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- May 30, 2018
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Hi all,
My beautiful kitty Dominique is almost 18 years old; she recently lost her appetite and was diagnosed with hepatic lipidosis, and then with small-cell GI lymphoma (which triggered the anorexia which triggered the hepatic lipidosis). She has a PEG tube now, and has been generally responding well to tube feedings, and has started eating some on her own again. She started the standard combination of chlorambucil and prednisolone a little over a week ago. On Saturday she had a seizure, which is a (rare) side effect of chlorambucil. (Of course, it could have been caused by a neurological metastasis, or even by the stress her body has been under, so it's correlation rather than causality to assume it was due to the chemo.) The vet (who seems excellent and really thorough and knowledgeable) has taken her off the chemo, but is continuing the prednisolone, until she can evaluate Dominique in person (appointment scheduled for day after tomorrow).
Does anyone have any experience with cats unable to tolerate chlorambucil? I don't know whether the vet will recommend reducing the dose, trying a different drug, or just managing the disease with prednisolone. Has anyone else had a situation like this? Any advice? Words of wisdom or, I guess, comfort?
Dominique's brother Charcoal died of a very aggressive (probably large-cell) lymphoma four years ago. At least in her case there is time to treat it, or at least to try to treat it -- in his case it developed so quickly that it wasn't diagnosed until the night he died. I am grateful that she has made it to nearly 18, though, and every second is infinitely precious.
Many thanks!
Sonya B.
My beautiful kitty Dominique is almost 18 years old; she recently lost her appetite and was diagnosed with hepatic lipidosis, and then with small-cell GI lymphoma (which triggered the anorexia which triggered the hepatic lipidosis). She has a PEG tube now, and has been generally responding well to tube feedings, and has started eating some on her own again. She started the standard combination of chlorambucil and prednisolone a little over a week ago. On Saturday she had a seizure, which is a (rare) side effect of chlorambucil. (Of course, it could have been caused by a neurological metastasis, or even by the stress her body has been under, so it's correlation rather than causality to assume it was due to the chemo.) The vet (who seems excellent and really thorough and knowledgeable) has taken her off the chemo, but is continuing the prednisolone, until she can evaluate Dominique in person (appointment scheduled for day after tomorrow).
Does anyone have any experience with cats unable to tolerate chlorambucil? I don't know whether the vet will recommend reducing the dose, trying a different drug, or just managing the disease with prednisolone. Has anyone else had a situation like this? Any advice? Words of wisdom or, I guess, comfort?
Dominique's brother Charcoal died of a very aggressive (probably large-cell) lymphoma four years ago. At least in her case there is time to treat it, or at least to try to treat it -- in his case it developed so quickly that it wasn't diagnosed until the night he died. I am grateful that she has made it to nearly 18, though, and every second is infinitely precious.
Many thanks!
Sonya B.
