Why does my senior cat have leg issues and diarrhea after clear tests?

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 sorry to hear that Buster is having some aches and pains. A very safe pain medication that we prescribe regularly in cats (and dogs) is called gabapentin. It is a neuropathic pain medication but can be very effective for the treatment of mild to moderate chronic pain, such as that from arthritis or other chronic illness. It is safe on the heart and kidneys; side effects include mild sedation. I recommend asking your veterinarian if he/she can prescribe gabapentin for Buster. There is a liquid form of the medication, which is helpful in cats. I hope this is helpful - best of luck with Buster!

Difficulty walking could be a sign of neurologic disease, and infection would be a concern for a cat Fluff's age. Some parasites like toxoplasmosis can cause neurologic disease, as can viruses like the feline immunodeficiency virus. Difficulty walking could also be related to trauma but this might be more obvious on an exam. If the labs are not conclusive, a referral to a neurology specialist might be recommended as sometimes advanced diagnostics like an MRI and/or spinal tap are necessary for a diagnosis. If she continues to eat and drink normally and does not seem painful I'd wait for test results to come back and discuss the next step with your veterinarian.

If all his bloodwork was normal that rules out kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, etc. If your vet did not test for hyperthyroidism than a test should be done. An x-ray and/or ultrasound is defintely needed and will, hopefully, provide more information. He could have an infection, cancer, or obstruction/foreign body to name a few other possibilities. If he is not able to keep food down, I am not sure waiting until Friday is a good idea. He may continue to weaken and may become dehydrated. If your vet can't take an x-ray then you could consider taking him to an emergency clinic or another vet that can. An anti-vomiting injection may be helpfull if your vet didn't give him one. I hope that his problem is diagnosed and treated soon!

That sounds like a really tough case. You may need to talk to your vet about advanced diagnostics such as MRI or CT scan, or a referral to a specialist. Has your vet done blood cultures? Checked fungal titers? Tick-transmitted diseases? You may also discuss supportive therapies with your vet, such as cold laser therapy or medical acupuncture.

I'm sorry to hear this about Buster. I think you need to get him to a vet asap as I would be very concerned this hind limb may be damaged. It is also important to get him checked over as there can be many metabolic issues post starvation.

It sounds as though you and Schumacher have been through a lot over the past 2 years! Given his weight loss, chronic diarrhea, normal blood work and initial response to depomedrol, chronic pancreatitis or primary intestinal issues, such as inflammatory bowel disease or lymphoma would be my main concerns. In this situation, further diagnostic testing is often needed to try to get to the bottom of this issue. Some tests include vitamin absorption and pancreatic blood tests (B12, folate, TLI, fPL) and an abdominal ultrasound to look at his internal organs, intestinal thickness, lymph nodes, etc. In some cases, biopsies are needed to differentiate between different conditions so that the most appropriate treatment can be started. Cats with inflammatory bowel disease or lymphoma often benefit from long-term steroids, antibiotics and prescription diets to control their clinical signs. I hope that all goes well for Schumacher!