's 48hours.. How long could it take to resolve.
 
After Skooter had his exploratory surgery several years ago that dx'd his IBD, I think it took him about 3 to 4 days to really start eating again, stop acting lethargic and starting acting like himself. For about a week or two before his surgery, he was very lethargic, wasn't acting like himself and I was convinced it was cancer. Once he "recovered" from the anesthetic etc, it was like a brand new kitty. More spunky than I had seen him in months and back to being the Skooterbear I knew and loved. I am hoping he gets back to that soon. He is starting, but not all the way there.

I am a firm believer that our animals can totally tell our emotions. When I am sad, upset or sick, Skooter becomes my care taker - he knows. So I would say yes, he is probably picking up on your emotions and doesn't want his mommabean to be sad and wondering what is making you sad.

Sending you lots of hugs and good vines as I am not sure that I would be able to handle this as well as you are.

XOXO
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top