Thread: Limp tail ?

Glad he's ok. Hugs x

Well, when my housemate got home he was curled up in "his" little bed on top of a scratching post but didn't want to move. By the time I got home, not too long ago he was sitting up when I came in the door and when he walked towards dinner his tail was still down but more like pointing at 8 o'clock rather than 6 o'clock. Hopefully in a few days he will saltute noon with his feather duster! Fingers crossed.

Poor little soldier, finger crossed for him.

Well, he's certainly not lost his energy or running and jumping ability. However I did manage to catch his tail-hair under foot again in the kitchen while prepping breakfast. Hmm. But that said, the tail is now slightly off the floor and not being dragged on it, and he is using the (human) toilet OK still. Going to give him a few days and see.

Well, it's not better and I have found a video from a while back showing all three waving their little flags in the air.

I've had a firm but gentle feel and he certainly reacts when I get to one point in the tail about 2 or 3 vertebrae from his bum. Perhaps it is a dislocation - not sure how that would present itself. There isn't much of a bump beyond the bone and muscle itself, but bless him he reacts in a patient way.

I will book him into the vets. I am just genuinely curious what they can do about it ? I always have this nagging sensation that when it comes to treatment that they do pile on the "tests" like x-rays etc. when a perfectly good feel can tell you what's up. What's the best I can do for him without unnecessarily enriching the vet ?

Found this article. From what I can recall in the last few days Dicky has seemingly had no problems going to the toilet wither pee or poo, so that's a good indication. Going to watch him closely though.


http://www.petplace.com/cats/tail-trauma/page1.aspx

Originally Posted by Peter Galbavy

Well, it's not better and I have found a video from a while back showing all three waving their little flags in the air.

I've had a firm but gentle feel and he certainly reacts when I get to one point in the tail about 2 or 3 vertebrae from his bum. Perhaps it is a dislocation - not sure how that would present itself. There isn't much of a bump beyond the bone and muscle itself, but bless him he reacts in a patient way.

I will book him into the vets. I am just genuinely curious what they can do about it ? I always have this nagging sensation that when it comes to treatment that they do pile on the "tests" like x-rays etc. when a perfectly good feel can tell you what's up. What's the best I can do for him without unnecessarily enriching the vet ?

Did he seem to get any relief at all from his inj...? Without knowing what he was given I can't say how long it was expected to last but if it was normal steroid then any relief would be gone by now.If he is using the toilet ok then chances are given time & perhaps a bit of back up treatment he will be fine,the only time we xray is if tail is really limp & cat having toilet problems then its to confirm that amputation is the best way forward but having said that if it is really obvious then the client is offered the option but mostly they refuse when everything has been explained & we just go ahead with the op. I think I would phone your vets & tell them he did show very slight improvement {tail went to eight o'clock !} but it has now reverted back to square one could he perhaps have a longer cause of treatment to see if that would help...! Tails can take a long time to heal for whatever reason,some cats get back full use,some don't,the main thing is he is using the toilet, a bump or kink in the tail is something that can be lived with as long as there is no other major problem,Pansy P will second that she has a very big bump & kink at the base of her tail,she always flies at half mast or lower,I would try the phone call & ? more pain relief first........

The injection was Metacam 2mg/ml x 0.57 (whatever that unit might be?). I would think anything he had on Weds will have gone now. The article I posted above is quite interesting and does say that as long as he is going to the toilet then in many cases it's just rest and hope. I really did check in my amateur-but-with-a-brain way and there is no kink or dislocation. Maybe just a pulled muscle or nerve ? He is fast asleep here now, and we will both, housemate and I, be watching his toilet habits - but I have seen him on the Litter Kwitter since Tues (when I first noticed the prob).

Edit: Ah! The 0.57 quantity is for his 5.7kg weighing he got - as the dose is per kg.

Metacam is non steroid & a brilliant pain killer,it really would have only lasted the first 24hrs,I am surprised they didn't back it up for a few days with the liquid Metacam.I am also pretty sure he would have had toilet problems by now if it was anything worse than a pull or a strain & as my vet very often tells owners it is the pulls & the strains that take longer to heal it really then is more the case of has he any pain there in which case perhaps he does need something to help or is he comfortable enough that the big healer is going to be nature & time.Bless him,give him an extra cuddle from Norfolk & also tell daddy to make double sure not to tread on the tail again...x