New here - cat paralyzed June 1, 2010

[Taz]

Hi all,

So relieved to have found this board. I really need some guidance!

I have a 9 y.o. flamepoint SiameseX (Tocho) that was rescued out of a barn as a feral kitten. He is the sweetest boy (very dog-like and loving) and most recently got attacked by a dog I had rescued off a 3 foot chain - dog was visiting with new owner who obviously didn't keep up with the "no chasing kitty" training that I had done with the dog. Anyways, Tocho was shaken and luxated spine at L4/L5 clearly shown on X-rays but spinal cord not severed but damaged. I decided to give him a chance to see if he would have quality of life as a paraplegic as very poor prognosis of recovery. In any event, it has been almost a month. He had to be catheterized for the first 3 weeks as the urinary sphincter was hyperreflexive and the phenoxybenzamine didn't change that. Eventually, he began to leak around the catheter so catheter was pulled and phenoxy is doing it's job as well as the sphincter has likely settled from the trauma.

As of yesterday he has come off of the phenoxybenzamine and I am expressing his bladder. All is going well but I am having a very hard time managing all the urine. He is still leaking even with being expressed 3x/day and he gets bathed 2x/day. I put newborn diapers on him and have puppy pads too but the diapers still allow leakage onto his rump area and now he looks like a little baby bird with no fur on his hind-end - just pink skin. The urine has rotted his fur (white fur so not pigmented and therefore more fragile). I have tried using just baby wipes and Nature's Miracle but it doesn't do the trick to get rid of the smell so have been resorting to bathing. I have also been putting vaseline on him to prevent the urine scalding the skin.

I do range of motion exercises with him as well as try to get him to stand on his hind legs (he can't support himself so I assist him). I also support his hind end and simulate walking his hind legs. He has no deep pain response but his reflexes are excellent and he reacts to stimulation of the legs.

I guess I am curious as to a couple of things which are probably very hard to answer:
1) What are the chances that he will stop leaking?
2) How many of you have paralysed cats will have their bladder fill up and then it will all release at once versus those that have to be manually expressed 3X daily.
3) Of those that are manually expressed, do your cats leak?
4) What are the chances of my cat regaining bladder/bowel control and/or hind leg use?

Finally, I feel bad because my other cat who is also a siameseX was a great friend to him and would mother him and now she hisses at him probably because he smells like urine and moves differently. Will she come around?

Thanks so much....sorry for the length but had to get it all out there!

[CarolC]

Hi Taz,



There are people here with lots of experience with paralyzed cats, I hope one of them will post for you soon. I have experience with 2 paralyzed dogs and a rabbit.

I am sorry your cat was injured. My paralyzed dogs have 2 different types of conditions. One does not dribble urine at all, she cannot urinate unless she is squeezed (expressed). The other dribbles urine all day every day and never has enough volume in her bladder to express. She is the one who is more like your cat. She wears a diaper in the day and at night she sleeps without a diaper. She sleeps in a playpen with a kind of fleece sheet (the kind you get for babies) and a puffy quilted blanket. This is enough to absorb her dribbles, so she does not have to wear a diaper at night. This means her skin is exposed to the air, which helps keep it healthy. Your kitty would probably climb out of a playpen but you could arrange something similar with a medium dog crate (the wire kind). It means you'll probably have a load of pet laundry every 2-3 days, but that's not bad.

There are different varieties of incontinence. Some pets have a tight sphincter and can't urinate unless expressed. Some have a tight enough sphincter that if you express them they can go for several hours without dribbling, but maybe not 8 hours. Some will dribble in spite of being expressed. In the case of my dog, there is no point in expressing her, there is nothing there, her bladder is always small because she dribbles constantly.

When you express him, how much is in his bladder? Can you describe what size his bladder feels like it is? Like a plum? Bigger? Smaller?

If you are using newborn diapers on him, are they snug to the skin or are they bagging and drooping in the rear? The urine should pretty much go straight into the diaper and not remain on the skin. I am a little surprised enough urine is staying on his skin to cause a urine burn. I have not had this problem with my dog who dribbles constantly, or my bunny who wore preemie diapers. Both of them actually sat on their diaper so the spot where the urine was coming from was in direct contact with the diaper or pad all the time and urine went straight into the absorbent materal. Maybe the diaper is not snug enough under the tail?

I agree baby wipes don't do enough to clean and protect the skin when the pet dribbles. I am glad you are bathing him and putting a barrier (vaseline). I think if I were in your situation, I would have a hard time fitting 2 baths a day into my schedule. Have you tried just holding his rear under the faucet for a minute? You don't necessarily have to use shampoo, just rinse. That's what I do with my dog sometimes when she's a mess but I don't want to do a whole bath. You can also hold him under the faucet, and put a little shampoo on and rinse immediately. The trick that works for me is to squeeze a nickel-sized dab of shampoo onto the ledge beside the sink so I can wipe some onto my fingers to put on her--it's tricky holding a paralyzed pet under the faucet and getting the shampoo rubbed on otherwise.

There are medications that can tighten the urinary sphincter, as well as relax it. You might explain to the vet about the dribbling and see if there is something that might help it.

On the question about a bladder that will fill up and release all at once, I have read about that in articles online occasionally. To me is sounds like the Holy Grail but I can't think of anyone I know who has a pet like this. Maybe I've forgotten someone or maybe someone will come forward who does.

All I can say is it sounds like you are doing the right things, and it is bound to be stressful during the first month or so while you get used to the routine, but you have a good routine. After a while it becomes second nature.

As far as regaining bladder control, I don't know about cats but my dog's physical therapist says you need to give it at least 3 months to see if bladder control will return and 6 months to be sure. I'm not sure about your cat but I would give him time. Nerves do recover but they heal slowly, more slowly than broken bones, however it is good to keep in mind that they are healing a tiny bit more every day even if he seems much the same.

[Diana R.]

Taz:

I just sent a long post but it seems to have disappeared. I have two incontinent cats---Simon who was born with severe spinal deformities, paralyzed back legs and incontinent and Harley who they believe was born with some back leg deformities but also may have suffered some trauma like HBC. I am wondering if you are expressing your cat's bladder completely. It does take practice to get the hang of it and you may want to consider having your vet or the tech show you and make sure you are emptying it completely. Three times a day should be sufficient---I don't know how big Tocho is. Neither of my cats leak out and they have never had an infection---I have been expressing Simon for almost 8 years. My cat Glory initially needed to be stimulated in order to pee. She apparently had some kind of compression injury and her spine healed at a 45 degree angle but she now pees on her own. She has no deep pain sensation but kind of hops up and down to expel her bladder. Recently I have had to express her bowels a couple times a day since she became constipated. I understand with pelvic injuries this can happen and may not show up til years later. My dog Jack was born with partial paralysis of his hind legs and needed a wheelchair when I first got him. I had him in physical therapy (underwater treadmill) and he has not needed a wheel chair since he was about a year old and he is now 5 years. He can walk and run. You may want to consider seeing a physical therapist or even acupuncture. I think it is quite possible for Tocho to regain bladder control and the use of his hind legs---if not he can still lead a good quality life. If you think he is urinating alot I would consider checking for other problems unrelated to the injury like diabetes or some kidney issues---your vet can do a blood panel to rule these out. Diana

[Taz]

Diana and Carol, I really appreciate you both taking the time to respond. I'm sure you feel like a broken record with all the newbies but it is quite a big deal having a paralyzed pet to a newbie who doesn't have the techniques and skills.

Tocho is 4kg or 9 pounds. It is possible that I'm not expressing completely. The vet and vet tech both showed me how but Tocho didn't have anything in his bladder at the time. When full it is about the size and firmness of a soft ripe plum but it seems to be an elongated oval and not round. Afterwards it feels mushy in there and I can't seem to knead any more out. I think practice makes perfect so will keep trying. I expressed him at about 5pm tonight and did quite a thorough job. It is now near 9:00pm and he hasn't leaked so that may be the solution.

I don't think he's peeing excessively and he has had things thoroughly checked out - I'm just having a hard time keeping him clean and retaining his fur.

As far as diapers, I have the newborn ones on but they are too big for him so will try buying the preemie ones. He has very slender hips and even more-so now that the muscle is wasting.

When I said I bathe him, I should have clarified. I just wash his back half. I place him in the sink and have a spray faucet so that works well. Sometimes I use a bit of shampoo but mostly just water and a little Nature's Miracle. I have found the vaseline is helping his skin. I think I will have a harder time with him because he has pink skin and white fur. The white furred animals always seem more sensitive.

I am starting to think of doing some water therapy with him in the bath tub. He doesn't really care for water but he is a very tolerant boy and I'm sure he will humour me but with a sourpuss on his face. Is the idea to make him swim or to just take pressure off of his legs so he can simulate a walk pattern?

Thanks again,
Kerri-Lynne aka Taz

[critters]

Hi all,

So relieved to have found this board. I really need some guidance!

I have a 9 y.o. flamepoint SiameseX (Tocho) that was rescued out of a barn as a feral kitten. He is the sweetest boy (very dog-like and loving) and most recently got attacked by a dog I had rescued off a 3 foot chain - dog was visiting with new owner who obviously didn't keep up with the "no chasing kitty" training that I had done with the dog. Anyways, Tocho was shaken and luxated spine at L4/L5 clearly shown on X-rays but spinal cord not severed but damaged. I decided to give him a chance to see if he would have quality of life as a paraplegic as very poor prognosis of recovery. In any event, it has been almost a month. He had to be catheterized for the first 3 weeks as the urinary sphincter was hyperreflexive and the phenoxybenzamine didn't change that. In our experience, PBZ was really good for that, but it took mega doses to do it. Eventually, he began to leak around the catheter so catheter was pulled and phenoxy is doing it's job as well as the sphincter has likely settled from the trauma.

As of yesterday he has come off of the phenoxybenzamine and I am expressing his bladder. All is going well but I am having a very hard time managing all the urine. He is still leaking even with being expressed 3x/day and he gets bathed 2x/day. I put newborn diapers on him and have puppy pads too but the diapers still allow leakage onto his rump area and now he looks like a little baby bird with no fur on his hind-end - just pink skin. The urine has rotted his fur (white fur so not pigmented and therefore more fragile). I have tried using just baby wipes and Nature's Miracle but it doesn't do the trick to get rid of the smell so have been resorting to bathing. Try shaving his butt and using Cavilon spray; it's used to seal the poop and pee from contact with the skin. I have also been putting vaseline on him to prevent the urine scalding the skin.

I do range of motion exercises with him as well as try to get him to stand on his hind legs (he can't support himself so I assist him). I also support his hind end and simulate walking his hind legs. He has no deep pain response but his reflexes are excellent and he reacts to stimulation of the legs.

I guess I am curious as to a couple of things which are probably very hard to answer:
1) What are the chances that he will stop leaking? Nobody knows. My Koi still leaks, and it's who-knows-how-many-years since he was shot. I need to try him on Bethanechol again, but his foot's infected. I can't get but so many meds into his ornery self in one day!!
2) How many of you have paralysed cats will have their bladder fill up and then it will all release at once versus those that have to be manually expressed 3X daily.
3) Of those that are manually expressed, do your cats leak? Buddy didn't leak when he was expressed, but he had a spastic bladder. Given my druthers, I'll take a leaker.
4) What are the chances of my cat regaining bladder/bowel control and/or hind leg use?

Finally, I feel bad because my other cat who is also a siameseX was a great friend to him and would mother him and now she hisses at him probably because he smells like urine and moves differently. Will she come around? I would think so. Many of mine mother my megasevere CHer, who can't walk or groom herself.

Thanks so much....sorry for the length but had to get it all out there!

[CarolC]

I wanted to add that my dog did not develop complete bladder control, but after she was first injured her sphincter was almost impossible to overcome, she was very hard to express, it would take over 20 minutes to empty her. By the 6-month point she was to the place where she still couldn't urinate independently but when I went to squeeze her she would help and it made all the difference, now I can express her in about a minute because she is helping. Your kitty is the opposite, a loose sphincter, but I think the principle of gradual improvement will still apply, and I suspect you can't really judge what you will have a few months down the road by what you have now. I'd say it's likely it will change.

My dog started physical therapy months after she was injured, and I felt that somehow the physical therapy contributed to her improved ability to empty her bladder. The nerves were healing gradually in the background, certainly, but I don't think the urinary system and the nerve and muscle control that belongs to it are totally independent from the other nerve and muscle functions in the hind end, and I think the physical therapy helped her get other abilities back in addition to walking.

[Taz]

Critters - thanks for the info and hint about Cavilon spray, I will look for it.

CarolC - In terms of physical therapy, did you do it or did you take the dog somewhere for that?

[Sasha's Mom]

Sorry I did not see your post sooner, but I do have a cat with hind paralysis.

I guess I am curious as to a couple of things which are probably very hard to answer:
1) What are the chances that he will stop leaking?
2) How many of you have paralyzed cats will have their bladder fill up and then it will all release at once versus those that have to be manually expressed 3X daily.
3) Of those that are manually expressed, do your cats leak?
4) What are the chances of my cat regaining bladder/bowel control and/or hind leg use?

1) When I first got Sasha, he was incontinent. Over time, he stopped urinating on his own completely and leaked only for a week or so during the transition period from incontinence to having to be expressed.
2) I express Sasha 3x's a day, sometimes only twice if I am away for the day. He is extraordinarily easy to work with and very tolerant, but physically difficult to express and although the flow is strong, it comes in short bursts (like a man with a prostrate condition) and I am 100% certain, I rarely empty his bladder completely. As you noted, the bladder becomes "mushy" after a while, and I do other things with him (passive PT, cleaning his eyes, brushing him, etc...) while waiting to try to express more urine.
3) No, as stated above, there is no leaking.
4) I wish I could answer your last question as it is one of mine as well. Time, patience and lots of love.

Wanted to add that Sasha very rarely loses control of his bowels (maybe once every two months), so I stopped using diapers completely about 2 months ago. He releases his bowels on his own about once a day while I am expressing his bladder and once in a blue moon, I help him a tiny bit when things seem a little "stuck". Because Sasha's fur is so long and pure white, I initially had his hind area (intact male), tail and legs shaved for cleanliness sake, but he developed brush burns on his legs from scooting around and have now allowed the fur to grow back in. Thank heavens, he's never had any urine burns. I was also washing him in the sink after every session in the beginning, then moved on to baby wipes and now we have graduated to letting Sasha clean himself after each session. I lift his hind leg above his head and neck as any normal cat would do when cleaning himself and he is just too happy to oblige. I am trying to make things as "normal" as possible for him and believe letting him clean himself, as Nature intended, is likely healthier for him in the long run.

Finally, I feel bad because my other cat who is also a siameseX was a great friend to him and would mother him and now she hisses at him probably because he smells like urine and moves differently. Will she come around?

Take a look at some of my other posts. I have had Sasha (about 3 y/o) for 7 months and Robbie, who is just a year old, since he was a little speck. I tried everything except shooting myself to get them to stop fighting, but finally got to the point to let them work it out themselves and they are now crate-free and co-existing almost in complete peace and quiet. Robbie is a cuddler and snuggles up to Sasha when he's sleeping now and I think some of it had to do with Robbie having his own accident about a month ago and injuring his back. (Thank God, Robbie's okay now.) Robbie has the tendency to run after Sasha's limp legs and tail and nip (not bite) at them, almost as if prodding Sasha to "get up and walk already so we can have some fun!" He still jumps on Sasha and now Sasha sometimes attacks Robbie first and they bite each other, but as Critters pointed out to me, it appears as if it's just rough Tomcat play. Who knows what goes on in their cute furry little heads?

Hope this helps a bit.

Leah

[Taz]

Thank-you all for your kind words and helpfulness.

Tocho got very sick from kidney complications and was euthanized this afternoon. I am very sad but grateful to have had this resource to help me with his condition.