Asymptomatic 18 Year Old- Intestinal Lymphoma

[lola12]

I have an asymptomatic 18 year old girl who had some elevated liver enzymes so we took her to the vert for ultrasound and while liver was fine, they found a small mass in her intestine with some inflammed lymph nodes.

The assumption is lymphoma. After much talk with multiple vets, we opted to put her on steroids. Too old to biopsy and too old for chemo.

But, I guess my house is experiencing anticipatory grief because we really do not know how long we have with her. All of the prognosis's in the literature on the web, offer prognosis based on symptoms already occurring. Currently she is eating and drinking just fine, no vomiting.

Does any one have experience with this? One vet says we just dont know, another says 6 months and another says 9 months.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. So sorry to hear about the possible lymphoma. Just wanted to acknowledge your post, because I know it is very anxiety-ridden to wait for someone to at least respond to your first post. Other members, with more experience, will come along soon and give you some helpful advice and information.

Are they recommending another ultrasound in the future, perhaps after she has been on steroids for a while? That will at least tell you a little bit about whether or not the mass has grown and give the vet a better idea about what might be next to come. With no symptoms, it could be very, very early in the process.

 

[lola12]

Thanks so much, you are right, I am trying to do the right thing for our cat. We are going to start steroids today and then ultrasound in 14 days.

 

[fionasmom]

I had a cat go almost a year with lymphoma. We treated him with steriods and he hung in there. Also like yours, seemed decent when he was dxed. I cannot say it was one big walk in the park though as he lost weight, had some incontinence leading up to knowing that it was time. I would definitely go forward though and keep up as long as you can and try to focus on today and the good times you can have in the present.

 

[lola12]

That is good to hear. I am not a focus on today person, I usually like to know asap. Leave it to my Simba to teach me patience.

Is it wrong to want to plan to let her when symptoms start so she can avoid the vomiting or not eating or any pain? My vet said better to let her go one day early than one hour late. I want forever with her, but people keep telling me that 18 plus years is more than most get with their cats. Still its not easy to know whats coming, but at 18, old age was coming anyway, I guess.

Any insight or experience would really help.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Both of my situations probably fall into the "one hour late" category.

Tawny had FIP and we did finally put him asleep after a few months of his continued decline. Before that, we had his belly drained 3 times to give him relief - and us time. It did make him feel better though. We were hand feeding him cheese at the end as that is all he would eat. He was 15.

Gracie (who BTW, mysteriously showed up on our door step the same day we let Tawny go) had cancer and she died at 12, in our home - unfortunately while I was gone. She had begun to show signs that she was uncomfortable, but I had to attend a mandatory conference for my job, and had to be gone each day that week for about 8 hours or so. On the last day of my conference, I again left food/water with her in her 'place of solace' - and asked her if she could hang on one more day until I got home. I guess she couldn't.

I am not sure I can say that I regret how each situation played out. I am not sure I would have wanted to have had any less time with them, and I feel they felt the same way.

 

[lola12]

Thank you for sharing those stories. I understand about time, especially now. I also love her too much to cause even a day of pain when the result is the same no matter what. I guess time will tell. I almost wish I didn't find out about this finding, the ultrasound was supposed to examine her liver, this was a finding as a result of that. But, the benefit of steroids hopefully will add time.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am not trying to provoke false hope, but I re-read your OP - three different vets agree it is most likely lymphoma? That reduces the odds of it not being, but no one knows for sure.

I too, hope the steroids make a difference for her. Keep us posted, if you would like to.

 

[fionasmom]

I am a one day too late person and have tried to correct that as time and age have advanced. Like FeebysOwner, I had a cat pass away at home on the day that I had made the appointment for her to be let go with the vet. I have also had to make a run to the ER in the middle of the night when someone reached a final crisis and I realized that I had missed it once again....or did not want to recognize it. An ER vet told me that she did not believe that animals see time as we do and do not think in terms of getting one or day or one more week, it somehow warps differently in their mind than it does in ours and they are more ready to pass on as a part of nature.