cat case that has beaten me !

Re: cat case that has beaten me !

Kate Richardson — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 10:22:53 GMT

I guess an inability to regulate body temp could suggest something more central.

Re: cat case that has beaten me !

Andrew Mellor — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 09:06:15 GMT

cat has been inpatient for almost 10 days now at owners request, temp is generally low now sometimes as low as 35C but he seems ok even at that temp, we obviously warm him when he is like this but generally his temp fluctuates 35-38 throughout the day.

Re: cat case that has beaten me !

Kate Richardson — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 11:27:34 GMT

Are the owners able to monitor rectal temp at home to see if it is waxing and waning?

The depression could be central but pain would be a strong contender +/- pyrexia if present.

Have you checked muscle enzymes (CK/AST) on your biochem profiles; I would also double check a potassium level on an in house sample if you have the facilities to do so as ageing of samples in transit can elevate the potassium levels so I always like to check on fresh samples if possible if potassium is critical (which it often is in cats). Hypokalaemia could explain some of the symptoms but it doesn't really explain the pyrexia. Assume calcium/phosphate levels normal? Also I assume you had repeat haematology on the external samples as well as biochem, sometimes serial testing in chronic problems can reveal some changes.

Also check diet history for any oddities just in case eg liver rich diet

The differentials would be muscular, skeletal or joint pain, neuropathic pain or as you suggest meningitis. I don't have any specific info to hand on meningitis in cats, but see no reason why not. Many types of polyarthritis (mycoplasma, bacterial, FCV, secondary to endocarditis), immune mediated, SLE, bleeding, djd. Muscular- inflammatory (toxo, immune mediated myositis), metabolic (hypoK), degenerative. Skeletal pain- developmental, nutritional. Discospondylitis.

Joint taps and CSF analysis would be useful.

Failing that, trial prednisolone

Re: cat case that has beaten me !

Gerry Henry — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 17:01:46 GMT

Cisternal tap?

Re: cat case that has beaten me !

Andrew Mellor — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 15:09:58 GMT

external lab bloods twice all biochems normal , hair loss only tiny patch on foot that made me originally think he had a cat bite on the foot he originally presented with

Re: cat case that has beaten me !

Dagmar Steele — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 11:07:19 GMT

years ago I had a case quite similar to it. Young cat developing progressive lameness/paralysis. Got to a stage where it was in lateral recumbency, diagnosed as steroid responsive polyneuropathy (I think there was a nerve biopsy involved a s far as I remember but not too sure) Preds sorted it right out, was on preds for a couple of months, never looked back after waning them off.

Re the ventroflexion you mentioned: Have you done potassium levels? It's quite common in low potassium

Re: cat case that has beaten me !

Utlendigur — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 10:53:44 GMT

[quote user="Andrew Mellor"]some hair missing over metacarpal area,[/quote]

Could it be one of those odd paraneoplastic syndromes that you get with things like pancreatic neoplasia? Might explain the hair loss, pain (? abdo pain) and weight loss - probably clutching at straws...

Re: cat case that has beaten me !

James Laidlaw — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 10:31:35 GMT

When was the last time he had any medications? May be worth taking him off drugs for a few days if only mild signs and see if it's iatrogenic?

Re: cat case that has beaten me !

Andrew Mellor — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 10:21:26 GMT

milbemax and advantage both applied by our staff. No he is no longer lame and moving freely now but really does not want to , just wants to sleep all day. any other cat I could think it was normal but we know him so well that all the staff can see how subdued and depressed he is.

the depression made me think brain lesion but all the limbs and spine pain is why I have come down on meningitis / meningeoencephalitis

Re: cat case that has beaten me !

Bibs — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 10:05:47 GMT

If still lame - joint taps?

Re: cat case that has beaten me !

James Laidlaw — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 10:04:38 GMT

This

[quote user="Andrew Mellor"]very attentive to all parasite control[/quote]

And then this

[quote user="Andrew Mellor"]( cannot give tablets)[/quote]

Makes me want to know what parasite treatment he has.

Has it been in the UK all its life? Never been overseas?

And any chance of posting the radiographs - orthopod may be able to give their view...

Re: cat case that has beaten me !

Bibs — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 10:04:24 GMT

Maybe worth doing feline specific lipase?

Re: cat case that has beaten me !

Andrew Mellor — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 10:01:14 GMT

Oh and we have since done catograms - nothing