Complete Care for Your Aging Cat
Page 34
Elizabeth became more and more upset as Max’s
condition deteriorated. “He had this look in his eyes that
said, who are you? where am I? I don’t know what’s going
on! I’m upset, and I don’t feel well,” she says. “If you see an
animal suffer like that, I feel it’s your responsibility not to
prolong it.” She loved her cat and was torn by the thought of
losing him, but knew she’d ultimately have to put Max to
sleep.
The suffering—for them both—had been going on for five
months when Elizabeth received a questionnaire from Max’s
veterinarian, Dr. Kel y Moffat, requesting information for a
study about senior cat patients. Participation in the study
included complete blood work, physical and neurological
exams. Elizabeth jumped at the chance that something
would be found that could help Max.
The tests came back normal. For his age, Max was quite
healthy and there were no physical problems they could find
that would account for his distress and behavior problems.
“Dr. Moffat explained that at a certain stage of the game,
sometimes cats deteriorate on a cognitive level.”
Two months ago, as a last-chance effort, Elizabeth
agreed to try an experimental treatment of Anipryl, a drug
approved for use in dogs for cognitive dysfunction. Max
received ½ tablet every morning. Elizabeth noticed a change
within only a couple of days. “It was pretty dramatic,” she
says.
Max seemed to regain his composure overnight. His
appetite returned, and he began to beg for food just like old
times. “Now he knows where he is, he recognizes me, he
knows what’s going on,” says Elizabeth.
Thoughts of putting Max to sleep have been put on
permanent hold, ever since the glazed look in his golden
eyes lifted to reveal what was always there, under the
confusion—Max looking back with love.
Bottom Line
Anipryl is dosed by weight, and costs about $1.50 a day for
a cat.
STROKE
Common causes of human strokes are smoking, primary
high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis—deposits of
cholesterol-rich plaques within the arteries. Strokes are not
nearly as common in cats because they don’t have those
diseases, says Lisa Klopp, DVM, a neurologist at University
of Il inois. “Cerebral vascular accident is something we
definitely see in pets,” she says, but the causes are different.
A cerebral vascular accident—cal ed a “stroke” in humans—
is a disorder of the blood vessels in the brain that results
from interference with the blood supply.
“When I was in vet school, I was told that cats don’t
get strokes,” says Carley J. Giovanel a, DVM, a neurologist
at Gulf Coast Veterinary Surgery, Orthopedics and
Neurology in Houston, Texas. “But the more that we utilize
MRI and diagnostic modalities to real y see the brain, and
see the vasculature of the brain, we’re finding out that is not
the case. They do get strokes. They get plaque development
from thyroid changes, they get blood clots from endocrine
diseases, they get vascular changes. Quite a few cats get
vascular accidents.” The brain doesn’t real y feel pain the
way that the rest of the body does. So a stroke isn’t painful or
progressive, and can resolve over time.
“There is also a specific syndrome cal ed feline ischemic
encephalopathy,” says Dr. Klopp, and in most cases a cause
can’t be determined. But sometimes it’s due to the parasite,
cuterebra, when it migrates into the cat’s brain by mistake.
More commonly, infectious diseases and endocarditis, an
inflammation of the heart tissue, bring about strokes in cats.
But by far, the major culprit in feline strokes is high blood
pressure caused by kidney failure or heart disease. “They
can have stroke-like events with hypertension. They may go
blind, or have bleeding inside the eye,” says Susan Little,
DVM, a feline specialist in Ottawa, Canada.
Senior Symptoms
Not al cats that act dizzy have suffered a stroke. “I can’t
diagnose a stroke just by looking at an animal,” says Dr.
Klopp. Symptoms are vague, wil be variable, depending on
what part of the brain is affected, and usual y very sudden.
Often they are severe and initial y cause extreme
impairment, but then tend to improve.
Seizure
Depression
Circling and/or dizziness
Incoordination
Behavior change (anything!) may also be a sign.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis can be difficult. Even with an MRI (magnetic
resonance imaging), the changes caused by the brain
damage may be hard to see. “If the stroke is big enough to
see in the brain stem, the animal is probably not alive,” says
Dr. Klopp. “The brain stem is very sensitive and there’s no
functional redundancy there, so a very smal stroke is going
to do a lot of damage.”
However, strokes that occur in the forebrain are easier to
see on the MRI. “We can have fairly good size strokes in the
forebrain and have animals survive. If I think a stroke is
possible, but I’m not seeing signs on the MRI, I try to rule
other things out and go from there.”
Age-Defying Tip
Monitoring the cat for hypertension is easy. A blood-
pressure cuff designed for felines used by the veterinarian
determines if medication such as amlodipine is necessary.
A common sign of hypertension in cats is erratic behavior
and/or yowling at night, says Dr. Little.
Treatment
Not much can be done once the injury has occurred, says
Dr. Klopp. “By the time I see it, it’s probably as bad as it’s
ever going to be. If you can treat the primary disease that’s
your best bet.” In other words, you should figure out what
disease caused the stroke—high blood pressure—and treat
that.
Cats often seem severely affected but then begin to slowly
improve and recover more quickly and easily from strokes
than people do. “I’ve seen very badly affected animals walk
out of the hospital,” says Dr. Klopp. That’s because cats
usual y suffer strokes in the forebrain, but they rely on their
brain stem for their strength and function. If they have a
stroke in the forebrain they may initial y be very weak. “But
they’l usual y get up and get going again with only a few
subtle deficits,” says Dr. Klopp. “They’re not going to be
paralyzed on one side like the human.”
Another reason they recover quickly is they aren’t required
to function to the high level that people aspire. They are very
good at compensating for a weak leg, for example, and don’t
worry about needing to drive a car or that people might look
at them funny if they wobble a bit. “They’re much more able
to function and deal with their disabilities and adjust,” says
Dr. Klopp.
Nurse Alert!<
br />
The aftermath of a stroke may leave your cat very weak,
confused, or unable to walk. Recovery time varies,
depending on the severity of the damage. But in almost al
cases, cats improve. In the meantime, you may need to offer
extra TLC.
Soften food or hand feed
Carry her to the litter box or provide absorbent pads in
her bed to help deal with accidents
Rehabilitation exercises may help strengthen weak
muscles
Medicate as indicated to deal with underlying
diseases
PART
THREE:
ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
APPENDIX
A--SENIOR
CARE
DIRECTORY
One of the best ways to find out about care options and
receive emotional support is to talk with other cat owners
who have experienced similar situations with their pets. A
good place to start is at the veterinary schools, which often
have resources for pet owners on various senior cat
conditions, as wel as grief counseling services. If you have
access to the Internet, go to the various websites and do a
“search” on the topic of your choice.
VETERINARY
SCHOOLS
AND
BEREAVEMENT HOTLINES
ALABAMA
Auburn University
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
180 Greene Hal
Auburn University, Alabama, 36849
http://www.vetmed.auburn.edu
Tuskegee University
School of Veterinary Medicine
T.S. Wil iams Veterinary medical Library/AV-AT Center
Patterson Hal
Tuskegee, Alabama 36088
http://www.tuskegee.edu/
CALIFORNIA
University of California
School of Veterinary Medicine
Davis, California 95616-8734
http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu
COLORADO
Colorado State University
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
and Biomedical Sciences
W102 Anatomy Building
Fort Col ins, Colorado 80523
http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu
Grief Hotline: 970-491-1242
FLORIDA
University of Florida
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
PO Box 100125
Gainesvil e, Florida 32610-0125
http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu
Grief Hotline: 352-392-4700 ext. 4080
GEORGIA
University of Georgia
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
Athens, Georgia 30602
http://www.vet.uga.edu
ILLINOIS
University of Il inois
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
2001 South Lincoln
Urbana, Il inois 61802
http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu
Grief Hotline: 217-244-2273 or 877-394-2273
INDIANA
Purdue University
School of Veterinary Medicine
1240 Lynn Hal
West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1240
http://www.vet.purdue.edu
IOWA
Iowa State University
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
2503 Veterinary Administration
Ames, Iowa 50011-1250
http://www.vetmed.iastate.edu
KANSAS
Kansas State University
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
Anderson Hal , Room 9
Manhattan, Kansas 66506-0117
http://www.vet.ksu.edu
LOUISIANA
Louisiana State University
School of Veterinary Medicine
South Stadium Road
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803
http://www.vetmed.lsu.edu
MASSACHUSETTS
Tufts University
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
200 Westboro Road
North Grafton, Massachusetts 01536
http://www.tufts.edu/vet
Grief Hotline: 508-839-7966
MICHIGAN
Michigan State University
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
A-120E East Fee Hal
East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1316
http://www.cvm.msu.edu
Grief Hotline: 517-432-2696
MINNESOTA
The University of Minnesota
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
1365 Gortner Avenue
St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
http://www.cvm.umn.edu
Grief Hotline: 612-624-9371
MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi State University
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
Box 9825
Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762
http://www.cvm.msstate.edu
MISSOURI
University of Missouri
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
Columbia, Missouri 65211
http://www.cvm.missouri.edu
NEW YORK
Cornel University
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
Box 39, Schurman Hal S3-005
Ithaca, New York 14853-6401
http://www.vet.cornell.edu
Grief Hotline: 607-253-3932
NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina State University
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
4700 Hil sborough Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27606
http://www.cvm.ncsu.edu/
OHIO
The Ohio State University
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
101 Sisson Hal
1900 Coffey Road
Columbus, Ohio 43210
http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu
Grief Hotline: 614-292-1823
OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma State University
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
Stil water, Oklahoma 74078-2008
http://www.cvm.okstate.edu
OREGON
Oregon State University
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
200 Magruder Hal
Corval is, Oregon 97331-4801
http://oregonstate.edu/vetmed/
PENNSYLVANIA
University Of Pennsylvania
School of Veterinary Medicine
3800 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6047
http://www.vet.upenn.edu
TENNESSEE
University of Tennessee
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
PO Box 1071
Knoxvil e, Tennessee 37901-1071
http://www.vet.utk.edu
TEXAS
Texas A&M University
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
Col ege Station, Texas 77843-4461
http://www.cvm.tamu.edu
VIRGINIA
Virginia Tech and University of Maryland
Virginia-Maryland Regional
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0442
http://www.vetmed.vt.edu
WASHINGTON
Washington State University
Col ege of Veterinary Medicine
Pul man, Washington 99164-7010
http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu
Grief Hotline: 509-335-5704
WISCONSIN
The University of Wisconsin-Madison
School of Veterinary Medicine
2015 Linden Drive West
Madison, Wisconsin 53711
http://www.vetmed.wisc.edu
WEBSITES AND EMAIL LISTS
The Internet provides enormous resources in terms of
informational websit
es, message boards, live “chats” and
email discussion groups. A Web search on any subject, such
as “pet loss” or “hyperthyroidism” wil return a list of helpful
resources. It’s best to visit the site or read a description
before subscribing to an email list or joining in open
discussions, to determine if the resource fits your needs.
Here are a few to get you started.
GENERAL RESOURCES
(Good jumping-off point, search for “cat health” or specific
subjects)
Yahoo! Groups
MSN Groups
Google Groups
ARTHRITIS
Feline Hip Dysplasia
BACK PROBLEMS
AbleDogs Website and Discussion Group
Primarily for people whose pets experiencing back
problems, recovering from surgery (mostly spinal),
paralyzed, in carts, and so forth.
CANCER
Lymphoma
Feline Cancer
DIABETES
http://www.felinediabetes.com
http://www.petdiabetes.com/
http://www.petdiabetes.net/
http://www.sugarcats.net/sites/dmstrickland/felinediabetesflyer.htm
GENERAL/GERIATRIC PETS
Resource with many articles on a variety of cat health and
behavior topics
Fanciers Health, a list dedicated to the discussion of feline
health issues
KIDNEY DISEASE
Feline Chronic Renal Failure
Caring-for-CRF-Felines
Feline-CRF-Support (Chronic Renal Failure in Cats)
HEART DISEASE
FELINE-HEART (heart disease in cats)
PET LOSS
Pet Loss Grief Support Web site
Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement
Finding A Pet Cemetery
FURTHER READING
Bereavement
Coping With Sorry on The Loss of Your Pet by Moira Al en
Alpine Publishing, 1996
The Loss of a Pet by Wal ace Sife
Hungry Minds, Inc., 1998
For Children
For Every Cat An Angel by Christine Davis
Lighthearted Press, 2001
Mr. Rogers’ First Experience: When a Pet Dies by F.
Rogers
Paper Star, 1998
Old Cat written and illustrated by Barbara Libby
Gramercy, 1993
Health Care Management
Cat Massage by Maryjean Bal ner
St. Martin’s Griffin, 1997
Natural Health Bible for Dogs and Cats by Shawn
Messonnier, DVM
Prima Publishing, 2001
New Choices in Natural Healing for Dogs and Cats by Amy
D. Shojai
Rodale Press, 1999
PETiQuette: Solving Behavior Problems in Your Multipet