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My pet sitter took my 21 year old cat to the vet to get her fluids while we were on vacation. The vet, without my or my sitter's consent, trimmed my cat's nails on her front paws because they said they were long. When my sitter got my cat home, my cat was having a hard time walking. I called the vet and they said that one of her nails was very long and growing into her pad. They said it's probably just sore and to soak in warm water and epsom salt and apply neosporin. That didn't seem to help. Needless to say, I cut my trip short. My poor cat can't walk at all. I took her back to the vet. The paw has healed and they are saying that it's arthritis and more than likely a neuro issue. They gave me Gabapentin. I'm not sure I'm buying it. The poor girl can't walk because of the limp front paw. Any advice or suggestions what might be going on? Other than that, she's eating and drinking well. Thank you.
So sorry to hear your cat is having a hard time. First question though .. taken to vet initially for "her fluids"? Can you explain a bit further? Second, have you yourself been able to take a close look at her paw pads to see if there is evidence the claw was indeed growing into it and/or evidence there is any kind of injury?
If your cat did indeed have a claw grow into her paw pad, it's very possible she was in incredible pain from that. And now that the paw has healed other pains that she'd had already are showing more. Cats that old generally have arthritis of some sort.
Oh, and letting her claws get that long is terrible neglect. She needs them clipped regularly.
She has CKD and hyperthryroidism. I couldn't see any signs of any injury to her paw nor could my sitter. I do not neglect my pets. I take very good care of all of them and do clip her nails. I would think if it was to the point where it was growing into her pad, she wouldn't be able to walk. She was walking fine around the house. She was able to walk to her food and water bowls and to the litter box. She does have arthritis, for sure.
If your cat did indeed have a claw grow into her paw pad, it's very possible she was in incredible pain from that. And now that the paw has healed other pains that she'd had already are showing more. Cats that old generally have arthritis of some sort.
Oh, and letting her claws get that long is terrible neglect. She needs them clipped regularly.
Good point (bolded). OP might want to try adding an anti-inflammatory supplement such as green lipped mussel to the cat's diet. Hopefully she is on a wet diet. The GLM can be mixed right in.
My other thought: I wonder if she's developed an abscess under the pad where the claw was digging in.
She has CKD and hyperthryroidism. I couldn't see any signs of any injury to her paw nor could my sitter. I do not neglect my pets. I take very good care of all of them and do clip her nails. I would think if it was to the point where it was growing into her pad, she wouldn't be able to walk. She was walking fine around the house. She was able to walk to her food and water bowls and to the litter box. She does have arthritis, for sure.
She may have had something happen while at the vets that caused a sprain. How long ago was the vet visit?
FYI; I've lived with multiple cats for 30 years, and my wife & I chose not to trim their claws (and I have the furniture to prove it ). In all those years we never had an issue with overgrown cat claws. Not even a little bit. Fortunately my vet didn't worry about cat claws, although a vet tech did a claw trim on one of my girls without asking, and I politely asked her to never do that again.
I question your ladycat even had an ingrown nail to start with (or you would have noticed it before). Some vets have a habit of trimming a cats claws routinely before handing them, regardless of the owners wishes, to prevent getting scratched (I assume). I know you trim her claws, but she may have had a problem with them doing it in a strange environment and struggled enough to cause a sprain.
Whatever happened, I hope she gets well soon.
Her pad is, which I would call, bruised. Her other pads are pink and this one is purple. It's no wonder she doesn't want to walk on it. I emailed photos of her paw to the vet. Waiting to hear. I do have green-lipped mussel powder that I've tried mixing into her wet food, but she wouldn't eat the food. She is on wet food only. One of my biggest concerns is, because a bruise takes a long time to heal, the more she doesn't walk, the more muscle atrophy she'll get, which would ruin her.
Her pad is, which I would call, bruised. Her other pads are pink and this one is purple. It's no wonder she doesn't want to walk on it. I emailed photos of her paw to the vet. Waiting to hear. I do have green-lipped mussel powder that I've tried mixing into her wet food, but she wouldn't eat the food. She is on wet food only. One of my biggest concerns is, because a bruise takes a long time to heal, the more she doesn't walk, the more muscle atrophy she'll get, which would ruin her.
Oh that bruise sounds so painful poor little girl!
Regarding the GLM, if you want to try again (for her arthritis) I recommend starting very slowly. You have to give a cat time to get used to a new taste. I started my girl with just the barest amount, just a grain or two, in one meal a day, working up over a period of about two months to the full dose. Once at the full dose her improvement was gradual but steady, and by the time she'd been on the full dose for about 4 months she was thundering around the house again, multi level leaps, airborne games, somersaults..the works. That was 3 years ago and she's still at it.
At the time her arthritis was so severe she could not jump at all, I had to lift her onto things, and she could not sit up in the Statue Cat position. She either crouched or lay down.
Hope you get some answers regarding the bruised paw.
I will definitely try what you suggest. I never heard from my vet yesterday so I ended up taking her to the E/R. He said he didn't think there was anything wrong with her paw and, in fact, it wasn't a bruise...that was the actual color of her paw. No matter what he did to her paw, she never once flinched. He, too, thinks, in addition to the arthritis, it is more neurological. He told me to continue with the Gabapentin. I also ordered some CBD and am hoping it will be here today.
It is so hard because she is very alert, eat and drinking normally. She even is trying to get up on her own but it's just not happening yet. I held on to her and she took some steps and she sat up on her own which she hasn't done.
I'm not ready to give up on my little girl. Hopefully, the Gabapentin will soon kick in.
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). In all those years we never had an issue with overgrown cat claws. Not even a little bit. Fortunately my vet didn't worry about cat claws, although a vet tech did a claw trim on one of my girls without asking, and I politely asked her to never do that again.
