almost 15 y.o. cat with arthritis - Metacam and Tramadol only options given to me by vet

[Badger]

Here's an update on my cat:

I have since given her 4 injections of Adequan and she's actually gotten worse. I took her to the vet and now we think it's an issue with her spinal cord. She will sometimes collapse with her back legs to one side and even sometimes drags herself forward with front paws only.

she is very unsteady on her feet (back legs only) and the Dr. feels it's a pinched disk or worse it could be a tumor on her spinal cord or a spinal disease in the fluid. X-rays show nothing unusual.

So I have an appointment with a Neurologist in a few days and we will possibly do an MRI and/or spinal tap depending on what the specialist thinks.

just very disheartening to see her struggle.

[Melanie J. Sceva]

A good friend of mine has an older cat with arthritis and her vet prescribed tramadol, but it is given in semi-liquid paste form that she rubs inside the cats earflap rather than orally. She says it works very well. She gives it twice a day and says if she accidently misses a dose, it is very noticeable that the cat cannot move as well. She cleans the excess build up out of his ears about once a week or so.

[xenagabbycat]

Originally Posted by lostinca

Thats exactly what I was going to say. Thank you.

Long story short, I just got back from the vet, who is also a long time friend of 20 years and he prescribed 1/2 mil liquid tramadol- 50 mg. She is 14 pounds. The vet asst. accidently marked it on the safety syringe at 1 mil so thats what i gave her. She foamed like crazy and doesn't really want me to pet her. I just got off the phone with him and he said that it shouldn't cause any respiatory depression and that lethal toxicity is 50 times the dose or something. Still, I feel so so bad that I made a long day worse by making her trip out and foam like that. I feel so so bad.

[catdad7x]

Originally Posted by xenagabbycat

Long story short, I just got back from the vet, who is also a long time friend of 20 years and he prescribed 1/2 mil liquid tramadol- 50 mg. She is 14 pounds. The vet asst. accidently marked it on the safety syringe at 1 mil so thats what i gave her. She foamed like crazy and doesn't really want me to pet her. I just got off the phone with him and he said that it shouldn't cause any respiatory depression and that lethal toxicity is 50 times the dose or something. Still, I feel so so bad that I made a long day worse by making her trip out and foam like that. I feel so so bad.

Of course you feel bad, but it wasn't really your fault. I had a similar dosing incident happen to me years ago, and ever since then I try to remember to double check the dosing label, especially when giving liquids. Mistakes happen and all we can do is learn from them. Hope your kitty is going to be ok.