I too have little experience with seizures. I have heard of using steroids, rather than phenobarb, for seizures, but dont know anything about it.. I've recently been around a kitten that moved in a tight circle, we suspected brain injury, so appreciate that info Michele..
Best of luck, Gloria On Aug 15, 2008, at 12:23 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Hi, > > I do have experience with feline seizures as I have a cat that > suffered head trauma (before I rescued him). My cat is not > aggressive in any way but he does display other odd behaviors. He > does not play with toys and he is not interested in catnip. He's > really not curious about anything. The phenobarbital is a strong > sedative and I think that explains some of my cat's behavior. He is > on a fairly high dose to help control the seizures. Have you checked > the cat's mouth? I've found that sometimes cats freak out with > medication because they have bad teeth or mouth sores. > > Is there any possibility that the couple abused the cat or that the > cat had a head injury? The bloodied nails are a bit suspicious. We > have carpeting and all the times my cat has had a seizure he's never > gotten stuck in the carpet in any way, though I imagine it could > happen. > > One common sign of brain injury or damage is when a cat walks in a > tight circle over and over again. My cat does that and if he's doing > it too much I have to give him extra medication to hopefully avoid > a seizure. > > -- > Michele > > -------------- Original message -------------- > From: Caroline Kaufmann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> >> I apologize for the length of this email but I need some help. It >> appears the >> non-FELV kittens that I fostered a year ago in Sept.- whom all had >> severe UTIs >> and were rescued from the general population at Metro-- and whom I >> feel that I >> literally rescued from certain death due to the severity of their >> UTIs-- are >> coming back to haunt me. You may recall that 2 of that group that I >> was unable >> to get my hands on to foster early enough I feel- I wasn't able to >> get to them >> until Dec.- ended up dying in late Jan. (Posse- maybe of wet FIP or >> a congenital >> heart defect- I believe the latter) and early Feb. (Brumley- maybe >> of dry FIP or >> Toxo). >> >> Well, one from this same group (we have no info about whether any are >> littermates, but all were condo-mates and foster-mates at some >> point) was >> returned to me yesterday. He was adopted out in Dec.- frankly- to a >> lady I did >> not want him to go to, but was forced b/c he was not my original >> rescue (it's a >> long story)- but she had clear health issues and this cat was >> always the most >> hyperactive kitten I've ever fostered and I really suspected he >> would make >> mince-meat of this old lady and her husband. >> >> They called yesterday to say he's been having seizures since the >> end of July. >> He's been to the vet twice- shortly after the seizures started. I'm >> not clear >> on what the vet did that first visit- the people said vet took >> blood, didn't >> find anything, and the cat was doing okay until recently when the >> seizures >> started again. I did have the vet fax me records, but I am having >> difficulty >> reading her notes from the first visit for seizures. The adoptive >> parents say >> he pulled out nails during the seizures on the carpet and he indeed >> seems to >> have a few bloodied nails- but he won't let me touch them to >> examine. The vet >> put him on clavamox for the nails. >> >> They took him to the vet yesterday morning again due to more >> seziures and the >> vet took more blood to send off to the lab to check for FIV/FELV >> and most >> importantly, Toxoplasmosis (he previously tested neg for Felv/FIV). >> We are >> awaiting those results that won't be in until Monday at the >> earliest and of >> course, I know ALL about the titers and the antibodies so I don't >> necessarily >> expect the blood work to tell me much, unless of course his Toxo >> titers are thru >> the roof (but even still?). >> >> Other than his bloodied nails and just looking a tad more neglected >> than I would >> like (some dander, dirty back feet pads, getting fat- big belly >> droop that I am >> NOT happy about- the cat just turned 1!, and he had fleas (which >> the vet treated >> him for)), he looks like a wonderfully healthy cat. But then again, >> if he's >> having neurological issues, I wouldn't necessarily expect him to >> look unhealthy >> on the outside. >> >> The adoptive parents called me b/c they said they cannot medicate >> him. They >> were given Phenobaribitol to help control the seziures and >> Clavamox. The lady >> said she couldn't get either in him b/c he is aggressive and has >> bit her many >> times and scratched her.l The husband got on the phone and said his >> wife is not >> in good health, he's trying to care for her, and he "can't have the >> cat doing >> that to her" so if I didn't come get him, he would put him down. I >> asked if he >> was willing to wait until the results of the blood panel JUST taken >> that morning >> came back (which they will have to pay for?) and he said no. So I >> knew I wasn't >> dealing with people like me and there was no way I was going to ask >> any more >> questions other than those regarding his health and meds. >> >> I've had him since yesterday and I was able to medicate him, but >> then again, >> come on, I'm good-- I have to admit that. I've had the worst of the >> worst and >> I've been doing this since I was 5, so.... I figured these two >> people just can't >> handle even the slightest struggling cat-- she is a teeny tiny >> thing with frail >> arms that shake, she is almost legally blind I think and she is >> prone to >> falling, so, yeah, when this cat decided he didn't want to be >> medicated anymore, >> there wasn't anything these people could do about it! So far, he >> has not had >> any seizures in my presence and I spent most of last evening with >> him. It >> doesn't appear he had any in his crate either b/c the crate is not >> trashed. But >> I have gotten all his Phenobar doses in. >> >> What I have observed is odd behavior changes. When I fostered this >> cat-- he was >> just always nutty and hyper. He would run around like a crazy thing >> and when I >> would go to pick him up, he would growl. I thought it was funny and >> harmless >> and he did it only b/c he wanted to be down and running- just a >> willfull little >> monster. My mom thought he was beyond a handfull and couldn't wait >> for him to >> get adopted b/c he was just a maniac! His adoptive parents said >> yesterday that >> he only recently started growling and he "never did that before"- >> which I find >> that hard to believe b/c he always growled!? That was his "thing." >> I treated >> it like a party trick b/c I like for them to all have their own lil >> personalities- even if it's something stupid like growling for no >> reason! So now >> I just don't know if I believe anything these people say. Their vet >> said the >> seziures are not good news and she suspects Toxo or a tumor and >> that his >> behavior changes could be from the neurological defects- especially >> if it's a >> tumor. I guess it's too early to speculate. I have set him an >> appointment with >> the Doctor that I entrusted Brumley's care to and I felt did a good >> job with >> Brum and whom I communicate with so well. The appt is Monday. >> >> In the meantime, this is scary and new territory for me. I haven't >> mixed the >> lil dude with my Yoda, and the two current fosters I have. They all >> live in my >> room and share a condo at night and they have become the 3 >> Musketeers! One is a >> kitten and I don't want to expose her to anything until we have >> investigated >> further and also, don't want them to have to be around a seizing >> cat. They are >> all so sensitive and very happy with their life as is, so I don't >> want to throw >> them for a loop by adding my new and ill dude. Plus, he is >> demonstrating >> aggressive qualitites that I just don't know if they are behavioral >> or part of >> some neurological disorder? He does not like treatment- what cat >> does?- but I >> do have to treat him like a wild animal for the medicating b/c it's >> like a >> switch flips and he knows what I am trying to do and he instantly >> starts >> stalking around the room, growling and hissing. He also seems to >> have lost his >> ability to play with toys? All my fosters are toy-heads and he was >> definitely >> one. When I brought him toys last night, he looked at them like he >> didn't know >> what they were and if I tossed one, he growled at it and became >> aggressive- not >> play aggressive, but actually mad! Not good mad at all. Thus I >> stopped doing >> that b/c I felt like toys were a potential provoker. He seems to >> enjoy laying >> around the room with me. He does purr and knead and rub up against >> me, lay with >> me and enjoy scratching. But if I get out a towel to wrap him up for >> medicating, literally, it's like from 0 to 60 instantly and he >> becomes Mr. Hyde. >> It's very odd. I'm just stumped. I plan to rely on my vet on Monday >> A LOT >> obviously, but if anyone has had any experience with seziures in >> cats or has any >> thoughts on the behavior vs. neurological defects debate, I would >> so appreciate >> it. I think we are doing okay considering, but I just need some >> other heads in >> the mix to help me solve this puzzle. >> >> thanks >> caroline >> _________________________________________________________________ >> Get ideas on sharing photos from people like you. 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