Firstly, thank you to everyone who replied to my post earlier today, and apologies for the vagueness of my email, I was at work and was trying to get something typed as quickly as I could and left out lots of vital information - sorry! :roll:
As mentioned, Oscar had what appeared to be a sore hind leg of some sort about 6 weeks ago, when he had to move, he held his left back paw tightly into his body, but preferred to stay still and not use it at all. After a week on a mild dose of metacam he appeared to make a full recovery.
A couple of weeks later the problem returned, again, I say it might be coincidental, but it was after he got a bit of a fright and scrambled on the wooden floor. Initially it looked like the same problem as before and we put him back onto the metacam but there was no improvement like the last time. We then had extensive x-rays taken of his spine and hind legs, which didnt show anything wrong (although, the only thing that the vet commented on that was only slightly different was there seemed to be a bigger gap between a couple of his vertebrae but this was closer to his neck and she didnt seem concerned by it at all).
We did a search on the internet and everything seemed to point to EC, it was two weeks ago on Friday and we spoke with the vet and got the panacur and started it right away, we didnt get the blood tests done until almost a week later (keen to start the treatment).
He has been on metacam also.
The vet confirmed last Friday that the blood tests showed a negative titer and that he didnt have EC. Now we are at a loss.
My vet is on holiday for two weeks and so it is my intention to take Oscar to see her when she returns (he also needs to have second blood test) and just continue with the panacur and metacam in the meantime.
There have been some improvements, a couple of weeks ago, for around a week, he just wouldnt move and was wetting himself (never once has he been off his food) but now, although he looks uncomfortable and it looks as though it is a massive effort and it takes him a while, he will make his way to his litter tray and has only wet a couple of times.
Another positive. A couple of weeks ago his tail seemed "dead" and it just flopped, but now he has movement in it again and moves it out the way when you touch it or he goes to the toilet.
He does have feeling in his feet (we tried to pinch/tickle him and he pulled away) and he looks as though he wants to move, he pushes himself up onto his back feet and tries to move forward (he creates this odd shape with his back, like he has a skirt round his back end and like he cant sit "normally") but sometimes just gives up, but sometimes with a gentle tap to his backside he just goes for it and can move, albeit not far and very clumsily, but he can move.
Today he even stretched out one of his back paws to wash it, which we havent seen him do for some time. He still cant balance on his back end to use both his front paws for washing/grooming, and he just uses one at a time.
A couple of specific questions:-
I know this looks like war and peace, but I thought it best to give as much info as I could. He is a handsome big boy and it breaks my heart to see him so immobile and I would hate to think he was suffering. Im hoping to gather as much information as possible and take it to my vet when she returns from holiday.
Thanking you in anticipation of your response, any suggestions or comments welcome.
:wave:
As mentioned, Oscar had what appeared to be a sore hind leg of some sort about 6 weeks ago, when he had to move, he held his left back paw tightly into his body, but preferred to stay still and not use it at all. After a week on a mild dose of metacam he appeared to make a full recovery.
A couple of weeks later the problem returned, again, I say it might be coincidental, but it was after he got a bit of a fright and scrambled on the wooden floor. Initially it looked like the same problem as before and we put him back onto the metacam but there was no improvement like the last time. We then had extensive x-rays taken of his spine and hind legs, which didnt show anything wrong (although, the only thing that the vet commented on that was only slightly different was there seemed to be a bigger gap between a couple of his vertebrae but this was closer to his neck and she didnt seem concerned by it at all).
We did a search on the internet and everything seemed to point to EC, it was two weeks ago on Friday and we spoke with the vet and got the panacur and started it right away, we didnt get the blood tests done until almost a week later (keen to start the treatment).
He has been on metacam also.
The vet confirmed last Friday that the blood tests showed a negative titer and that he didnt have EC. Now we are at a loss.
My vet is on holiday for two weeks and so it is my intention to take Oscar to see her when she returns (he also needs to have second blood test) and just continue with the panacur and metacam in the meantime.
There have been some improvements, a couple of weeks ago, for around a week, he just wouldnt move and was wetting himself (never once has he been off his food) but now, although he looks uncomfortable and it looks as though it is a massive effort and it takes him a while, he will make his way to his litter tray and has only wet a couple of times.
Another positive. A couple of weeks ago his tail seemed "dead" and it just flopped, but now he has movement in it again and moves it out the way when you touch it or he goes to the toilet.
He does have feeling in his feet (we tried to pinch/tickle him and he pulled away) and he looks as though he wants to move, he pushes himself up onto his back feet and tries to move forward (he creates this odd shape with his back, like he has a skirt round his back end and like he cant sit "normally") but sometimes just gives up, but sometimes with a gentle tap to his backside he just goes for it and can move, albeit not far and very clumsily, but he can move.
Today he even stretched out one of his back paws to wash it, which we havent seen him do for some time. He still cant balance on his back end to use both his front paws for washing/grooming, and he just uses one at a time.
A couple of specific questions:-
- I had considered arthritis but would like to know how this is diagnosed and are there any treatments?what treatments are available?
- Are there any ways of telling whether he has had a bad knock other than what we have already done?
- If there is any spinal damage, what can be done?
- As he still has a healthy appetite, we are assuming he is not in any pain, is this assumption correct?
I know this looks like war and peace, but I thought it best to give as much info as I could. He is a handsome big boy and it breaks my heart to see him so immobile and I would hate to think he was suffering. Im hoping to gather as much information as possible and take it to my vet when she returns from holiday.
Thanking you in anticipation of your response, any suggestions or comments welcome.
:wave: