Scout's leg - New problem after x-ray Update post #28

[jazzcat]

For the past month or so I've noticed that Scout has been struggling to jump but it didn't seem like anything was bothering her. She's been picked on so much that I just thought it was more of fear that another cat would swat her more than an actual problem. I even had my Dad make her a little stool so she could use it to get up into the window where she likes to eat, drink and sunbathe. Yesterday I noticed she was limping a little so I started watching her and noticed that her back right leg is a little shakey and weak. Richard and I also think her muscles in that leg seem smaller than in the other leg. I feel so bad for not seeing this sooner. Poor Scout. Her weepy eye has gotten worse the past few days too. It usually does when she is stressed and I bet this time it's from not feeling well.

We have a vet appointment at 2:30 today. I pray it's nothing serious and I hope I didn't make things worse for not realizing how bad it was getting. Bad meowmie. :(

[shais_mom]

aawww
thoughts and prayers on the way for Scout!

[Catty1]

Prayers for Scout! HUGS!

[lvpets2002]

:( oH my poor wittle Scout.. So sorry you dont feel well.. I hope the Vets can make you feel better Scout.. Sending Lots Prayers & Huggss

[kimlovescats]

Prayers for your little Scout!!! I'll be waiting for an update!

Hugs,
Kim

[Felicia's Mom]

Sending prayers to Scout.

[DrKym]

prayers for the Scout girl!

[Pawla]

Don't beat yourself up Lori. Cats are masters at hiding things from us. Hopefully it's nothing major. Maybe the leg has been injured by one of the others. Prayers are on the way for you and Scout. Please keep us posted!

[jazzcat]

Back from the vet!

She gave Scout an anti-inflammatory shot. She said there is an area going down towards Scout's paw that seemed to be especially sore to Scout and it could possibly be a fracture but she thinks more than anything it is arthritis. She said after watching Scout walk and feeling down her back where she felt a knot in her lower spine she thinks Scout has arthritis in her lower spine. She wanted to know Scout's history before I adopted her and all I could tell her was that someone rescued Scout from two boys who put her in a backpack and was playing football with her. That person took her to a local rescue shelter where they discovered she was pregnant and spayed. They guessed her to be around 8-9 months old at that time. She was in the shelter for several months before I adopted her.

The shot is suppose to last about 24 hours so I am suppose to watch her closely to see how she does on it and how she does when it wears off and then let the vet know Wed. morning to decide what the next step is. She said a lot depends on how she responds. We will decided then if an x-ray is needed to rule out fracture and/or arthritis.

Scout is also on antibiotics for a week to be on the safe side. The vet said it will probably help her weepy eye too.

Poor Scout. She's my heart kitty and I just hate seeing her hurt. She cried the whole way to the vet and most the time we were there. Usually she doesn't make a sound.

[kimlovescats]

Poor little Scout and poor Mommy!!!! No doubt she could have arthritis from those idiot kids!!!! :mad: Maybe she was injured back then and now it is just now developing arthritis as she ages. I hope the medicine relieves the swelling and she will feel better!!!

Kim

[Anikaca77]

Poor Scout.. I hope he heals soon. My one girl cat Claudia is overweight (we are trying to work on it) and she is the only one who has problems jumping up onto high things but that's because of her weight I think. We have used the tidy cat little buckets and filled them with some heavy rocks so she can use that as a jumping start to get up to her place.

[catlover4ever]

Poor Scout.

Get Better Soon Sweet Scout!!!!

[Hellow]

Get better soon poor Scout!!! Praying for ya...

[Donnaj4962]

Oh my, I am so sorry to hear that sweet Scout isn't feeling well. Prayers from me and the girls in Indiana that she is soon feeling better, both her leg and her weepy eye.

(((hugs))) to you.

[jazzcat]

Thank you for the prayers everyone.

Here are a few pictures of my little orange girl. She's around 5 years old and weighs 7 pounds.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/jazzcat99/1-2007/e7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/jazzcat99/1-2007/scout3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/jazzcat99/kb3.jpg

Going wild with one of Catmandu's famous Canadian Catnip Mice.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/jazzcat99/ct8.jpg

[Laura's Babies]

I would have insisted on a X-ray on the spot....

Not meaning to scear you here but this is why I would want a X Ray. I had a friend who had a wonderful dog, this dog had saved her life several times. Bonnie started limping, after months passed, she started chewing on her paw on that leg so she took her to the vet. X-rayed, said arthritis and gave her meds for that. Bonnie continued to get worse even after changing her meds a few times so she decided to take Bonnie to another vet. I was there when she got the call from the vet and we both almost passed out with the diagnoses.. CANCER! Vet #1 X-rayed from the elbo down... Vet #2 X-rayed the whole leg.... So if you do the X-ray, have him do the WHOLE leg.

My guess with Scout it IS arthritis or a sprained muscle...

[KittyGurl]

Poor Scout. Hope he feels better

[jazzcat]

You didn't scare me Laura, don't worry. The vet and I discussed doing and x-ray today but we both agreed to wait. I'm okay with that. My vet is very careful about things and I don't feel she is being to relaxed in this. She said that Scout's back end is weak, not a lot of muscle tone, so she believes arthritis is the culprit and didn't feel anything indicated cancer. She and I will discuss more on Wed. and may go ahead with an x-ray then.

I can tell Scout is already feeling much better from the shot. She used the stool Dad made her to hop up and eat her food, ate well and used the steps on the window table we made to get up and take a nap her beside me. It is looking more and more like arthritis.

[orangemm]

You must be relieved to hear that! I'm glad that pretty girl is doing better; she really is a beauty!

Sweet Scout, tell your meowmie to give you some special scritches from me...

[jennielynn1970]

Awe... poor Scout! She probably has an old injury from those rotten kids. What makes kids so heartless?!

I hope that the anti-inflammatory helps her to feel better. Maybe a change in weather made her feel worse? I know in humans arthritis can act up during certain weather and weather changes.

Dear Scout... sweet little orangie that you are, feel better soon!

[jenluckenbach]

Poor Scout!!! :( I am so sorry that she is not feeling well. Hope is it something easily treated.

[catmandu]

And The Found Cats Are So Proud And Pleased As Punch That Thier Toy Is Helping Scout Be Active An Playful.
Scouts In Our Prayers And We Pray All Is Well With Her.

[AbbyMom]

Poor Scout! Glad she's feeling better.

What a sweetheart. After such a brutal start in life, she turns out to be your sweet heart kitty. Gotta love her.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Lori, I'm so sorry to hear about Scout.:( I sure hope that she'll start feeling better soon and that whatever is wrong with her that it can be easily treated. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent her way.

[shais_mom]

poor thing -
I hope she feels better soon.
Have you thought of finding a holistic vet that does chiropractic?

[catnapper]

Oh Scout! I missed this thread til now.

I am so sorry to hear about your sore leg. I hope its "just" arthritis and meowmie can give you pain meds every day to help deal with the stiffness. Getting older just stinks, doesn't it?

Allen sends headbumpies to his sweetheart.

[Medusa]

Oh my goodness, what a sweet face! I'm glad she's already feeling better, sweet girl. Hopefully, the xrays won't reveal anything, so we're keeping the prayers going out for Scout......

[jazzcat]

UPDATE:
I took Scout in for an x-ray today. Big surprise - she has a kidney stone! There were no signs of arthritis or a bone fracture so the vet feels her limping and leg pain are from a pulled tendon. Scout will be taking a liquid anti-inflammatory for that.

As for the kidney stone there isn't a lot to do. She said Scout will be prone to urinary problems from the stone - great. :rolleyes: As a precaution the vet started her on antibiotics when we went in Monday so if she was having any urinary issues from the stone the meds will help that. She said there is a way to use lasers to break up the stone and let it flush out her system but we aren't to that point yet.

I told her Scout seemed very depressed and hasn't wanted to eat much the past couple of days. She said the Clavamox could be causing some stomach upset and the pain from the tendon could be making her not seem right. Poor girl. At least it isn't arthritis.

I really hope this kidney stone doesn't cause her problems. Anyone here have a cat with kidney stones? What can I expect?

[krazyaboutkatz]

Poor Scout.:( I'm so sorry to hear this but at least you now know what's wrong with her. I don't know anything about kidney stones but hopefully she'll be able to recover quickly and won't have them any more.

There was a lady at my work that kept on getting them and she was told to make sure to drink plenty of water and I also think that she was put on some kind of medication for them. I wonder if it's the same for animals.

Did the vet say that she'd have to change her diet? The last time that Storm was on clavamox he became very sick from it and he kept throwing up. The vet had to give him an antibiotic injection instead. I sure hope that Scout will feel better soon. Please continue to keep us updated about her.

[Catty1]

Ask about 50mg of cranberry powder a day (I eyeballed the amount from a 250 mg capsule for humans).

I have heard of ultrasound being used to break up the stone. Maybe that's what the vet meant?

It's not a really intrusive prodecure...so hopefully it can be done at some point.

Someone else here might know what can be used to help dissolve the stone...

Glad it isn't arthritis...that stone could have caused poor kitty to not jump up a lot!

[jazzcat]

Ask about 50mg of cranberry powder a day (I eyeballed the amount from a 250 mg capsule for humans).

I have heard of ultrasound being used to break up the stone. Maybe that's what the vet meant?

Well DUH for me - yes I think she said ultrasound and not laser. It's been a long day already. :rolleyes:

The vet is going to call tomorrow to check on Scout and I will ask about the cranberry powder.

KAK - I will ask about diet too. I got to thinking about that once I got home.

[jenluckenbach]

Kidney stone? Wow that is different. Ihave dealt with bladder stones before, but not kidney stones. Hope all goes well for Scout.