Jennie just scared the pants off me - vestibular episode?

[Middle Child]

All was normal this morning.  Mazy cat told me she had to pee so we all trooped downstairs (yes, often Queen Eva and Jennie come too).  Everyone had already pooped either over night or early in the morning and that had all been cleaned out already..

 Jennie indicated she wanted me to open the curtain on the stairwell window. I keep it covered in the day time when it's hot out.  So I opened it for her and came back up stairs and sat here at my desk again. 

Suddenly Jennie was here on me, or attempting to get on me, but unable to coordinate herself.  She looked stuck, or paralyzed in the back leg.  I gathered her up in my arms, but she somehow struggled away, and staggered across the living room making her way into the bedroom and jumped up on the bed, and tumbled over to her bed-bed.

 I sat on the bed and gathered her in my arms again and she was purring, a very deep strange purr.  I extended all her limbs, there was no resistance and no pain.  I looked into her eyes and saw the nystagmus.  Her eyes were half dilated and rapidly jittereing from side to side.

She continued the deep purr.  Eventually, as I sat there thinking about how to proceed she got off my lap and lay on the bed, still purring and watching me.  I pet her and she started walking around the way she does when being pet, but wouldn't come off the bed, even when I asked her if she wanted a treat.

At that point I had to use the bathroom.

When I came back she was off the bed, and in the kitchen acting as if nothing had happened at all.  The nystagmus is gone, I got the PureBites out and she was dancing and singing in anticipation.

All over, I am left with a sick stomach and trembling legs.

I know there is not really anything that can be done for Vestibular syndrome except wait it out.  Of course I will be watching her and if I see it again I'll get her in for a check up, because maybe she's got an inner ear infection.

Jennie is my ROCK, the one nothing ever goes wrong with so when something does I just fall to pieces.

[DeeDee]

  Time for a vet visit to make sure it's nothing else. 

[Lola]

Has this happened before?
Any chance there is a possible taurine deficiency? 

Never mind.  I see she has already been diagnosed with Vestibular Syndrome.  Still... pretty scary!!!

[Pookie]

Nothing to say, other than I agree with DeeDee about a vet visit to rule out other things, but sending lots of purrs and hugs to you and Jennie.

[Middle Child]

Has this happened before?
Any chance there is a possible taurine deficiency? 

Never mind.  I see she has already been diagnosed with Vestibular Syndrome.  Still... pretty scary!!!

No, she hasn't Lola, that was only a guess on my part based on the nystagmus.  All this only happened this morning.

I did decide to take her to the vet.  We're just back. My vet or my second choice vet were not available.  The vet we had was very young and inexperienced, but Jennie had an exam (nothing unusual noted) temperature taken (100F, normal) blood pressure taken (it was my suggestion, 140- which was lower than most cats when they are at the vet, so essentially normal) and blood work.

Possible causes for something like this is a "focal seizure" which I will have to read up on, brain tumor, or, as I was thinking, inner ear infection.  However since her temperature is not elevated, the possibility of infection seems remote.

I don't think Jennie could be suffering from a taurine deficiency.  She is still at least 50 % canned, her commercial raw meals are Stella & Chewy's and Rad Cat and her home made raw are EZcomplete or prey model and all prey model meals are supplemented with Alnutrin taurine.

I don't think a deficiency of any kind would explain this morning's episode.  It was very short, 3 minutes, with no recurrence, so far.

But I had to take her to the vet, just to make sure there wasn't something glaringly obvious.

I am so thankful I work in a place where everyone rallies around when someone has an issue like this. One went to lunch early, so I could leave early.  Another offered to do my close out, so I didn't have to worry about rushing back.  (I told her she could leave for me to do on Tuesday morning) Boss was perfectly okay with it.  All this, and we are short handed and buried in work.  But everyone cares. Of course it also matters that I have the time to use. But everyone cares.

Anyway thanks all for your quick support. A vestibular episode is till my guess, but I'm going to read more about it, because I never heard of it happening really short like that.

[Pookie]

Did the vet actually look inside Jennie's ears?

I remember a Dr. Chris episode where someone brought a cat in who had nystagmus.  If I remember correctly, there was a growth of some sort in the ear that was affecting the part of the ear that affects balance.  They had to do surgery and the cat was fine after that.  I don't tell you this to scare you, but to provide info as to what could cause it.  In this cat's case, though, the nystagmus was constant.  I could barely watch -- I was in tears for that poor cat.  I've had vertigo with nystagmus and I don't wish that on anybody.  And I was at least able to tell someone what was going on!

I'm glad you were able to get her to a vet so quickly and that your co-workers are so supportive.  It's wonderful, isn't it, when you don't have to worry so much about how the work folks will feel if you need to get to the vet?

Sending lots of hugs and purrs . . .

[Middle Child]

Yes he examined her ears and eyes very carefully. No nystagmus was observed and her ears looked "fine" though I was quick to jump in with "but that doesn't mean there isn't something in the inter ear", which he agreed with.

What I don't remember him doing is listening to her heart.  I really really cannot bring that image to mind.  I don't think he did.  Though we (the two techs and I) did hear her heart when they did the BP test.  It's like a little ultrasound, you can hear the heart thumping away.

I think he is a very new vet. And he forgot.

It's wonderful, isn't it, when you don't have to worry so much about how the work folks will feel if you need to get to the vet?

It is wonderful.

of course I worry anyway.  But still...it is wonderful

[Lola]

No, she hasn't Lola, that was only a guess on my part based on the nystagmus.  All this only happened this morning.

You "sounded" so in control... would never have known you were guessing, or this was the first time! 

I did decide to take her to the vet.  We're just back. My vet or my second choice vet were not available.  The vet we had was very young and inexperienced, but Jennie had an exam (nothing unusual noted) temperature taken (100F, normal) blood pressure taken (it was my suggestion, 140- which was lower than most cats when they are at the vet, so essentially normal) and blood work.

Possible causes for something like this is a "focal seizure" which I will have to read up on, brain tumor, or, as I was thinking, inner ear infection.  However since her temperature is not elevated, the possibility of infection seems remote.

I don't think Jennie could be suffering from a taurine deficiency.  She is still at least 50 % canned, her commercial raw meals are Stella & Chewy's and Rad Cat and her home made raw are EZcomplete or prey model and all prey model meals are supplemented with Alnutrin taurine.

I don't think a deficiency of any kind would explain this morning's episode.  It was very short, 3 minutes, with no recurrence, so far.

But I had to take her to the vet, just to make sure there wasn't something glaringly obvious.

I am so thankful I work in a place where everyone rallies around when someone has an issue like this. One went to lunch early, so I could leave early.  Another offered to do my close out, so I didn't have to worry about rushing back.  (I told her she could leave for me to do on Tuesday morning) Boss was perfectly okay with it.  All this, and we are short handed and buried in work.  But everyone cares. Of course it also matters that I have the time to use. But everyone cares.

Anyway thanks all for your quick support. A vestibular episode is till my guess, but I'm going to read more about it, because I never heard of it happening really short like that.

Will the blood tests or anything give you info to know for sure what happened...Or is it a watch a see sort of thing? 

Some of what you explained sounded a bit how our cats acted when Wellness foods didn't contain enough taurine.  I was also feeding other brands as well at the time.  Anyway, that is why I mentioned it.  I wasn't thinking you did something wrong. 

That really is SO awesome your co-workers were so understanding!  Kudos to them!!!  It also says a lot about how they feel towards YOU. 

[Middle Child]

Some of what you explained sounded a bit how our cats acted when Wellness foods didn't contain enough taurine.  I was also feeding other brands as well at the time.  Anyway, that is why I mentioned it.  I wasn't thinking you did something wrong.

 Can you explain more about that? Or is there a thread on it?  And...I know.

There has been no recurrence.

You "sounded" so in control... would never have known you were guessing, or this was the first time! 

Heh.  It's funny how my...cope mechanism...sets in when there is some sort of emergency with the cats.  Inside I am screaming in panic but outwardly I am calmly observing the kitty thinking what needs to be done and doing it.....

And then I shake for hours.

[Pookie]

I'm sure she's getting plenty of taurine, but maybe, just for fits and giggles, it might not hurt to add more to her food?  I'm just tossing out brain farts here . . .

Good news about no recurrence.   

And then I shake for hours.

[DeeDee]

Can you find some organic poultry hearts? I use organic turkey hearts for the boys.

[Middle Child]

I'm sure she's getting plenty of taurine, but maybe, just for fits and giggles, it might not hurt to add more to her food?  I'm just tossing out brain farts here . . .

Good news about no recurrence.   

I do supplement with taurine.  I use the Alnutrin taurine.

http://knowwhatyoufeed.com/shop_online.html

[Middle Child]

Can you find some organic poultry hearts? I use organic turkey hearts for the boys.

I used to buy the freeze dried turkey hearts but I can't use them up fast enough (Jennie is the only one who really likes them) and they go kind of rancid, even kept in the fridge.

When I buy gizzards they come with hearts, and Jennie and Queen Eva get the hearts until they are gone, though usually there aren't very many.  They (Queen Eva and Jennie) get gizzards every week too.

I don't think she is lacking in taurine.  I don't think this episode is diet related at all. I can't prove it of course but I am positive she had a vestibular episode.

 I can't seem to find any info about any lasting such a short time and not coming back, but honestly, a three minute episode like that, how many people would even notice?

And if they did notice, how many would actually act on it or think to report it to their vet?

If you read about what causes a vestibular episode, I think  it's quite possible, likely, this is what happened to Jennie.  She was just lucky enough (or healthy enough) that everything righted itself very quickly.  Maybe even me turning her over onto her back (holding her like a baby) helped things slip back into equilibrium, you know?

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/Health_Information/vestibularsyndrome.cfm

I'm not ready to think she may have a brain tumor. I have yet to read up on focal seizures.  Maybe this afternoon when it gets too hot to be on the porch and I have to turn the ac on.

I went ahead and looked up focal seizures.  This, absolutely, was not a seizure. I've already lived with one seizure kitty.  And I've worked intimately with three children for almost 20 years (as they grew into young women) with seizure disorders.  I know the difference.

She also does not have nasopharyngeal polyp    http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/Health_Information/NasopharyngealPolyps.cfm

[Middle Child]

I can't seem to find any info about any lasting such a short time and not coming back, but honestly, a three minute episode like that, how many people would even notice?

I don't mean to sound arrogant. But not only do I watch my cats very closely all the time, and know absolutely what is normal for each of them, THEY KNOW to come to me if they are having a problem.

Jennie absolutely was coming to me, to let me know something was wrong.  It had only been a minute before that I had left her on the stairs looking out the window.

And, probably, as far as she is concerned, I fixed it for her.

Maybe she shook her head just the wrong way, and knocked that vestibular fluid out of balance. Maybe me flipping her upside down to check her limbs and eyes restored it.  Or maybe it spontaneously restored itself.

We may never know..if it never happens again.

[Lola]

Can you explain more about that? Or is there a thread on it?

Wellness... I think the recall was before this forum. 
I just remember thinking some of my cats were walking like they were drunk.  It was quick to stop and not all of them did it.  I didn't think anything more about it, until Wellness announced the recall for their canned foods that were lacking proper amounts of taurine.  I had some of the recalled cans in my pet food pantry.  That is when it "clicked." 

People that fed Wellness cat food only... many cats died.  I was already rotating brands at that time, so my cats were fine.  But that is when I started STRONGLY recommending people rotate brands, as someone must have suggested to me. 

I may no longer feed canned food, but I still rotate homemade raw and commercial raw brands to this day.