My 8 yr Burmese (neutered declawed male) has, for the last 1 1/2 yrs been showing signs of being dizzy or wobbly - appetite is good & he grooms & toilets normally, last blood work was normal, temperature is normal but he has this worsening problem with walking in circles, leaning against the wall, seems confused and dizzy and falls over from time to time, it's gotten much worse the last 2 weeks - saw vet today who says its neurological, probably something in his brain (lesion, scar,inflammation or tumor)I can't afford $2000 for an MRI - I'd appreciate any information or insights you can give & recommendations on what I should do?
Wobbly walk, falling over, weak back legs, walking in circles
Posted on 2008/01/20 by Rose Arntzen
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Ni-HaoSymptoms: head tilt, coughing
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Torunn says:
Hi there I am sorry to hear about your cat. Your vet is right though, it is likely to be something neurological and to find out what it is he does need an MRI as there is very little you can see on a normal x-ray. It could also be middle and/or inner ear disease. Has he had an ear infection lately? If these are left untreated they could lead to damage to the organs of balance in the middle ear, and cause head tilt and circling. But if there has not been any ear problems (you would notice this as the cat would scratch his ears, and they would be waxy and sometimes bleeding) there is most likely a tumour, inflammation or something else in the brain and from the signs you describe I think it is in the Cerebellum which is responsible for coordination. Even if you do an MRI this could only find out where and what the lesion is, and surgery in the brain of a cat would be very risky, I do not even know who does that. So the best thing to do is to keep him comfortable and make sure he is happy, and I am sure you will make the right decision when the time comes. Torunn Beurling DrMedVet
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