My cat has thromboembolism and is paralyzed. Can she walk or survive?

Monti have had a saddle thrombus which is a blood clot that cuts off circulation to the hind limbs and is usually very painful and not curable, even with heroics at an emergency veterinary hospital. Another possibility is trauma to the spine which is also usually not curable if the hind limbs are not moving/cold. I recommend bringing her to your veterinarian for an assessment and a discussion re: endpoints for humane euthanasia.

A stroke, vestibular disease, aortic thrombus clot, and brain tumors are all possible. I know you did not make that decision lightly. At 15 1/2 if she had started to have strokes then she probably also had heart disease and possibly hypertension. IF she had recovered then it is very likely that she would continue to have events in the future. While the “what if’s” can never be answered I think that you should be confident that you made the decision that you felt was best for her and what she was going through. The decision is never easy. I likely would have made the same choice. Take care and thank you for using Pet Coach.

I would take him to a rehabilitation veterinarian who can do acupuncture also. I see many paralyzed animals that recover with neurological retraining exercises, laser, hydrotherapy and acupuncture. The sooner he receives treatment the better the outcome. Even if he doesn’t get 100% better many animals can still live a happy life with proper care from the owners. Please take him in soon to give him a chance. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Reg.

It sounds like Lily is in critical condition! She may have seizures, a thrombus cutting off blood supply to her back legs, or she may have ingested a toxin. I would recommend seeing a veterinarian as soon as possible. There is nothing that you would be able to do at home to help her at this point, and I would be worried that she may not survive much longer from what you describe.

I’m so sorry to hear about your kitty. Saddle thrombus is the most likely cause of cold, immobile, pulseless legs. However anything that obstructs blood flow can cause the same signs. Tumor in the area or significant trauma could potentially cause the same signs. Does your cat have a heart murmur? That increases the likelihood of saddle thrombus. An ultrasound of the heart and abdominal aorta can definitely diagnose saddle thrombus. Best of luck and I hope he improves quickly.

These are all good signs of improvement of blood flow and movement! Encourage her to gradually use the leg as much as possible and discuss with your veterinarian possible physiotherapy exercise (if she tolerates it) to speed up recovery. 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 Amy has prolapsed discs in the areas where she has collapsed spaces on x-ray then she might improve with time, but surgery is much more successful. Sometimes an x-ray can show collapsed intervertebral spaces but there is not spinal cord compression in these areas, which is why a CT scan is a much better way to diagnosed a prolapsed disc and spinal cord compression. There are other neurologic diseases that could cause similar signs as well. The results of Amy's neurologic exam might also help determine her prognosis so you may want to ask your veterinarian what they think the chances of recovery are without surgery. You should be sure to keep a close eye on her urination and defecation as well since sometimes animals with paralysis will have difficulty voiding.