Priscilla: not just kidneys but eyes now too

Dear friends,

My little Priscilla, about whose failing kidneys I've written here before, has not been doing very well for a while. She mostly just lies around. She eats very little on her own now, so I mostly syringe-feed her. I give her fluids twice a day.

But now there is something new: just yesterday I noticed that her eye pupils were dilated and NOT contracting when the light was brighter. I took her to see the vet about this yesterday. She sent me to the emergency vet to get her blood pressure. That turned out to be normal, so now my vet is advising we see a veterinary ophthalmologist to find out what is going on and if or how we might treat it. She suggested either the vet school clinic at Michigan State University or the Veterinary Specialists group in Southfield, MI. Either of these would be at least an hour's drive away for us.

One of the people at the shelter gave me the name of an animal ophthalmologist she recently took her puppy to in Williamston, MI, which isn't quite as far away (though nearly).

I don't know if that would be a good thing to do or not. The long car trip(s) back and forth would probably be stressful for her. And I don't know how much time she has left as it is, and I want her to be as comfortable and happy as she can be while she's still here.

On the other hand, I don't know what might happen to her eyes if they keep on being dilated all the time; e.g., could she go blind if she's exposed to too much light? And is there anything we can do about this that would be good for her and help her to feel a little better, considering everything else that's going on?

Has anyone ever had any experience with kitty dilated pupils or veterinary eye-doctors?

Thank you so much for any suggestions, information, and prayers and good wishes,

Pat and Priscilla (and the others too)

I hear that both MSU and MVS have great doctors. It might be worth it just to call them and see if you can just get a consultation appointment, or over the phone and see what they recommend. Then you can decide based on that whether or not you want to continue with any treatment.

Good Luck

I'm so sorry that Priscilla is having more difficulties. I haven't had experience with kitty eye issues, but I think I'd try to talk to the ophthalmologist first over the phone to explain the situation. I, too, would hesitate to put her through the stress of the trip unless it's really necessary.

The last cat that I fostered that had dilated pupils had cataracts and was blind. His pupils did not expand and contract like normal, but were always large, and he constantly looked surprised.

I know this is not what you want to hear, but you might want to watch to see if she has trouble finding her way. Does she hug the perimeter of the room, hug the walls when walking? Alex had more issues than just blindness, so he did get stuck in places and didn't know how to get out and just howled, but that's because he was deaf as well and totally disoriented.

Roll a ball or something without sound in front of her and see if she follows it with her eyes. See if she can tell your hand is moving in front of her face.

My own vet could tell that he was blind, he didn't need to go to a specialist to have it diagnosed. If Priscilla has other issues, I'd definitely say go to a specialist. What other ideas does your vet think might be an issue??

Hope things go better for Priscilla. I'll be thinking about you and Priscilla. Please give her some big hugs for me. She's being a brave girl.

If you can't find anyone in the immediate A2 area, go to MSU.

I'm in Dexter, just to the west of you. 2 years ago we had to take Grady, our then 2 year old, to MSU for a fractured femur. Considering his injury, it was an amazing experience.

We had our choice between MSU and the big Vet practice in Southfield with many specialists. We chose MSU. It was, for us, 49 miles door-to-door.

We drove him up on the Thursday before Easter. They operated on Good Friday. We picked him up on Saturday morning. Cost was half what it would have been at the Southfield place. Reason being, we support it with our tax dollars.

Either a med student or resident called us 6 - 7 times while he was there. Much better than in a people hospital.

Post op visits were fantastic, also. I highly recommend MSU. I would go there again in a heart beat if any of my cats needed.

If you have any specific questions, please feel free to pm me.

Dear Friends, thank you so much for your responses and suggestions. Catlady711 and CatsinDenver, I've been following your advice and seeing what I can learn ahead of time before making any decisions.

This afternoon I called the office of Dr. Ramsey, the one in Williamston. I was told they couldn't really tell me much without seeing her because there are many possibilities, and I could make an appointment for a consultation. I said I was trying to find out what I could ahead of time and would call back to make an appointment if I decided that was the thing to do.

Then I went to the MSU Vet School Ophthalmology Department's web site and sent them an e-mail describing the situation and asking for information to help me decide whether to bring her in or not.

I also have a call in to Dr. Lewis to discuss with her what really is best for Priscilla now. At this point she is staying alive pretty much because I syringe-feed her and give her the subcutaneous fluids. If she still has some good time ahead and fixing her eyes will make it better for her, then I want to do that.

I told my sister and another friend about the latest development, and they both strongly advised not putting her through all that but just letting her be peaceful as long she can be and then letting her go.

Jenn, I've passed along your big hugs to the brave girl! She doesn't seem to be blind, because her eyes follow the motion when I waggle my fingers and move my hand around in front of her. And when she does actually walk somewhere (mostly she just stays in the same place, my pillow now), she navigates without having to hug walls or anything. She even jumps down from the counter after I syringe-feed her or my lap after I sub-Q her, and goes right back up onto the bed and my, I mean her, pillow. And she still sometimes goes to sit in the window and watch what is going on outside.

Thanks for your recommendation of MSU, Grace. It sounds like you and Grady had fabulous treatment and care there. As I wrote above, I've contacted them and will let you all know what their response is.

Incidentally, I was in Dexter just last weekend. My camera's shutter isn't working properly, so I took it to the camera-repair place there, Huron Camera. I also finally got to check out Dexter Mill, a source for (hopefully) non-poisonous cat food, and browse around greater downtown Dexter, all three or four blocks of it.

I just got a postcard today from Huron Camera saying the repair was complete, no charge. I thought, wow, that was fast! and it must have been something simple if there's no charge! Then I read on.. turns out it's because the parts are no longer available. Sigh, no more camera now?

So I was thinking, Grace, perhaps we could get together for coffee or something when I come back to pick the camera up? If that sounds like a good idea to you, please PM me so we can arrange a time and place.

So that's the latest.

Below are some new, recent, pre-dilation pictures of Miss Pretty Princess Priscilla, which are also examples of what's wrong with the camera (the pictures are cut nearly in half with black at the top). I'm sorry to say they're still thumb (or paw) -nails you have to click to see larger, as I still haven't had the chance to figure out how to work PhotoBucket and put pictures into a message at regular size.

Thanks, everyone, for all your prayers and good thoughts and good wishes, and please keep sending them along.

We love you.

Priscilla and Pat

Pat, prayers for Priscilla and you!!!

What a sweet-looking girl! :)

What an absolutely lovely girl Priscilla is! I hope that she will improve and have much more time with you.

That was sadly my first clue that my Princess was going blind.
But blind is not the same for our Pets as it is for ys.
They use the senses of smell and feel and hearing far more than they so sight, and Priscilla will still be able to navigate around your house.

Thank you for the compliments and prayers and good wishes and kind thoughts, Sandra, Candace, Jennie, and Gary.

I think we are going to go to Michigan State. Dr. Lewis called me this evening and told me she talked with an ophthalmologist there who thought it was definitely a good idea to find out what is going on here and what we can do about it. Dr. Lewis will call them again tomorrow to set up an appointment for Priscilla and me.

I told her of my questions on how much to do when her kidneys are so bad. But Dr. Lewis reminded me how calm Priscilla is with such things as being carried and being taken in her carrier in the car, so the trip wouldn't be that stressful for her. And it would be better to determine what is happening, than to have her suddenly go blind or develop some awful complications because we don't know and haven't done anything.

Priscilla seems a bit better and more sprightly this evening.. She was a little less resigned when I picked her up to give her her evening feeding and then subQ. Afterwards she ran off. I found her not on her (formerly my) pillow.. now she's on top of some clothes piled on top of a narrow shelf! It would be a bit tricky for any cat to get up on it without having the clothes (and her) fall off.

Thanks again, everyone,

Pat and Priscilla

Pat & Pricilla-

I know what you two are going through, since my & Fluffy are going throught the very same ordeal. This is not easy for either of us - and even harder since our kitties cannot talk to us.

I wish you both the best.

Bunny

Thank you, Bunny. I was just looking at the thread about your dear Fluffy. Thank you for your good wishes and your kindness and generosity in thinking of us when you are in so much pain over your own beloved boy.

Priscilla and I are sending you and Fluffy hugs and prayers and all the spiritual encouragement we can muster.

Hugs and purrs,
Pat and Priscilla

I'm so sorry about Priscilla. I've not had any experience with that. I would maybe call one of the places suggested and see what they say. I hope she gets to feeling better. I know how hard it is to see our special ones sick.

I have not posted but I have been reading about dear sweet Priscilla. Just want you to know that my prayers are going out to you and that sweet kitty of yours.

Aww, such a beautiful girl! :)

Thank you so much for your kind thoughts and prayers, dukedogsmom, slick, and Wenisrubber. We are kind of taking things as they come. She continues to be about the same, with not a lot of activity but she doesn't seem uncomfortable or unhappy. Her pupils are still dilated.

The vet's office called today and and said Priscilla has an appointment at Michigan State next Wednesday morning. I hope they will come up with an answer and we can do something to restore her pupils to normal function.

Thanks again, everyone, and please keep the prayers and good wishes coming. We love you.

Priscilla and Pat