URGENT: HELP AND HOPE NEEDED FOR HOPE

[UnlikelyFelineLove]

Hello everyone
I have already received a lot of help from this forum earlier simply by reading but now I'm in dire need of help and some hope which is why I'm making this post.

In October, we rescues a kitten named Hope who had bite trauma on her back. The vet was told by an xray that it's a C7-T2 vertebral dislocation with possible spinal cord damage but his prognosis was guarded and he advised rest with medications till she was better. She was lying on her side, she couldn't pee on her own, she could poop fine and she had some breathing difficulties. She was put on Amoxicillin, Duphalac and Deriphylline whenever needed. We fed her Royal Canin Kitten Instinctive and eliminated her quite frequently.

On the next visit, he added Gabapin for pain and Hepamust for a slight liver enlargement but his prognosis remained guarded. We also started Homeopathic medicines and Rescue remedy as a part of her medications. Her activity levels were increasing so we thought we were doing well.

Recently, her appetite levels increased a lot(from 1.5 spoons per meal to 4-5 spoons per meal), she began peeing on her own if her bladder became too full and in general seemed happier and could express her voice clearly whereas earlier she could hardly vocalise.

Today, on her third visit to the vet, we are told that her hind limbs have no deep pain sensations and the paws have contractures, her fore limbs have spasticity with contractures and apparently she still has no urinary sphincter control. Her vision is fine. He further said that it seems that has a progressive degenerative myelopathy, myelingomalacia or myelitis which can only be confirmed on an MRI. He says that since the condition is currently spreading downwards, it can even spread upwards to her brain. His best suggestion is to euthanise her because she is too young to be operated on( she might be around 8-10 weeks). We don't want Hope to suffer anymore than she has already has BUT we want to make sure that we have done everything we could have done and that there was absolutely no chance. I wish to know if any of you have seen similar cases or what is your opinion about Hope.
We love her and we are not ready to give up on her at all because she has fought so well so far. Please do let me know at the earliest.

Here are the recent reports:

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[critters]

Yes, it IS possible for degenerative spinal cord problems to develop, but it's rare. In my experience, contractures are pretty rare, but they happened with one of my boys, who'd been shot in the spine. To be honest, it doesn't SOUND like she's all that bad to need to be PTS, but that's really hard to say. Sigh. If it were me, I think I'd stay the course for now, unless she crashes or something. For some reason, I can't see the pics; I don't know about anybody else.

[UnlikelyFelineLove]

Hey! Thanks a ton for that quick reply. You have no idea how relieved I am feeling. I think there was some issue with the HTML linking. I'll upload them right here again

[Youtube]https://youtu.be/gG5Qln4vzGw[/Youtube]

Even uploaded a recent video of her.

[UnlikelyFelineLove]

I'm sorry but you'll have to zoom into the picture. I uploaded them using the phone hence all the issues. Ditto for the video. It's quite recent, about a week I think. She keeps her front paws like that only:one on her head, one below her head. We assumed it was for support but from time to time we would bring them out for a while and of course we would switch her position every 2-3 hours as well.

[critters]

I see them! You're right--that's a REALLY strange position!!

[UnlikelyFelineLove]

I see them! You're right--that's a REALLY strange position!!

Yes I know. I was hoping someone around here would know. Anyway, we have started a bit of physical therapy from the YouTube videos of Lincoln the paralysed kitten and a post from this forum itself. Also, we have added homeopathic medications which has made her sleep more regular. Another change that we are making is trying to gradually feed her Whiskas and reduce Royal Cabin Kitten instinctive because it's getting too expensive(there are 3 more cats at home). Do let me know if you can understand any of her behaviour or what could we do additionally to aid her recover

Thanks

[Pepe]

I need help! 6 weeks ago my 6 year old cat had surgery for a herniated disc. I have no idea how it happened, he doesn't go outside. After surgery they told me his right back leg was weak, but should recover. He is still limping. Vet said it may be permanent nerve damage and hasn't responded again. I'm terrified he is in pain. Is there still hope? I can't let him live in pain. He is eating. He has to be sedated at the vet because of aggression with strangers so physiotherapy isn't an option. I'm doing bicycle moves with him. I can't tell whether he hurts or doesn't want to be handle. He is able to use the litter box. Can anyone tell me anything? I can't get much from the vet surgeon. I paid $6000 for surgery and I've gotten very little info or feedback. Thank you

[critters]

Pepe. You might have the vet/s prescribe gabapentin if you think he's feeling "zaps" or something from his spinal cord injury. It isn't uncommon, and it might calm him as well. It sounds like he's doing well physically, so I wonder if he's objecting more to being caged at the vet? Cats don't tend to go along with such things. If he continues to limp, you might want to consider a splint, especially if the paw is in the wrong position. It's VERY hard to treat if a contracture sets in. If he's pooping, peeing, and walking, I'd mostly leave him alone. Like I mentioned, gabapentin might be worthwhile to try; I had a spinal cord injured boy, Koi, who needed it a lot.

[critters]

I see them! You're right--that's a REALLY strange position!!

Yes I know. I was hoping someone around here would know. Anyway, we have started a bit of physical therapy from the YouTube videos of Lincoln the paralysed kitten and a post from this forum itself. Also, we have added homeopathic medications which has made her sleep more regular. Another change that we are making is trying to gradually feed her Whiskas and reduce Royal Cabin Kitten instinctive because it's getting too expensive(there are 3 more cats at home). Do let me know if you can understand any of her behaviour or what could we do additionally to aid her recover

Thanks

Hope isn't contracted with her arms up, is she? Like I mentioned to Pepe, contractures can be terrible to deal with and are more easily prevented.

[UnlikelyFelineLove]

I see them! You're right--that's a REALLY strange position!!

Yes I know. I was hoping someone around here would know. Anyway, we have started a bit of physical therapy from the YouTube videos of Lincoln the paralysed kitten and a post from this forum itself. Also, we have added homeopathic medications which has made her sleep more regular. Another change that we are making is trying to gradually feed her Whiskas and reduce Royal Cabin Kitten instinctive because it's getting too expensive(there are 3 more cats at home). Do let me know if you can understand any of her behaviour or what could we do additionally to aid her recover

Thanks

Hope isn't contracted with her arms up, is she? Like I mentioned to Pepe, contractures can be terrible to deal with and are more easily prevented.

According to the vet, that's what it is. But we don't know how to confirm or refute it. If he says it, then it must be. We are trying are best to reverse it and bring arms down whenever it's possible. Is it possible to reverse it with any exercise?

[critters]

Hmm. True contractures here haven't broken with exercise. Koi was even knocked out, and they tried to stretch his foot under anesthesia. Then they tried clipping the tendons and reattached them in a longer position. In the end I had custom splints made to accommodate the contracture and to keep it from worsening.

[UnlikelyFelineLove]

Hmm. True contractures here haven't broken with exercise. Koi was even knocked out, and they tried to stretch his foot under anesthesia. Then they tried clipping the tendons and reattached them in a longer position. In the end I had custom splints made to accommodate the contracture and to keep it from worsening.

It is amazing that you have the facilities like custom splints. Here there are too many restrictions and the vets give up too easily. Other than that do you have any idea about what kind of physical therapy exercises can we make her do to improve the spasticity?

[critters]

Could you find a physical therapist for humans, or an orthotist (they make splints) for humans who might make Hope a custom splint? If all else fails, you might be able to get some of the thermoplastic (it gets soft when heated) and make splints yourself. Otherwise, maybe she'll let you exercise her arms and move them around some? This is called range-of-motion.

[CarolC]

It is amazing that you have the facilities like custom splints. Here there are too many restrictions and the vets give up too easily. Other than that do you have any idea about what kind of physical therapy exercises can we make her do to improve the spasticity?

I wonder if muscle relaxers would have an indirect benefit. I don't mean to relax her arms directly. I mean to relax the muscles around her neck and upper back. Cats have a way (unlike dogs) of kind of self re-adjusting a misadjusted spine, at least I have seen a cat do it with a dislocation in the middle back. But logically, it would be hard for her to make any progress on moving around and getting her spine gradually back in alignment if her muscles are all tightened up. Critters do you know what I am talking about? Do you think it would help, or at least not hurt to try a course of muscle relaxers? I say this not based on experience with a cat with a dislocation around the neck, but based on personal experience with decades of neck (and back) problems. Critters what do you think?

[UnlikelyFelineLove]

It is amazing that you have the facilities like custom splints. Here there are too many restrictions and the vets give up too easily. Other than that do you have any idea about what kind of physical therapy exercises can we make her do to improve the spasticity?

I wonder if muscle relaxers would have an indirect benefit. I don't mean to relax her arms directly. I mean to relax the muscles around her neck and upper back. Cats have a way (unlike dogs) of kind of self re-adjusting a misadjusted spine, at least I have seen a cat do it with a dislocation in the middle back. But logically, it would be hard for her to make any progress on moving around and getting her spine gradually back in alignment if her muscles are all tightened up. Critters do you know what I am talking about? Do you think it would help, or at least not hurt to try a course of muscle relaxers? I say this not based on experience with a cat with a dislocation around the neck, but based on personal experience with decades of neck (and back) problems. Critters what do you think?

I'll be asking my vet if this is possible. Thank you so much. In theory, it makes sense and I hope it actually is possible. If you have any more suggestions, please please do let me know. I'm trying to gather all pieces of information that I'm getting