- Gender of patient: MALE FELINE PERSIAN
- Age of patient: BORN 27-06-2012
Personal circumstance:
History
Was born from a litter of two cats, both male, but his brother is a normal healthy big cat, he is much smaller than his brother. He lives with his brother, mother an uncle and another stray cat.
On December 24th 2012 he had a bath and immediately lost the strength of his rear extremities.
On January 2013 they took him to a local vet who gave him a cortisone treatment that did not ameliorate the symptoms therefore he was referred to another vet who took Xrays and blood samples which gave up nothing else but a mild anaemia, so he was medicated with Non Steroid Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) and a diet to ameliorate the anaemia. The NSAIDs (Meloxicam) in the beginning helped a little but then he was back to the same condition so the dose of the NSAI was raised.
In February 2013 he had two epileptic fit, the first one was only a spastic rigidity of all his limbs that lasted for a few seconds but no tonic-clonic movements. Whilst the second, three weeks later, lasted more than a few seconds and developed into a real tonic-clonic epileptic fit with the involvement of all muscles. Probably since this last epileptic fit he suffers from blindness, unfortunately the owner is not able to determine which one if these epileptic fits was the one that left Dennis blind.
Beginning of April he had a grooming that left him tetraplegia, with spastic rigidity.
Clinical observation 29th April 2013
Hypothermia = 37,6ºC
Nervous system: spastic tetra-paresia. Cranial reflexes are normal except the 2nd (ophthalmic) = Blindness. Spinal reflexes normal maybe the patellar reflex is augmented. No menace response due to blindness, pupil reflex extremely slow, palpebral reflex is normal, the fundus is normal although the optic nerve seems rather small and very dark.
Muscle-skeletal system: muscles are stiff, not painful and there is no loss of muscle mass, his articulation are hard to bend, they tend to crack and are painful at the beginning of any movement but then they tend to bend easier and the pain wears off.
Gastrointestinal: his bowel movements are not frequent, sometimes needs help, the owner uses baby enemas when he has not done in two days.
Medication at the time of the consultation
He is taking 0.4ml of Meloxicam (0.5mg/ml) = 0.2mg every day which according to his body weight (2kg) he is taking a dose of 0,1mg/kg of Meloxicam a day since January 2013.
Main complaint including the following information if possible to obtain:
origin of the complaint
Since he was bathed and groomed
possible causative factors
Wet, cold
modalities (what makes the complaint aggravate or ameliorate)
The owner says he is better from motion, at the beginning he doesn´t likes to be moved as his articulations crack and his muscles are rigid, but then as he “heats up” he likes it and loves the massage. He also gets in a better mood after eating and is definitively aggravated by cold.
time of occurrence, aggravation or amelioration
He is always in the same condition
side of the body
All four extremities
frequency of appearance
Constant
description of pain
The pain is on his big joints, shoulder, elbow, hip and knees
extensions of the complaint to other parts
I cannot consider the epileptic fits an extension of the complaint since it could be rather due to the heavy medication that might have left Dennis in a hypothermic state that might have triggered the fits. It is very difficult to conclude what could have triggered the fits.
Other complaints including the information listed above for each complaint if possible to obtain
The lack of vital heat is probably due to the excess of medication, it will be recommended to stop the NSAIDs and see if this by itself improves the body temperature
He was anaemic in January
The first epileptic fit he had during the day he was in bed and was relaxing
The second epileptic fit he had while sleeping at night and was longer and more intense and according to the owner is probably the one that left him blind but couldn´t be certain
Personal medical history:
Suppressive therapies and vaccinations: no vaccines, no worming
Traumas (physical, emotional, mental): none
Acute infectious diseases: none
Heavy medication
Familiar medical history (diseases that occur in the family)
Brother, mother and father are in perfect health.
Physical generals:
Reactions to temperature, climate and warm-bloodedness or cold-bloodedness of the patient
He is worse from cold
- Sleeping habits (position, quality of the sleep, dreams)
Sleeps well, cannot say which side since he is not able to move properly
- Food modalities (desires, aversions, aggravations or ameliorations)
He likes to drink milk, not cold or warm but room temperature
Mental and emotional symptoms
No intense mental or emotional symptoms
He does not seem depressed although his condition could make him feel so
He is alert
Analysis
Prognosis:
a1. Anatomopathological analysis
The disturbance is located in the central neurological system, the fact that he has normal spinal reflexes allows us to rule out the peripheral nervous system as being part of the disturbance and the fact he had epileptic fits that left him blinded confirms that the ailment is in the central nervous system.
Analysis to rule out Toxoplasmosis, Feline Leukaemia, Feline Immunodeficiency virus, Neospora, and Tick Fever diseases, were performed and all results came back negative. A CAT Scan of the brain was recommended.
a2. Depth of the disturbance from homeopathic point of view
His vital force has been extremely disturbed by very mild stressors (bath and grooming) and has overreacted producing deep disturbance in one of the most important organs/system – the central nervous system. The disturbance is therefore deeply rooted.
a3. Personal medical history
There is no medical history of acute diseases, or any condition that could have predisposed the organism to such a deep disturbance
a4. Familiar medical history and hereditary predisposition
His father is doing well according to neighbours; the mother and brother are both normal healthy cats with no chronic ailments and they both live in the same house he lives.
a5. Conclusion (including ideas about the level of health)
He was born with a very low vital force, instead of getting a cold or a flue due to a bath he got paraplegia, then when he had an epileptic fit he lost his vision, finally when he was groomed he was left with tetraplegia. Therefore all instabilities in his equilibrium left a deep disturbance. So I can conclude that his vital force is extremely week and he must be in lower level of group C, probably level 8 or 9.
Selection of symptoms:
b1. Peculiar symptoms
Loss of vision after epileptic fits
Chilliness or lack of vital heat
Cracking in joints
Desire for milk
Bathing and hair cutting aggravates
Eating ameliorates
b2. Intense symptoms
Paralysis of extremities
Pain and stiffness of joints
Cold aggravates
Constipation
Repertorisation
Flat repertorisation
Underlined repertorisation
Differentiation of the remedies
Rhus toxicodendrum: this remedy has many keynotes of the patient. Lippe describes it in his Keynotes as rheumatic drawing and tearing pains in the limbs worse during rest, relieved by continuous motion. He also has written the stiffness of the joints, worse when rising from rest. The remedy has also the typical onset due to getting wet. It is a cold remedy that also aggravates by cold, ameliorated by motion, desires milk, cracking joints, stiffness, etc… There are only two symptoms of the case that are not in this remedy, the aggravation due to haircut and the loss of vision after convulsion although it is present in the rubric vision – loss of vision. Also Rhus tox is known for the ailments from getting wet and is in many rubrics that may consider bathing in a negative way (bath aggravates, aversion to bathing, cold bathing aggravates), so there is a strong connection with the onset of the ailment.
Sepia: Is also a cold remedy, aggravated by cold. It also has as a keynote the stiffness of the joints. Also related to the onset “after getting wet”. But what contradicts it is that Sepia has as a keynote an aggravation during and right after eating.
Mercury: This remedy has as keynote a stringing pain in the limbs which is not quite well the pattern of Dennis. Besides that I cannot relate the case further to this remedy.
Kalium carbonicum: Has as keynotes the tearing pain in the limbs, and aggravation during rest. Twitching of the muscles is also a keynote of the remedy that can be translated to the stiffness of Dennis extremities. Constipation is also a keynote. It is also related to the onset of the ailment in the way that it is also a remedy that is known for ailments caused by getting wet. It is also a remedy that has a general lack of vital heat and is aggravated by cold.
Phosphorus: Although this remedy has many of Dennis symptoms generally speaking it has only one keynote that confirms it which is amelioration after eating.
Prescription with potency
29-April-2013 No prescription. I asked the owner to first take away the NSAID and come back in three days for a new evaluation.
03-May-2013 The temperature did not improve in spite taking out the NSAIDs. He had 37,4ºC body temperature. Every symptom remained equally intense. PRESCRIPTION: Rhus toxicodendrum 30CH.
Follow up 1: 13th May 2013
Reaction to the prescription of the former consultation, evaluating all the elements of this consultation
The temperature is finally getting better 38,2ºC, he is less stiff but besides that there are no further recoveries. I urged for the CAT Scan and the opinion of a Veterinary Neurologist, the owner said he would do it at the end of the month.
Analysis of the reaction
Although Rhus tox helped in a way by raising the temperature and lowering the stiffness it did not touch the main problem.
Conclusion
Either wrong remedy, bad potentisation or the potency is to low.
Prescription to the follow up
It was advised to raise the potency to 200CH.
Follow up 2: 11th June 2013
Reaction to the prescription of the former consultation, evaluating all the elements of this consultation
No further reaction. But the owner performed the CAT Scan that revealed left hypdrocephalia. The Neurologist suggested it could be hereditary since all blood work was normal and put Dennis back on NSAIDs because he was in pain at the time.
Analysis of the reaction
No reaction or very mild reaction to temperature.
Conclusion
Wrong remedy.
Prescription to the follow up
Kalium bichromicum 30CH. The decision of the remedy was based in the analysis of the first consultation and the advise of one of the greatest mentors I´ve had and will forever be grateful for all the knowledge he passed, thank you Erik van Woensel!
Follow up 3: 17th June 2013
Reaction to the prescription of the former consultation, evaluating all the elements of this consultation
He is finally starting to move and is now able to walk by himself, although the pain seems to have worsen because he has been needing NSAIDs twice a day. He had a very fluid transparent nasal discharge and an eczema on the tail appeared.
Analysis of the reaction
It is a very good reaction. The fact that the pain is worsening give us the idea of an aggravation and the fact that he had some nasal discharge and the development of eczema also confirms that the remedy is acting. He had been unable to walk for the past 6 months, since January so, the fact that he is now able to walk by himself makes it a miracle to the owners eyes.
Conclusion
Correct remedy.
Prescription to the follow up
It was advised to keep the potency and twice a day and recommended to slowly drop the dosage of the NSAIDs.
Follow up 4: 01 July 2013
Reaction to the prescription of the former consultation, evaluating all the elements of this consultation
On the 29th of June he took his last dose of NSAIDs and since then, he still reacts with no pain. He keeps improving, can now even jump. The vision is still compromised, meaning that he still remains blind and only follows the sound, that doesn´t stop him from catching flies and running like a kitten.
Analysis of the reaction
Although we could say it is a partial recovery due to the fact he is still blind, there has been an excellent reaction to the remedy. Patients belonging to group C normally need more than one remedy, while patients belonging to group D are incurable cases. Probably the time to find a new remedy is coming but I need to be certain that the first remedy has done all it could do.
Conclusion
Correct remedy.
Prescription to the follow up
It was advised to keep the potency and the frequency.
Follow up 5: 23rd July 2013
Reaction to the prescription of the former consultation, evaluating all the elements of this consultation
There has been no improvement in the vision, the gait is still ataxic and has not improved any further.
At the moment he is neither in pain, nor cracking of the joints or any signs of stiffness of the limbs. The paralysis is now a mild ataxia. The constipation is also solved. His desire for milk is still there and he has a selective appetite. The owners have neither bathed him nor clipped his hair; therefore this predisposition/modality cannot be confirmed or ruled out. We are in summer at the moment so again the aggravation from cold modality cannot be confirmed or ruled out. The lack of vital heat is definitively not there anymore. From the original repertorisation the only symptoms that remain are the desire for milk, the loss of vision and the amelioration after eating. Symptoms are the weakness of back legs/ataxia, eczema on the tail and the selective appetite. The watery discharge from the nose is very mild and transitory, only for a day and only after the first dose of remedy (Kali carb 30CH). Also when I checked his pupillary reflex he had a slow reflex of the left one and an absent reflex on the right, while the optic nerve seemed less dark but this is a very subjective observation.
Analysis of the reaction
No further reaction.
Conclusion
Potency need to be raised in order to determine if the remedy has done all it could or if a new one may be needed.
Prescription to the follow up
It was advised to raise the potency to 200CH give it once and see if there is a reaction.
Follow up 6: 30th June 2013
Reaction to the prescription of the former consultation, evaluating all the elements of this consultation
No reaction, just a little liquid nasal discharge the day after he took the remedy, but the overall situation seems unchanged.
Analysis of the reaction
The nasal discharge appeared again, just as when he had the first dose of the 30CH potency, so this made me think it could be that Dennis may need a more frequent repetition of the remedy.
Conclusion
Either the frequency is low, the potency is low, the remedy is not well potentised or the remedy has stopped acting.
Prescription to the follow up
It was advised to keep the potency but give the remedy once a day for three consecutive days and wait to see if there is a reaction.
Next follow up Friday 02/August/2013
Follow up 7: 9th August 2013
Reaction to the prescription of the former consultation, evaluating all the elements of this consultation
Very good reaction, seemed to have completely healed from the paralysis no longer has any signs of ataxia and is acting normal despite blindness.
Analysis of the reaction
The nasal discharge might have been a reaction of the body to heal itself.
Conclusion
Most probably the remedy needed time to act, repetition might have been needed, in that case we might expect for the need of more repetitions but, if it was just time that the remedy needed it will not need repetitions.
Prescription to the follow up
It was advised to wait and see if there is a reaction.
Next follow up Friday 23/August/2013
Follow up 8: 30th August 2013
Reaction to the prescription of the former consultation, evaluating all the elements of this consultation
Very good reaction, seemed to have completely healed from the paralysis no longer has any signs of ataxia and is acting normal despite blindness.
Analysis of the reaction
The nasal discharge might have been a reaction of the body in the process to heal itself.
Conclusion
Most probably the remedy needed time to act, repetition might have been needed, in that case we might expect for the need of more repetitions but, if it was just time that the remedy needed it will not need repetitions.
Prescription to the follow up
It was advised to wait and see if there is a reaction.
Follow up 9: 12th November 2024
Reaction to the prescription of the former consultation, evaluating all the elements of this consultation
Has had a normal except for his blindness.
Analysis of the reaction
Excelent reaction.
Conclusion
Because the intensity of the reaction of the body to a simple bathing is extremely exagerated, the conlusion was that he was born with a very low level of health but, the reaction to the homeopathic remedy and the fact that he has outlived his prognosis, gives us an idea how deep homeopathy can heal. Unfortunately we were never able to heal his sight, we tried many different homeopathic remedies with no success, but this did not became a burden for Dennis. He is now 12 years old and still able to catch a fly and enjoy life better than any other cat in the household.
