Hi
Does anyone have any knowledge of masticatory myositis in cats, or had experience of?
My 17/18 (a rescue 14 years ago - age indeterminate!) year old cat has been diagnosed with masticatory myositis. Though that diagnosis only came via a second vet opinion as the symptoms fitted. She cannot open her mouth, even when they tried under anaesthesia, and can just barely lap liquid with her tongue on one side. She has been on 2mg prednisone for a week, but with no change.
Obviously she can't groom (nor obviously miaow, yawn etc.), so I have to help her, as well as wash her face (very messy!). I have tried all sorts of mushy food (at the moment she is only really eating a little condensed chicken soup, and fish paste!), as well as Liquivite (she wasn't very keen), and I am now at my wits' end.
At times she seems quite happy, purring etc. and at others I look at her and think maybe it is kinder to let her go. The vet did phone me whilst she was under anaesthesia and they found they couldn't open her mouth at all, her jaws were locked rigid, and ask whether they wanted me to bring her round or let them put her to sleep then. That was 10 days ago. I refused and went in the next day to see her, and she looked surprisingly bright and alert. That was when I started hunting around for a second opinion and we got this myositis condition. My vet was willing to try her on prednisone, but there has still been no change.
I was wondering if anyone knew if there was anything else that could be done? Should prednisone dosage be higher? The online references to this condition all seem to refer to dogs with it too, not cats.
I have to take her back in tomorrow for a check, but am at the moment fearing things don't look good. I am sure she has lost more weight, despite my 4 x a day attempts to get food in her.
Any suggestions/help/advice would be much appreciated.