A little reassurance, or help with Wobbly Merida

This forum is for cat lovers seeking everyday advice and suggestions on health-related issues. Remember, however, that advice on a public forum simply can't be a substitute for proper medical attention. Only your vet can say assuredly what is best for your cat.

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Merida

1267955

Purred: Wed Dec 12, '12 11:52am PST


	Dear fur friends, Maybe you can help my mommy? I can only tell her so much, and she knows me so well right now that what she does makes me feel so much better than what my doctor makes mommy give me. After the other doctors gave me lots of yucky stuff that made me feel icky, and then told mommy to force me to the rainbow bridge, we found a doctor I like. I get acupuncture done every month, but the doctor makes mommy really mad because she yells at mommy for stuff mommy did in the past, like feed me canned kitten food and not raw when mom noticed raw food hurted my tummy and no doctor would help) and she told mommy to quit giving me the herbs she was. I am still wobbly, but I have good days and bad days now that I am off mommies yummy herbs. I eat a full dish 4 times a day with my vitamins in it, raw turkey with chicken liver. YUM! But I only have a bowel movement once every 8 days now since the doctor said no to mommy and her herbs. It is always very dry and hard to push. I also don't absorb my water in my gut, so I pea 'oceans' as mommy put it, and then usually im lying in it because I can't stand or walk again. The doctor gave mommy some digestive enzymes for me she said would help, but that made me more constipated and it's not supposed to. It also gave me orange mucous when I poop too. Mom says thats a sign of acid reflux possibly. Mommy wants to say a few choice words she won't let me hear or type because her methods had me up and walking, pooping like a champ, and feeling great! But my doctor says no don't do that, but won't give her a reason why she shouldn't. She is tearing her hair out because she wants me better, and she works REALLY hard at making me better with therapies we do at home and acupuncture. She spends everything she has time and money wise, it hurts her to see me doing well then not and nobody can give her an answer on how to make me better, or whats even wrong with me, but what she did made me feel good before. She is torn and doesn't know if she should listen to my doctor about my health or do her own thing?

[notify]

Ambassador at- the Kitty U.N.

Purred: Thu Dec 13, '12 4:27pm PST


	Are you saying you don't have a diagnosis? It's not CH? Is that all you're feeding is turkey and liver? No bone or supplements? How much liver? I just read an article today about Vitamin A toxicity from too much liver. A raw diet has to be carefully balanced. It's very hard to go against a vet's advice, but there are times that it has to be done, especially if you haven't found the right vet. But before you go back to doing things your way, make sure your way is right. We can help you in the raw forum if you have questions about diet and I'm sure there are some people here that can help with holistic ideas. Give us some more info please!

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Merida

1267955

Purred: Fri Dec 14, '12 11:02pm PST


	There is no official diagnosis on her yet. The holistic vet has given her more help than all the other combined, bit still really guessed and did not give me a reason for the things I pointed out that make aCh cat that Merida does not have. The vet said she can only go uphill and will probably make a full recovery and be a normal cat. Merida is now 6 mos old and still has the same ups and downs, which she shouldn't be. According to everything I have read, talked to techs about, these cats if cared for as young as she was only go uphill. Merida is great for a couple weeks and then has days of body spasms, head neck and ears feel hot without a fever, full body spasms. She sleeps and hardly eats and then bounces back a bit. Her raw diet was ok'd by the vet. I make it by using 2 cups of ground organic turkey, and 5% organ meat (i choose chicken heart because i too read about the too much liver) add water. Then i measure daily her feline vitamins (which contain dehydrated beef liver) and her feline minerals. Bought them from the vet so its balanced, and i even out the supplements through her daily feedings as she has a rough time if she gets the minerals all at once. Probably the calcium, seems hard on her tummy. She cannot digest bone, i will try again when she is 1. On the elm bark she is absorbing more water in her gut, pooping more, and doing better everyday. (Before her vet visit in sept) The vet told me she doesn't need the slippery elm. She got acupuncture done and was semi ok. Then the tummy trouble showed up again, she would burp after meals and have tummy spasms again in late Oct. So the vet gave her chinese herbs which are enzymes to help digest. She lost half her appetite, and her bowel movements went from 5 days to every 8, then to 10. The slight orange mucous showed in her stool as well. Off the enzymes, no orange mucous, more regular movements, balance improvement, better appetite, and way more playful. Until she has another down... My herbal methods of extra vitamin E and the slippery elm every few days up until she saw the holistic vet helped so much she was walking until the worms had her laid up. So this is where i am, do i go back to what worked for her, or do i just listen to the vet? Waste more money on taking her in yet again and try again for the 8th time to explain and hope they listen?

[notify]

Ambassador at- the Kitty U.N.

Purred: Sat Dec 15, '12 9:49am PST


	I don't see the point of taking her to the same vet that isn't listening. If a specialist isn't an option I would go back to what works. Slippery elm is an amazing aide for so many things and Vitamin E can be very helpful - neither of them should cause any harm. One thing - heart is considered a muscle meat, not an organ. You should be fine with the supplements you're adding but I wanted to point that out. A balanced raw diet should be 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, 5% liver and 5% other secreting organ. However, since you're adding supplements these percentages don't really apply. I wish I could be more helpful. My little Callie has CH but Merida's symptoms don't sound like that. Is there any possibility of seeing a feline-only vet?

[notify]

Merida

1267955

Purred: Mon Dec 17, '12 4:39pm PST


	Thank you so much for the response, you have been a huge help! Having someone else who knows the the magic of slippery elm and vitamin e, plus the fact you have a CH cat so you know that I am not off my rocker... Made my day. Her vet is out sick, but I spoke with her vets husband who is co owner of the clinic and a vet as well. He has suggested Sam Reng Tang I believe its called. It is for GI tract inflammation and seems to have a noticable effect in the good way in cats with ataxia. I will give this a try, but I feel she still needs another checkup. She never had an illness, and was witnessed falling hard or from high on more than one occassion, along with her shoulder feeling off, the lump between her shoulderblades. As well as her constant ups and downs with HOW wobbly she really is. I didn't find a feline specific vet, however her current vets husband at the clinic seems concerned that maybe we should bring her in and have another look at her. Sounds promising, but maybe I am just getting my hopes up. (merida is currently trying to post for herself) Backspace is my best friend right now

[notify]

Ambassador at- the Kitty U.N.

Purred: Tue Dec 18, '12 8:00am PST


	Let's hope that this upcoming visit is "the one" and they find a way to help her. Hang in there, I know you're doing the best you can for this little baby. Please keep us posted!

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Merida

1267955

Purred: Tue Dec 18, '12 3:14pm PST


	I made her appointment today, Jan 4th. I could have waited until her vet was back on the 9th, but I would like a new perspective so she gets to see a different vet at this clinic. I will take in all my notes, and videos as always and hopefully this visit is "the one" that helps her. fingers crossed Little update: I have been doing daily physio with her since I am doing a bit better from my car accident, so she is taking a couple steps by herself here and there. She stood up and sat in the litterbox for almost a whole pee. Her head drops as soon as she is done, but she did well! I also practice balance with her, letting her catch herself but my hands are there for support and it seems she can sit up on all fours for a couple of minutes by herself as long as there are no surprise or loud sounds, and no quick movements around her.

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Merida

1267953

Purred: Mon Jan 7, '13 9:12am PST


	FINALLY!! Merida had her Jan 4th appointment with a different vet at the holistic clinic. The vet listened intensely to me, looked and felt Merida. THEN she checked Meridas chart to see what the previous vet there had done. She was puzzled actually at WHY the other vet (owner of the clinic, and world renouned seminar holder, etc) assumed distemper and had been treating her GI tract for such. Upon her own exam of Merida, she saw distinct neurological signs due to trauma that we know Merida suffered. There is a slight possibility she MAY have had a birth defect causing apart of this, but it is hard to say for sure. Since none of the many vets took actual notes, Merida has no real chart until 16 weeks old. She is NOT a Ch kitty, and doesn't have any signs of distemper damage. Merida recieved acupuncture and chiropractic. Her neck was in severe spasm, so that area was untouched. She was given very low dose steroids to see how she reacts to this. In a week I will speak with the vet again to explain any of Meridas progress on the drug, and then we will make a blend of natural herbs to help her out for a longer term, more safe, solution. The vet agreed with cutting out the distemper treatment herbs, doing my slippery elm bark to help Merida stimulate her bowels back to what they were before the distemper treatment, a bit more acupuncture, and to keep on doing my rehab as I have been. Also xray when I can afford it to make sure her spine is ok from the falls, any possible birthing trauma, and since she was left untreated for so long in her growing stage. HORRAY!

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Maizy

I may meow to- you if you're- worthy

Purred: Mon Jan 7, '13 2:42pm PST


	THat is great you are getting some solid answers! I hope she keeps on improving. I know it can be so frustrating when you KNOW there is something not right - I mean who knows your cat better than you right? and then they won't listen. I changed vets because of that, and while I am not totally thrilled with the current one, she is better than the last one. Purring for Merida to keep getting stronger. Please keep us posted!