Ask Me Help Desk - Paralysis of cat's back legs.

Paralysis of cat's back legs.

I'm asking for a second opinion.

We found one of our cats lying in aditch near the road (about 2 hours ago) unable to move its rear legs.
Thought it was perhaps struck by car, but there are no cuts or lacerations.
It does not seem to be in pain.
Drank a lot of water (has not eaten as of now).
Is alert.

One online vet said it was probably what he called a Saddle Thrombus (clot) and the prognosis was very poor and he recommended euthanasia.

Any other possibilities?
Thank you so much.

That sounds like what it is, though it's usually quite painful.
He needs to go to a vet ASAP.
Are his back legs cold? His toes? Pinch them, does he react?
He still may have been hit by car. Many of the bad injuries I have seen as a result of being hit don't have too much exterior trauma.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sariss

He still may have been hit by car. Many of the bad injuries I have seen as a result of being hit don't have too much exterior trauma.

I was going to say that. I hit a cat pretty badly once and it actually got up and got to the sidewalk, and showed absolutely no external damage at all - no blood, nothing looked broken, etc. You would've never known anything happened. Except I'm sure it was badly hurt cause it just ran out in front of me and I hit it pretty hard. (Haunted me for weeks, but that's another story.)

You might want to get a second opinion from a vet. Consider euthanasia carefully. I don't like a vet recommending euthanasia without even knowing what it is and based on a prognosis "usually being poor." Yes, it usually is, but what if this is the "not usual" case? However, if you are still reading this and not at the vet's, if that's what it is, the prognosis is just getting worse. It's a very time-sensitive issue. It's possible surgery can be done. You won't know without getting the cat into a vet ASAP. And you don't know yet what it is - but since this is a possible emergency, that's where you need to be.

But, yes, there's usually pain involved. It's also usually associated with heart disease and hyperthyroidism. Don't know if there's a background of these.