Sudden swelling in cheek; vet says 95% sure it’s cancer. Help.

[fionasmom]

Don't second guess yourself about having been able to spot this very early. Cats are very stoic, masters of disguise, even if they are in discomfort until they can't take it any longer or something becomes noticeable. The cat I mentioned had no symptoms aside from a slight swelling on her face that looked like an impacted tooth or the like; even the vet thought that was what it was going to be. Cancers start years before they are noticed even in imaging and most of the time our immune systems can fight them. A dx of cancer always seems "sudden" when it is not. You probably missed absolutely nothing early on.

 

[Furballsmom]

Is he a candidate for a feeding tube?

 

[Jcatbird]

This may be off base but you can certainly ask about sclerosing osteomyelitis. I mention it because I had it myself in my jaw. The treatment for humans is antibiotics, removal of infected bone and time in hyperbaric chamber. The prognosis had been grim since cancer was suspected but I am fine and you would never know I had been so sick. I think it is worth asking about. Cats get it too.

 

[daftcat75]

Thank you all for the support. Last week I tried to make an oncologist appt. at a pet cancer speciality center, but they didn’t have anything until April 1. I didn’t think he could keep going like this until then. I found a different oncologist that can get him in on Thurs. The official CT scan and biopsy results are supposed to come in early this week. Meanwhile, the Doctor’s preliminary look at it showed this was into the bones of his jaw and had eaten bone away. So, really, any hope of this being anything other than cancer is gone. It’s only a matter of what type of cancer. Yet, I think any type has the same deadly prognosis.

I just wish so badly I could rewind things. Was there a point in time he was telling me something was wrong and I didn’t listen? We have 3 cats and 3 dogs. I usually put the cats food down. They run to the dishes but I don’t stand there and watch them eat. I was putting dry food down at night and wet food in the morning. I am struggling to remember when I last say him eating the dry food. I know I saw him run to the bowl and start to eat but did he just eat one kibble? Obviously this couldn’t have just started on Sunday. It became completely visible on Sunday. They say early symptoms are drooling, finding bloody saliva ..... he didn’t have any of that. Ugh. I feel like I let him down somehow.

Cats, being prey animals, are very good (too good!) at hiding pain and discomfort. Even still, something that can eat into bone is awfully aggressive. I don’t think there is anything you could have done to detect this sooner. I left for a weekend trip with nothing out of place with Cabbie on a Friday morning. I came home to her with thick drool ropes on Sunday. From that Sunday to her last, it couldn’t have been more than two maybe three weeks.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Thank you all for the support. Last week I tried to make an oncologist appt. at a pet cancer speciality center, but they didn’t have anything until April 1. I didn’t think he could keep going like this until then. I found a different oncologist that can get him in on Thurs. The official CT scan and biopsy results are supposed to come in early this week. Meanwhile, the Doctor’s preliminary look at it showed this was into the bones of his jaw and had eaten bone away. So, really, any hope of this being anything other than cancer is gone. It’s only a matter of what type of cancer. Yet, I think any type has the same deadly prognosis.

I just wish so badly I could rewind things. Was there a point in time he was telling me something was wrong and I didn’t listen? We have 3 cats and 3 dogs. I usually put the cats food down. They run to the dishes but I don’t stand there and watch them eat. I was putting dry food down at night and wet food in the morning. I am struggling to remember when I last say him eating the dry food. I know I saw him run to the bowl and start to eat but did he just eat one kibble? Obviously this couldn’t have just started on Sunday. It became completely visible on Sunday. They say early symptoms are drooling, finding bloody saliva ..... he didn’t have any of that. Ugh. I feel like I let him down somehow.

 

[AMITHIS]

Update (not good): My vet was kind enough to to speak with the oncologist we had the appt. set up with because I wanted to know if they could even give us any options before I stressed him by bringing him down there for nothing.

The oncologist said that just throwing one or two medications I asked about at this would not accomplish anything. She said the only way to (maybe) extend his life by 6 mos to 1 year would be radical maxillary surgery to remove what they can. Due to location, there is no way it can all be removed. He would also need radiation and chemo. He would need a feeding tube for however long he lived. She said that quality of life could be questionable after all of that. We have pet insurance and I have the finances to do whatever it takes, but I couldn’t see putting him through all of that. If it was a CURE and after he fought through it all, he could live a normal life then it would be different. I just think it’s unfair to him to put him through all of that, possibly have him not even feel well after only to be back in the same boat before too long...and it’s a guarantee that he would be. It was a hard decision in the sense that I want SO BADLY for him to stay with me for as long as possible and it felt like I was giving up on him.

She said, not doing all this aggressive treatment, and just continuing hospice care we are looking at 1 mo to 2 mos. (we are now 2 weeks into that). He will experience gradual anorexia from not being able to eat, tumor will keep growing, infections occur and tissue dies and any cancer that is eating away at bone like this is very painful.

He has had a couple really good days recently....sitting in the window getting fresh air, hanging out with his buddies (our other 2 cats), sleeping on me, eating ok...not great but ok. He wants to eat but it’s a time consuming process for him. He is on buprenex and prednisalone and I just got gabapentin for him as well. So now I’m in that gray zone where I’m trying to enjoy every last minute with him but also worried about knowing when is the right time. The vet and oncologist and the person at Lap of Love I consulted with pretty much say anytime is the right time now along this continuum of hospice care. Yet, he still seems high enough on quality of life scales. It’s just that I look at his swollen face and squinted, runny eye from the tumor and worry about pain. This is so hard.

 

[jarn]

I'm so sorry - we lost our Esme to oral SCC. We opted to just keep her comfortable (for a variety of reasons). She lived for 2 months before we let her go. By the end, we were giving her daily fluids, but when she stopped eating, we knew it was time. It was one of the hardest things I've ever gone through. Keeping you and Jett in my thoughts, hugs if you want them.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Update (not good): My vet was kind enough to to speak with the oncologist we had the appt. set up with because I wanted to know if they could even give us any options before I stressed him by bringing him down there for nothing.

The oncologist said that just throwing one or two medications I asked about at this would not accomplish anything. She said the only way to (maybe) extend his life by 6 mos to 1 year would be radical maxillary surgery to remove what they can. Due to location, there is no way it can all be removed. He would also need radiation and chemo. He would need a feeding tube for however long he lived. She said that quality of life could be questionable after all of that. We have pet insurance and I have the finances to do whatever it takes, but I couldn’t see putting him through all of that. If it was a CURE and after he fought through it all, he could live a normal life then it would be different. I just think it’s unfair to him to put him through all of that, possibly have him not even feel well after only to be back in the same boat before too long...and it’s a guarantee that he would be. It was a hard decision in the sense that I want SO BADLY for him to stay with me for as long as possible and it felt like I was giving up on him.

She said, not doing all this aggressive treatment, and just continuing hospice care we are looking at 1 mo to 2 mos. (we are now 2 weeks into that). He will experience gradual anorexia from not being able to eat, tumor will keep growing, infections occur and tissue dies and any cancer that is eating away at bone like this is very painful.

He has had a couple really good days recently....sitting in the window getting fresh air, hanging out with his buddies (our other 2 cats), sleeping on me, eating ok...not great but ok. He wants to eat but it’s a time consuming process for him. He is on buprenex and prednisalone and I just got gabapentin for him as well. So now I’m in that gray zone where I’m trying to enjoy every last minute with him but also worried about knowing when is the right time. The vet and oncologist and the person at Lap of Love I consulted with pretty much say anytime is the right time now along this continuum of hospice care. Yet, he still seems high enough on quality of life scales. It’s just that I look at his swollen face and squinted, runny eye from the tumor and worry about pain. This is so hard.

Oh you poor dear ones. I feel so badly for you all. I am proud that you have made the best decision for him but am agonizing along with you regarding the timing. Can you tell if he is in pain? For me that would be the final factor. As long as he is eating no matter how long it takes is not really a problem as long he isn't suffering. I'm glad he is enjoying some things. Once he can't enjoy anything that might be the time. As long as he isn't suffering give him lots of love, cuddles, spending time with his fur and non fur family and any treats or food he will eat. May I suggest

They are creamy with a high moisture content and come in different flavors. I order them on line.

 

[daftcat75]

A feeding tube is still an option if he seems to be doing well aside from eating by mouth. He can still eat by mouth with the tube. But the tube would help you supplement his intake as it continues to drop off with pain and discomfort. Feeding tubes don’t bother the cat as much as the guardian. To the cat, it’s a little extra handling and fussing as long as the food isn’t fed too fast or too cold. To the guardian, you will have to keep the insertion site clean, and feeding will become a much more detailed ritual. It can be a bonding experience for the both of you, though. It might spare him some pain and discomfort that eating by mouth will be causing him. For that reason, it may actually improve his quality of life over however long you have left with him. I would discuss the feeding tube option with your vet as part of his hospice/palliative care.

You might find this page useful for getting an idea of what’s involved with a feeding tube. Remember most of this is on the guardian, not the cat.
Tips for Living with an E-Tube | Kitty Kollar

 

[Furballsmom]

I agree with daftcat75 . I think your cat will definitely have a better quality of life when food, and the ingesting of it, is less complicated and frustrating, and he doesn't lose weight as well as the moisture his body needs.

 

[JamesCalifornia]

The vet and oncologist and the person at Lap of Love I consulted with pretty much say anytime is the right time now along this continuum of hospice care.

~ I think this is the correct decision. Hopefully you can do this at home.

 

[dustydiamond1]

How are you doing?

 

[darcifinn]

Thank you all for the support. Last week I tried to make an oncologist appt. at a pet cancer speciality center, but they didn’t have anything until April 1. I didn’t think he could keep going like this until then. I found a different oncologist that can get him in on Thurs. The official CT scan and biopsy results are supposed to come in early this week. Meanwhile, the Doctor’s preliminary look at it showed this was into the bones of his jaw and had eaten bone away. So, really, any hope of this being anything other than cancer is gone. It’s only a matter of what type of cancer. Yet, I think any type has the same deadly prognosis.

I just wish so badly I could rewind things. Was there a point in time he was telling me something was wrong and I didn’t listen? We have 3 cats and 3 dogs. I usually put the cats food down. They run to the dishes but I don’t stand there and watch them eat. I was putting dry food down at night and wet food in the morning. I am struggling to remember when I last say him eating the dry food. I know I saw him run to the bowl and start to eat but did he just eat one kibble? Obviously this couldn’t have just started on Sunday. It became completely visible on Sunday. They say early symptoms are drooling, finding bloody saliva ..... he didn’t have any of that. Ugh. I feel like I let him down somehow.

Hi - I lost my girl two years ago to cancer and had started off as ocular we had her eye removed and then it went to her jaw about 6 weeks later. We took her to the top specialist but she’s not on who is comfortable with people and we had to let her go. It was growing really rapidly and she was just unhappy. Please don’t feel guilty there is nothing you could’ve done to prevent this or seeing it earlier would most likely not have improved the diagnosis. It comes on really fast. Oh my girl had ocular cancer we had treated her with 21 drops for three weeks because I thought it was something else. I feel like I did a lot and probably could’ve saved her discomfort in the end I sort of wish I hadn’t done the drops. I have a lot of second-guessing but everything I’ve read tells me there was really nothing I could’ve done. I’m sorry you’re going through this, It’s really difficult to watch and comb the internet for a cure.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Hi - I lost my girl two years ago to cancer and had started off as ocular we had her eye removed and then it went to her jaw about 6 weeks later. We took her to the top specialist but she’s not on who is comfortable with people and we had to let her go. It was growing really rapidly and she was just unhappy. Please don’t feel guilty there is nothing you could’ve done to prevent this or seeing it earlier would most likely not have improved the diagnosis. It comes on really fast. Oh my girl had ocular cancer we had treated her with 21 drops for three weeks because I thought it was something else. I feel like I did a lot and probably could’ve saved her discomfort in the end I sort of wish I hadn’t done the drops. I have a lot of second-guessing but everything I’ve read tells me there was really nothing I could’ve done. I’m sorry you’re going through this, It’s really difficult to watch and comb the internet for a cure.

 

[AMITHIS]

Just an update: Jett is still with us and I am spending as much time with him as I can. I had a home euthanasia appt. set up for him Thurs. but he was still managing to eat (not enough to maintain his weight but enough to keep the weight loss very slow), snuggling with me and our other cat, not hiding etc. so I moved it to Tues. I may push it off again. I’m REALLY struggling trying to know when. I don’t know if there is going to be an obvious moment in this when I know I have to let him go. Is it selfish of me to let him get to the point where it’s obvious? Sometimes when he is laying on me and I just feel so comforted by him, I break down in tears thinking of how limited that feeling will be. It’s almost like slow torture knowing what it coming and not being able to stop it. At the same time, I am so thankful that I have had this extra time with him because, when he was first diagnosed, I thought we would only have a week. Fortunately, once he started on the prednisalone, that really seemed to help him do well enough that we have been able to get more time. Pic of him sleeping with his best buddy.

 

[Furballsmom]

I don't know if you've seen this, but there may be something in it that helps;
When Is It Time? – Making The Difficult Decision – TheCatSite Articles

 

[jefferd18]

Just an update: Jett is still with us and I am spending as much time with him as I can. I had a home euthanasia appt. set up for him Thurs. but he was still managing to eat (not enough to maintain his weight but enough to keep the weight loss very slow), snuggling with me and our other cat, not hiding etc. so I moved it to Tues. I may push it off again. I’m REALLY struggling trying to know when. I don’t know if there is going to be an obvious moment in this when I know I have to let him go. Is it selfish of me to let him get to the point where it’s obvious? Sometimes when he is laying on me and I just feel so comforted by him, I break down in tears thinking of how limited that feeling will be. It’s almost like slow torture knowing what it coming and not being able to stop it. At the same time, I am so thankful tothat I have had this extra time with him because, when he was first diagnosed, I thought we would only have a week. Fortunately, once he started on the prednisalone, that really seemed to help him do well enough that we have been able to get more time. Pic of him sleeping with his best buddy.

No it is not selfish for you to try to keep him with you. I just spent the last five days trying to help my kitty, Avatar, beat the odds. In the end he went on his own but I made sure he was warm and comfortable until that time arrived. I had very little time to absorb the news of his illness since he was okay one day and then five days later he was gone. If Jett gets to a point where he is experiencing extreme and lingering pain then you know the time has come for you to change your course of action. Until then, please enjoy him for as long as you can.

 

[Jcatbird]

You are not selfish. If he is still enjoying life, let him. No one can predict when “the time” becomes crucial. We wait and watch and we know our cats. I do think you will know when the times of comfort have ended for him. I am waiting and watching my own precious one as she progresses. Like you, I am cherishing what time we have. She has done far better than the vet thought she would do. We keep checking her and the vet is very good about being honest when we discuss these things. Our vet is a good support resource. I know that when I see a decline and I take Smokey in, the vet will help me to decide if our time together is ending. For now, I am thankful for any time we still have and I am framing the moments in my mind. Time for humans is very different than it is for a cat. To you it is getting more days of love but to a cat it is more decades of love from their human. Jett is cherishing these moments with you as much as you cherish them. Maybe more. You are giving a lot.

 

[AMITHIS]

I had the dreaded appt. scheduled for today....then moved it to Friday. I was worried about pushing it off through another weekend. Of course, now Friday seems so close and I’m contemplating pushing it off. He is still managing to eat....though not very much. Slow weight loss. He is still grooming himself. He is on pain meds but does make little groaning noises once in awhile. I keep doing the quality of life scales but they are a little skewed. Since the cancer in localized in his jaw/mouth, he is still very mobile. I don’t see that changing. He is laying on his cat tree in the sun today.

 

[di and bob]

My heart goes out to you...... I will pray for your little boy, and for you. He has you, and taht is everything to him right now. We took care of a cat with jaw cancer that someone dumped, most likely because he was drooling so much. He needed someone so badly.... We did what we could, he had a heated bed and love, the prednisone helped tremendously, he was completely different. He was with us for two years. His name was Hobo. We know how heartbreaking this is......