- Joined
- May 11, 2014
- Messages
- 3
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Hello, I'm gonna talk you about Olivia.
She is about 2.5 years old, though we can't really tell because she's rescued. She is my first cat. She's been with us for the past year, and it has been wonderful taking care of her: she's the kindest and loveliest cat I've met: the first time I grabbed her, she immediately began rubbing against my face.
Everything was well with her until about six months ago. First it was a mild lyringitis, which was well treated. It came back, and was treated again: we asked that vet if it could be related to some underlying serious condition: no, she said: it must be the weather. Well, three months ago she ocasionally stopped using her sandbox to pee. She started losing weight really fast, though she ate normally. She looked really depressed one day, and the next she was all jumpy and lively. I took her to the vet: gave me some vitamins. She went on the same: up one day, down the next. I didn't trust the two vets I had already taken her with (they seemed to only want the money), and the ones with a reputation were financially out of reach. But, about one month and a half ago it exploded: she stopped eating and moving, she started breathing violently. Luckily, about that same time I came to find about the existence of a wonderful vet (she works with multiple cat rescuers). In a matter of days she gave us the full diagnosis. First she discarded coronavirus, but the blood tests revealed a kidney failure (hepatic lipidosis) and the physical had already shown a strange bulge around her chest. We did the ultrasound, which showed a kind of tumor between her lungs, and then the x-ray confirmed it. Two weeks ago, we found out it was malignant. One week ago, we found out she has leucemia: the cause underlying all of Olivia's troubles.
She began the treatment for her liver, and seemed to get better immediately afer the vet did a thoracentesis on her. She saw her yesterday, and said she looked surprisingly well: much better that two weeks ago. She's even gained some of her weight back.
But here lies the trouble: she hasn't eaten since we came back from the vet (yesterday afternoon). Not that she doesn't want to eat: everytime the fridge opens or something rattles, she comes to see if there's something for her. It seems more like she can't eat: I've tried her usual food (Royal Canin for Adult cats) and wet/canned food (also Royal Canin, and even Whiskas and Friskies); I've tried fresh meat: tuna, chicken, beef. She smells, but rarely takes a bite: just smells. And then she leaves. She drinks a lot of water, though.
Any suggestions? I know what my vet's opinion will be when I call her tomorrow morning: it's no use to prolonge her suffering (and considering her liver disease, no eating means certain pain). And I think I agree.
The past weeks have been the most difficult: to come to know that Olivia has no chance against the cancer (it's phase two of three, and the liver disease discards the possibility of either surgery or chimio) has been devastating, to me and my partner. There's not much to do, but make her comfortable as long as she wants to stay with us. We know that sooner or later the best will be to euthanize her, but she seems to be willing to stay a little longer. She still looks rather lively and animated.
Any help appreciated.
She is about 2.5 years old, though we can't really tell because she's rescued. She is my first cat. She's been with us for the past year, and it has been wonderful taking care of her: she's the kindest and loveliest cat I've met: the first time I grabbed her, she immediately began rubbing against my face.
Everything was well with her until about six months ago. First it was a mild lyringitis, which was well treated. It came back, and was treated again: we asked that vet if it could be related to some underlying serious condition: no, she said: it must be the weather. Well, three months ago she ocasionally stopped using her sandbox to pee. She started losing weight really fast, though she ate normally. She looked really depressed one day, and the next she was all jumpy and lively. I took her to the vet: gave me some vitamins. She went on the same: up one day, down the next. I didn't trust the two vets I had already taken her with (they seemed to only want the money), and the ones with a reputation were financially out of reach. But, about one month and a half ago it exploded: she stopped eating and moving, she started breathing violently. Luckily, about that same time I came to find about the existence of a wonderful vet (she works with multiple cat rescuers). In a matter of days she gave us the full diagnosis. First she discarded coronavirus, but the blood tests revealed a kidney failure (hepatic lipidosis) and the physical had already shown a strange bulge around her chest. We did the ultrasound, which showed a kind of tumor between her lungs, and then the x-ray confirmed it. Two weeks ago, we found out it was malignant. One week ago, we found out she has leucemia: the cause underlying all of Olivia's troubles.
She began the treatment for her liver, and seemed to get better immediately afer the vet did a thoracentesis on her. She saw her yesterday, and said she looked surprisingly well: much better that two weeks ago. She's even gained some of her weight back.
But here lies the trouble: she hasn't eaten since we came back from the vet (yesterday afternoon). Not that she doesn't want to eat: everytime the fridge opens or something rattles, she comes to see if there's something for her. It seems more like she can't eat: I've tried her usual food (Royal Canin for Adult cats) and wet/canned food (also Royal Canin, and even Whiskas and Friskies); I've tried fresh meat: tuna, chicken, beef. She smells, but rarely takes a bite: just smells. And then she leaves. She drinks a lot of water, though.
Any suggestions? I know what my vet's opinion will be when I call her tomorrow morning: it's no use to prolonge her suffering (and considering her liver disease, no eating means certain pain). And I think I agree.
The past weeks have been the most difficult: to come to know that Olivia has no chance against the cancer (it's phase two of three, and the liver disease discards the possibility of either surgery or chimio) has been devastating, to me and my partner. There's not much to do, but make her comfortable as long as she wants to stay with us. We know that sooner or later the best will be to euthanize her, but she seems to be willing to stay a little longer. She still looks rather lively and animated.
Any help appreciated.