Pat wrote:

"Christina Websell" wrote

However if it *was* a vestibular attack that he had please remember that
they rarely recover completely and are often left with a degree of
disability around balance that can be permanent.

You've done so well nursing him and getting him as far as you have. I
don't want you to be disappointed if he doesn't fully recover back to
his old self. Rather be glad you've got him at all since some do not
improve from the first stages of not being able to stand up and extreme
nausea which prevents them from eating.

Did you ever witness one of these attacks? If so, I would like to hear what
it looked like. In retrospect, Abelard's initial onset doesn't really fit
with the classic appearance of "seizure" because it went on for half an hour
and he never lost consciousness, and somehow I don't think a stroke would
look like this did either.

A vestibular attack is caused by an inner ear infection. It messes
with one's sense of balance and can cause vertigo and nausea. It's not
neurological like a seizure, nor is it a stroke.

I think what Christina's saying is that the damage done by the ear
infection could be permanent and chronic, and that he might always have
trouble with balance and occasional dizziness and nausea. Or maybe not,
but it sounds like something you might have to keep an eye out for.

eating well and plenty, and no longer barfing so often (only when he has a
hairball or eats too much grass at one time), but he still has a head tilt
(not so pronounced as before) and can be unsteady on his feet at times.

That would be consistent with what Christina was saying - maybe he will
always have some problems with balance.

One positive effect this illness has had on him is to make him much more
talkative than he ever was before, and his voice is louder and not as
breathy.

This could also be from the ear infection, which could have affected his
hearing.

In any case, it doesn't mean his future is bleak, it just sounds like you
need to be aware that this could come up again, even if not as severely
as the first time. I'm sure Christina could give you better info though -
I'm lucky in never having had to deal with that myself.

I am glad that he's up and about, eating, gaining weight, enjoying
being outside, and becoming a cuddly mama's boy.

--
Joyce ^..^

(To email me, remove the X's from my user name.)