Idiopathic vestibular disease?? Help..

[Crombie00]

Haven’t been on here in some time but know this is the place for answers.
My baby girl Pacey Jolie woke me this past Saturday screaming, panting and was lying with back egs down by the foot of my bed on floor.. I called the animal hospital and took her immediately. Her heart rate was up she was cold to the touch and exhausted as she hates car rides! They ran heart tests x-rays and tested urine for sugar. Ended up there was some sugar in Irvine but came back negative for diabetes. Also a spot on lung but nothing serious.
They were not sure what was going on. Asked me to try and get the episode on video if it reoccurred. Turns out it did so got video and did some googling and pretty much knew it was vestibular. Vet I talked to agreed so made appt for Monday and took her back. She had nystagmus, wobbling , head tilt and listing to side but wasn’t as freaked out. They did tests on ears etc and I took home ear drops, antibiotics and still need to pick up meclizine as they were out. She already was given cerenia so that was also to be given. She will eat and go to bathroom but needs assistance at this time. She mostly sleeps. So this is the fourth day soon to be fifth since first episode.
Is this proper treatment?
What can I expect?
Should I have her up more? Don’t want to make it worse but feel like she needs to move more.
If you need more info please ask and any help is appreciated!
Thank you all and send prayers, good thoughts, positive vibes to my sweet Pacey Jolie! She was a very vivacious cat until this

 

[Catzzzmeow]

Hoping someone will be able to share their experience. Lair Prayers are sent.


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[Toa and Ross]

What a scare for you and your girl. I don't have experience with this kind of health issue. Hope members with experience chime in.
Sending healing vibes.

 

[Sheldon13]

@Crombie00
I don’t specifically have experience with vestibular issues in cats, but in people. In people meclazine is a great drug to help with the nausea from motion sickness she no doubt has from the nystagmus and wobbling (dizziness I’m sure if it).

I would not make her get up more than she wants because her world is probably spinning. It would be like trying to function normally with a 2x legal blood alcohol level. Make sure she is eating, drinking and going to the bathroom, and outside of that let her rest.

My only concern is WHY is this happening. Idiopathic basically means “of unknown cause.” This concerns me because while the symptoms are being treated appropriately there is every chance it won’t subside until a cause is identified and treated.

Did the vet say anything about an inner ear infection? How long has she been on the antibiotic drops? Have you noticed any improvement? Have there been any exceedingly loud noises lately? Has she been injured anywhere or had an accident recently?

 

[Sheldon13]

Cornell University College of Veterinary medicine says often a cause is not identified but “In most cases, the signs of idiopathic vestibular syndrome will vanish within a short time and will never reappear.”

Source: Vestibular Syndrome


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[Jeanhill72]

Unfortunately, I can't offer any help, but am sending positive thoughts and prayers!

 

[Crombie00]

So sorry I took so long to get back to you wonderful people!
Pacey has recovered. Took about a week. She still is unsure at times and cannot do high jumps.
Sheldon13 yes it apparently was inner ear inrction. Thanks for your posts and all the others that had well wishes!!!❤️
There doesn’t appear to be any serious lasting problems. No head tilt but still a little wobbling when she gets too wild. She has always been so full of life so she’s still working toward getting back.
Again thank you so so much for all your continued support and information!
Just know if your cat gets this it may be inner ear. Go to vet with video of the episode. Get ear drops and meclizine. Antibiotics and cerenia helps as well. Give it a week to two weeks for recovery but if after 4-5 days not much improvement take them back to vet!! She started eating and using bathroom after 24 hrs. I would help her along but you have to let them try some on their own if able and not too weak.
God bless you all! I am lucky to have this resource and all of you.
It takes a village

 

[Yoda mom]

positive vibes continue for sweet Pacey
lair prayers sent and following closely for updates
hugs n head smoooches

 

[Sheldon13]

So sorry I took so long to get back to you wonderful people!
Pacey has recovered. Took about a week. She still is unsure at times and cannot do high jumps.
Sheldon13 yes it apparently was inner ear inrction. Thanks for your posts and all the others that had well wishes!!!
There doesn’t appear to be any serious lasting problems. No head tilt but still a little wobbling when she gets too wild. She has always been so full of life so she’s still working toward getting back.
Again thank you so so much for all your continued support and information!
Just know if your cat gets this it may be inner ear. Go to vet with video of the episode. Get ear drops and meclizine. Antibiotics and cerenia helps as well. Give it a week to two weeks for recovery but if after 4-5 days not much improvement take them back to vet!! She started eating and using bathroom after 24 hrs. I would help her along but you have to let them try some on their own if able and not too weak.
God bless you all! I am lucky to have this resource and all of you.
It takes a village

I’m glad she’s on the mend and has such an attentive parent.


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[Crombie00]

Thank you so much for continued support. Seems she’s not out of the woods just yet.
She is vomiting some and appears to be drinking a lot more. So I went back on meds. So will see how it goes and follow up with vet.
Continue sending prayers and good vibes!
Any thoughts or suggestions is appreciated as well.

 

[Toa and Ross]

Sending more healing vibes

 

[Sheldon13]

We’re here when you need us.


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[Crombie00]

Just up reading this old post. As most know Pacey passed away March 21, 2021.
I have been so wracked with grief and guilt.
Now as I read this I wonder if this wasn’t the beginning of what happened to her.
She did get better after this episode and was her old self again until November 10,2020. See “ ataxia vestibular help” post.
I don’t want this to happen to anyone else’s precious baby so I felt I needed to come on here and tie up loose (ends) threads.
So often people just disappear and we are left wondering what happened? I don’t want that to be the case here.
I cry every day sometimes more. I miss her so bad and am left with lingering thoughts on how this happened to her. If someone sees and reads my posts and it helps one cat then her death won’t be for nothing!
Please listen to the people on this page and remember YOU are your cats advocate and if you feel like your not getting the right answers get a second opinion. But act fast when you feel something isn’t right. Pacey needed a surgery and I got the money for it but was dealing with an elderly mother and work issues. So I was trying to get her scheduled for a bilateral vena bulla osteotomy. She had a middle ear infection that spread to her temporal lobe.
Again refer back to the post I mentioned earlier. You can find the videos on Facebook of her episodes and I think on here as well.
I’m angry as time ran out. She was still running and playing right up until that Wknd of her dying. That was the cruel nature of this “ disease”. Not sure what you would call it?? She had good days and then bad days. Sometimes even long periods of no symptoms as meds were working until they didn’t.
It was a roller coaster ride I would not wish on anyone!
Another thing I want to mention is that there wasn’t any discharge or smell from her ears. But she did have eye discharge but she always had that to some extent as sphynx often do. I had her eye checked at one point and nothing significant was found.
If anyone is going through anything close to this please post on here or start a post.
I will try to help out in any way I can.
I will forever regret the fact I couldn’t do more in time and lost my angel. Pacey Jolie was truly a dream come true. She was a courageous and strong willed little girl.
Please pray for her brother Brody as he is grieving the loss of his sissy. I deserve no prayers so save them for him.
I will forever miss her and regret that the circumstances didn’t work out that I could not save her as she deserved. I’m sorry to all in this community that I couldn’t have told you about Pacey’s success story and you have to hear instead of my failure.
I will never forget her and all she taught me about unconditional love and courage.

 

[pussiette]

@Crombie00 we are here for you. Thanks for helping others too. The loss is heartbreaking.

 

[Yoda mom]

@Crombie00 , ((((squeeze hugs))))) I am so very sorry sweet Pacey got her angel wings. my heart hurts for you. please don't be so hard on yourself. She only knew your love beyond measure. Remember the Love, soo much love. though not the same, I share similar feelings about the loss of my yoda girl. I wish my love could have saved her. in her honor I try to help others.
my heart hurts for you and Brody. Holding you in my thoughts. extra head smooches to Brody. we are here for you. bless your heart in your time of great loss to think of others to help on their journey.

 

[Sheldon13]

Praying for you and Brody. Thank you for selflessly updating.


Love and Sphynx ~ It’s all you need

 

[Crombie00]

Thank you all for your kindness. I didn’t feel I deserved it. Her brother Brody is doing ok. Have to take him to vet for his shots today and dread it.
I do want to continue to share my story bc that’s all I can do now for Pacey and any other cats that may go through what Pacey Jolie did. God I hope no one has to!!!
I wish I had taken her and had an MRI done after this first vestibular episode. They said it was idiopathic and would most likely go away ( it did) and never return ( but it did) although symptoms were not exactly the same which threw me.
So please people know that if your cat has one and may be something bigger.
Also with Pacey she had eye discharge. They did a test where they put drops in and turned off lights when she was younger It didn’t show anything. But when she had the episode that looked like seizures ( see post Ataxia??please help) she had more discharge than normal as I have went back and looked at pics and videos. So maybe even though no discharge from ears there were eye discharge.
I also noticed that in both of these episodes she did exaggerated and repeated leg back stretching both times. Something to watch for.
Pacey must have been so strong and courageous and it breaks my heart over and over to think of it and what pain she may have endured although she played right to the end. I’d give an arm or leg to have her back.
Please people listen to the advice you are given on here!!!! And if your cat is exhibiting any of these symptoms and they say idiopathic have it checked further.
Also look at my Ataxia post and see my videos and if your cat is doing that go straight to having an MRI ASAP!! Skip the repeated vet visits go to neurologist ASAP!! These cats can be saved with quick surgery.
And please get pet Insurance as soon as you get your baby ( trupanion was mine) bc that will save you and your cat!! They will pay 90% with surgeries and meds but you will have to, most often come up with money up front. I had the money just had time conflicts and no one to help me.
So have at least one go to person to help with your cat(s). People that know them well so if you need a back up person you have that. I didn’t. It was me on my own juggling too many balls. Pacey paid the price for that. I’m so angry with myself for that. Don’t be like me.
When I see her sweet face in her pictures or watch her videos it breaks me. But I have her Brother Brody and I have to take care of him bc he was such a good brother to her. And he needs me.
Again thank you all. Pass my info along if you see anyones cat with similar symptoms as my girl. I want to help others if I can do that maybe I will feel better and stop hating myself. And Pacey will live on by helping others.

 

[Catzzzmeow]

Hugs are sent your way.