My cat has a dilated eye, weak paw, and is lethargic. Stroke?

Sounds like your cat has something affecting her nervous system and it is pretty severe. He nerves innervate the eyes, influence her stance, her gait and also her mentation (ability to be aware of her surroundings). Several things can affect the nervous system including toxins, chemicals, liver shunts, primary brain stem lesions and tumors, and severe liver disease. I would highly recommend taking her in to your vet for baseline bloodwork and radiographs to start. Her lab work findings will help them pinpoint what is going on with her internally so that you can best help your furry friend. There really isn't much you can do for her at home until you know exactly what is going on with her and then get the vet to prescribe medications to help her condition. I hope she feels better soon.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The symptoms do suggest short seizures or mini strokes. You should take Cheshire to your local vets for full clinical examination and a blood test to check his blood sugar level, red cell count, kidney and liver function. If the blood results come back normal and he keeps having the episodes, he may need further investigation, like MRI scan of the brain. Alternatively, your vet may recommend treatment with anti-epileptic medication asa trial.

Gary likely suffers from arthritis (almost all cats begin to get arthritic changes by the time they are 7 or 8 years old) which is quite painful. Your veterinarian can prescribe an NSAID suitable for cats for Gary. I am not sure which NSAIDs are licensed for the use in cats, but in Europe, for example, Metacam (Meloxicam) is licensed for cats. Dilated pupils can point to high blood pressure which needs to be addressed, and can cause blindness. Your cat may also have had a stroke or suffer from a neurological problem or cognitive disfunction disorder. Please take Gary back to a veterinarian for a recheck.

Oh goodness. I am very concerned about these signs- Especially his temperature. Strokes in cats most commonly happen due to underlying heart disease. If this is the case then treatment will not solve the underlying reason for the stroke. He may improve and you may be able to have more time with him, but unfortunately there is probably more than just the stroke as a problem. It is so hard to make these decisions about what to do in these situations. I try to ask myself If my Pet will be living the quality of life that I want for him. This usually helps me make my decision. I hope this helps you in whatever you decide to do. Take care and thank you for using Pet Coach.

At 3 months old this is a huge problem. It sounds like he may have an underlying congenital neurological condition. There is no way for me to diagnose him via the internet. I suggest you get a second opinion with another vet - a veterinary specialist in neurology would be my recommendation. I found this one but it is 90 minutes from you. Your vet may be able to refer you to a closer one. ( https://www.willows.uk.net/specialist-services/specialisms/neurology )

There is anisocoria (the two pupils are unequal in size) and possibly ptosis of the upper eyelid (the eyelid cannot open normally) on the left side (where the pupil is bigger). There are many causes that can provoke this presentation: -Corneal injury such as an ulcer. -Disease or injury to the brain or to the nerves running to the affected eye, such as Horner’s syndrome. -Glaucoma, a disease in which there is increased pressure within the eye (the pupil in the affected eye will be dilated). -Uveitis, or inflammation of the interior of the eye (the pupil in the affected eye will usually be constricted). -Retinal disease. -Scar tissue formation between the iris and the lens (called posterior synechia), a condition that may develop following uveitis. -Iris atrophy (a decrease in the amount of tissue within the iris) usually a degenerative change associated with aging. -Congenital defect of the iris, in which the iris tissue does not develop properly. -Cancer within the affected eye. -Spastic pupil syndrome - a syndrome that may be associated with feline leukemia virus infection. -Other infectious diseases such as feline immunodeficiency virus or toxoplasmosis. Unfortunately is difficult to be more specific than that and a clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

This degree of weakness and behaviour change is very concerning and likely to indicate severe injury or illness,especially in light of the sudden increase in thirst. An urgent vet check and urine or blood test would be recommended to identify the underlying cause. Although he is not very old for a cat you should be prepared for potentially bad news given the severity of his symptoms