Thursday, March 23, 2017

A Worrisome Weekend (but everything is fine!)

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Everything is absolutely a-ok right now, but little Beau gave us a big scare this weekend.  

Saturday morning, when I went in to feed the babies their breakfast, everyone came running but Beau. I put their plates down,  he slowly climbed out of the basket, then limped over to his dish. I watched him as he ate and it was clear that he didn't want to put any weight on his front right leg.  Once he cleaned his plate, Beau slowly hobbled over to the basket, sat down, and held up his limp paw.

I picked him up, felt his paw and leg, but couldn't detect any tenderness, so I tucked him into bed and moved the litter box close to make things easier for him.  I wasn't overly concerned at that point. I just thought he must have injured it slightly while wrestling with his siblings, or climbing the kitten cage.

Things didn't improve that day, so Saturday eve, we took a trip to the emergency vet. Doc examined him, didn't think he had a break but thought that maybe there was some bruising or a sprain. He did have a slight fever, but otherwise, everything seemed OK. We left with some pain meds and instructions to keep him contained and alone for the weekend, and to see the Humane Society vet on Monday.  

Beau and I came home,  I set him up in a larger kitty carrier with all of the necessities, and that's where he spent the night.

The next morning when he came out of the carrier for breakfast, he was still limping.  He sat down to eat his breakfast, but this time, he wasn't putting any weight on the left paw, not the right paw like the day before, but his left.

I called the emergency vet, and they advised that we come back for another examination, so we did. We saw a different doctor this visit. She didn't think it was an injury but instead suspected it was Limping Kitten Syndrome -- a reaction to the Calicivirus vaccine he had earlier in the week.

Apparently, this vaccine can cause temporary lameness, stiffness and joint pain -- kind of a transient arthritis.

Doc said to continue with the pain meds and schedule a follow-up appointment with the HS vet. She thought he should return to normal in the next few days.

And he did -- he's 100% fine now. No limping, no weakness, just regular old Beau.

I thought I had seen it all, but that was a new one for me! I've witnessed other sorts of reactions to vaccines, but never Limping Kitten Syndrome! I'm so glad it was temporary and that our boy is all better now!


22 comments:

  1. I'd never heard of this either. Thanks for informing all of us about this possibility. Really glad to hear it was only a passing problem and that Beau is doing better.

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  2. LIMPING KITTEN SYNDROME!!!! Thank you for the spoiler in the headline. Gosh, I'm so glad he's okay!

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  3. It sounds like a scary weekend! But I have to say, Limping Kitten Syndrome might be the cutest sounding ailment I've ever heard of. It seems like it should have a more serious sounding name. I'm glad Beau is doing better - he's so lucky to have such a good foster momma and team!

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  4. Never heard of this syndrome but I have taken in felines with "This Cat Ain't Right" syndrome. Glad Beau is feeling better.

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    1. We call it ADR - as in "ain't doing right"! when you can't pinpoint it but something's wrong.

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  5. Wow, isn't that something! So glad the smart vet knew. (I think the first emergency viz should be cost-free, just as it was DX-free!!).

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  6. I am very happy to hear Beau is fine. But seriously...why do pets always seem to get sick on weekends so that they have to go to the emergency vet?! Weekend Sickness Syndrome, I guess.

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    1. My boy decided to develop severe bladder crystals right before a holiday weekend. The worked with him on Friday and we had the choice of either doing a cath over the weekend and getting it over with, or risking taking him home and having to take him to the emergency vet at some point that weekend. We went with the cath, because as much as that cost, the emergency vet would have been so much worse.

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  7. I'll have to keep that one in my memory bank! Glad he is feeling better!

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  8. this space for rentMarch 23, 2017 at 11:01 AM

    Huh. That's one for the memory banks, thanks for sharing. so glad Beau's okay.

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  9. "Once he cleaned his plate, Beau slowly hobbled over to the basket, sat down, and held up his limp paw."

    Ohh...!!! Poor wee thing.

    So glad all is well now!!

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  10. Oh my goodness! I once had a kitten who exhibited those same symptoms – and I thought I was going crazy – the left leg? The right leg? Both? Neither? Wha??? The vet said he had “alternating limb lameness” – which I’d never heard of – and has to be the same exact thing that little Beau had (my kitten was a tabby with lots of white) – and indeed he was fine and the strange malady never reappeared. The vet did say that it could have been caused by not receiving enough antibodies from his mother – and as his parents were strays that a friend had rescued – it well could have been due to their prior life’s inadequately healthy diet. Who knows. Very glad little Beau is better!

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  11. Had this in a kitten about 15 years ago. It was scary to see.

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  12. I've never heard of that either. So glad to hear that the little guy is okay now!

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  13. Aw, that must have been so scary! I'm glad he is just fine. Hugs all around!

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  14. Poor little guy. Glad he's better and got some extra love for what happened. You're the best foster parent he could want!

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  15. Oh Beau... Look at that little face. Kisses little one. Now rumble!

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  16. Oh my, it would've scared the crap out of me for sure! Poor baby, so glad he is okay! Kitty hugs and belly rubs to him!

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  17. New to me also. The little dear....don't you just hate it when they hurt!

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  18. Never heard of Limping Kitten Syndrome before. Color me educated for the day. I'm very glad it turned out to be nothing serious and that he's a-okay right as rain now.

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  19. Knew that's what it was as soon as you described what he was doing... I've run into that, too. Supportive care with sub-q fluids can also help. Kittens sure like to scare people!

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  20. Oh, my. Hadn't seen this until now as I was traveling. Glad to see that the little fella is okay now!

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