Possible Manx Syndrome

[animallover2036]

I have just taken in a sweet black and white kitten I named Oreo. She was born with a stub of a tail and her back legs are deformed. It seems like her legs don't have joints in them at the right places. She seems to be incontinent and has urinated but hasn't pooped. I was doing research on manx syndrome cats and I am worried she might have this. I am taking her to the vet on Tuesday (no where is open on Monday for memorial day). If she doesn't poop by tomorrow should I be worried? I have read some things that say to feed fiber and some things say not to. I just want to give her the best possible life. Please let me know if you have had any experience with a kitty like this. It is all very new to me and I am sure I'm going to learn a lot!

[CarolC]

The kitty experts will be along soon. Can you guess how old the kitten is?

[animallover2036]

The kitty experts will be along soon. Can you guess how old the kitten is?

She looks to be about six weeks old. She is able to eat kitten chow just fine. To my relief she did poop today but it seems like she has no control over that either. I am trying to make a diaper for her but it is proving difficult because of the way she holds her back legs. She likes to tuck them up under herself and hold them both to one side. She tries to walk on them and looks like a bunny hopping sometimes and is able to lift up her back...but her legs are so long they get in the way and she ends up scooting.

Hopefully the vet will be able to give me some tips on how to care for her also. I love her so much and it would break my heart if I had to euthanize her.

I'll try to get a good picture of her back legs so it is easier to understand what I am talking about

[Diana R.]

Hopefully you have a vet who will work with you and Oreo---there is no reason to put her down. I don't know anything about Manx Syndrome but I have 3 cats with paralyzed back legs (one leans to the right, one to the left and one has legs who stick straight up) and have either bowel or bladder incontinence and needs to be expressed. Glory, who was believed to have a compression injury in the lumbar region, can pee on her own (unlike my other two) but need help with her bowels which I express 2x a day. She use to be able to poop on her own when I stimulated that area but got constipated a couple years ago (she is 10 years old) so I have to squeeze the poop out by starting at the top of the intestines. She is currently on cisapride and lactulose which keeps her poop soft. On occasion the vet has to clean her out. You may be able to help him poop by stimulating the area with a washcloth. I am not sure what to tell you about Oreo's legs without seeing a picture---you may want to consider having a radiograph. Glad you took Oreo. Diana

[animallover2036]

Hopefully you have a vet who will work with you and Oreo---there is no reason to put her down. I don't know anything about Manx Syndrome but I have 3 cats with paralyzed back legs (one leans to the right, one to the left and one has legs who stick straight up) and have either bowel or bladder incontinence and needs to be expressed. Glory, who was believed to have a compression injury in the lumbar region, can pee on her own (unlike my other two) but need help with her bowels which I express 2x a day. She use to be able to poop on her own when I stimulated that area but got constipated a couple years ago (she is 10 years old) so I have to squeeze the poop out by starting at the top of the intestines. She is currently on cisapride and lactulose which keeps her poop soft. On occasion the vet has to clean her out. You may be able to help him poop by stimulating the area with a washcloth. I am not sure what to tell you about Oreo's legs without seeing a picture---you may want to consider having a radiograph. Glad you took Oreo. Diana

Oreo got her checkup this morning. She has a cold and was given some antibiotics. The vet said she was constipated and suggested wetting her kitten chow with warm water to give her softer stool. He didn't show me how to really express her bowels though. She gets her vaccines next week and then I'll get her radiographs done then. He said it looks like her spinal cord just didn't develop correctly and that is why she can't use her back legs. Thanks for your advice so far! This is a learning process and I just want the best for Oreo.

[FYI]

He didn't show me how to really express her bowels though.

http://www.handicappedpets.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Bowel_management_in_incontinent_pets#External_Links

[Diana R.]

Also forgot to add to feed her canned food not just dry. Diana

[animallover2036]

Also forgot to add to feed her canned food not just dry. Diana

thanks! I went out and got her some canned food and I have looked at the techniques for bowel expression that were posted. Hopefully we get poop tonight I wanted to thank you for your help

[critters]

Somebody else has a kitty diapered strangely because of leg fusions. Will try to get mumpkees to reply, but I haven't heard from her this week...

[animallover2036]

Somebody else has a kitty diapered strangely because of leg fusions. Will try to get mumpkees to reply, but I haven't heard from her this week...

okay thank you! She is so squirmy she wiggles out of everything!

[critters]

I just read an email from her and have sent her the link to your post.

[animallover2036]

Just an update:

Yesterday Oreo did poop but today she hasn't had a bowel movement. How often should a kitten be defecating?
She is very curious and scoots all around the house and is already getting into lots of trouble

[critters]

Hmm. My little one usually poops every day, but no guarantees. In fact, he's overdue right now.

[animallover2036]

Hmm. My little one usually poops every day, but no guarantees. In fact, he's overdue right now.

I'm just having such a hard time with her pooping....I can feel it backed up even though she did poop once already today...the vet told me I need to stick a thermometer in there and pull it out...but she screams when I try and it doesn't work very well. I do massage her rear and her belly and it will eventually come out but she protests the entire time My little girl is feisty I was just wondering if anyone else had any more tips for me on getting her to poop regularly

[critters]

I'd get a Rx for lactulose, a yummy liquid poop softener. It tastes sweet, so I've never had any trouble getting anybody to take it. It's used for humans too, so I felt free to taste it to see what I was giving them. Because it's a liquid, it's easy to increase or decrease as needed.