Hello, I’m Dr. Karyn! Learn my introduction to be taught extra about me and meet my 5 hilarious cats: Clutch, Cyril, Alex, Zelda, and Zazzles.
You may already know that my buddy, Clutch, enriches my life along with his quirky character and distinctive habits. There are additionally some methods wherein he contributes to my already important quantity of grey hair, and never too way back, a kind of was having a spate of neurological episodes.
One morning, as I used to be chasing the ultimate dregs of cornflakes round my cereal bowl, I observed motion out of the nook of my eye. Clutch was lurking beneath a chair with a perplexed look on his face, slowly reaching one leg in entrance of the opposite, seeming confused about the place he was and what his limbs had been doing. His head was wobbling ever-so-slightly, and he didn’t appear to have the ability to rise up. This odd habits didn’t final very lengthy, however lengthy sufficient for me to seize my telephone and take a brief video clip. Not as a result of I believed it might make an entertaining TikTok submit, however as a result of I knew how helpful this form of footage will be when attempting to diagnose an issue.
Regardless of my preliminary intuition to PANIC!! I saved an in depth eye on Clutch over the following few days, searching for another indicators or aberrations, and aside from his wobbly episode, all the things gave the impression to be fully regular. Simply over every week later, he was at it once more, incomes himself a visit to work with me.
Working ALL The Assessments
I used to be lucky sufficient to be working at a veterinary hospital with a CT scanner on website, and on condition that Clutch was absolutely insured, I wished to check for all the things. We drew blood, carried out a CT scan, and obtained a pattern of his cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from a spot just under the bottom of his cranium. Aside from a slight change in one among his electrolytes, all the things got here again regular, which in some ways was a aid, however was additionally very irritating.
I even consulted a veterinary neurologist, solely to be told that Clutch’s scientific indicators had been “fairly uncommon.”
I’m positive you’ve had an identical expertise, whether or not with your individual pet, your self, or a member of the family, the place there was one thing incorrect, however all of the medical assessments got here again regular. It’s excellent news, but it surely doesn’t clarify what the issue is! As a vet, I usually must cope with the frustration of operating a barrage of assessments, solely to have the ability to present nervous homeowners with an in depth listing of all of the issues it isn’t. This may be an necessary course of after all, but it surely doesn’t alleviate the sentiments of irritation and helplessness.
One attainable clarification for Clutch’s neurological episodes was epilepsy, a analysis solely supported by his in any other case regular check outcomes. However these episodes weren’t in step with the generalized seizures we might count on to see with epilepsy.
And Then There Have been None
Aside from a slightly elevated sodium stage, Clutch’s check outcomes had been regular, and now, there have been no extra episodes both. That is nice information, or at the least it needs to be, proper? He was wholesome, no extra neurological indicators, and his blood assessments, CSF evaluation and CT outcomes had been regular – this needs to be excellent news. However an unsolved thriller doesn’t sit nicely with me, and I used to be decided to resolve it.
A Ornamental Design Flaw
It was now a number of months after Clutch’s well being scare, and there had fortunately been no extra incidents. We had been making ready for the arrival of visiting household, and I used to be getting the spare room prepared for friends. I placed on contemporary sheets, checked all the things was clear and tidy, and that’s when it hit me: The salt lamp.
Not actually after all, in any other case I may need been the one with a neurological drawback, however the realization that this supposedly purifying lump of salt may need been our offender lit up brighter than the lamp itself. Why had it not occurred to me earlier than?
Aware that not everyone seems to be as tolerant of cat hair on their… all the things, we at all times preserve the spare room door closed, however there have been a couple of weeks, earlier that 12 months, after we had allowed the cats to entry the room whereas we had been doing a little repairs. And also you guessed it, these weeks had been proper across the time that Clutch began behaving unusually.
Why Blame the Salt Lamp?
For anybody that doesn’t know, consuming an extreme quantity of salt causes a shift in our electrolyte stability, which impacts how water strikes out and in of our cells. An excessive amount of salt basically dehydrates our cells, inflicting them to shrivel up like a wrinkled raisin. This makes us extraordinarily thirsty, and if we drink too shortly, our little raisin mind cells turn out to be large juicy grapes too shortly, and this may trigger non permanent, even everlasting, mind harm.
You may not suppose {that a} salt lamp can be all that interesting to a cat, however ask anybody who tries to place a bag of potato chips down as soon as they’ve began munching, salt is fairly moreish!
So although Clutch now not had entry to the lamp, I wasn’t taking any possibilities – it needed to go! Don’t fear – it discovered a loving dwelling in a brand new, pet-free dwelling.
But One other Lesson Realized At Dwelling
There are two optimistic outcomes to Clutch’s transient and scary expertise:
- Realizing that Clutch is okay!
- Highlighting the potential hazard posed by salt lamps within the dwelling, one thing that served me nicely when introduced with an identical case in a canine, one 12 months later.
It wasn’t one thing the canine’s homeowners had thought to say, however due to Clutch, it’s one thing I at all times keep in mind to ask, proving as soon as once more that my cats present me, not solely with laughter, cuddles, and a lifetime provide of cat hair on all the things, however with info and views I may need in any other case missed.
Thanks, Clutch!
