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Los Angeles, CA animal lover and Kitten Rescue supporter Belinda Berdes has been helping a kitten who came out of his neuter surgery paralyzed from the neck down. Belinda posted several videos documenting Oscar’s condition and progress and started a fundraiser page to help pay for specialist medical care to get to the root of the problem and help him to move and walk again.
Fortunately, Oscar is regaining his mobility. Belinda’s updates at the Oscar, Orange Kitten Paralyzed during Neuter YouCaring.com fundraiser page tell the story. (Note: The fundraiser met its goal and stopped accepting donations at the page.)
We include all 6 videos here, including the one from yesterday with a title making an announcement of some very good news: Oscar is Walking!
All of the updates and video introductions below are published as written by Belinda Berdes.
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Kitten Oscar paralyzed during neuter 1/31/14 – Video 1:
A rescuer took Oscar to be neutered. He had trouble waking up & when he came to he was paralyzed from the neck down. The volunteer rushed him to Beverly Oaks Emergency & the next day took him to a neurologist at Animal Emergency Care Center. Neurologist said Oscar could recover, but it will happen within the next 2 weeks. You can see Oscar move his right paw forward three quarters through this video! He is alert & can eat. The volunteer is giving him fluids & regularly moving his body to keep his digestive and lymphatic systems active and muscles & tendons toned.
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Kitten Oscar paralyzed during neuter 1/31/14 – Video 2:
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Oscar at Vet 2/4/14:
I took Oscar to the vet to before moving him to another caretaker to make sure his temperature wasn’t low (had been the day before) and that his movements where normal (not seizures). He temp was perfect and he was trying to move! His little head just flopped when he moved his leg.
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Oscar with new caretaker 2/4/14:
We’re sharing in the caretaking of Oscar since he needs to be watched and moved and given physical therapy. I moved him last night to a wonderful volunteer. Here he is settling in.
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OSCAR UPDATE 2/5: Oscar can move all 4 limbs a bit, but front shoulders are stiff. He ate like a champ and peed (yeah). Had a BM last night. Oscar hissed at a foster cat who was trying to lick him. Shows spunk! A reiki healer is donating her time today for him. We’re taking him to neurologist tomorrow (not Sat). Neurologist thinks it may have been a lack of oxygen. It does look more like cerebral palsy to me than paralysis. I’ll send update tomorrow after doc visit. We’re also searching for a physical therapist…hopefully to donate a few sessions..then we can learn what to do.
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OSCAR UPDATE 2/6: He just saw the neurologist. I’m frankly a little concerned about what he said. It doesn’t make sense to me. The anesthesia for his neuter was a cocktail of: Ketamine, Morphine & Dextran. The vet thinks that it triggered FIP or Toxoplasmosis that was already in his system and that’s what we’re seeing. He prescribed Clindamycin.
I’m not a vet so I’m not saying this isn’t the case but it seems odd that a normal, active kitten would suffer such dramatic change in the few minutes he was under anesthesia for his neuter.
We want to get a second opinion. We’ll continue to give him physical therapy and lots of stimulation (we talk to him, pet him). I’ve attached a picture of Oscar before he was neutered sitting on the back of a sofa. If anyone has any suggestions we’re open to them.
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Oscar Eating Sunday February 9th:
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OSCAR UPDATE 2/10: Oscar is slowly improving. He can eat kibble on his own. He’s also bonding with the other foster kitties. I’ve just uploaded a new video & picture.
We’re taking Oscar to Dr. Iburg at Whiskers To Tails Cat Hospital on Friday for a 2nd opinion. His improvement is slow, but brain injuries take time to heal and we’re not giving up on him. Thank you everyone for caring about this little guy! I’ll post more pics this week and the Dr. Iburg visit Friday!
The vet office who neutered Oscar is now denying that the anesthesia had anything to do with his paralysis and that it’s spontaneous FIP or toxoplasmosis. Another kitten suffered paralysis from the waist down just 3 weeks before Oscar (and recovered). We’re moving forward at this point.
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Oscar is walkng!!
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OSCAR UPDATE 2/19: He’s walking!! Hi Everyone: I had trouble downloading a video of Oscar playing with a toy yesterday, but TODAY I’m bypassing it completely to upload one of Oscar walking this morning! I’m in awe of his progress! It’s been just 3 weeks! Oscar has such determination. He knows where he wants to go…and not go lol. Oscar is wobbly, but we know he’ll get a little stronger each day. He can’t quite step into a litterbox, but he can walk way after going potty on a pee pad. To think the neurologist wanted to talk about euthanizing him just 10 days out. It’s common knowledge that brain injuries take time. We must all be advocates for our animals. More to come. THANK YOU EVERYONE!
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Belinda Berdes is running in the Asics LA Marathon as part of Team Kitten Rescue on March 6. Kitten Rescue is an official charity of the Asics la Marathon.
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How awful! I’d like to know how something like this happens in the first place 🙁 So happy he’s been recovering xo
Congratulations on your progress with Oscar! He’s improving at a remarkable pace!
A suggestion, if it’s ever needed, which I doubt it will be considering his improvement rate… acupuncture! It’s helped a number of lame dachshunds I’ve worked with in rescue…and I’m considering using it again for my current foster kitten who is partially paralyzed in the rear due to spinal trauma (no fractures).
my Sphynx cat also seem to have neurological damage after anesthesia? She is wobly and falls over.
I would like to know what physio treatment did you give Oscar please.
I have a cat that had surgery on July 3, 2015. He had to have a twisty tie wire removed from his stomach. Had high fever probably due to infection from wire. He has come out of the surgery suffering with blindness initially. The first couple of days, he was actually sitting up and walking around very little. From the third day on until today, he is paralyzed, I believe from the neck down. He is eating quite a bit (no lack of appetite), but I do notice that he appears like he has trouble swallowing. I’m guessing it’s because his neck may be partially paralyzed. I, personally, have been giving him physical therapy. The only problem I am having is that he has not had a BM in almost a week. He has peed. I try to rub his belly and wash his rear in order to stimulate, but having no luck. What else can I do?
I really need help!!! I adopted my baby girl Chloe Oct 2017 she is a silly energetic kitty. THAT has all changed and life has been so hard for her so the lady I got her from does rescues and kept saying Chloe is ready to be fixed so being a new fur mommy and trusting this was the right thing to do on Jan 10th 2018 the woman took Chloe to a low cost clinic to get fixed today she’s been seen by a new vet 3 times she can’t use back legs falls down and can’t even jump any where also she is traumatized she caught infection that was in her blood !!! I need help please the clinic or program is taking no part in the blame of Chloe or helping with her care i been giving her the antibiotics and she just finished inflammation meds. I love my baby soo much and breaks my heart to see her like this she is not getting better 12 days after surgry and it’s heart breaking I’m paying for any and all treatment she has had. I really need help please I want to know what’s wrong please any one with any info or advice on how to get help contact me… please thus is an error on the clinic and Chloe is suffering from it I have videos of her trying to walk and falling and now she is sleeping so much and not even trying to react or play or act like my Chloe anymore I want to know what to do i want to get her help my email is [email protected] also I stat in Ky and will travel few hours if need be….please help my baby and not let this happen anymore thanks and love
I know this post is older but for anyone else that encounters this I am wondering if perhaps your companion suffered a stroke during or shortly after the surgery. Blood clots are not an uncommon complication after surgery. I hope everything worked out.
I took my 6 mos. old male kitten to be neutered a week ago, He was also microchipped.. He is now paralyzed in his right rear leg, It looks almost like his leg is dislocated from either the hip joint, he walks but not without struggle, and his hind leg he is literally dragging it when he walks. I took him back into my vet as soon as possible, they thought his leg was inflamed so they added more medicine for him to take along with the medicine they sent him home with after the surgery. He is on amoxicillin and now onisor, which doesn’t look like anything is helping him. I’ve never have had problems of my kitties getting neutered to have these kind of problems, especially paralysis. What could cause this to happen? Any answers helpful.
I had the same thing happen to my 1 year old Male cat. I took him to get neutered and shots yesterday . His left rear leg is paralyzed and he kind of drags it when he walks. He is eating and drinking but goes and hides to sleep. What did you find out about your cat? Taking him to vet Monday.