Movement restrictions for cats – serious problem both for himself and for the owner. Lack of mobility of the hind legs may result in complete or partial immobilization. Complete immobilization is called paralysis of the limbs, partial - paresis.
Failure of a cat's hind legs: causes and provoking factors
Failure of a cat's hind legs may be due to an ongoing inflammatory process in the spinal cord.
There may be several reasons and all of them connected with serious illnesses , which are difficult to treat, or even not treatable at all. Factors may be the following:
- mechanical damage to the spine - trauma;
- inflammatory processes in the spinal cord;
- embolism of a fibrocartilaginous nature;
- arterial thromboembolism;
- consequence of a stroke;
- mite infestation;
Pathologies such as kidney damage, myasthenia gravis, and medications can also lead to a similar phenomenon.
Risk group
There are diseases that are more common to certain breeds of cats that lead to a similar symptom.
In the breed burmese Hypoglycemia is considered such a disease. For and Chartreuse– femoral dysplasia. Cymriks suffer from congenital weakness of their paws. In addition, a lack of foods containing thiamine in the menu can also be a cause of paresis or paralysis.
The Burmese cat breed is at risk for the disease.
Every disease has its own characteristic features and the causes of occurrence.
Spinal cord inflammation
This disease is characterized by a disorder of the functions of substances filling the cavity spinal cord.
The cause of the disease can be inflammatory processes in the uterus during the cat’s pregnancy.
Making a diagnosis includes taking a history, clinical researches, differentiation of infectious pathologies.
Help and treatment
The best help is timely help!
- Help consists of placing the animal in dark room , ensuring peace.
- Procedures in the form of UHF, electrophoresis .
- Carry out paw massage And lumbar region.
- Intravenous glucose infusion and ascorbic acid.
- Recommended injections: thiamine, pyridoxine, cyanocobalamin .
- To prevent muscle atrophy Acceptable drugs: nitrates of strychnine, securin, echinopsis, chilibuha extract, proserin .
To ensure peace for your cat, you need to place it in a dark room.
Fibrocartilaginous embolism
The cause of the disease is blockage of the spinal cord vessels, which leads to tissue necrosis. As a result, the cat may lose the ability to move its hind and front legs.
The cat loses the ability to move its hind legs due to blockage of the spinal cord vessels.
This is for cats rare disease , most often affects dogs. The main symptoms are expressed in sudden pain syndrome, which passes quickly. Then the cat becomes apathetic, lacks sensitivity in the area of the hind legs and lower back, there may be partial loss and then the prognosis is cautious. If the pet does not respond to stimuli - prognosis is unfavorable.
Therapy
On early stage disease, it is permissible to administer methylprednisolone to the body.
Therapy is supportive. Physiotherapy is provided in full. It is acceptable to administer a large volume at an early stage of manifestation. methylprednisolone , but in view severe course illness and almost always a sad outcome, this measure is questionable.
Arterial thromboembolism
Arterial thromboembolism complicates the work of the cat’s heart.
Severe tissue ischemia resulting from a thrombus of the aorta or artery is called arterial thromboembolism.
Illness complicates the work of the heart , causing heart failure, as well as as a result of muscle and nervous ischemia, affects the work nervous system and causes damage to the functioning of the musculoskeletal system.
Symptoms
Diagnostics and femoral pulse.
In addition to restricting movement, it causes strong painful sensations upon palpation . There is no femoral pulse, and cyanosis of the paw pads is visible. Decreased temperature in the affected extremities. Maybe cardiopalmus when listening or the presence of heart murmurs. The animal constantly breathes with its mouth wide open, weak signs of shortness of breath are visible.
When sick, a cat constantly breathes with its mouth open.
Diagnostics
Diagnosed by physical examination, urine samples and general research. Thoracic radiography is performed to detect fluid in the lungs. Echocardiography and computed tomography are performed.
To diagnose the disease, urine samples are taken from the cat.
Treatment
Treatment is aimed primarily at eliminating pain through the use of opioids.
Infusion therapy is prescribed for treatment.
- Next, the blood clot is eliminated.
- Anticoagulants are prescribed, and the use of antioxidant and infusion therapy is recommended.
- Acceptable solutions are those that promote the resumption of microcirculation and are anti-shock agents.
- Thrombolytic drugs: streptokinase for three days, urokinase for 24 hours, altepase.
- It is advisable to use heparin therapy: dalteparin, enoxaparin.
- It is possible to prescribe aspirin as an antiplatelet agent.
Cardiomyopathy
The pathology is not common among felines, but age takes its toll and the risk of cardiomyopathy increases. In this case, they are taken away hind legs.
A cat loses its hind legs due to cardiomyopathy.
The essence of the disease is pathological changes in the structure of cardiac muscle tissue. There are four types of the disease.
Most common species – hypertrophic , which is expressed in the enlargement of the heart itself due to the thickening of its walls. The dilated form also occurs due to an increase in the volume of the heart, but not due to thickening of the walls. The organ itself becomes flabby and weak, which interferes with normal process contractions and leads to oxygen starvation of the entire body.
Fibrosis of the heart muscle
The presence of fibrosis of the heart muscle is characteristic of the restrictive type. The heart loses its softness, resulting in the same oxygen starvation the whole body.
With fibrosis of the heart muscle, oxygen starvation of the entire body occurs.
Very rare and almost non-existent existing form – intermediate , which is characterized by the presence of several types of myocardiopathy at once. The causes are other pathologies: hyperthyroidism, increased arterial pressure, excess growth hormone. Other factors include: congenital anomaly “Bull’s heart”, lymphoma, overdose or improper use of drugs, genetic predisposition, which all artificially bred breeds are susceptible to.
Symptoms
On initial stage diseases when listening to a cat, extraneous heart sounds are heard.
Symptoms at the initial stage almost invisible . Then, when listening to the heart, you can hear noises, an atypical heartbeat rhythm, like a gallop, an irregular pulse - a decrease or increase.
Therapy
Therapy includes the use of Atenolol.
- Therapy involves the use of beta blockers - atenolol, propranolol.
- Drugs that block calcium channel, in particular diltiazem.
- Ramipril, enalapril as inhibitors.
- But it is also permissible to prescribe pimobendan in parallel, which is capable of dilating blood vessels.
- It is advisable to use diuretics.
Regardless of the disease causing the failure of the cat’s hind legs, it is recommended specific treatment dilute with additional activities.
In addition to therapeutic measures includes massage of the cat's lumbar region and hind legs.
- Massage of the limbs and lumbar region is indicated in order to prevent atrophy of the muscle tissue of the hind legs. Should be done every day for about ten minutes.
- Some kind of gymnastic exercises will be a good help.
- You need to imitate the walking or running movements of the animal’s limbs. It is possible to imitate primitive walkers, when the fabric supports the cat under the stomach, and the paws move quietly along the floor.
- Swimming worked well. The pet strains its paws, involuntarily moves them in the water, while the owner supports it under its belly. You can also use a small ball. Place the cat on top and roll it back and forth so that its limbs touch the floor.
Video about failure of a cat's hind legs
Imagine how one fine morning you began to call your cat to eat, but he did not immediately come running to the call, as he usually did. After some time, you noticed him crawling into your room. Your heart sank with pity for your pet, as you understood the reason: the cat’s back legs had failed and he was dragging them while moving his front legs.
The cat's legs are failing
Let's figure out why a cat's legs fail. It's all about the paralysis in which the violation occurs motor function. This occurs due to disruption of parts of the nervous system. The reasons why a cat loses its hind legs can be:
- Central nervous system diseases
- Infectious diseases
- Various types of vitamin deficiencies
- Improper metabolism
- (in which compression of nerve fibers may occur)
Reasons why a cat's paws failed
Let's take a closer look at why the cat's front paws or hind limbs failed. This may happen when:
- When an exacerbation of infectious peritonitis occurs.
- If the tourniquet is applied incorrectly, paralysis usually occurs if the nerve trunks are pinched.
- Hypovitaminosis B1.
- Hypovitaminosis B9.
- Hypovitaminosis B12.
- E-hypovitaminosis.
- A metabolic disorder that appeared at birth, as a result of which the cat’s hind legs failed. This disease is quite rare. As a rule, it occurs in short-haired cats of Siamese and American breeds.
- Unbalanced diets.
- Chronic heart failure.
- Aujeszky's disease, also known as pseudorabies or infectious bulbar palsy.
- At nervous form cryptococcosis.
- Tick-borne encephalitis.
- Some medications intended for humans are dangerous for consumption by animals. Therefore, if a cat’s hind legs suddenly give out, it may be due to the drug No-shpa. Which absolutely cannot be given to them.
- If an old cat's back legs fail, it may be due to intervertebral hernias spinal discs and inflammation of the spinal cord.
- Thromboembolism of the femoral arteries.
The cat's back legs suddenly stopped working, possible symptoms
Symptoms when a cat suddenly loses its hind legs. The function of the paws is impaired, completely or partially. The pet's muscles become sluggish and flabby. Painful sensations or other sensitivity is either dull or absent altogether. The animal stops feeling touch and temperature.
First aid and treatment when a cat suddenly loses its hind legs
In cases where a cat’s hind legs suddenly fail, it is necessary to provide warmth to the affected limb. Warm compresses are necessary. Paraffin treatment is carried out. A course of treatment with B vitamins is prescribed. They must be administered intramuscularly. An injection is given into the affected limb. Also gamavit, SA37. To restore mobility, experts recommend acupuncture therapy, Su Jok.
At the first symptoms and suspicion, immediately contact a veterinary clinic. Where the cat will be examined. The doctor will diagnose and prescribe treatment.
What the veterinarian should do when you bring him your cat:
- Perform a primary neurological examination of the animal
- Send for an x-ray of the spine
- Perform an ultrasound of the peritoneum
- If there is a suspicion of infection, a sample is taken for bacteriological analysis.
- Urine and blood tests are taken
- IN mandatory An MRI of the head and spine is performed
- The sensitivity of the paws to pain and touch is checked.
Remember all the above symptoms and tips. Don't be scared or panic. They can help you properly understand the reasons why your paws may be failing and begin treatment immediately. Your pet will be grateful to you for everything.
Fluffy pets are usually very active. They constantly run around the house and play with their owners. But sometimes they get sick and become lethargic and quiet. A sick cat may lie in its sleeping area all day and refuse to eat.
Have you noticed that your cat has started dragging one or both hind legs? Or did her gait become unsteady or her limbs become sore? This is all neurological symptoms paralysis or paresis of an animal's paws, which, with similar manifestations, can be caused by different reasons.
Therefore, it is very important to show your pet to specialists in a timely manner. veterinary clinic so that they can establish the correct diagnosis and begin treatment immediately. Only early start treatment will help stop the disease and return the cat to the former mobility of its paws.
If you notice something is wrong, take a closer look at your pet's behavior. You may notice following signs hind limb movement disorders:
- wobbling gait affecting the hind legs;
- uncertainty of gait - the animal walks slowly and unsteadily, as if it has lost its sense of balance;
- the hind legs begin to move apart, and after a few months they may completely fail;
- the cat often squats on its hind legs (usually if the animal is over 10 years old);
- the animal drags its paws without lifting them from the floor;
- general mobility decreases, gait is impaired.
|
Name of veterinary services |
Unit |
Cost of service, rub. |
|
Initial appointment Repeated appointment |
One animal One animal |
|
|
Veterinarian consultation |
||
|
Consultation with a doctor based on test results |
||
|
Doctor's consultation, without pet |
Cats paws
Cat paws are a common reason for visiting a veterinarian. Although cats are believed to always land on their hind legs, our furry couch potatoes aren't always as agile as they come. Very often they break their tender paws, in addition, paralysis hind limbs It happens as a complication in some diseases.
If your pet's paws are not in order, please contact veterinarian. In our clinic, specialists will help to cope with the most serious diseases of the animal.
Fractures in cats
Fractures in cats occur quite often, although many owners have the opinion that cats are practically invulnerable creatures. If your pet has a fracture, you should definitely show it to a veterinarian, as without proper treatment, an improperly healed fracture can have many complications in the future.
We work around the clock, as well as calling an ambulance in our clinic, so whenever an accident occurs with your cat, you can call and receive prompt, qualified assistance from our veterinarians.
When our pet is sick, it’s scary. But when it happens, it’s doubly scary and it’s a real test for both the owner and the pet itself. The cat’s paws give out and the owner immediately has many questions: why is this, who is to blame, what should be done and how should the pet continue to live? Many veterinarians shrug their shoulders and say that it is easier to euthanize the animal so as not to torture them.
The veterinarians of our center “YA-VET” are confident that paralysis of the hind legs is not a death sentence! Yes, it is often quite difficult to fully recover, but it is still possible. The main thing is to follow the instructions and prescriptions of your doctor.
Transporting a cat in such a situation can be dangerous, so we recommend using our home call service. An experienced YA-VET veterinarian, working according to European standards, will certainly tell you what to do next and help you.
Possible reasons
There are many reasons why a pet's hind legs fail. It is quite difficult to determine them, so you need to remember everything the pet interacted with in Lately. What did you eat, where did you go, etc.. Even seemingly quite harmless ear mite can cause such a terrible disease.
In this article we will present only those common reasons why paralysis may occur. There are quite a lot of them, so under no circumstances do the diagnosis yourself, entrust it to a professional who has already encountered the disease and knows what to do and how to recover full life pet.
Spinal injuries
The most obvious and common is a dislocation, a fracture of the cat's spinal cord. Most paralysis is sudden, hollow and bilateral. In such an unfavorable situation, symptoms appear almost immediately. In case of serious injury and bruise, it may be accompanied by painful shock, loss of consciousness. Unfortunately, it is very rarely possible to fully recover from this.
Spinal cord inflammation
Due to poisoning, toxins in the body, or some kind of infection, the cat may lose its hind legs. This is also accompanied by incontinence, increased temperature, fever, etc. If you follow the doctor’s instructions, recovery is more than possible, and the prognosis is most often favorable.
Thromboembolism
Stroke
Symptoms and signs include fainting, shock, confusion about where the cat is, lethargy and apathy. Along with the paws, there may be paralysis of the pharynx, which causes choking and difficulty in eating food and swallowing in general. When a cat's hind legs fail after a stroke, the prognosis is favorable and the likelihood of improvement is high.
Fibrocartilaginous embolism
In other words, this is tissue death. It is most often caused by blockage and disruption of the blood vessels of the cat’s spinal cord. The disease develops at lightning speed, begins with the cat screaming in pain, followed by laziness, apathy, lack of playfulness, reluctance to walk, react to other stimuli from the owner, reluctance to eat, after which comes the final stage, when the paws finally die. Here everything is more complicated and the prognosis can be both favorable and not.
Tick paralysis
Ticks are a big problem for both people and animals. Their poison and toxins kill the body from the inside within a few days. It is very important to consider the symptoms and stages, because the prognosis depends on them. At the beginning, the symptoms are invisible to the eye: pet agitation, anxiety and stress. After some time, apathy begins, a reluctance to move and go somewhere, playfulness disappears. Then the pet begins to feel poisoned in the body, he feels sick, he trembles, his temperature drops, his pulse decreases and his breathing shortens. On last stage Paralysis of the hind legs is already overtaking and not only that. Paralysis may also occur in the larynx. Recovery is possible, but only in the first 2-3 stages, and not in the last, when the entire body of the animal is poisoned.
Cardiomyopathy
The volume of the ventricles in the heart decreases, the walls become denser. Because of this, activity deteriorates, appetite decreases, and complete apathy to surrounding stimuli. Attacks of vomiting and coughing also appear. Here it just seems like paralysis is piercing your paws. In fact, with such a disease, paralysis itself does not often develop. If they are completely eliminated, then there is a layering with other reasons, for example, thromboembolism or other blockages of any vessels in the cat’s body. If only cardiomyopathy occurs, then the prognosis for recovery is good.
Hernia
With a herniated spine, the cat refuses to move. Any touch to an animal brings pain. If a cat walks, it bends strongly, its head is lowered down. Most often, after surgery, the pet recovers quite quickly and asymptomatically.
Symptoms
As is clear from the reasons, the symptoms vary. The main reasons and also expectations from recovery were discussed above. Now let's look at more detailed and all the symptoms for each disease.
The main symptoms of paralysis in cats:
- Inability to feel the hind legs;
- Incontinence;
- Problems with pulse and breathing;
- Apathy;
- Loss of appetite.
In case of injury, paralysis will be accompanied by symptoms:
- The tail is relaxed because the spine is damaged;
- Bleeding and other noticeable symptoms upon impact and fracture;
- Damage to the claws and paws of not only the hind ones, but also the front ones.
In case of hernia or inflammation of the spinal cord:
- Pain when touched;
- Apathy;
- Walks and bends strangely;
- Aggression.
For thromboembolism and fibrocartilaginous embolism:
- The hind legs have failed, blood does not flow to them, they are blue and cold;
- Lack of appetite and apathy;
- Doesn't react to anything;
- Irregular pulse and weak breathing.
In case of a stroke, paralysis will be accompanied by symptoms:
- Suffocation;
- Difficulty breathing, swallowing and eating;
- The animal literally falls from its paws to the ground;
- Unresponsive to stimuli, in a state of shock.
When bitten by a tick:
- Symptoms of paralysis in cats due to a tick bite
- Difficulty swallowing;
- Apathy;
- Cough;
- Lack of appetite;
- Anxiety.
Treatment
For any owner, this condition of his pet is a real test. Many people are simply lost and think that putting their pet to sleep is the best way out of the situation. After all, no one suffers and everything ends quickly. Of course, this is everyone's personal choice. But we are sure that in most cases, paws can be saved, because in some diseases they fail for a short time and function after treatment.
Treatment depends on the cause of the disease. As we have already learned, there are many reasons, hence the medications and recovery time will be different. The main thing is to follow the instructions of the treating veterinarian, who has already encountered such situations and knows exactly what to do.
- However, the owner can facilitate and speed up recovery from paralysis in cats:
- If your doctor allows it, you can massage for 10 minutes several times a day. The massage should be intense, rubbing, but light. This is done so that blood continues to flow into the animal’s paws and they do not die off or atrophy due to lack of movement and activity;
- imitation of walking, extension and flexion of paws;
- You can hold the animal and let it try to move its paws on its own. Assist and develop as needed;
- Water treatments and swimming also help you recover faster. However, it is recommended to do this already at last stages recovery and only with the recommendation and approval of a doctor;
- In the final stages of recovery, scratch and lightly tickle the paws to restore sensitivity.
Conclusion
In case of failure there is always disabled carriage And special prosthetics for cats. Everything is in the hands of the owner. If he loves the animal as much as the veterinarians of our I-VET center love them, then it will be possible to recover and the cat will continue to enjoy a full life.
Remember that transporting animals in this condition is highly discouraged, so you can use our home visit service. He will examine the pet and give his opinion. He will also answer questions and tell you what to do next, what to feed your pet and how to recover. The main thing is not to self-medicate, because it can only make things worse and then the pet will actually have to be euthanized, even if the doctor’s prognosis is favorable.
Cats cannot talk about their feelings or what is bothering them, so it is necessary to monitor their behavior and appearance animal and if weakness in the legs appears, find out the cause and undergo a course of treatment. Let's find out why a cat's paws fail.
Weakness of the cat's paws. Causes
Weakness of a cat's paws is a symptom of many diseases that can develop during life or be congenital and depend on the breed.
Weakness in the legs may occur with: kidney disease, dysplasia hip joint, spinal cord lesions, brain tumors, hypokalemia (low potassium in the blood), myasthenia gravis (weakness and fast fatiguability muscles), spinal injuries, neurological diseases, allergic reaction to drugs.
Often, many of these diseases are congenital and accompany the cat breed, for example, the Burmese is characterized by hypokalemia, the Maine Coon and Chartreux are characterized by hip dysplasia, and the Cymrik may develop weakness in the hips due to the lack of a tail. hind legs or their incontinence.
Treatment
Treatment for weakness in the legs will depend on the cause. So in case of illness or long-term treatment kidneys may cause weakness in the legs. In this case, reconsider drug treatment and prescribe a diet and new medications.
At dysplasia hip joint, especially congenital, cats are placed in a cage for 2-3 weeks, restricting movement, but if such treatment does not give positive results, then the operation is performed.
At hypokalemia Prescribe medications that contain potassium to replenish it in the body. At myasthenia gravis The connection between nerves and muscles is disrupted, so the veterinarian prescribes medications that help restore this connection. The treatment process is controlled by a doctor.
If weakness in the legs is allergic reaction you need to stop taking the medications that caused it and take antihistamine(diphenhydramine, diprazine).
Also during treatment they can use B vitamins, drugs that will relieve pain (piroxicam, indomethacin), have a diuretic and antispasmodic effect. To determine the cause of weakness in the legs and purpose adequate treatment the animal must be examined by a doctor, taken general analysis blood and biochemistry, urine analysis, and, if necessary, x-ray examination.
Loading...