Luna is an 18 year old female American shorthair. She has had nasal polyp(s) for many years. Historically this resulted in frequent sneezing with mucoid discharge and ear tenderness. Over the past month she has developed vestibular symptoms which have acutely worsened in the last week. She now has head tilt, and frank ataxia, falling over at light touch. She does not show Horner’s Syndrome. The sneezing has actually stopped since the balance issues began. A few years ago a vet offered traction/avulsion, but at the time her quality of life was good and we did not want to put her through a procedure.
Is traction/avulsion still possible in an otherwise healthy 18 year old cat who now has vestibular symptoms?
Many Thanks,
Luna’s Mom
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Hello,
Polyps are usually seen in young cats. I have never found one in a cat over age 3-4. A cat at 18 is more likely to have a tumor. These unfortunately are not surgical options and would need a ct scan to diagnose.
I also don’t expect them to cause ataxia unless they are in the ear canal area.
While I always advocate for having a vet look for an oropharyngeal polyp as it can cause trouble breathing there is a lot to talk about in your cats case just due to age.
I hope this helps.
Happy holidays.
Thanks very much for the feedback. We took her to a veterinary surgeon and she said much the same thing. For now we have her on steroids and antibiotics while we consider next steps.
Thanks,
Luna’s Mom