Our BlogBehind the Scenes, Cat News, Product Reviews & More!
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Our BlogBehind the Scenes, Cat News, Product Reviews & More!
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In the days following Benny's diagnosis, so many things have crossed my mind. There really isn't a lot known about cats, and their health problems. For instance, how many people know that excessive drooling in a cat, or odd aggression, may mean liver issues?
The thought that scared me most was how many cats are probably quickly euthanized after suffering what the owners believed to be neurological "damage" following a seizure. Cat epilepsy and seizures aren't like those suffered in dogs and even humans. Seizures typically happen for a reason, it is fairly rare for a cat to just have a seizure for a random reason. They may have an illness leading to a chemical imbalance in their system, or they might have suffered head trauma. What is a typical seizure like in a cat? Before a seizure happens, there can be a period called "Aura" or "Pre-Ictal" state. They may excessively meow, pace, circle or vomit. Seizures are normally a very short duration, around a minute or two, and involve the cat falling over and jerking/convulsing They may empty their bladder or bowels. The stage after the actual seizure is the most crucial, where I'm sure mistakes happen and healthy cats are euthanized. Cats go into a recovery period called "Post-Ictal". This state can be very scary for us owners to watch. Cats may suffer temporary deafness, blindness, paralysis, aggression, and other symptoms. You may be horrified and think your pet is damaged, and that's it. They're done for. Actually, no. Cats may stay in this particular state from anywhere from a minute to hours after a seizure. The majority will fully recover and be normal once its run its course. I say this understanding is extremely crucial, because I didn't know about this the first time Benny had a seizure. I really thought he was gone, he suffered irreversible damage. The vet suggested euthanizing him, because of how bad it looked. Benny was blind, aggressive, not moving properly, and drooling. Benny was caught in this recovery state for several hours. After it ran its course, he was 100% normal again. We decided to wait and see with Benny, looking for signs of improvement over the hours. I am very grateful we gave him time to recover, because we would have lost our precious boy that night. Knowledge is key. Unfortunately there is a small percentage that do suffer permanent damage and will eventually have to be euthanized. Brain tumors, cancers and other fatal conditions may lead to this. I cannot stress enough that YOU NEED TO FIND THE CAUSE of the seizure before you make any hasty decisions. Once the quality of life goes and they suffer, it is time to let go. Otherwise, be there for them, help them recover. If your cat does suffer from a seizure, the best thing you can do is: 1) REMAIN CALM. Remember that the cat really isn't there, the body neurons are misfiring and they are not feeling anything. 2) Get the cat to a safe place where they can't hurt themselves if they are moving. KEEP THEM FLAT. BUT BE CAREFUL! Cats may unknowingly lash out and you run the risk of being bit or scratched. If you know your cat well enough, you'll understand the risks of having your hands near their face when this is going on. With Benny, I moved him behind the shoulder blades, so it would be difficult for him to bite me. Other methods include getting them on a blanket, and moving the blanket. I do NOT recommend putting them into anything with a side on it. We made the mistake with Benny in letting him have his head propped up against the side of a box. He nearly choked to death on the thick mucus, before we discovered the mistake. 3) Keep the cat cool. Sometimes their body temps can rise and they run the risk of having heat exhaustion or heat stroke if the room is warm. Cats keep cool by their paws (like for a human its the inside of their wrist). One method is to invest in a pet cooling mat with a gel insert, the other using a product like a Frog Togg blanket. 4) Take notes, and if this isn't usual for your cat, take video. Anything you can do to help the vet understand what happened will help get your cat a quicker diagnosis and treatment. If the cat is just epileptic, unless its something very unusual, you won't have to worry about this. Benny was able to get diagnosed quickly without the invasive tests because I had notes and videos. 5) Offer the cat a safe place following the seizure to recover. When Benny was at his worst and not able to see or move around, we placed him in a large kennel. Other options would be a room without any dangers, such as stairs or places the cat could potentially climb or get stuck and hurt themselves. Remember, they may not have the best coordination, eyesight or thought processes just after a seizure. We need to keep them safe while they recover. 6) BREATHE. It is really truly awful to see our pets struggle so badly, but we need to be there for them. Offer them comfort. Gently talk to them and if allowed, gently touch them or stroke them. They really appreciate your help, concern and support. If we lose it and freak out, it will only frighten them more. My whole experience with Benny was a complete eye opener. I thought I was just adopting a random cat and it was going to be just that easy to add him to the household. It wasn't. About 1.5 weeks after we adopted him, we started dealing with seizures and erratic behavior. It caused us a lot of stress, both emotionally and physically. I put my business on hold to take care of him, and spent so many hours researching potential causes and treatment. It was really the worst time I went through. I didn't know at the time if I'd have him another hour, day or month. I didn't know if there was an end to those awful, scary seizures. I'm telling you this because in the end, it is so worth it to help them and save a life. His lessons, even in the month and some days since we adopted him, are having an impact. My blog helped save another cat with similar symptoms. I am in the process of creating what I call the Benny Bulletin, to give to local shelters to alert them of missed and mis diagnosed cat health issues. The goal is to save as many lives as we can! This Bulletin will be available for everyone to read, and it'll be available to download as a PDF. Benny would have easily died in the shelter, had they seen any of his later set symptoms. I saved Benny's life, and now I'm ready to save more. Please help me in this quest by passing along my blog to fellow cat lovers and shelter workers! Thanks so much, says Benny! Here's the article on Pet MD that I used as a source: http://www.petmd.com/cat/emergency/common-emergencies/e_ct_seizures_and_convulsions.
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