Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Kidney disease and seizures.

Species: Cat
Breed: Himalayan/Persion
Age: More than 15 ye
My cat is 17 years old. She has had kidney disease for five years. I have multiple questions and can pay extra if necessary. The most important is that she had a seizure this morning. It is the second seizure that she has had in the past three months that I am aware of. Is there cause for concern or anything that I can do. She is eating well and going to the bathroom regularly with maybe a few extra urinations. Another concern is that she would have a seizure while she is up on her stoop and could fall and hurt herself. The stoop is very important because it enables her to look out the window and get sun.

Also, I had to have her shaved (for matting and vomiting from all the cleaning) a few months ago and they used gas to put her to sleep. Her equilibrium was off and she was very weak following the procudure. It has taken her a couple of months to get her full strength back. The vet said that she should have been fine the next day and the gas had nothing to do with it. Do you agree?

Also, she is terrified of the vet and I would prefer not to take her there unless absolutely necessary. Does she still need to get rabies and distemperment shots (she does not go outside, unless on my lap, and does not have any contact with other animals.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi David and thanks so much for your question.

I just wanted to let you know I am heading into an appointment right now but when I am finished I will give you a good thorough answer! Hopefully it won't be too long!

Dr. Marie


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi again David - so sorry for the delay. We had a number of emergency cases in today and I have been very busy!

I'm sorry to hear that Allie had a seizure - they can be scary to see. Often with cats we don't know the cause of a seizure. I do get concerned when an older cat starts to have seizures as it can be an indication of a problem such as a tumor in the brain. Unfortunately diagnosing this is difficult without doing an expensive MRI.

Generally if a cat has had a couple of seizures in 3 months I do not do too much in the way of treatment. If the seizures are getting very frequent (i.e. several per week) your vet can prescribe anti-seizure medicine. However, these can have some side effects.

If she were my cat I would still allow her access to her stoop as this is one of her great joys in life. Perhaps you could put some soft pillows underneath in case she were to fall?

I have had some cats that have taken longer than usual to recover from an anesthetic. It may be possibly because of her kidney disease. However, if she just had a gas anesthetic and no injectible drugs at all then this really shouldn't be processed through the kidneys too much. I don't think I have an answer for you on why this happened.

However, I do think that the next time you are in the vet's office it would be good to have a general blood screen done just to see how Allie's kidney enzymes are doing and if there is something else going on.

As far as the rabies and distemper vaccines go, this is something you should discuss with your vet as every area is different. In my area, if a cat has been regularly vaccinated, I may stop vaccinating as they get older. However, in an older cat I still do recommend an exam every 6-12 months.

I hope this information helps!

Dr. Marie.



Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Jaundiced dog. Hi, I have an 8yr old female labrador that on the 30th December, 2013 evening... (19770 views)

Dog in heat. My female min pin seams to be in heat for last week. she has a little blood around... (13283 views)

Cancer or pyometra? My lab who was quite healthy up and until August started to show a dulling coat and... (15432 views)

Vomiting Dog. I contacted you about Little White Dog on April 24. She had had an exploratory to... (22097 views)

Hip dysplasia in pupp Hi I have a 13 month old German Shepherd male Havoc. He runs great. Jumps great and... (40972 views)

Needs anals done often. Heidi is having trouble with anal glands. She is on a home cooked diet, mostly... (12931 views)

When to euthanize dog with arthritis. Hello. I'm going through a really hard time right now, trying to make a decision... (46593 views)

Does Hartz flea treatment work? My dogs have gotten fleas and I've been putting Hartz flea treatment on them but it... (21014 views)

Cat can't poop. hi am afraid it is a mega colon my cat is not giving any stool , although he is... (18490 views)

Drinking a lot and collapse. My boxer, Tank, has recently began drinking water excessively and then pees all over... (25272 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.