My cat can't control his leg due to a nerve problem. What should I do?

I'm so sorry Pico isn't doing well! There could be a couple of things causing this, including the gabapentin. As cats age, their efficiency at metabolizing gabapentin can wane, and this can lead to hind limb weakness. That may be why he's getting worse. I would take him into the vet first thing tomorrow to discuss lowering the dose, which may help with the increasing hindlimb weakness. You can also discuss if using another medication in combination with the gabapentin is ideal for Pico.

I am sorry but we at Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach are unable to prescribe or recommended medications, this can only be done by your treating vet who knows and has recently examined your pets. Rest and confinement will help prevent further injury but I strongly recommend a full physical exam to determine the type of injury and the options to manage it and reduce pain

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These are general signs that can be seen with a lot of conditions. It could be due to a neurologic condition or perhaps an orthopedic condition causing some kind of pain or discomfort. If this continues, I recommend you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to start with a good physical examination and possibly diagnostics to get to the bottom of this so that therapy if any can be started. Have a great day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Nova had an accident that caused a leg issue. I would recommend he be re-evaluated by a veterinarian, or even an orthopedic specialist. At his age, it may be permanent, but depending on the type of injury there may be a possibility for a procedure to improve things. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly neck or back pain. I recommend that you have Kitty reevaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment since things have not improved. Likely diagnostics include radiographs. Treatment would be based on findings. At the very least they can prescribe pain control medications to make kitty feel better. In the meantime, reduce his activity as much as possible as that in itself can make a big difference. Good luck and have a good day!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm very sorry to hear that Alfie's back legs stopped working acutely. This is really concerning, and I would have him evaluated by a veterinarian right away. This could be due to some sort of trauma/injury, like to his back/spine. It could also be a neurologic problem. It is also possible for cats to get something called an aortic thromboembolism (ATE), which means a blood clot gets lodged in their aorta (the body's major artery) right where the vessels to the hind legs branch off. This is also called a saddle thrombus, and results in acute loss of blood supply to the hind legs, which is extremely painful. Regardless of why Alfie has stopped using his hind legs, I recommend having him examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Your veterinarian can try to localize the issue and decide what treatment is best. I hope this is helpful!

Sorry to hear that Hazel isn't doing so great. Based on your description, I would tend to agree with the other vet that the problem sounds neurologic. I couldn't say for sure what the origin of the issue is, but seeing as it has been going on since kitten-hood an in utero problem is definitely possible. If the leg is the only issue and it seems to be more a hindrance than anything to Hazel, sometimes the best thing to do for it is to amputate. The removal of the leg can sometimes make life far easier rather than more difficult. Animals, unlike humans, recover extremely quickly from this type of procedure and are usually up and about within hours afterward. On the other hand, if the problem is a lack of oxygen to the brain causing a generalized neurologic disorder, removal of the leg is unlikely to help. Your vet would be able to make this determination much better than me as he is able to see and feel Hazel. Overall, it doesn't sound like she is necessarily in pain, but it does sound like she is having a difficult time. Hope this helps!