Intestinal lymphoma

[catmom2wires]

I am just back from the vet. My precious Brillo,15, has been diagnosed with probable intestinal lymphoma. It appears advanced, and I was offered no treatment other than comfort measures.

I am in shock, as this came out of nowhere. I am a huge proponent of quality of life over quantity. She is currently taking cerenia and Pepcid. I am open to prednisone if she will eat and she was given fluids today. I have the option to do fluids at home as well.

Anyway, any voices of experience out there? Anyone use CBD for pets with cancer? Advice?

Hugs.
C

 

[susanm9006]

I dont know anything about that illness but I just wanted to say how sorry I am.

 

[fionasmom]

Follow-up on my cat Molly - she may have lymphoma (she had pancreatitis)
Suggested Lymphoma 11 yr old male
Uncertain how to proceed...
IBDKitties – Helping Save Lives…One Paw at a Time

This is little Brillo who had her quinceanera a few months ago? I am so sorry to read this. The threads above will require some reading but will give you information. Pay attention to anything that daftcat75 has posted. IBD Kitties is a website that is extremely comprehensive and since lymphoma and IBD have overlaps, there is a lot of information there which you can use. For example, it discusses the use of chlorambucil, etc.

My Chelsea has intestinal lymphoma and has been on chlorambucil for a while now. In animals the use of chemotherapeutic drugs does not have the same side effects as it does in humans, so don't worry if it is brought up to you as a course of action.
Lymphoma in Cats
This article gives an overview of all three kinds; you are only concerned about intestinal lymphoma. Very often, diagnosis is via an ultrasound, fine needle aspiration, or surgical biopsy. Some vets will proceed with treatment with chlorambucil even if all those steps are not done and some will not.

Is she eating? What is her overall condition? Is the vet already saying that only palliative care is suggested? Is that how you see her condition since this came as a shock to you?

 

[daftcat75]

Did they say whether it was small cell or large cell lymphoma (also sometimes called low grade and high grade)? Small cell lymphoma has a better prognosis. Palliative (“pawspice”) care is often recommended for large cell.

If you are considering prednisilone, I would advise against CBD. They are metabolized in the liver by the same enzymes. The CBD could make the steroids take longer to clear from her body making an already difficult drug for cats that much more challenging. I also don’t believe your cat (or any cat) will tolerate the dosage necessary for anti cancer properties. For that, you really need some THC with the CBD. And while some medical marijuana dispensaries sell a pet formulated CBD with some THC (usually a 20:1 that’s 20 times CBD to THC) that’s not enough to fight cancer.

There’s also an opportunity cost with CBD. The longer you try it holding out hope that it will be effective, the longer you might be putting off other therapies that could be more helpful.

There are appetite stimulants like Mirtaz (or mirtazapine) that come with less risk and side effects than prednisilone if you were thinking of pred to help her eat.

I would discuss with your vet whether it is small cell or large cell and whether chlorambucil would be an option.

There is however a trickier aspect to this. No amount of pred or chemo will put out the fire in her gut if you are still feeding inflammatory or trigger foods. I would eliminate dry food if you haven’t already. I also recommend getting her on single protein Rawz brand pates, preferably in a flavor she hasn’t had before like rabbit (and rabbit with pumpkin) or duck. Although I would also try the turkey first because Rawz can be subject to shortages and the turkey recipe can be easier to find when the others become harder to locate. If you do go with rabbit, I would also recommend the rabbit with pumpkin. Rabbit tends to have the most shortages. But for some reason the rabbit and pumpkin can often still be found when the rabbit cannot. Incredible Pets, an online reseller for Rawz, sells by the can as well as the case. This makes it easier to try a few different flavors without committing to whole cases.
RAWZ 96% Rabbit Cat Can

If you do want to try some alternative medicine that won’t interfere with whatever the vet may prescribe (unlike CBD), I have heard good things about NHV’s products. I was going to try the ES Clear with my Krista but never got the chance.
100% Natural Supplements for Cancer in Cats | NHV Natural Pet Products

I don’t know if there’s a magic cure in their portfolio. But I would try it in the spirit of “might help, probably won’t hurt.”

 

[catmom2wires]

Thank you.

Yes, this is little Brillo, who had the Quinceanera.

Brillo was seemingly fine until 12 days ago when we woke up to vomit, followed by foul smelling stools and a poor appetite. I was recovering from eye surgery, and just treated her supportively until seeing the vet on Monday.

The vet did a fecal and x rays. Said he felt she had a bacterial infection. He treated her with injected antibiotics, Pepcid and cerenia. By Tuesday evening she was eating like a pig, running around, counter surfing and playing with her toys.

Yesterday, I woke up to vomit again. Bless her, she goes to the litter box to vomit. She refused to eat. I called the vet and he prescribed more cerenia and Pepcid. She vomited again during the night last night.
This morning I called the vet and ended up seeing a different doc. This is a new practice to us, as my old vet only does “curbside” care, and I NEED to be with my cat at the vet. This vet ran labs, and her lymph’s and monos are off the chart high. She gave a presumptive diagnosis based on the labs, and palpation, which revealed a probable mass in her abdomen. There has been over a half pound weight loss this week as well.
The vet offered supportive care only, and did not suggest any further diagnostics. This vet is straightforward, and does not suggest things which are unlikely to yield positive results. She feels it is very advanced, and the few good days we had earlier in the week may well have been her “final rally.” She ended the visit by giving fluids.

Brillo is not eating, but she is drinking. Since being home she has been hiding in our cat safe backyard. I am letting her do it as it is a beautiful day. She perks up when she sees me. My heart breaks when I see her.

A little bit ago, I noticed some mucus drainage coming from her anus. It smells terrible. I cleaned her up on both ends and combed her hair as she has stopped grooming herself.

I feel so lost. The vet acknowledges that there is an outside chance (slim to none) that indeed this is an infection. She provided me with Baytril, but I haven’t used it yet as Brillo’s stomach is empty and I don’t want to cause more suffering. She also has offered fluids to give at home.

I am debating on whether to try some syringe feeding. Again, will that negatively affect her quality of life?

At this point, with the level of debilitation Brillo has, I am not really open to seeking a treatment for remission…for many reasons. If she were to perk up and eat I might consider it. She is just too frail today.

Thanks for reading if you got through this.

C

 

[catmom2wires]

Here are her labs.

 

[catmom2wires]

Unfortunately, I have no good news this morning. Brillo is no longer drinking. She is incontinent of urine and feces while sleeping. She has constant foul drainage from anus.

Brillo is weaker. Very weak. She has begun to emotionally disconnect from me.

It is time for Brillo to complete her most excellent life. She had a glorious day yesterday, soaking in the sun. A friend visited and she engaged briefly. However, it is clear that only continued fading and suffering are in store now. I have to put my selfish feelings aside and let her go. I have an appointment in a little less than 2 hours

Thanks for the support.

 

[fionasmom]

I am so sorry about this. By now, little Brillo must have crossed over with you by her side. She knows how loved she is and I believe that animals understand much more when it is time than we humans do. It was very kind of you to have taken the time to write such a complete response when you were facing such a difficult decision. I agree completely that you did the right thing to have allowed her to pass on before she reached a very dire or prolonged discomfort. My own cat vet is the same. She will only do palliative care for any older cat with a serious and untreatable condition.

From your previous posts, I would have to agree that Brillo had a wonderful life in the show ring, and then as your companion for all those years. The picture of her in her quinceanera dress is one that I will always remember and I have shown it to several people, especially given the popularity of that celebration in CA.

 

[catmom2wires]

Yes, Fionasmom, my Brillo is gone. As I mentioned, this vet is a new one, but she treated Brillo like a treasured pet. She had a very smooth transition and her little body was treated with such dignity.

I am having Brillo cremated, and her urn will join her brother Ziggy’s and sister Sheba. They were all full siblings.

Now I have the difficult job of learning to live life without a wirehaired cat by my side.

 

[stephanietx]

Oh C! I'm so very sorry to hear this. We lost my Hannah very suddenly to intestinal lymphoma in February of this year. It was a shock. At her age and with her other health issues, and because she had stopped eating, we decided to set her free. She was also 15.

 

[catmom2wires]

Oh Stephanie, I am so sorry. What a horrid disease it is! Brillo was in perfect health, very active and engaged until 13 days ago. I suppose her good health allowed her to adapt and disguise it so well.

Hugs to you, and a scritch for Tumbles.

Carla

 

[Norachan]

catmom2wires I'm so sorry for your loss.

We always lock the threads when a cat passes away as a sign of respect, so I will lock this one now.

Brillo must have had a wonderful life with you. I see you've already started a memorial thread for her, so I'll post the link here.

Brillo

Rest in Peace Brillo.