Even if you know how resilient cats can be, if you are a cat owner, you would not want any harm to come to your cat. It’s terrifying to realize that there’s a disease that affects cats that you can not fully prepare for in order to keep it from afflicting your pet.
In 2021, I wrote an article titled, “Losing Whisky, Saving Punky” It was about our first rescue, Whisky, who got lost and about Punky, our elderly cat in the farm who seemed to have experienced the “saddle thrombus”. That was one emotional article I wrote back then.
Last year, in December, our cat Suki experienced the same ailment as Punly. We are glad it is far milder in Suki’s case but for almost three (3) weeks, she could not sit or perch and it was extremely difficult for her to lie down on her side.
From the waist down, she was very sensitive to touch, as if the slightest graze is really painful. She was wriggly and she frequently licks her behind. It was a good thing, though, that she never lost her appetite. But in spite of it, she still lost a lot of weight. And, it was always a painful ordeal for her to do her toilet routine.
We immediately suspected that it might have been the saddle thrombus that Suki experienced. Suki had all the symptoms. Yes, we could have brought her to the vet but, unfortunately, we cannot afford it. So, what we did was use our knowledge with the natural herbs that we know we can use to treat symptoms of the suspected illness. Glad to say, Suki is now okay. Her wriggling had stopped. Her sensitivity with her lower back is gone. She can sit well and ‘loaf-perch’ (as gen Zs call it. Loaf-perch is when a cat rests on all her four knuckles.) now. But she still has not yet gained a healthy weight.
What is a saddle thrombus?
Veterinarian Wendy Brooks, in “Feline Aortic Thromboembolism (FATE or Saddle Thrombus),” says a saddle thrombus is a blood clot that forms from a larger clot in the heart, travels down the aorta, and becomes lodged at the saddle. Not only is the blood supply to one or both of the back legs severed, but a metabolic cascade occurs, resulting in the release of various inflammatory mediators (especially serotonin). The muscles in the back legs harden, the foot pads turn bluish, and the condition is excruciatingly painful. Inflammatory mediators have a high propensity to cause circulatory shock. The largest artery in the body is the aorta. It begins at the heart and runs down the length of the back, eventually splitting into the arteries that supply blood to the back legs. The saddle refers to the point at which the aorta divides into the left and right iliac arteries.
Why would there be a large blood clot in a cat’s heart?
The turbulent blood flow caused by heart disease promotes the formation of clots. According to Brooks, not every cat with heart disease will form an abnormal clot, and in fact, the majority will not; however, there is currently no clear way to predict which cats will and will not form these clots. Having said that, there are some intriguing echo findings that point to an increased risk.
Brooks says the problem is that in order to begin preventive therapy, there must have been a reason to see a cardiologist in the first place. The majority of cats with aortic thromboembolism do not have any of these symptoms, and the saddle thrombus is the first sign of a problem.
What are the symptoms of a saddle thrombus?
The website PDSA published an article “Saddle thrombus (aortic thromboembolism) in cats,” by The Vet Charity for Pets in Need which says the symptoms appear suddenly and include:
– Excruciating pain (crying, fast breathing, hiding),
– Inability to stand or dragging one or both back legs (occasionally a front leg),
– Chewing or licking the affected leg (s),
– Tighten the muscles in the affected leg (s),
– The affected leg(s) is/are cold to the touch, and
– Pale footpads in the affected leg or legs (can be difficult to tell if they are black).
The moment you observe these symptoms in your cat, please bring her to the vet immediately if you do not know any first aid treatment for the symptoms because saddle thrombus is a very serious condition from which most cats do not recover.
What is the treatment for this?
PDSA tells us that vets will usually do the following:
1. Pain alleviation. Your veterinarian will give your cat pain medication.
2. The blood clot is being dissolved. To dissolve the clot, your vet will use ‘clot-busting’ medications.
3. Surgery. If the clot does not dissolve, some specialist veterinarians can perform surgery to remove it, but this surgery is extremely dangerous. The vessel that the blood clot sits inside is likely to be very small and difficult to access, and if the clot is successfully removed, the sudden release of blood into the leg can cause a condition called “reperfusion injury.” This is a very serious problem that causes severe swelling in the leg, toxins to be released, and frequently results in death.
4. Physiotherapy. If it is not too painful for them, your cat may benefit from physiotherapy.
5. Taking care of the root cause. Your veterinarian will investigate the cause of your cat’s saddle thrombus and treat it accordingly, such as heart disease, hyperthyroidism, or cancer.
How do we prevent this from happening to our pet cat?
The best way to avoid a saddle thrombus is to have your cat checked by a veterinarian on a regular basis. Proper nutrition and lifestyle check is also always on the ‘must do’ list.
About the Author: Mariana Burgos is a freelance artist. She is a solo parent for 16 years now because she is wife to a desaparecido. She and her daughter are animal lovers and are active in advocating not only human rights but the rights of animals as well.
