Kitten w/swelling in all four legs

[CrazyBird]

Thursday I picked up a kitten with swelling in all four legs. They are painful to her, and she only walks if absolutely necessary (litterbox and food). When she does walk, it is very hunched, very slow, very wobbly, and very sad.

She went to the vet Friday morning, was diagnosed as being an infection that had settled into her joints (such as an umbilical infection that was never treated, as commonly seen in calves) and was put on Clavamox.

As the days progressed, she seems to have gotten worse rather than better.

She is currently back at the vets, for xrays and observation. I'm currently scouring the internet for more ideas/possible diagnosis, treatments, and long term outlook. The vet feels even if she comes out of this in the end, she may suffer from some frozen, immobile joints. He says they will not keep her from walking, but would keep her from walking normally, and may hinder her from doing *some* things (like jumping, etc)

Does anyone have any experience with something like this? She's an incredibly sweet little girl, and I hate to see her suffer, and would like to have a more definitive diagnosis. if we don't come up with something concrete she will most likely be taken to another vet.

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

I have no idea! The only exp I have w/ leg swelling was when my guy was bitten by a copperhead. That's when my vet told me cats react locally whereas dogs & human beans react systemically. Toxins are what first came to my mind. My guy's leg incidentlly swelled to about 10X normal. He looked like he would split.

Those of us who've sub-q'd have noticed the fluids going into the front legs and swelling them.

[Bendy Kitty]

i would try an injectible antibiotic. many of my half sibs had infections that caused swollen toes, some had umbilical abscesses. they were put on clavamox but did not survive. the infection was too widespread.

poor lil thing paws crossed for her.

bendy

[CarolC]

I wonder if she needs a different antiobiotic. I would ask, if you are not seeing improvement on the medication she has now.

[CrazyBird]

Kitty was not improving on Clavamox. The vet recommended euthing. There is a long story to this which I will spare you all from, but instead we sought a second opinion. This vet DID opt to switch to an injectable antibiotic, and said to DEFINITELY give her more time. I've also got some pain meds for her now, which the other waste of veterinary space would not provide.

So she's not out of the woods, her future is still unclear, but at least now we have a vet on board that is willing to do SOMETHING instead of just throwing in the towel after 6 days of Clavamox.

[Bendy Kitty]

often the best thing we can do is switch vets!
glad you have pain meds for her now and a different option.
still purrrin she can recover.

bendy

[critters]

. I've also got some pain meds for her now, which the other waste of veterinary space would not provide.

So she's not out of the woods, her future is still unclear, but at least now we have a vet on board that is willing to do SOMETHING instead of just throwing in the towel after 6 days of Clavamox.

Been there, done the waste of space. Glad things are progressing, anyway!

[CarolC]

I have no experience or knowledge of this whatsoever, but I stumbled across this description of hemorrhagic calici while looking for other information.

http://www.catchannel.com/media/care/va ... e.aspx.pdf

Symptoms include facial swelling and leg swelling, especially over joints. Hair loss and skin ulcerations also are common. In some cats, the disease attacks the internal organs including the lung, pancreas and liver; these cats die within days. The virus sheds in nasal, ocular and oral secretions and in stools. It also is found in sloughed hair and skin. Shedding continues for at least four months following recovery.

[EDIT] aka Virulent Systemic Feline Calicivirus, or VS-calicivirus

[CrazyBird]

Now see, that scares the heck out of me. None of the vets have suggested that possibility to me, the hem calici. But it does, in ways match her symptoms.... the leg swelling, the skin has had a few places 'open up' where infection has come out, around the infected joints, (maybe not 'ulcerations', I don't know....) and the hair loss around the area, which I assumed was from her grooming these areas.

Fudge.

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

We're not vets, but we're right here. share what you learn and LEAN ON US! The greatest gift of this board is to know you have actual humanoids here who are right at your shoulder. LEAN ON US, scream if you need to, and share what you find out. We are here to support you, hold you up and give you courage and strength. We're right here, can you feel us?

[Bendy Kitty]

We're not vets, but we're right here. share what you learn and LEAN ON US! The greatest gift of this board is to know you have actual humanoids here who are right at your shoulder. LEAN ON US, scream if you need to, and share what you find out. We are here to support you, hold you up and give you courage and strength. We're right here, can you feel us?

hey, watch who you are calling a humanoid!

a hallmark of just about ALL calici is mouth ulcers, ok you can have calici w/out but if she has mouth ulcerations then you know its calici. look for red/white spots on the tongue, gums, lips.

in the meantime just keep treating her. there is no treatment for any calici other than supportive care (we've delt with many varities of it here doing rescue) so you wouldn't be doing anything different anyway.
keep up your antibiotics and anything else you're doing. if she is still here, that is great.

thinking about it, we did have ONE kitten who swelled up HUGE and no one ever figured out why. she eventually recovered with just lots of supportive care, antibiotics just in case. she was the only one of her litter that survived. it was a horrible year with a lot of suddenly dying kittens and no real diagnosis. most of them developed a sudden, fast moving pneumonia that reseponding to nothing

here are some picts of the lil kitten.
she made a complete recovery and went on to be adopted.

bendy

[CrazyBird]

We lost little Ally Calico on Tuesday.

Over the weekend, she was refusing to get up, seemed to only have one leg she was willing to use. She stopped using the litterbox, and I was having to pick her up and hold her in it to go to the bathroom or she would just hold it til she couldn't hold it anymore.

Monday, she refused to get up (sit upright) even to eat. So I made an appointment for her Tuesday morning. The vet confirmed she was just continuing to get worse, and he didn't have high hopes for her. Quality of life came into play, plus the amount of current suffering. We felt it was best to let her go.

So sorry little Ally Calico. We really, really tried.....

[Bendy Kitty]

All any of us can do is try. you certainly gave it your best.
somethigns we cannot beat

many hugs & purrrrrrrs

bendy

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

The hardest gift of all is the gift of peace. I am so very sorry for your loss and so thankful she had you on her short scarey journey.