Poor Spike!!! GREAT UPDATE!!

[moosmom]

I adopted 18 pound Spike from the Old Saybrook Animal Control. He was dumped off in a carrier two sizes too small.

The ACO explained how he was vetted and that his claws had curled around so bad, they were impaled in his pads. They had to sedate him to clip them.

I was sitting on the couch today petting Spike and looked to see if his claws needed clipping again. To my horror, I saw at least two pads with what look like old claws imbedded in the pads. I can not IMAGINE it not hurting him. So, I have an appointment with Dr. Pennington today at 4:30 to let him take a look. I do hope it's just scar tissue. But it doesn't look that way.

I didn't want to clip them, or pull at them because I'm sure it'd be painful and could possible bleed.

Poor big guy. I wish I had known sooner. I'll let you know what happens.

[Karen]

I'm hoping it's just scar tissue, and not hurting him, poor dude!

[katladyd]

Poor Spike! I am so glad he ended up in your home, Donna. He is a very lucky kitty.

[jennielynn1970]

I know I posted this on FB, but maybe they are cutaneous horns?? My Honeybun has them, and I swore I was looking at pieces of nail coming out of his paws, but they weren't.

I hope for poor Spike's case they aren't claw pieces. Will keep him, and you, in my thoughts and prayers.

[cassiesmom]

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab18/deploss/th_Xmas002.jpg?t=1292588353

Aww, Spike! I am so glad your meowmie noticed this and you can quickly get in to the doctor to have it looked at. I hope it isn't hurting you, sweety.

[columbine]

I wish cats weren't such stoics! Hope all goes well for dear Spike.

Love, Columbine

[momcat]

Hi Spike, I'm so sorry to hear the you might have an ouchie paw. Don't worry sweetie, a visit to your whitecoat will take care of everything. I hope it doesn't hurt and the problem is nothing serious. Please remind meowmie to let us know what the vet says, okay?
Sending you lots of feel better scritchies and lovies :love: :love: :love:

[catmandu]

Michael was very stoic, and I had to clip his nails all the time as they would curl back into his paws if I didnt.
There would be the claws digging in, but he would not meeow to say Dad , this hurts!!!:eek:
Congrayulations on adopting such a Dear Old Senior Kittyzen and giving him a Furr Ever Home:love: Like My Dear Old Smokey:cool: many years ago, he will be so grateful for everything!!:love::love::love:

[cassiesmom]

5:40 PM in Chicago. Just checking for news.

[Freedom]

Oh my, sure hope it is NOT bits of nail!

[catmandu]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/catmandu/smokey2.jpg
Oops I thought that you said Spike was 18 years old.
Here is My Smokey who was at least 16 when I adopted him, and they thought that he would maybe last the year.
He was with us about 6 years and was such a Dear Old Cat.
:love:
Bless you for taking in Spike, he will be such a Dear Cat Friend.:love::love::love:

[phesina]

Prayers for Spike that nothing is seriously wrong here and he will be fixed up feeling good as new in no time!

:love::love::love::love::love::love:

[Freedom]

Where's the update? *drums fingers on table* Prayers that all is well!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I hope that everything went well and that he's not in pain. Please update us when you can.

[moosmom]

Cutaneous horns is exactly what the vet said. He said they're rare. They looked very painful, but they're not at all. He was such a good boy!!

According to my kitty bible, "The Cornell Book of Cats", cutaneous horns are nothing more than projections of hardened skin.

He has them on most of his pads in the front, some more than others. Dr. P clipped them off just like real claws (these were soft) which made me flinch. He said as long as you get them real close to the pads, they shouldn't bleed much and I have a steptic pencil on hand.

I'm so relieved. He howled the whole way there and alllllll the way back!! But I gave him extra food (like he needs it). I'm forgiven and SOOOOO relieved it's nothing serious.

Dr. P said he's one healthy, HEFTY cat!!!

[Trinityagain]

Yahoo! Glad all is well.

[phesina]

What great news!

[jennielynn1970]

Honey has them on most of his paw pads. I get them taken off by the vet and then the last time my groomer, Jen Luckenbach, trimmed them for me. His grossest one is the one by his "wrist" (not on the paw, but on the back of the wrist area if it was a hand), it gets SOOOO long, and it looks like bark. It freaks me out, but I can cut it when it gets long, and it doesn't bleed... probably because I don't cut it really low.

Glad that all he has is cutaneous horns!!

[Laura's Babies]

Never heard of those things.. Imagine that!! And just where are pictures of this big guy??

[Freedom]

Not heard of those either. Glad all is well!

Oh I am sure he appreciated the extra food -- as he is on a diet, ha haaa.

[catmandu]

We are so glad that Spikes paws are all right!!!:cool:
Now Spike can start his life as Your Cat with a clean bill of health:love:

[Taz_Zoee]

I've heard of those before. Guess where? Right HERE on Pet Talk!! I learn so much from this wonderful place. :D

Glad that Spike wasn't in pain and the remedy was a simple one. :)

[Catty1]

Great news! Glad that Spike had his "calluses" removed and the extra food was a good idea.;):D

Spike you landed in the best home ever! :love::love::love:

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm glad to hear it was an easy fix and you now know what's going on with him.:)

[cassiesmom]

from www.peteducation.com (companion to Drs. Foster and Smith's Web site):

Description: Benign growths of hard tissue which look like small horns; cause unknown, though may be associated with some underlying disease such as cancers, follicular cysts, or FeLV
Symptoms: ½ to 2 inch hard horn-like growths; may be single or multiple; in cats may occur on foot pads
Diagnosis: Clinical appearance; look for underlying cause
Treatment: Surgical removal

from www.vetinfo.com:

There are a number of suspected underlying causes for cutaneous horn formation on cat footpads or other areas (sometimes these occur on the face or other areas). In our practice, though, we see a lot of these that we can't find any underlying cause for. Among the known underlying causes are squamous cell carcinoma, a form of cancer, and the reason that a biopsy was probably done. Fortunately, that doesn't appear to have been the cause. More commonly, these are linked to feline leukemia virus or feline immunodeficiency virus infection, although lots of cats are negative for both of these viruses when the cutaneous horns are found, as well, just like yours.

When no underlying cause can be found it is OK just to trim these down to the level of the footpad when they start to bother the cat. These usually don't have a blood supply and it is possible to trim them using a nail trimmer without causing pain (or at least not apparent pain). Some people use keratolytic solutions, such as Kerasolve (tm) to dissolve these but we haven't tried this since we have good luck just trimming the horns and since cats tend to lick ointments or solutions off their feet.

I do think it would be a good idea to watch carefully for signs of a more severe problem, such as a tumor, developing at or near the site of the cutaneous horns but the odds of this happening are pretty low.

It is entirely possible that some day a viral underlying cause will be identified since a lot of vets seem to think that a virus is the most likely culprit as a cause of this problem.

[cassiesmom]

Awww, Spike! I'm glad your pawsies are all right! Big ((HUGS)) for you, sweet big guy.

[katladyd]

Hooray for Spike! I am so glad it was nothing painful or serious!:D

[GILL]

That's a new one for me too. Glade all is OK.

[happylabs]

Hoorah for spike! Did we see pics of him yet? I can't remember. It's my age...

[moosmom]

It was a new one even for me!!! I may TRY to trim them myself. But I may also chicken out and have the vet do it.