Fearing the worst

[MagicFingers]

I am fearing that I am coming to that point where I have to make the choice to put my fur baby to sleep.

It started the beginning of last week when she was limping and then progressed to knuckling he back left paw. She wasn't coming upstairs anymore, although she is eating and drinking just fine. So we took her for xrays and they are all fine her blood work is all fine but since thursday she has been getting worse. Although she does not seem to be in pain she just drags her leg behind her. Its like it is paralized, she also has some twitching, her eyes will blink her body will twitch. Again she is still eating and drinking although she lays down to do it, and she purrs when we pet her and she loves attention will roll over to her back to get her belly rubbed but she just can't walk. I know what will probably need to be done but waiting to hear from the vet, they were thinking of putting her on prednisone but not sure exactly what that will do.

[magic mushroom]

hardest decision for sure.
Think of quality of life for her, when that ceases then it is a love for her that your decision needs to be made. very very difficult, been there quite a few times, and it never gets easy.
will the prednisone prolong her life indefinitely or just for a short time?

[MagicFingers]

I don't know i called the vet this morning to give them an update. I was supposed to pick up the prednisone today but asked what it is supposed to do for her. Sounds like they don't think it will be helpful but they want to talk to the vet as I| only talked to the vet assistant. She is still happy but being that she is confining herself to the basement behind the couch that isn't a life and her dragging her leg and staying away from people is not a life either. She has always been a people cat and loves to be around people. SO this is really sad for me. this will be the 5th pet i have had to put down. I am no stranger to making the decision and your right it doesn't get any easier.

[MagicFingers]

well the vet is still saying they want to try her on a very high dose of steroids I believe prednisone, before we do anything else. So please please please keep your fingers crossed for me and hope that this works.

[magic mushroom]

will keep fingers crossed.
just watch her and you will know what to do. she will let you know in subtle ways.
prednisone isn't a friendly drug.

good luck what ever your decision, get well kitty.

[Larimar]

That is such a hard choice I'm sorry you're faced with it.
Cats have this instinctual urge to hide when they are hurt so perhaps once the meds are given she will come around people again. I've seen cats and dogs live from birth a lot worse off, having no control over certain parts of their body so it is doable if you feel she's not done here yet. As time passes the answer will make itself known and we'll all be here for support no matter what the choice.

[kitca]

i feel for you, it is such a hard time and hard decision to make.

[MagicFingers]

2 weeks before my son was born we had to have my other fur baby put down. She was having seizures non stop....there was no decision there. I remember calling my husband at work crying hysterical that we can't put her through this any more it has been a week and we tried her on several medications none worked. Then on a friday she had 3 really really bad seizures in the morning and that was enough. It was to the point she was having them almost every hour, to the point she was frothing at the mouth, loosing control of her bladder, she was so scared and cried. There was no ddecision there was only one option and we were heart broken but knew it had to be done, she was suffering. However this fur baby she still has her happy personality when I pick her up. If I could carry her in like a baby wrap and wear her she would be content and pur all day. She eats and drinks so this decision is very hard, I have to really watch her and decide is this how she wants to live if she doesn't get better and what will her quality of life be. If her quality of life is not a good one then I will not put her through that. If she is in pain I will not put her through that either.

[MagicFingers]

We started on the prednisone yesterday currently she get 10mg twice a day for 5days and then 5 mg twice a day for 5 days and then 5 mg 1 times a day for 5 days. SO far we have not seen any change but we are willing to give it about a week before we make any decision.

[kitca]

i hope the best for you and your situation.

[gouligann]

MF, we put our toy poodle down in April after almost 4 years of being on prednisone. This problem with your cat just started, and I suggest you give her time to adjust to this before you make the decision to put her down. Even if she doesn't regain use of the back leg, if she isn't in pain, animals are quite capable of getting around on 3 legs once they adjust.

When our poodle had an unfortunate accident, she went from totally healthy and running around to bedridden and depressed. Things just weren't the same with her body, it confused her and she just didn't understand it.
Once the pred kicked in to ease her pain, she accepted the fact that her body wasn't the same she got over her depression and started getting around again. The prednisone gave her relief and she loved life again for almost 4 years. How I miss her but we were so glad we were able to give her more time.

[AmdWolfman]

I agree,give her time to to get used to the prednisone. those are high doses at the beggining and will help her with the pain. I still would not get her to run around and be the same anymore. I say if she is not in pain , you have no reason to put her down unless you can't take care of her .

[A*lil*Loopy]

Update?
Prednisone is a double edged sword but it works wonders for inflammation. It reduces swelling in everything including lungs and muscles which is why is it used for asthmatic problems. The prednisone will increase appetite and cause the need for peeing a little more often, bloating may also be an issue as well as occasional grumpiness. It works the same for people as it does for animals. We've had two dogs on prednisone in the past. One for reducing swelling in an eye after surgery, the other for reducing swelling around the spine as he was knuckling over and having problems walking. For Harry, it worked well for his hips and allowed him the freedom to get moving again even though he ended up with DM a year later and we had to say good bye.
Prednisone can take a few days to kick in so patience is required.

[MagicFingers]

We made the decision to put her down.....We will be taking her over tonight.....My heart hurts....her and I have been through a lot together and she helped me in my darkest time. Last night we went down and well it seems that her right leg is now doing the same thing she is starting to knuckle on it. That is how the left leg started and now all she does is drag the left back leg. Her eyes look sunk in which is a sign of dehydration, her belly is distended and her back end her back through her hips feel really bony lie she has lost all the muscle mass she had. last night she wasn't even trying to walk, when we put her on the floor in the living room she would roll over on her side and use her front paws on the carpet to drag herself. I hadn't gotten to the laundry in a few days and there was a small pile in front of the washer and well she used that to pee on, probably because she can't get into her litter box..so we have made the heartwrenching decision. I prayed all night we would wwake up and find her upstairs walking around. I keep wondering maybe if I give her another dose of prednisone that will be enough to get her moving before 6. And I really just don't want to put her through a long weekend if she is in pain. On top of it all got a call last night that my gram took a turn for the worst so we are expecting her to pass any time now. So trying to balance all this on my plate. I told my mom that Nala and Gram would pass at the same time, my mom almost thinks that is what is going to happen.

[MagicFingers]

My son and her were buddies...she has always been prtective of him and let him do whatever to her. She loved him and always layed by his bedroom door, but never in his room.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3...k/DSCF2518.jpg

[magic mushroom]

My heart is heavy for you MagicFingers. I am sure you put a great deal of thought into what to do for her. Remember you have given her a good life and I am sure she knows that.
Qualtity of life, the pain for her will soon be over. She will go to the Rainbow bridge and Christa and all the others will take care of her after tonight.

[gouligann]

First of all, I'm sorry to hear about your Grandmother taking a turn for the worse. Hopefully, she'll improve.

Secondly, after reading your last post, your kitty friend doesn't sound like the pred will help her much for mobility. I think you are doing the kindest thing to her by putting her down. I know how much it hurts. So sorry.

[A*lil*Loopy]

I'm sorry you have to go through this. Making the decision is one of the hardest things to ever do. It's hard enough to tell a child about one but losing both is going to be difficult at best.
It would make sense to me to let your son know that Gram will be having Nala for good company and they will look out for each other.
When we do the best we can by our pets it somehow feels like the worst but your heart always tells you when you make the right decision. I do hope your Gram has a good change of health.

[Dragonfly]

Wow Magic, I am so sorry. However, I feel that you are making a great decision for your fur baby. If she could talk I am sure she would thank you. Although your hear is heavy and rightfully so - try to keep your chin up as she will be much happier watching you from the other side.

[MagicFingers]

Here is my update. Nala crossed rainbow bridge a very proud strong brave girl. She purred until her very last breath. I talked to the vet before and asked if this was the right thing. She said she took more xrays than she normally does she took 6 shots and couldn't find anything. She said with what was happening and the look of her today she suspects it was probably a tumor that an xray couldn't pick up. She put my thoughts at ease. She gave nala a sedative and nala purred and i held her and she kept purring she fell asleep purring in my arms. I told her to go be with kira and play. Then the vet gave her the drug to end her life and she just stopped breathing. We went out for supper I had a few too many drinks. Two zambooka shots a black and a white in honor of nala. She will be cremated and I will pick her up in a couple weeks. My heart is breaking.

As for my Gram she won't get better. Tomorrow is her 87th birthday....God brought her into the world and he will take her out on the same day we are sure. She has now slipped into a coma, her circulatory system, breathing everything is shutting down and getting morphine every hour. So needless to say this has been a day of hell for me.