Dmmetler Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 The tissue they removed during her dental surgery last week came back as cancerous. I don't know that there's anything reasonable to do, but I don't want to lose her :(. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 (((hugs))) nothing wise to say...but wanted to express how sorry I am. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 Oh no...I'm so sorry. :grouphug: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 :grouphug: so sorry. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 I'm so sorry. I have an elderly cat with kidney issues that is super skinny right now and I suspect we might lose him soon too. It's hard to lose a beloved fur baby! :grouphug: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 oh darn, I was afraid that would happen. SAME thing happened with my cat. They found a lesion during a dental and it turned out to be squamoous cell carcinoma. Is your cat eating and reasonably recovered from the dental & biopsy? That would guide my course of action. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherwith4 Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 Oh no! I'm so sorry. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 (edited) :grouphug: :grouphug: I'm sorry. Depending on the type of cancer, overall health of your cat, & so on, is treatment an option? I ask because I had a cat with cancer (also elderly -- probably 16yo when the cancer was discovered) who took Leukeran w/ no side effects. The vet who originally suggested this to us said he had used it for years w/ pets & it often had no side effects for the animals. For my cat, it was a daily pill. It gave us 2+ extra years with her (where she still seemed to be feeling healthy & happy & active). Edited July 21, 2016 by Stacia 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: I'm so sorry. Poor kitty. I will say that my nextdoor neighbor used a vet hospice group that she was very happy with. I didn't even know that existed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted July 21, 2016 Author Share Posted July 21, 2016 She's eating again, and seems to be doing well, although she seems to have a radar for when we need to give her medication and hides then. She's sleeping with me and cuddles at night, as well as with my other senior cat. I suspect that when she dies, he won't outlive her for long. We have an appointment for a consultation with a veterinary oncologist on Monday, but based on what I'm reading online, outcomes are generally not good, so I imagine we'll be looking at keeping her comfortable for what time she has left. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 (hugs) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 Is it squamous cell carcinoma or something else? Honestly, having btdt, my blunt assessment is that outcomes are terrible. There's no WAY I would even begin to treat oral scc in an older cat. I'm going to put this in white so you can choose whether to read as it's about how things went for us & you might not want to read it. If you do, put cursor at end of this line & highlight down: If I was going to go through this again, I would have a couple lovely stress free days if possible and say good bye. That said, my view is colored by the fact that Rachel was never able to eat properly after her biopsy. I was actually mad (still am) that the vet didn't call me to discuss during the procedure. I might have authorized a euth on the table. The tumor was big, not in an easy to operate spot. He biopsied without my permission and the stitches gave her so much discomfort. It was horrible. I would not have authorized a biopsy because knowing what it was would not have changed anything in a very old cat with CRF and very advanced arthritis. It was knowing for the sake of knowing and it caused her pain and made her last days miserable. She died in my dd's arms as we were driving to an emergency vet on a Sunday when she started crashing. It's not how I wanted things to end... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 I am so sorry. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 Our 13 1/2 year old cat was diagnosed with intestinal lymphoma just last week after not eating/drinking. The big tumor was cut out & she had a feeding tube inserted. She didn't do well with the feeding tube - actually losing more weight while she had it in. It ended up rupturing inside her & she vomited it out after roughly a week. We elected not to reinsert one and were focused on getting her through this week until dd got back from camp. She started eating & drinking (some) about 10 days post-surgery (this past Sunday) and seems to be stabilizing. We're taking her one day at a time now - enjoying the time we have left with her. I'd suggest trying to find out about the type of cancer your cat has & what the results are with and without treatment, especially for your cat's age. We found that cats can live up to two months to two years after being diagnosed with what our cat has without treatment. Treatment gives a six month (average) lifespan. Since our cat's cancer is fast growing & invasive, we'll be on the low end & treatment won't gain us much. I've read that specialists are more optimistic than general vets when they talk to you. I'm so sorry you guys are going through this. Enjoy your kitty every day! Hope your other one doesn't go too quickly after this one. I know how that works, at least with humans... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted July 21, 2016 Author Share Posted July 21, 2016 It's indeterminant as to type according to the pathology report. We meet with the oncologist on Monday. Based on what I'm reading from various vet schools, I'm not optimistic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 I'm sorry. I have had several wonderful kitties share my life and it is hard to say goodbye. :grouphug: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tita Gidge Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 I couldn't read the title without stopping in to say how sorry I am that your sweet girl has been diagnosed with cancer. :grouphug: I know you're not optimistic, but I do hope the oncologist appointment is helpful for all of you. We spend so many years loving on these guys, yet it takes a mere moment to feel our hearts rip out of our chests when we get news like this. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 I'm sorry. :grouphug: We just lost one of our old timers within the past week. It's rough when they've been part of your lives for so long. I wish you the best with the time you have left with her. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 I'm so sorry. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 We saw the veterinary oncologist today. It came back as a fibrosarcoma, which is actually one of the "better" kinds of oral cancer a cat can have (because it tends to be slower growing and less invasive than some of the other forms). She suggests a treatment plan designed to reduce discomfort and encourage Shy to eat more and put on some weight (she suggests basically feeding Shy "every time she looks at you", in very small servings each time. She agrees with me on not doing anything that would require Shy being anesthetized again given her difficult recovery this last time, and doesn't recommend radiation. We are going to try a trial of Palladia, which is experimental in cats, but has worked well in dogs with similar tumors as far as slowing growth and improving quality of life (and has had good results in off-label use in cats as well) and see if that helps. Hopefully, we'll get a little longer with her feeling good, and she'll be able to enjoy her remaining time with us. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Hope the Palladia works for her -- sounds like there's a good chance it will. Wishing Shy more happy, pain-free, healthy days & more loving time for you & your family to spend with Shy. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 I'm very sorry. We lost a set of senior cats (12, 15, 16) over a two year span to cancer, thyroid/kidney problems, and seizures, respectively. They had all been with us since they were less than 3 months old. We've currently got one of indeterminate age who's in the late stages of kidney failure but luckily still seems to generally feel good, so we're doing what we can and enjoying the time we have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 :grouphug: :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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