Feline gastrointestinal lymphoma?

[catwoman707]

I just wanted to add this. When I said that sometimes the answer is not worth the cost I was not speaking of a monetary value, I meant putting Mukkia though a test that would give me an answer, maybe, because sometimes the results are not clear. my veterinarian told me that two experienced technicians could read the same smear and give two different results. so, for more than one reason I will not put Mukkia through that. just to name a couple that is number one. Also,the travel, it a VERY high risk procedure for any living being even in perfect health at optimal age range.

I knew exactly what you meant, as I'm certain everyone else here who has been through this with you does.

 

[artiemom]

all I can do is add my prayers, thoughts and hugs.....

 

[zed xyzed]

I just wanted to add this. When I said that sometimes the answer is not worth the cost I was not speaking of a monetary value, I meant putting Mukkia though a test that would give me an answer, maybe, because sometimes the results are not clear. my veterinarian told me that two experienced technicians could read the same smear and give two different results. so, for more than one reason I will not put Mukkia through that. just to name a couple that is number one. Also,the travel, it a VERY high risk procedure for any living being even in perfect health at optimal age range.

I did not think for one second that this had anything to do with money, I know that if there was a  guaranteed cure money would not be an object. I hope you know how many people on this site want you to have many, more years with Mukkia. 

 

[nicosasha]

Sorry Mukkia, if this is any comfort, the same happened with Nico. His bloodwork showed pancreatitis and kidney disease and he had extreme weight loss, also his vet suspected possible lymphoma and had given poor prognosis overall. She said he wont live long and I somehow accepted it as the natural order of life (But no way did we realize it was just 2 days more, that too just after 4 days of diagnosis of what appeared to be an otherwise healthy cat with managed IBD). 

And I understand she cannot predict this. And he was eating and pooping so maybe I did not realize the full impact.

But the subsequent ER scan showed no lymphoma (I know you went through the same) and a tooth abscess, that is when I got very hopeful/elated/excited and was clinging till the very end which was inevitable 2 days later. I was refusing to give up. I rushed him to ER at the end which deprived him of a death at home in our arms and around 2 hrs of torture with the drive and needles and CPR. I got to know he had progressed to terminal kidney failure stage 4 from his dying bloodwork.

But in retrospect any day I would chose a peaceful death at home with all of us in full acceptance, rather than what he went through at the end. Yes we got some answers but not worth the strain we put him through.

And whatever you decide(I know it is hard because you dont have a confirmed diagnosis and it is a roller coaster) , please make sure you continue to give him pain meds as needed. Talk to your vet and if there is any chance he could be in pain, make sure he gets them till you can make your treatment decisions. 

 

[angels mommy]

Oh my friend, I am shedding tears reading all the latest post. All I can do is continue to pray for Mukkia. I have been praying earnestly for him. It's so unsettling not knowing exactly what is wrong, but you are doing everything you can do right now.  May God comfort you, & guide you through this.  

 

 

  

 

[jenny82]

I'm sorry you are going through this.

 

[taraterm2]

14 is a good age, although we wish they'd live for ever .Im sorry to say this but he  IS dying, and you have to make the choice of letting it come naturally  or helping him along. Our Charlie was only 8 months old when he got lymphoma and the vet said he was slowly starving to death, and he was going to go one way or another. We put him to sleep and I cried so hard the vet made me go out the back door of the clinic!!! Take heart in the fact that your cat had a wonderful life and you made it possible.

 

[catwoman707]

@Mukkia  I was going back through the first couple of pages, and it struck me, had this new vet ever mentioned putting him on leukeran at all?

If not, I wonder why........

 

[foxxycat]

sending vibes

 and prayers. And yelling at the universe. So sorry you are going through this. Just know we all support whatever decision you decide. Its not easy and I have no words of wisdom other than he loves you and you gave him a wonderful life. I am sorry to see you guys are at this crossroads. I will continue to pray for both of you and yell at the universe.

 

[mukkia]

@Mukkia
 I was going back through the first couple of pages, and it struck me, had this new vet ever mentioned putting him on leukeran at all?
If not, I wonder why........

catwoman707 I don't know if you remember, but Mukkia's first veterinarian was not the best. I actually almost pts last month because of her. You were frustrated for Mukkia and myself because of her. So, thanks to you and the others on the thread I took Mukkia to an accredited veterinarian. Before I did, I did what you recommend. I asked her to prescribe Mukkia Leukeran. She did, the new veterinarian was OK with me giving it to Mukkia until he saw Mukkia for the first time. However, since the appointment was just a day or so away I never got the prescription. The only thing important enough for him to mention about her diagnostic tests was how much food he had in his system. When Mukkia had his first visit with the current veterinarian his intestines were a little thickened upon palpation. Not enough to give him an indication of IBD, or lymphoma. So, while we were waiting for the prednisone to fully get out of Mukkia's system the doctor was looking outside of the box. I definitely could not have done a biopsy at that time anyway. While he never dismissed her initial diagnosis, he was not convinced that the problem was IBD or lymphoma. So, while trying to look at conditions that were rare in cats and common, he was trying to stabilize Mukkia. Getting him to eat, trying different medication, fluids, ect. Unfortunately every test came up normal. throughout each visit, he could feel a little more thickening of Mukkia's intestines. He explained the process biopsies vs. not treating cancer. A couple of weeks ago he told me that he did not feel that Mukkia was in any condition to be biopsied, at least not until he could see what was going on inside of his intestines. That is where the Barium test came in. When he did the Barium test on Mukkia, everything looked fine, and then he looked back at her x-rays, and told my mom that the views were normal bunching of the intestines when there is not any food in them. He was hoping that Mukkia had just became bored of his food, and it caused a little irritation in his digestive system. He said that the barium would coat his system, and then he should start to eat on his own again. Unfortunately, this did not happen. Actually, it had the opposite effect, Mukkia began throwing up.( Which he was not doing before.) So, I called to see if it was possibly the barium causing it. the doctor said no. From that point on things just got worse. I spoke with the doctor. He informed me of what it would entail to have Mukkia treated with chemotherapy, and I decided that I wouldn't/ couldn't do that to Mukkia. So here we are in what I call a ' double edged sword,' and the doctor calls a 'catch 22.' If Mukkia won't eat on his own, and is vomiting I cannot have an e tube put in, and the gastrostomy tube is definitely not an option. However, he cannot continue to starve to death. That is not an option at all. So, our last hope is to cut down the Mirtazapine from 1/4 to. 1/8, and see if the is enough to get him to eat until it no longer works. I will know today. The veterinarian told me that he doesn't want to put Mukkia on Valium, because of side effects he has seen cats have. That is the only appetite stimulant left. He has also tried everything else.

 

[katlady-18]

Just here praying that something works. My heart hasn't felt right knowing you're going through this with Mukkia.

 

[rubysmama]

I've been reading this thread for a while, but didn't have anything helpful to add.  I still don't, but I wanted to post and send vibes that Mukkia gets his appetite back and starts to feel better.  He seems like a fighter, so I hope he can beat whatever it is that is ailing him.  

 

[amycat1]

Hugs and love to you and your little boy.  My little boy, Moo, 12,  was just diagnosed with the same thing as Mukkia.   I am giving him medicine and a medicinal mushrooom extract.  I am also trying to transition him from Fancy Feast to a more natural, grain-free diet.  I have stopped giving Moo dry food.  

 I had a phone consult ($240) with a vet at the Smith Ridge Veterinary Center (an alternate practice),  but I felt that she was not very helpful.  The head of the center helped my sister's cat who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  That was 2 years ago, and now at age 14, he is very strong and active, skinny, but with a very healthy appetite.  I am waiting to hear back from this place to see if I can have a phone consult with the head vet.  He's extremely expensive ($640), but it's worthwhile for my baby's sake. 

 Moo has already had biopsies removed from his intestines, stomach, pancreas, and liver.   My regular vet, with my consent, sent the biopsies to experts at Cornell Univ ($720).   Moo was then diagnosed with the lymphoma in his intestines and inflammation in his liver.  I am still waiting for diagnoses about some of the other biopsies.

IMG_1960.JPG

• amycat1
• Mar 23, 2016

 

[mukkia]

Hugs and love to you and your little boy.  My little boy, Moo, 12,  was just diagnosed with the same thing as Mukkia.   I am giving him medicine and a medicinal mushrooom extract.  I am also trying to transition him from Fancy Feast to a more natural, grain-free diet.  I have stopped giving Moo dry food.  

 I had a phone consult ($240) with a vet at the Smith Ridge Veterinary Center (an alternate practice),  but I felt that she was not very helpful.  The head of the center helped my sister's cat who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  That was 2 years ago, and now at age 14, he is very strong and active, skinny, but with a very healthy appetite.  I am waiting to hear back from this place to see if I can have a phone consult with the head vet.  He's extremely expensive ($640), but it's worthwhile for my baby's sake. 

 Moo has already had biopsies removed from his intestines, stomach, pancreas, and liver.   My regular vet, with my consent, sent the biopsies to experts at Cornell Univ ($720).   Moo was then diagnosed with the lymphoma in his intestines and inflammation in his liver.  I am still waiting for diagnoses about some of the other biopsies.

IMG_1960.JPG

• amycat1
• Mar 23, 2016

I am so sorry to hear that. I truly hope that your baby can pull through this. I actually don't have a diagnosis for Mukkia yet. I may never. I have been force feeding him for the past few days just to try to keep him some what healthy. It's up to him after I try the Mirtazapine at a lower dose today.

 

[mukkia]

Thank you, rubysmama . That means a lot to me.

 

[catwoman707]

A friend of mine who is also a board member for the humane society has a cat that was treated for lymphoma, and was not doing well and seemed on his last legs, due to lack of eating.

She tried as a last resort medicinal marijuana and he started eating.

Just a mention is all, but it literally saved her boy Theo.

Yes, I remember well how frustrated I was with your former vet!

 

[mukkia]

A friend of mine who is also a board member for the humane society has a cat that was treated for lymphoma, and was not doing well and seemed on his last legs, due to lack of eating.
She tried as a last resort medicinal marijuana and he started eating.
Just a mention is all, but it literally saved her boy Theo.

Yes, I remember well how frustrated I was with your former vet!

Now that's thinking outside of the box! :-) LOL, I cannot believe you actually got me to laugh right now. :-) I can definitely see how that would work! Honestly, I would have never thought of that myself. Unfortunately, it is not legalized in the state I live in. I can only imagine how that conversation with Mukkia's veterinarian would go. :-D
I seriously would do it for him though.

 

[kittens mom]

https://www.avma.org/news/javmanews/pages/130615a.aspx

 

[LotsOfFur]

https://www.petreleaf.com/cbd/benefits-of-our-ingredients

 

[mukkia]

Mukkia is no longer throwing up. He had a bowel movement early this morning. I went to clean it out, and he got in the box and covered up the stool I was inspecting! :-D He is so cool! LotsOfFur , I am going to ask his doctor about the Hemp.