Hello my friend!
As with all skin cases the following is super important.
1. Get a good history of the patient and their clinical signs.
2. Do a thorough examination
3. Treat for parasites.
4. Start your diagnostics based on most likely rule outs.
5. Offer treatment plans that work for the patient the pet parent and your list of most likely diagnosis.
Here’s where I think your cat needs more help; it doesn’t sound like a list of most “likely conditions” work up and diagnose has been formulated to start a treatment plan that is best directed at the source of the itching.
For your cat I would ask your vet (or come see me and I am happy to help). I would use revolution monthly and place an ecollar while starting gabapentin. I might also suggest a shampoo if you think he will let you bathe him.
After that I would talk about the next tests that might need to be done to start to treat and rule out possible causes to the itch.
The most common thing that causes itching in pets is fleas. In some cases one flea with one bite can cause a pet to become extremely itchy . And the more they scratch the more it itches until the skin is so inflamed secondary infections happen. Which just perpetuates more itching.
So for me I start with a plan. And go through the list of control. And treatment until we get it figured out.
The old days of “give a steroid and hope it works” are over. We can do better.
Keep me posted.
hello,
I am so sorry to hear about this kitten. I think that there are some answers that I jut cannot give without an in person exam, but, I also think that the recovery is very very unlikely if you have muscle atrophy. I also think that there is no other species on the planet that can adapt and overcome anything better than a kitten.
As long as you can manage the ability to urinate and defecate and keep him safe and happy (he needs toys and attention and to still feel like a fierce predator and playful kitten) then it is perfectly fine to have a pet with a disability.
I would not use a splint or any kind of bandage, they cause more problems than they are worth.
See if you can find this kitten a home and make sure that the the new parents are able to palpate the bladder and colon and make sure they are passing feces easily and emptying the bladder completely (urine retention can lead to urinary tract infections) and make sure they are spayed/neutered before 6 months old.
Also make sure the home is handicapped safe.
I hope this helps.
thank you for caring about the ones other people overlook. You are an amazing human!
krista
Hi! Paralyzed cat mom here????
Your story sounds a lot like mine when Hamilton arrived. He came to us around 5-6 weeks old with no obvious wounds or breaks. We weren’t sure what to do but give him a chance..
He is unable to urinate and defecate on his own so therefore this is something I do every day multiple times.
This friends are hard to care for but easy if you have the patience and willingness to do so.
As my kitty got a little bigger, we looked into a wheel chair for him(he hates it). I learned he was better on his own scooting around. Some days he wears a diaper, but you have to be careful with this as they need cleaned every time they pee.
As far as expressing the bladder, you have to find what you’re most comfortable with and what the cat is comfortable with. My kitty doesn’t really like anyone expressing his bladder but myself because because we have our “routine”.
Hoping this kitty excels in life and gets all the love he deserves! We are here to help and I’m happy to share tips/tricks that I have learned myself along the way!!!
-Autumn