Oh my god...

I am so worried. My poor darling turkey butt is having issues with his legs.

He was born with extra bones in his back feet, and they are splayed outwards, and have 8 claws each, some of which need to be short all the time because they grow directly into the pads.

The vet had sort of checked them before, and said though he may be arthritic or have issues late in life, he is ok now.

Today and yesterday though a weird thing happened - He was walking and it was like his legs splayed out even farther than normal, and he fell on his belly. If that makes sense. He was able to get right up and back to normal, but then it happened again this morning! My poor baby!

I am going to take him to the vet on monday. I did call them already and they said unless he looks obviously ill, in pain, or stops peeing, starts peeing everywhere, or has blood in his pee or anything obvious to just keep him with me as much as possible resting. She said it could be a nerve thing or it could be his hips, as we dont know the extent of his mutations.

I am scared its his hips. Hes only a few years old, still a baby really - he was born in March of 06. I will treat him as much as I can if i have to - but I dont have a whole lot of money to do surgeries and ect. I will be just devastated if i have to put him down. Really. I love him as much as I love my actual son. And thats another thing, he is Jeremys baby too.

[lynn P.]

((Rainbowzz))--I'm embarrassed to ask but I don't know if scamper is a dog or cat? BTW you were right about Bella - she had a bladder infection but upon closer inspection, it showed she had bladder stones at only 2 yrs old. I'm sorry your pet is sick and I hope it's treatable. Bella's operation cost 1300 dollars - I wish I was a vet I'd be rich.

[Sabrina]

If I understood correctly, Scamper is a turkey? (You said "turkey" butt... so I am going from there)

I feel for you Rainbowz... hope this works out ok.

[lynn P.]

LOL now I really want to know..........is it a turkey, a cat or a dog?? Poor ((Scamper)) whatever he is.

No, i just call him turkey butt. Hes a cat for sure. And im pretty sure he would hiss at you for suggesting he was a DOG.(How rude! jk)

I thought i came and answered this already, but i guess my post did not go through. Here are some pictures:





ETA:thank goodness hes the snuggly personalitied type of kitty. Hes been on me pretty much all day. I also just noticed that when i am touching his back legs hes kind of snitty with me.. they might be a little ouchy or something, sometimes the claws do that to him.

Doing some research...

looks like it could be anything from bony abnormalities(which we already know he has), diabetes, nerve problems, toxins, anemia... lots of things but thankfully ALL treatable.

Also, as an update: It hasnt happened again. Hes always splay-footed in the back legs but he hasnt fallen again. Hes otherwise alert, and like his regular snuggly self. Hes now under the blankets with his head on my arm holding my hand.

[lynn P.]

LOL, LOL I fully accept and deserve the hisses for mistaking scamper for a dog let alone a turkey -although we can blame that on Sabrina(jk)

He's a beautiful cat ((Rainbowzz)) - did he seem to have trouble getting up? Did it happen on carpet or slippery floor? I know how worry some it is to have a seriously ill pet. I was beside myself the other day when I knew Bella had to have an operation. Let us know Monday what the vet says - I hope it's nothing.

No, he got right back up again within a few seconds. Weird eh?

Thats what makes me think its not a blood clot or anything - it doesnt seem like a perpetual weakness or anything, rather just that because hes splayed out so bad in the back, hes just kind of doing the same thing as a rolled ankle would do in a human - hyperextending and landing on his belly.

He does get awfully embarassed though. Anyways so far hes fine since. Im still taking him in, as with his bony abnormalities in his back legs, you never know if it could be the start of some sort of displaysia or whatnot

I just had a thought and I cant beleive i didnt think of this.

im going to go check his claws that dig into the pads - the ones in the back we need to clip constantly. i didnt notice anything when i looked, but im wondering if somethng is digging in, and when he put down his paws it hurt so he sort of lost his footing.

If thats whats going on, I think i will move forward with having the problematic claws de-clawed. I DO NOT beleive in declawing, but in this case they have been causing him problems since he was born, and it would only be a removal of 3 claws atogether. Its a health issue since they curl sideways into the pad of the foot. To the point that before I realized when i adopted him it had to be extracted from his back pad

[lynn P.]

Originally Posted by Rainbowzz

I just had a thought and I cant beleive i didnt think of this.

im going to go check his claws that dig into the pads - the ones in the back we need to clip constantly. i didnt notice anything when i looked, but im wondering if somethng is digging in, and when he put down his paws it hurt so he sort of lost his footing.

If thats whats going on, I think i will move forward with having the problematic claws de-clawed. I DO NOT beleive in declawing, but in this case they have been causing him problems since he was born, and it would only be a removal of 3 claws atogether. Its a health issue since they curl sideways into the pad of the foot. To the point that before I realized when i adopted him it had to be extracted from his back pad

You know I was going to ask about his claws - that's why I asked if it was carpet or slippery floor. I was also thinking if he walks different because of his feet, he might have more stress on his hips, since everything's all connected. It's hard not knowing

I clipped them back a bit more. They were getting a little long, but nothing like I have seen in the past if they get forgotten a day or two past our "schedule". And hes due for a visit to the vet anyways, were just a couple months early. Im actually debating on having them xray him regardless, because although the vet said its not necessary "yet"...I mean if theres a good chance hes going to end up crippled later on, Id want to be doing what I can NOW, be that certain excersizes, some sort of rehab, maybe meds or vitamins and glucosamine ect, to make sure he has the longest and highest quality of mobilty.

He says "meow"!

What a beautiful cat!!!

I hope it's just the claws--i used to have 7 black male cats--we did declaw them--
i din't go for the idea at all--but if it helps Scamper--that's what's best.

My prayers are with you both-----purrrrr scamper--theo

[HereIamBp]

He's a beautiful cat. I pray everything works out

[Sabrina]

Sorry for thinking poor Scamper was possibly a turkey. How undignified. Hope his problem goes right away.

[Hippie]

(((Rainbowzz))) Hope everything works out well for Scamper.

Hes been fine since.

In fact, he just tipped over my stereo, turned, looked at me. And sat down as if that was a perfectly ok thing to do.

So far, so good. Think it may have been the claws!

[lynn P.]

Hey Rainbowzz - is Scamper still doing good - no more episodes??

[HereIamBp]

I hope you found the cause of his discomfort. Then it can be correctly rectified.