Help for a paralyzed cat months after injury?
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 12:19 am
I am considering the adoption of a cat (Zeppelin) that is paraplegic after being shot by a pellet gun last September. His owners were unable to pay for the surgery to remove the pellets, which they were told may not allow him to walk again anyhow, so they chose to provide the best for him without surgery. They were unable to handle all his special needs, however, and he moved in with his foster mom within a few months of his injury.
She has taken him in for acupuncture, but I do not know about other therapies. He has some movement in his rear legs, but cannot walk (he scoots around the house, and uses a cart sometimes as well.) She does reflexive walking with him in a sling, and the vet was impressed by his abilities. He has regained some movement in his tail and can twitch it at times. He wears diapers, and it is unclear whether he has bladder awareness, but foster mom thinks he may be pushing when he has bowel movements. He dances on his front legs during them rather than them just leaking out.
I have a lot of questions, and wonder a lot about what this guy would be like in my life. What I'm really wondering about is how much change could be expected at this point. I know each case is individual, and if I brought him into my life I'd be prepared for him to remain as he is for the rest of his life (he is only four years old,) but what has been experienced by others?
I suggested to his foster mom that she look into laser therapy. Would laser therapy help this late? Again, I know no one can know, but have others tried it months after the initial injury? What sort of therapies could I try, and what might I expect from them? Foster mom wants to try hydrotherapy. She said he does fine with his evening baths.
He sounds like he has adapted well, and really thrives on the help he is given (except the diapers. ) What might I expect long term as far as other problems? Bladder and bowel trouble? Arthritis in the front limbs? So many unknowables, but I need to wrap my mind around things before moving forward. His foster mom sounds great, and assured me she would take him back into her home with no judgement should someone adopt him and ever decide it was too much, but I don't want to have that happen.
He's a three hour drive away, so I can't just meet him on a whim, but I will at least be up that way in a month if not sooner either way.
She has taken him in for acupuncture, but I do not know about other therapies. He has some movement in his rear legs, but cannot walk (he scoots around the house, and uses a cart sometimes as well.) She does reflexive walking with him in a sling, and the vet was impressed by his abilities. He has regained some movement in his tail and can twitch it at times. He wears diapers, and it is unclear whether he has bladder awareness, but foster mom thinks he may be pushing when he has bowel movements. He dances on his front legs during them rather than them just leaking out.
I have a lot of questions, and wonder a lot about what this guy would be like in my life. What I'm really wondering about is how much change could be expected at this point. I know each case is individual, and if I brought him into my life I'd be prepared for him to remain as he is for the rest of his life (he is only four years old,) but what has been experienced by others?
I suggested to his foster mom that she look into laser therapy. Would laser therapy help this late? Again, I know no one can know, but have others tried it months after the initial injury? What sort of therapies could I try, and what might I expect from them? Foster mom wants to try hydrotherapy. She said he does fine with his evening baths.
He sounds like he has adapted well, and really thrives on the help he is given (except the diapers. ) What might I expect long term as far as other problems? Bladder and bowel trouble? Arthritis in the front limbs? So many unknowables, but I need to wrap my mind around things before moving forward. His foster mom sounds great, and assured me she would take him back into her home with no judgement should someone adopt him and ever decide it was too much, but I don't want to have that happen.
He's a three hour drive away, so I can't just meet him on a whim, but I will at least be up that way in a month if not sooner either way.