Conference misery::feline_v1

    I never had a cat with epilepsy but I would certainly have Pint checked
    out. Onc I found a little dog on the side of the road having a seisure
    so I lifted him into the car, and within 30 seconds of doing that he
    stopped and shortly thereafter he looked fine. When I found his owners
    they said he had epilepsy (also that he was supposed to be confined to
    the house but had sneaked out).
    
    We did have a dog who had some kind of toxin in his body caused by a
    kidney disease which caused him to have fits. It required a vet too.
    
    I would say that Pint needs to see a vet.
    Pat
    
    

    
    My 15 year old kitty Brandy is having seizures (convulsions)
    also.  It scared(s) me to see her have them.  The vet and I
    are working on trying to figure out how to control them.  She
    has had 12 now since July 30.  You're not alone.  
    
    I would advise seeing a vet.  
    
    deb

    Do a "show key/full seizures" to get a list of other notes that discuss
    cats that have seizures.
    
    Jo

Pint's condition worsened last night.  Soon after I got home from work he
had another fit - he managed to stay half standing and half leaning against
the wall, and kept jerking his head and shoulders sideways as if he was 
curling up.  I phoned the vet, who said that it sounded like epilepsy, and
the best thing was to keep him in a darkened room overnight, and bring him
to the surgery in the morning.  However, later that night his fits were
getting more and more often, and after 3 fits in 2 hours, I finally took 
him to the vet at 1 am.

The vet gave him a sedative, and kept him in overnight.  They are keeping
an eye on him today and if he has no more fits he can come home again tonight
with some medication.

The vet gave several possible diagnoses, which fit in with what I have read
here; it could be epilepsy, brain tumour, or toxins in the blood.  I think
he plans to treat Pint for epilepsy since he thinks that's most likely, and
if he doesn't respond to the medication, then investigate the others.
However, I will have more idea when I see him again this evening.

The vet also explained that an epileptic fit can consist of a series of
"seizures" over a period of time (1 day or so), with the cat being quite normal
in between.

The only reason he had for doubt about Pint having epilepsy, was that Pint
was dribbling/drooling a lot, even 20 minutes after an attack.  He said that 
was unusual for epileptics.


> Do a "show key/full seizures" to get a list of other notes that discuss
>    cats that have seizures.

Thanks, I have now realized that seizure is the usual "American-English" 
terminology for what I would call a fit or an attack!

Thanks for everyone's suggestions - it is a relief to know that Pint is not
unique in this problem.  Though one odd thing is that I get the impression
that the other cats suffering seizures in this conference are pedigrees.
Pint is just an ordinary moggy.  I believe pedigree cats are more prone to
neurological problems.

Carol

    I don't agree that pedigreed cats are more prone to neurological
    disorders.  I do feel that the numbers may lean towards that
    assumption, but consider the fact that a lot of owners of moggie cats
    are not as responsible as most of the folks in this file, or as
    involved in their pets as owners of purebred cats, so would be less
    likely to notice a seizure (especially if the cat were an
    indoor/outdoor cat), and less likely to spend great amounts of money
    getting to the bottom of the problem.  In the cases of these owners, it
    may be considered to be more economical to get another cat than to get
    to the bottom of the seizure disorder.
    
    I am not saying that the folks in this file feel that way, but I have
    noticed this general attitude in the people in my neighborhood, the
    people I work with, and the public that visits the cat shows where I
    exhibit my purebred cats.  I think that this attitude applies to almost
    all serious health problems, and not just seizures or neurological
    problems.
    
    Jo

    Poor Pint -- please let us know how he is doing.  I don't recollect if
    earlier repilies have suggested that you look for things like poisonous
    houseplants he migh be chewing on, or anything else like that in the
    house or any area he has access to....
    

It's a sad ending to Pint's story.  He had heart failure and died last night.

I spoke to the vet yesterday evening, and he said he wanted to keep Pint in
for another night.  Pint had no fits all day yesterday, and was eating his
food normally and seemed happy enough, but the vet was worried about the
fact that he was still salivating/drooling a lot.

The drooling had been happening during attacks, but in the earlier attacks
he stopped drooling as soon as they had finished.  However in the last
attack before we took him to the vets he had carried on drooling after the
attack was over.  It seemed he never really stopped.

Because of the drooling, and the fact that he had some inflammation in his
mouth, the vet thinks it was some sort of poisoning, and not epilepsy as he
had originally thought.  I had put some weedkiller on the garden on Sunday
afternoon, and when I first rang the vet I had mentioned this; but the vet
contacted their poisoning specialists, who said that the chemicals in this
particular weedkiller should not cause fits.  The vet said that the only
chemicals he knew of which definitely caused fits were the sort used to
treat woodworm in old houses (He said either Hydrofluorines or Hydrochlorines,
I can't remember which).  I guess I'll never know what it was.

re .-1
>    Poor Pint -- please let us know how he is doing.  I don't recollect if
>    earlier repilies have suggested that you look for things like poisonous
>    houseplants he migh be chewing on, or anything else like that in the
>    house or any area he has access to....

I don't think it was a houseplant because I've had the same plants for years.
It could easily have been something in the garden though.  He did used to
chew plants (mainly grass), as cats often do, so that they are sick and get 
rid of any fur in their stomach.  He used to wander well outside our garden,
so I can't know what else he had access to...  I guess I'll never know what
it was.

Thanks to everyone who replied to this note, and who sent me mail.  I just
hope that Pint's story might help in some way others who's cats have similar 
symptoms.  I know it helped me to be able to read about the other cats 
in the notes keyworded "seizures".

I don't know whether I'm supposed to add keywords for this, but I would
suggest "seizures" and "drooling".

Carol

    I'm so sorry to hear about Pint.  

    Oh, Carol, I'm so sorry ...

    Kitty prayers for Pint!
    
    Sandy

    My sympathies go out to you - I am so sorry. 
    Pat

    I have already added the keyword "seizures" to this note.  I am very
    sorry to hear about the passing of Pint.  Seizures are a very serious
    disorder, and can be a symptom of some of the major infectious cat
    diseases too.  If you have other cats, it may be worthwhile to ask your
    vet to perform a necropsy on Pint to find out if he was poisoned, or if
    he contracted an infectious disease.
    
    My condolences.
    
    Jo

    I'm very sorry about Pint.
    
    Karen
    

    I have added Pint's name to the Silver Lining Memorial list for
    this quarter.  I am so sorry to hear of his passing.  Let us know
    if there's anything we can do to help.
      Nancy DC
    
    p.s. SLM is discussed in note 2228
    

    I'm so sorry to hear about Pint.
    
    Giudi +3

    I'm sorry to hear about Pint. 
    
    When I lived with my parents we had two puppies who suffered an attack
    similar to what afflicted poor Pint, both recovered after a few days
    stay at the vet. We searched high and low for what they might have
    gotten into (on a large fruit farm there were plenty of possibilites)
    but couldn't find anything. A few days later we returned home to find 
    the female dead and the male sick again. This time we found the culprit
    a loose board on the back of the barn just begging for puppy
    investigation unfortunately this was where we stored the chemicals that
    were so much a part of farming back then. Our dogs had ripped open a
    bag of lime and eaten some, something about it was so attractive to
    them that they were drawn to it even though it had made them very sick. 
    The symptoms were exactly those of your cat, siezures, drooling and an 
    inflamed mouth. 
    
    Do a favour for the other cats in your nieghbourhood and make an
    inspection for something like this being accessable, ask your
    nieghbours to check their garages and garden sheds. 
                                                                    
    The male survived, in fact he's still alive today (15 years later) the
    only torment he suffers now is merciless taunting by my mothers two
    cats.  

    I am very sorry to hear about Pint.  
    
    Karen