Kitten with Neurological signs

RE: Kitten with Neurological signs

Anthony Dennison — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 13:23:24 GMT

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I discharged the cat Wednesday evening because although she was ataxic and wobbly, she was stable and just had to wait for the results. Owner brought her back later that night because of the ataxia and she was euthanased yesterday.

It probably was FIP but for once I had an opportunity to properly work one of these cases up.

RE: Kitten with Neurological signs

Lucy Fleming — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 16:07:56 GMT

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]I wasn't saying it should be PTS, I was just wondering whether it should be and what others think?[/quote]

It's an interesting one - as things like 'headaches' aren't really detectable from observation, unless severe enough to cause signs like head pressing, but presumably not unlikely with some neurological conditions.

RE: Kitten with Neurological signs

Clive Ansell — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 16:03:14 GMT

[quote user="robloxley"]Have we ruled out treatable diseases?[/quote]

No, not yet, but I wonder what the odds are of it being diagnosed, of it being treatable, and the blindness and ataxia being reversible.

According to the OP, the kitten is outwardly happy and is eating, so no rush I guess.

I wasn't saying it should be PTS, I was just wondering whether it should be and what others think?

RE: Kitten with Neurological signs

Rob Loxley — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 15:41:51 GMT

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]

A 6 month old kitten that is blind and ataxic with a progressive neurological disease.

Should it be put to sleep, in the interests of welfare, asap?

[/quote]

Have we ruled out treatable diseases?

RE: Kitten with Neurological signs

Clive Ansell — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 09:19:42 GMT

A 6 month old kitten that is blind and ataxic with a progressive neurological disease.

Should it be put to sleep, in the interests of welfare, asap?

RE: Kitten with Neurological signs

David Mills — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 02:55:00 GMT

[quote user="Amy Lam"]Hope that helps. I hope it's not FIP. There are very rare reports of cats recovering from FIP - esp in the CNS, even with immunostimulants, immunosuppressives, antivirals etc.[/quote]

Indeed. Interesting papers. Though quite contradictory?

Inclusion criteria interesting in the second.

RE: Kitten with Neurological signs

David Mills — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 02:41:52 GMT

Difficult/interesting one.

Uveitis is interesting, eyes act as a local 'lymph node' in some cases so may well be a infectious / inflammatory condition at this age. Assume cerebellar hypoplasia ruled out.

Possible causes FIP (top one, though young), fiv/felv (tested?), toxo, herpes, meningitis, neospora.

Csf tap easy and straightforward for meningitis.

Otherwise steroids and doxy whilst await results. (toxo serology not great tbh)

Re work up depends on owner. MRI and ct may not help, post mortem probably would if comes to that.

RE: Kitten with Neurological signs

Amy Lam — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 01:39:19 GMT

What is the dietary history of the patient? Any possibility of thiamine deficiency? If so - consider thiamine supplementation.

I would also consider referral and MRI. There are pretty obvious changes on MRI with FIP and might help to make a diagnosis sooner rather than later. CSF tap could be considered by a neurologist if safe to do so after the MRI. I don't think there is an ethical problem with referral and doing an MRI for a more clear diagnosis.

Hope that helps. I hope it's not FIP. There are very rare reports of cats recovering from FIP - esp in the CNS, even with immunostimulants, immunosuppressives, antivirals etc.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090023314001774

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2017.00007/full

RE: Kitten with Neurological signs

Emily Rainbow — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 19:51:09 GMT

Some b1 and b12 may be useful in the meantime? response is pretty quick if going to help?

RE: Kitten with Neurological signs

Clive Ansell — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 16:16:50 GMT

If the kitten is reasonably happy at the moment, why not just wait for the FIP and Toxoplasma results, then take it from there. if FIP, just PTS.

Whatever the results, a 6 month old Kitten with rapidly progressive neurological disease is likely to be bad news and a poor to guarded prognosis with or without a neurological referral.