High calcium…Duke has cancer…
Question:
So sorry about your kitty’s diagnosis. My previous cat, Ruffles, developed lymphoma at the age of eight. We couldn’t afford the financial and emotional drain of taking her many miles from home for chemotherapy which was not guaranteed to work; instead we opted for prednisone therapy (daily pills) and watched her carefully so that she got antibiotics any time she showed signs of fever. This gained her an entire year of good health and happiness — she was doing so well after the first four or five months that the staff at the vet’s office were calling her "our miracle kitty." A year after her diagnosis, she started to go downhill fast, until finally she stopped eating and began to have frequent and violent bouts of vomiting, clear liquid and bile at first, and brown blood at the last. When she became so weak she could no longer stand up and was clearly in pain, we had her euthanized. She was greatly mourned, having been a wonderful and affectionate cat who was truly a member of the family. But we were glad we had been able to give her that extra year without sending her away to a strange hospital, far from the people she loved. > We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel > cancer…
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Valerie Hawkes-Howat "Diagonally parked in a parallel universe" * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Response:
Phil and Alyce, I am so sorry that Duke’s biopsy results were positive for cancer. I can only hope that your vet can give you all the information you need or that s/he will send you to or consult with a specialist, so that your decisions are fully informed ones. My heart goes out to you both and, of course, to Duke. It is very difficult to hear and accept that time shared with our little furry creatures is limited. Cherish every moment you have with Duke. Warm thoughts, Monica
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel > cancer…Despite the fact that there are no tumors present, it seems that > his cells are cancerous. The vet wants to discuss options with us tomorrow. > Chemo (shots) and some type of less aggressive pill treatment seem to be > what’s available to us. Meanwhile the vet gave him a cortizone shot last > week which is why he’s been able to keep food down for the past few > days….He’s such a sweetheart, we don’t want him to suffer or be in pain. > The vet said chemo would give him 8 months or so. Does anyone know anything > about this? We don’t want him to suffer….Thanks for any info anyone has > about this… > Phil and Alyce
Response:
I would ask the vet how much time Duke would have without the Chemo.. it may be very close to the same. Cats don’t understand the shots you are giving them are supposed to help, it might just be distressing to him.
Response:
> We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel > cancer…Despite the fact that there are no tumors present, it seems that > his cells are cancerous. The vet wants to discuss options with us tomorrow. > Chemo (shots) and some type of less aggressive pill treatment seem to be > what’s available to us. Meanwhile the vet gave him a cortizone shot last > week which is why he’s been able to keep food down for the past few > days….He’s such a sweetheart, we don’t want him to suffer or be in pain. > The vet said chemo would give him 8 months or so. Does anyone know anything > about this? We don’t want him to suffer….Thanks for any info anyone has > about this… > Phil and Alyce
First, let me say that I’m very sorry to hear about Duke’s condition. I know what you’re going through (we have a cat who was diagnosed with untreatable cancer a few months ago) & how terrifying & unsettling this is. Duke (& you both) will be in my prayers & thoughts. While I don’t have any personal experience with this type of cancer & its treatment, I can offer a few words of advice. First, learn all you can about this disease & the candidate treatments. I also recommend you take Duke to a cat oncologist, if you can find one anywhere in your area. There are enormous advances being made in treating cancer in cats. While I am not recommending chemotherapy (only you & your vet can make that decision), I think you should find out as much as you can about how it affects cats. I have heard that cats tolerate this treatment much better than humans (i.e., they do not get very sick). Do not take this as gospel … but it is worth checking out. Stay strong & hang in there. Do not give up on Duke. Cats are amazingly resilient animals. Keep loving him every day. And, please keep us informed. — Jonathan Rosenberg 908/730-9171 [voice] 908/730-5920 [fax]
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel > cancer…Despite the fact that there are no tumors present, it seems that > his cells are cancerous. The vet wants to discuss options with us > tomorrow. > Chemo (shots) and some type of less aggressive pill treatment seem to be > what’s available to us. Meanwhile the vet gave him a cortizone shot last > week which is why he’s been able to keep food down for the past few > days….He’s such a sweetheart, we don’t want him to suffer or be in pain. > The vet said chemo would give him 8 months or so. Does anyone know > anything > about this? We don’t want him to suffer….Thanks for any info anyone has > about this… > Phil and Alyce > First, let me say that I’m very sorry to hear about Duke’s condition. I > know what you’re going through (we have a cat who was diagnosed with > untreatable cancer a few months ago) & how terrifying & unsettling this is. > Duke (& you both) will be in my prayers & thoughts. > While I don’t have any personal experience with this type of cancer & its > treatment, I can offer a few words of advice. > First, learn all you can about this disease & the candidate treatments. I > also recommend you take Duke to a cat oncologist, if you can find one > anywhere in your area. There are enormous advances being made in treating > cancer in cats. > While I am not recommending chemotherapy (only you & your vet can make that > decision), I think you should find out as much as you can about how it > affects cats. I have heard that cats tolerate this treatment much better > than humans (i.e., they do not get very sick). Do not take this as gospel > … but it is worth checking out. > Stay strong & hang in there. Do not give up on Duke. Cats are amazingly > resilient animals. Keep loving him every day. > And, please keep us informed. > — > Jonathan Rosenberg
Jonathan, Your posts are some of the kindest, and most compassionate posts I’ve seen in a long, long, time. I also wish Duke the best of luck and success in his therapy – and the best of luck to you also in the enormous task your compassion has led you to undertake. Phil. — "Cats have no masters…just friends" Good cat health stuff: http://maxshouse.com
Response:
Dear Phil and Alyce, I’m very sorry to hear about Duke. My oldest cat, Emily, 14, was just euthanized about 4 weeks ago because she was losing her fight with cancer (lymphoma). She was on prednisone therapy only–maybe that is the less aggressive pill treatment you mentioned. It does work very well sometimes; it just didn’t in Emily’s case. I opted to not try chemo for Emily because she was so horrified of the vet and I would have had to take her to an entirely different clinic quite far from my house if she had had chemo and she also hated the car. I’ve heard of other cats getting really good results with it but, in Emily’s case, I felt it was a quality-of-life issue and I just wanted her last weeks or months to be spent happily at home and not have her be all stressed out all the time. For a cat who isn’t afraid of the vet or car, I can see an entirely different decision being possible. Emily only lived for 2 months after her diagnosis but we had her euthanized before she really suffered–we didn’t want that to happen–she was just beginning to not eat and she was starting to hide and beginning to lose interest in life. I imagine different types of cancer have better response rates to chemo and to prednisone so I really don’t know the answers to your questions. But I hope Duke has a lot of quality time left with you. Spoil him more than ever. Candace
Response:
We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel cancer…Despite the fact that there are no tumors present, it seems that his cells are cancerous. The vet wants to discuss options with us tomorrow. Chemo (shots) and some type of less aggressive pill treatment seem to be what’s available to us. Meanwhile the vet gave him a cortizone shot last week which is why he’s been able to keep food down for the past few days….He’s such a sweetheart, we don’t want him to suffer or be in pain. The vet said chemo would give him 8 months or so. Does anyone know anything about this? We don’t want him to suffer….Thanks for any info anyone has about this… Phil and Alyce
Response:
Phil and Alyce, I’m also sorry to hear the diagnosis. Our cat was diagnosed last December with cancer (intestinal lymphoma), even though she also had no tumors (her only symptom was her lack of appetite). We decided to try the chemo (even though she hated vets and cars) only because she had been 100% healthy before–and the vet assured us animal chemo was not like human chemo. At the time, we were told the life expectancy was 11 months. So far, she’s doing really well–other than losing most of her beautiful long white whiskers 
She also got quickly used to the weekly vet visits and **almost** seems to enjoy the fuss the staff makes over her each time (right now, she’s on a schedule of 2 weeks on, 5 weeks off). Other side effects were minimal, although that varies greatly with each animal. I can honestly say she never suffered because of the chemo–in fact, it actually made her feel better and got her to start eating again after months of syringe feeding. There is a email list for feline lymphoma (and one for a more general feline cancer) at http://www.onelist.com/ . Many of the people on the list have had a lot of experience with this disease and side-effects. Please email me if you have any questions–and good luck to all of you no matter what you choose. debbe – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel > cancer…Despite the fact that there are no tumors present, it seems that > his cells are cancerous. The vet wants to discuss options with us tomorrow. > Chemo (shots) and some type of less aggressive pill treatment seem to be > what’s available to us. Meanwhile the vet gave him a cortizone shot last > week which is why he’s been able to keep food down for the past few > days….He’s such a sweetheart, we don’t want him to suffer or be in pain. > The vet said chemo would give him 8 months or so. Does anyone know anything > about this? We don’t want him to suffer….Thanks for any info anyone has > about this… > Phil and Alyce
Response:
So sorry about your kitty’s diagnosis. My previous cat, Ruffles, developed lymphoma at the age of eight. We couldn’t afford the financial and emotional drain of taking her many miles from home for chemotherapy which was not guaranteed to work; instead we opted for prednisone therapy (daily pills) and watched her carefully so that she got antibiotics any time she showed signs of fever. This gained her an entire year of good health and happiness — she was doing so well after the first four or five months that the staff at the vet’s office were calling her "our miracle kitty." A year after her diagnosis, she started to go downhill fast, until finally she stopped eating and began to have frequent and violent bouts of vomiting, clear liquid and bile at first, and brown blood at the last. When she became so weak she could no longer stand up and was clearly in pain, we had her euthanized. She was greatly mourned, having been a wonderful and affectionate cat who was truly a member of the family. But we were glad we had been able to give her that extra year without sending her away to a strange hospital, far from the people she loved. > We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel > cancer…
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Valerie Hawkes-Howat "Diagonally parked in a parallel universe" * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Response:
Phil and Alyce, I am so sorry that Duke’s biopsy results were positive for cancer. I can only hope that your vet can give you all the information you need or that s/he will send you to or consult with a specialist, so that your decisions are fully informed ones. My heart goes out to you both and, of course, to Duke. It is very difficult to hear and accept that time shared with our little furry creatures is limited. Cherish every moment you have with Duke. Warm thoughts, Monica
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel > cancer…Despite the fact that there are no tumors present, it seems that > his cells are cancerous. The vet wants to discuss options with us tomorrow. > Chemo (shots) and some type of less aggressive pill treatment seem to be > what’s available to us. Meanwhile the vet gave him a cortizone shot last > week which is why he’s been able to keep food down for the past few > days….He’s such a sweetheart, we don’t want him to suffer or be in pain. > The vet said chemo would give him 8 months or so. Does anyone know anything > about this? We don’t want him to suffer….Thanks for any info anyone has > about this… > Phil and Alyce
Response:
I would ask the vet how much time Duke would have without the Chemo.. it may be very close to the same. Cats don’t understand the shots you are giving them are supposed to help, it might just be distressing to him.
Response:
> We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel > cancer…Despite the fact that there are no tumors present, it seems that > his cells are cancerous. The vet wants to discuss options with us tomorrow. > Chemo (shots) and some type of less aggressive pill treatment seem to be > what’s available to us. Meanwhile the vet gave him a cortizone shot last > week which is why he’s been able to keep food down for the past few > days….He’s such a sweetheart, we don’t want him to suffer or be in pain. > The vet said chemo would give him 8 months or so. Does anyone know anything > about this? We don’t want him to suffer….Thanks for any info anyone has > about this… > Phil and Alyce
First, let me say that I’m very sorry to hear about Duke’s condition. I know what you’re going through (we have a cat who was diagnosed with untreatable cancer a few months ago) & how terrifying & unsettling this is. Duke (& you both) will be in my prayers & thoughts. While I don’t have any personal experience with this type of cancer & its treatment, I can offer a few words of advice. First, learn all you can about this disease & the candidate treatments. I also recommend you take Duke to a cat oncologist, if you can find one anywhere in your area. There are enormous advances being made in treating cancer in cats. While I am not recommending chemotherapy (only you & your vet can make that decision), I think you should find out as much as you can about how it affects cats. I have heard that cats tolerate this treatment much better than humans (i.e., they do not get very sick). Do not take this as gospel … but it is worth checking out. Stay strong & hang in there. Do not give up on Duke. Cats are amazingly resilient animals. Keep loving him every day. And, please keep us informed. — Jonathan Rosenberg 908/730-9171 [voice] 908/730-5920 [fax]
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel > cancer…Despite the fact that there are no tumors present, it seems that > his cells are cancerous. The vet wants to discuss options with us > tomorrow. > Chemo (shots) and some type of less aggressive pill treatment seem to be > what’s available to us. Meanwhile the vet gave him a cortizone shot last > week which is why he’s been able to keep food down for the past few > days….He’s such a sweetheart, we don’t want him to suffer or be in pain. > The vet said chemo would give him 8 months or so. Does anyone know > anything > about this? We don’t want him to suffer….Thanks for any info anyone has > about this… > Phil and Alyce > First, let me say that I’m very sorry to hear about Duke’s condition. I > know what you’re going through (we have a cat who was diagnosed with > untreatable cancer a few months ago) & how terrifying & unsettling this is. > Duke (& you both) will be in my prayers & thoughts. > While I don’t have any personal experience with this type of cancer & its > treatment, I can offer a few words of advice. > First, learn all you can about this disease & the candidate treatments. I > also recommend you take Duke to a cat oncologist, if you can find one > anywhere in your area. There are enormous advances being made in treating > cancer in cats. > While I am not recommending chemotherapy (only you & your vet can make that > decision), I think you should find out as much as you can about how it > affects cats. I have heard that cats tolerate this treatment much better > than humans (i.e., they do not get very sick). Do not take this as gospel > … but it is worth checking out. > Stay strong & hang in there. Do not give up on Duke. Cats are amazingly > resilient animals. Keep loving him every day. > And, please keep us informed. > — > Jonathan Rosenberg
Jonathan, Your posts are some of the kindest, and most compassionate posts I’ve seen in a long, long, time. I also wish Duke the best of luck and success in his therapy – and the best of luck to you also in the enormous task your compassion has led you to undertake. Phil. — "Cats have no masters…just friends" Good cat health stuff: http://maxshouse.com
Response:
Dear Phil and Alyce, I’m very sorry to hear about Duke. My oldest cat, Emily, 14, was just euthanized about 4 weeks ago because she was losing her fight with cancer (lymphoma). She was on prednisone therapy only–maybe that is the less aggressive pill treatment you mentioned. It does work very well sometimes; it just didn’t in Emily’s case. I opted to not try chemo for Emily because she was so horrified of the vet and I would have had to take her to an entirely different clinic quite far from my house if she had had chemo and she also hated the car. I’ve heard of other cats getting really good results with it but, in Emily’s case, I felt it was a quality-of-life issue and I just wanted her last weeks or months to be spent happily at home and not have her be all stressed out all the time. For a cat who isn’t afraid of the vet or car, I can see an entirely different decision being possible. Emily only lived for 2 months after her diagnosis but we had her euthanized before she really suffered–we didn’t want that to happen–she was just beginning to not eat and she was starting to hide and beginning to lose interest in life. I imagine different types of cancer have better response rates to chemo and to prednisone so I really don’t know the answers to your questions. But I hope Duke has a lot of quality time left with you. Spoil him more than ever. Candace
Response:
We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel cancer…Despite the fact that there are no tumors present, it seems that his cells are cancerous. The vet wants to discuss options with us tomorrow. Chemo (shots) and some type of less aggressive pill treatment seem to be what’s available to us. Meanwhile the vet gave him a cortizone shot last week which is why he’s been able to keep food down for the past few days….He’s such a sweetheart, we don’t want him to suffer or be in pain. The vet said chemo would give him 8 months or so. Does anyone know anything about this? We don’t want him to suffer….Thanks for any info anyone has about this… Phil and Alyce
Response:
Phil and Alyce, I’m also sorry to hear the diagnosis. Our cat was diagnosed last December with cancer (intestinal lymphoma), even though she also had no tumors (her only symptom was her lack of appetite). We decided to try the chemo (even though she hated vets and cars) only because she had been 100% healthy before–and the vet assured us animal chemo was not like human chemo. At the time, we were told the life expectancy was 11 months. So far, she’s doing really well–other than losing most of her beautiful long white whiskers She also got quickly used to the weekly vet visits and **almost** seems to enjoy the fuss the staff makes over her each time (right now, she’s on a schedule of 2 weeks on, 5 weeks off). Other side effects were minimal, although that varies greatly with each animal. I can honestly say she never suffered because of the chemo–in fact, it actually made her feel better and got her to start eating again after months of syringe feeding. There is a email list for feline lymphoma (and one for a more general feline cancer) at http://www.onelist.com/ . Many of the people on the list have had a lot of experience with this disease and side-effects. Please email me if you have any questions–and good luck to all of you no matter what you choose. debbe – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel > cancer…Despite the fact that there are no tumors present, it seems that > his cells are cancerous. The vet wants to discuss options with us tomorrow. > Chemo (shots) and some type of less aggressive pill treatment seem to be > what’s available to us. Meanwhile the vet gave him a cortizone shot last > week which is why he’s been able to keep food down for the past few > days….He’s such a sweetheart, we don’t want him to suffer or be in pain. > The vet said chemo would give him 8 months or so. Does anyone know anything > about this? We don’t want him to suffer….Thanks for any info anyone has > about this… > Phil and Alyce
Response:
So sorry about your kitty’s diagnosis. My previous cat, Ruffles, developed lymphoma at the age of eight. We couldn’t afford the financial and emotional drain of taking her many miles from home for chemotherapy which was not guaranteed to work; instead we opted for prednisone therapy (daily pills) and watched her carefully so that she got antibiotics any time she showed signs of fever. This gained her an entire year of good health and happiness — she was doing so well after the first four or five months that the staff at the vet’s office were calling her "our miracle kitty." A year after her diagnosis, she started to go downhill fast, until finally she stopped eating and began to have frequent and violent bouts of vomiting, clear liquid and bile at first, and brown blood at the last. When she became so weak she could no longer stand up and was clearly in pain, we had her euthanized. She was greatly mourned, having been a wonderful and affectionate cat who was truly a member of the family. But we were glad we had been able to give her that extra year without sending her away to a strange hospital, far from the people she loved. > We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel > cancer…
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Valerie Hawkes-Howat "Diagonally parked in a parallel universe" * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Response:
Phil and Alyce, I am so sorry that Duke’s biopsy results were positive for cancer. I can only hope that your vet can give you all the information you need or that s/he will send you to or consult with a specialist, so that your decisions are fully informed ones. My heart goes out to you both and, of course, to Duke. It is very difficult to hear and accept that time shared with our little furry creatures is limited. Cherish every moment you have with Duke. Warm thoughts, Monica
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel > cancer…Despite the fact that there are no tumors present, it seems that > his cells are cancerous. The vet wants to discuss options with us tomorrow. > Chemo (shots) and some type of less aggressive pill treatment seem to be > what’s available to us. Meanwhile the vet gave him a cortizone shot last > week which is why he’s been able to keep food down for the past few > days….He’s such a sweetheart, we don’t want him to suffer or be in pain. > The vet said chemo would give him 8 months or so. Does anyone know anything > about this? We don’t want him to suffer….Thanks for any info anyone has > about this… > Phil and Alyce
Response:
I would ask the vet how much time Duke would have without the Chemo.. it may be very close to the same. Cats don’t understand the shots you are giving them are supposed to help, it might just be distressing to him.
Response:
> We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel > cancer…Despite the fact that there are no tumors present, it seems that > his cells are cancerous. The vet wants to discuss options with us tomorrow. > Chemo (shots) and some type of less aggressive pill treatment seem to be > what’s available to us. Meanwhile the vet gave him a cortizone shot last > week which is why he’s been able to keep food down for the past few > days….He’s such a sweetheart, we don’t want him to suffer or be in pain. > The vet said chemo would give him 8 months or so. Does anyone know anything > about this? We don’t want him to suffer….Thanks for any info anyone has > about this… > Phil and Alyce
First, let me say that I’m very sorry to hear about Duke’s condition. I know what you’re going through (we have a cat who was diagnosed with untreatable cancer a few months ago) & how terrifying & unsettling this is. Duke (& you both) will be in my prayers & thoughts. While I don’t have any personal experience with this type of cancer & its treatment, I can offer a few words of advice. First, learn all you can about this disease & the candidate treatments. I also recommend you take Duke to a cat oncologist, if you can find one anywhere in your area. There are enormous advances being made in treating cancer in cats. While I am not recommending chemotherapy (only you & your vet can make that decision), I think you should find out as much as you can about how it affects cats. I have heard that cats tolerate this treatment much better than humans (i.e., they do not get very sick). Do not take this as gospel … but it is worth checking out. Stay strong & hang in there. Do not give up on Duke. Cats are amazingly resilient animals. Keep loving him every day. And, please keep us informed. — Jonathan Rosenberg 908/730-9171 [voice] 908/730-5920 [fax]
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel > cancer…Despite the fact that there are no tumors present, it seems that > his cells are cancerous. The vet wants to discuss options with us > tomorrow. > Chemo (shots) and some type of less aggressive pill treatment seem to be > what’s available to us. Meanwhile the vet gave him a cortizone shot last > week which is why he’s been able to keep food down for the past few > days….He’s such a sweetheart, we don’t want him to suffer or be in pain. > The vet said chemo would give him 8 months or so. Does anyone know > anything > about this? We don’t want him to suffer….Thanks for any info anyone has > about this… > Phil and Alyce > First, let me say that I’m very sorry to hear about Duke’s condition. I > know what you’re going through (we have a cat who was diagnosed with > untreatable cancer a few months ago) & how terrifying & unsettling this is. > Duke (& you both) will be in my prayers & thoughts. > While I don’t have any personal experience with this type of cancer & its > treatment, I can offer a few words of advice. > First, learn all you can about this disease & the candidate treatments. I > also recommend you take Duke to a cat oncologist, if you can find one > anywhere in your area. There are enormous advances being made in treating > cancer in cats. > While I am not recommending chemotherapy (only you & your vet can make that > decision), I think you should find out as much as you can about how it > affects cats. I have heard that cats tolerate this treatment much better > than humans (i.e., they do not get very sick). Do not take this as gospel > … but it is worth checking out. > Stay strong & hang in there. Do not give up on Duke. Cats are amazingly > resilient animals. Keep loving him every day. > And, please keep us informed. > — > Jonathan Rosenberg
Jonathan, Your posts are some of the kindest, and most compassionate posts I’ve seen in a long, long, time. I also wish Duke the best of luck and success in his therapy – and the best of luck to you also in the enormous task your compassion has led you to undertake. Phil. — "Cats have no masters…just friends" Good cat health stuff: http://maxshouse.com
Response:
Dear Phil and Alyce, I’m very sorry to hear about Duke. My oldest cat, Emily, 14, was just euthanized about 4 weeks ago because she was losing her fight with cancer (lymphoma). She was on prednisone therapy only–maybe that is the less aggressive pill treatment you mentioned. It does work very well sometimes; it just didn’t in Emily’s case. I opted to not try chemo for Emily because she was so horrified of the vet and I would have had to take her to an entirely different clinic quite far from my house if she had had chemo and she also hated the car. I’ve heard of other cats getting really good results with it but, in Emily’s case, I felt it was a quality-of-life issue and I just wanted her last weeks or months to be spent happily at home and not have her be all stressed out all the time. For a cat who isn’t afraid of the vet or car, I can see an entirely different decision being possible. Emily only lived for 2 months after her diagnosis but we had her euthanized before she really suffered–we didn’t want that to happen–she was just beginning to not eat and she was starting to hide and beginning to lose interest in life. I imagine different types of cancer have better response rates to chemo and to prednisone so I really don’t know the answers to your questions. But I hope Duke has a lot of quality time left with you. Spoil him more than ever. Candace
Response:
We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel cancer…Despite the fact that there are no tumors present, it seems that his cells are cancerous. The vet wants to discuss options with us tomorrow. Chemo (shots) and some type of less aggressive pill treatment seem to be what’s available to us. Meanwhile the vet gave him a cortizone shot last week which is why he’s been able to keep food down for the past few days….He’s such a sweetheart, we don’t want him to suffer or be in pain. The vet said chemo would give him 8 months or so. Does anyone know anything about this? We don’t want him to suffer….Thanks for any info anyone has about this… Phil and Alyce
Response:
Phil and Alyce, I’m also sorry to hear the diagnosis. Our cat was diagnosed last December with cancer (intestinal lymphoma), even though she also had no tumors (her only symptom was her lack of appetite). We decided to try the chemo (even though she hated vets and cars) only because she had been 100% healthy before–and the vet assured us animal chemo was not like human chemo. At the time, we were told the life expectancy was 11 months. So far, she’s doing really well–other than losing most of her beautiful long white whiskers She also got quickly used to the weekly vet visits and **almost** seems to enjoy the fuss the staff makes over her each time (right now, she’s on a schedule of 2 weeks on, 5 weeks off). Other side effects were minimal, although that varies greatly with each animal. I can honestly say she never suffered because of the chemo–in fact, it actually made her feel better and got her to start eating again after months of syringe feeding. There is a email list for feline lymphoma (and one for a more general feline cancer) at http://www.onelist.com/ . Many of the people on the list have had a lot of experience with this disease and side-effects. Please email me if you have any questions–and good luck to all of you no matter what you choose. debbe – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> We got the the scope and biopsy results today. Duke has some type of bowel > cancer…Despite the fact that there are no tumors present, it seems that > his cells are cancerous. The vet wants to discuss options with us tomorrow. > Chemo (shots) and some type of less aggressive pill treatment seem to be > what’s available to us. Meanwhile the vet gave him a cortizone shot last > week which is why he’s been able to keep food down for the past few > days….He’s such a sweetheart, we don’t want him to suffer or be in pain. > The vet said chemo would give him 8 months or so. Does anyone know anything > about this? We don’t want him to suffer….Thanks for any info anyone has > about this… > Phil and Alyce
Response:
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