Conference misery::feline_v1

471.0. "New Disease causing potassium loss?" by VAXWRK::SKALTSIS (Deb) Sun Feb 08 1987 15:47

    The following appeared in the March 1987 issue of Cat Fancy in the
    LITTER BOX. It appears that dispite a balenced diet a number of
    cats have been quickly getting ill due to no potassium in their
    bodies. Has anyone heard anything about this?
    
    Deb
    
    The letter, retyped with out permission, follows the form feed.
    
    New Disease?
    ------------
    
    We own a 7-year old, orange and white domestic shorthair named Seymour.
    He has always been very healthy and is a large cat. One evening
    when he jumped up on the couch next to me, I noticed that he was
    holding his head with his  chin tucked in down toward his chest.
    It gave him the appearance of a show horse. Twentry-four hours later,
    Seymour was at Colorado State University Vetanary Hospital in critical
    condition.
    
    Although Seymour had the most severe case of what now appears to
    be a new disease, doctors at the hospital told us that they have
    recently treated several other cats with the same symptoms. The
    first noticable change is in the head position. This is followed
    by a staggering walk where the front legs appear week and stiff.
    These cats do not have a fever and give no other warning. Seymour
    was still trying to eat and drink when he could not even hold himself
    up. When we got him to the hospital, he could hardly breathe and
    his whole body seemed to be shutting down. 
    
    The treatment that saved Seymour was oxygen and an intravenous dose
    of potassium. For whatever reason, Seymour and the other cats treated
    at the hospital for the same problem seemed to have no potassium
    in their systems, although they were all on a balenced diet. My
    understanding is that potassium is converted into electrolytes within
    the system and that is what the muscles need to operate. without
    it their systems quickly shutdown and they could die.
    
    If you have had a similar experience with one of your cats, please
    write to
    		Dr. Richard LaCourtier
    		c/o Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital
    		300 West Drake Rd.
    		Fort Collins, CO 80526
    
    Dr. LaCourtier is doing research to identify what is causing the
    potassium loss in these cats. We are fortunate to have CSU so close
    to us. Had it not been for their exceptional staff, we may have
    lost Seymour.
    
    Susan Vincent
    Colorado
    

    I haven't heard of this, and I haven't even seen the March issue
    of Cat Fancy yet.  However, I remember that with humans, one of
    the serious problems with dehydration (e.g., from diarrhea) is
    that the water soluble vitamins and minerals are lost:  and
    potassium loss is one of most serious.  Humans (especially
    babies) on intravenous fluids often have potassium added quite
    quickly.  
    
    This reminds me of the write-up in the February issue of either
    Cats or Cat Fancy about hyperthyroidism, noticed in cats only
    within the past several years.  One question was whether it was
    truly a new problem or one that was just recently diagnosed
    correctly.
    
    I'm sure that the vets in Colorado are checking all types of
    theories, but I wonder if for some reason the cats were 
    dehydrated.
    
    (Bananas and orange juice are high in potassium...that's one reason
    that pediatricians advise parents to feed bananas to infants/children
    with diarrhea.)

    I was astounded to see this note.  My 12 year old neutered female
    had this last summer. I first noticed the tucked head and small
    pupils.  I took her to the vets. By that time her breathing was
    very rapid and shallow.  He had no idea what it was, thought it
    might be a stroke, gave her (I think) a tranquilizer and sent her
    home.  She recovered in about 5 hours.  I will write to the vet
    doing research. I'd like to know more about this and any preventative
    measures.  This cat has had other unusual medical problems and I'd
    like to know if they are related.