Cancer Treatment Options Forum - October 1st, 2010 - 6 Comments
Has anyone put a cat through radiation or chemo for cancer…?
My cat Gracie was diagnosed with cancer yesterday between her small and large intestine, the tumor was inoperable. Now we are waiting to see if it is a lymphoma or sarcoadenoma, lymphoma can be treated with chemo sarco is very fast moving. Chemo will only prolong the inevitable in my eyes, buying a few more weeks, but along the way dealing with her being sick from the cancer and also from the chemo. According to my research this is genetic, she has always been the hider, she would only jump up on my lap when she wasn’t feeling well, which is great, she just never played like the other 4. I don’t want her to suffer, I don’t have kids, these are my babies, I want to do what is best for her but I dont see putting her though something like that if it is not going to cure the problem. What do you all think? No smart@$$ answers please, this is a most difficult time for me and Gracie anyway…no haters!!!
I just joined and got accepted to the feline cancer group om yahoo. Thank you for that!!
In 1985, when she was 3 years old, my female Birman, Karma, was diagnosed with lymphosarcoma. Karma was the second cat I’ve had to have been diagnosed with this. Rusty, who was first, was operated on, without success, she had to be put to sleep.
I knew Karma had lymphosarcoma before the vet diagnosed it, I recognised the feel of the tumours in her neck, they felt exactly the same as Rusty’s. I couldn’t wait until the biopsy results came back, I went to a chemist that also sold homeopathic remedies. They recommended a product called Lapis alba, I started Karma on this. I also started to gradually introduce her to a mega dose of vitamin C, which I had read helped humans with cancer. She was able to tolerate about 750mg/day for the rest of her life.
Once the vet formally diagnosed lymphosarcoma he recommended chemotherapy, the same combination of drugs that humans with Hodginson’s disease are put on. He told me that this could give her 2 years.
Karma was on the chemo for a year, she handled it better than my husband did — he nearly passed out when it was being injected into her.
We had been told that cats didn’t lose their fur with chemo, Karma had to be different and lost the fur on the sides of her neck. My mother knitted a jacket, with a roll collar, to keep her warm during winter, which was about six months away. Karma hated that jacket, we believe she grew her fur back just to avoid wearing it!
To cut a long story short, we were lucky, we managed to beat that cancer. Karma was 13 years old when she finally succumbed to another, more aggressive cancer.
A year later I also lost her litter brother, Plume, to cancer, an aggressive cancer in the intestine. It was operable but the operation was too late, secondary cancer had already set in. We tried to save him but we couldn’t. Seeing the light go out of his eyes as he was gently put to sleep is burnt into my heart.
I don’t know anything about the types of cancer you are facing. I hope it is not the fast-moving sarco. If it is the other perhaps you could give her a chance. You will know, in your heart, what is the best choice.
With either of the cancers, only you who knows her best, will be able to judge her quality of life. Be careful to judge it by Gracie’s standards, not other people’s standards.
I love animals and I cant stand to see anything suffer so I would just have her put to sleep. I have seen alot of family with cancer and its painful even if they win or lose and most have lost the fight and had to spend there last months in pain even more than normal because of the chemo. So do your pet a favor and send her to her maker. Hope this helps
I understand you pain, but its a cat.. cats are made to last 10 – 15 years, its not your child.. Let the poor baby rest. Think of a comfortable life for her, not one where she is scared to death everyday going back to the vets to be put thru more tests and stress..
Love her and be with her.. when she is in too much pain, let the doctors put her to sleep..
Its for her comfort… dont’ be selfish for your own needs to have her in your life…..
I have two cats with "aggressive" cancers which I have chosen to treat with homeopathy rather than conventional medicine. I am a member of the Yahoo group felinecancer and you definitely should join that as it will put you in touch with people who are dealing with all types of cancers in cats.
Each cancer case is individual and with Gracie your choices for her will depend on your belief system and the information you will get from the veterinarians. I think joining the cancer group is very important to review treatment options, outcomes and just to have the support system you need as you and Gracie go through this together.
You just go to: http://www.yahoogroups.com and put in a search for feline cancer. All the members will support you and her with great love and compassion.
You are asking a good question, but a hard one to answer. In my job as a feline vet tech, I have helped treat lymphoma in many cats. You should be aware that chemotherapy for cats is not the same as for people. The doses are such that most cats do NOT have the most severe side effects. Most tolerate the treatment pretty well. Your vet, possibly in conjunction with a veterinary oncologist, is the best judge of your cat’s prognosis. Don’t be afraid to ask all the questions you have. You don’t mention her age. The younger she is, the more likely I would be to choose treatment, if it were my decision. Another factor is the type of cancer, aggressiveness, the size of the tumor, etc. You need to speak with your vet until you have an understanding of her prognosis, what the treatment would entail, and your options. Don’t be shy about asking for information to help you make a good decision. I wish you and Gracie the best, and I hope she does well. It’s very sad when our cat friends are sick.
From what I recall, chemo can buy a few months and even a year or more for lymphoma and I have heard of cats doing well for years also (such as above), but it does sound like it has a chance to come back. Though I have heard of cats who were cured. Problem is, no one wants to spend a dime treating their pets, so all the statistics show cats don’t make it long — of course not when they are pts. But at the same time, I understand if you feel it will just put your kitty through more misery. Look into your cat’s eyes and trust your own instincts, and be strong for both of you. You will do the right thing and none of us can say what that is. Please take care of yourself.
Ignore the ignorant "it is a cat" comment (hopefully they don’t have animals, if so I feel so sorry for them), and take up the advice about the yahoo group. There are real experts on there who have had real experiences, and they will be MUCH more helpful than most of the people on this site. When I treated my cat with kidney issues, their crf site was tremendous help, and they also can support you through this, whatever happens and however soon it happens.