Ataxia and seizures in a 4 months old kitten

Re: Ataxia and seizures in a 4 months old kitten

Andre Escudeiro-Vieites — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 20:58:21 GMT

The kitten has been back today for his second vaccine.

Other kittens from the same litter ok

Wormed (the CP routinely do so themselves with kittens)

No fits for 20 days now.

Cranial nerves seemed ok.

He walked nearly "plantigrade" with degree of ataxia or maybe paresia on hing legs.

No clear hypermetria as you would expect from a cerebelar problem. He would try to get away from me rather than chase the cotton wool I was dropping. Propioception seemed ok but hopping response on hind limbs was a bit abnormal. Hemi-walking seemed a bit clumpsy as well.

[quote user="Richard Carter"]Was the queen vaccinated while pregnant? [/quote]

I doubt it as rescued by the CP but cannot be 100%

[quote user="Bob Russell"] He has also always been 'one sandwich short of a picnic'.[/quote]

He definitely looks like he doesn't have the full ticket

[quote user="Richard Fox"]Any good doing a parvo titre? Although the other kittens would be affected too. If the others are normal I would suspect a congenital lesion myself?[/quote]

I din't ask for Parvo but would expect some symptoms in the other members of the litter as you pointed and they ramain fine to date.

Thanks all very much

I hope it is one like Bob's and things don't get worse.

I am not going to use any epiphen despite what was suggested on a "phone consultation" by that nougty vet from the CP headquarters (I don't have his version though) and we'll see what happens...

Re: Ataxia and seizures in a 4 months old kitten

Richard Carter — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 18:28:48 GMT

Was the queen vaccinated while pregnant? Presume kittens been wormed? Have seen some abnormal CNS behaviour from heavy worm burdens...

Re: Ataxia and seizures in a 4 months old kitten

Bob Russell — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:26:15 GMT

One of my cats 'high -steps' , no tremors now but did when younger. As he has got older the symptoms have become less obvious. He has also always been 'one sandwich short of a picnic'. He has done well but this was probably a bit of oxygen deprivation during birth!

Re: Ataxia and seizures in a 4 months old kitten

Andrew Mellor — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 16:31:42 GMT

cerebellar hypoplasia also tends to give very noticable intention tremors as well as ataxia if I remember correctly so place an object or food right in front of it and see if the kitten can coordinate straight to it without under/over shooting the mark or rocking back and forth.

Re: Ataxia and seizures in a 4 months old kitten

Richard Fox — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 10:12:44 GMT

Hmm - cerebellar hypoplasia usually gives ride to hypermetria? I think unless you do a full neuro-workup I am not sure your going to make headway in a diagnosis. One could be dealing with a congenital lesions or acquired lesion such as a meningitis / meningioencephalitis - Any good doing a parvo titre? Although the other kittens would be affected too. If the others are normal I would suspect a congenital lesion myself?