Neuropathy now diagnosed as spinal injury or tumour

[Katya]

Having spent the last two months getting Freddie’s BG stable and we started him on Methyl B12 about 2 weeks ago and more recently CBD oil, there has been no improvement. In fact Freddie’s mobility has got worse and then he stopped peeing a few days ago.
Took him to the vets and asked to see the senior vet.
He said that as Freddie’s BG was improving he would have expected to see an improvement in the neuropathy by now.
He therefore considered that the loss of feeling in Freddie’s lower body is due to injury or tumour.
We have been given anti inflammatory drugs for a week. He said that if it was down to a slipped disc he could recover.
We were told that in the meantime we could try squeezing his urine out or just let it leak out when the bladder got too full.
We are to take him back next Thursday and if no improvement euthanasia is the only option.
I am devastated and put so much faith in getting his diabetes under control hoping that the neuropathy would get better.
The vet said Methyl B12 was for digestion issues and he was not familiar with its use for diabetic neuropathy.
Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

 

[Lisa and Witn (GA)]

You may want to vet to refer you to a neurologist if there is one in your area. They will be able to do a CT scan of the spine to accurately diagnose the problem.

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

I’m so sorry you are facing this.
Is the neuropathy just the back legs or more.?
It sounds as if he doesn’t have bladder control. I remember when Sheba had bad neuropathy the vet thought it was something else, but she completely recovered over several months. It certainly wasn’t as soon as her BGs were better. But she didn’t have any loss of her bladder.
I would get a second opinion. What investigations has the vet done?

 

[Katya]

I’m so sorry you are facing this.
Is the neuropathy just the back legs or more.?
It sounds as if he doesn’t have bladder control. I remember when Sheba had bad neuropathy the vet thought it was something else, but she completely recovered over several months. It certainly wasn’t as soon as her BGs were better. But she didn’t have any loss of her bladder.
I would get a second opinion. What investigations has the vet done?

Thank you so much for your message. Freddie has been on anti inflammatory drugs for two weeks and has now started to urinate but is constipated so has medicine for that now.
I am heartened to hear that there may still be a chance of recovery.
We took him back to the vet on Thursday who is now saying it is possibly diabetic neuropathy. We are just going to carry on with the treatment and hope that he improves in time.
I’ve noticed when I can get him to play that he rolls about on his back which makes me think it’s unlikely to be a back injury.
The vet wasn’t impressed that I’m giving him Methyl B12 and CBD oil but I’m carrying on with it anyway.
His front legs are weak but it’s worse in his bag legs.
Thank you again, you have given me a bit of hope x

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Would you like to set up a spreadsheet so we can help you with the dosing? The neuropathy will not improve until the BGs are more under control, even with the methyl B. It was not until I joined this group that I managed to get Shebas BGs more under control…..even though I had got her into remission 3 years previously.
My vet, who was reasonable knowledgeable about feline diabetes was stumped with her neuropathy and thought it was something else. I remember being very worried she would not get better. She completely recovered….to the point where I found she had jumped up into the sideboard, which was quite high…higher than a kitchen bench, to get at some flowers I had put there. My vet hadn’t heard about methyl B either. Don’t give up but do get a spreadsheet set up and let us help you get those BGs more under control.
HELP US HELP YOU has the link to the SS, the signature and the hypo kit plus other information. if you have any trouble setting the SS up I can get @Bandit's Mom to help you

 

[JL and Chip]

There are multiple forms of B-12. Methylcobalamin (methyl-B12) is good for neuropathy. A popular brand for diabetic cats is called Zobaline. Cyanocobalamin is the form of B-12 used for GI issues.

Neuropathy can take awhile to resolve. Here’s a video that shows a pretty bad case of neuropathy and the remarkable recovery that’s possible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfSWO8a1PlQ

It’s great that your cat can pee again. I have a cat (non-diabetic) who became incontinent at a relatively young age due to an injury. He initially leaked urine, then eventually was unable to urinate at all. He wears baby diapers and I express his bladder a couple of times a day (it’s important not to let the urine sit in the bladder and just ooze out — both because it distends the bladder in an unhealthy way and because the stagnant urine makes them prone to UTIs). I’ve been doing this for over 10 years now and TomTom is still the king of my household. So just so you know, euthanasia isn’t the only option in those cases.