Polyps/Feline Orofacial Pain Syndrome

[mrsgreenjeens]

It's a good sign that he ate well today! You still have a follow-up visit scheduled,right? In about a week? I know it's scary thinking about what that mass under his tongue might be, but you really do need to find out. Yes, it could be cancer, but it could also be something else that might be able to be removed, or possibly it is shrinking on it's own. But one way or another, you need to find out because it may be effecting his quality of life. (as in not eating as he should and possibly being in pain)

Try not to worry until there is really something to worry about I really do know how difficult that is, I've had three chronically ill cats that all I could do was watch for the signs to know what it was time... .

 

[Rysiek]

Thank you. I will talk to them on Monday, perhaps get the referral for dental service, I have found one close by...

We having a problem with constipation now, as he has not been since Sunday...
He urinates normally, or a bit more than normally, but he has been eating more products that contain liquid...
He restarted yesterday his favourite sheba in gravy...

I will stop loxicom today, as he has been on it since Saturday...
Bit worried about his kidneys, as he has been taking lots of meds...
Last time he received a long acting steroid and antibiotics + Loxicom...

He is such a treasure cat

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Many meds can cause either constipation or diarrhea, and you never know which it will be. Hoping now that his appetite is back and you stop the Loxicam the constipation will take care of itself. You can see if he'll lick a little butter off your finger just to help with that, Or if you have any hairball gel, that also helps, since it's got lubricant in it. We use Miralax in our household when our cats are constipated, but ours aren't on any other meds. You could always ask you Vet about it's use. Works well to help soften their stools.

 

[Rysiek]

I thought he was much better, as restarted eating soft food and has been more playful.

He wanted to play with something today and catch it with his teeth, and then it restarted, a strange movement with his tongue, as if something was there...
I gave him dry food, just to try, he even did not try...

I feel devastated, he is only 3 years old...

I have follow up on Monday...
I have found a dental vet close to me, so after my Monday appointment I may seek their help...
I think that when he had a general anaesthetic this only aggravated his tongue swelling...as it has been much worse since then...

 

[fionasmom]

I agree that this needs to be checked. Remember to ask a lot of questions about the mass in the mouth as they may want to biopsy it which will require some care and possible soreness after that is done.

 

[Rysiek]

I agree that this needs to be checked. Remember to ask a lot of questions about the mass in the mouth as they may want to biopsy it which will require some care and possible soreness after that is done.

I will ask more questions...in my view only biopsy can rule or confirm any cancer related hypothesis.
I will ask about how big it is, and if they did any ex-ray.
Unsure what else I need to ask?
Perhaps we need to do CT scan as well?

I am so devastated... difficult to think clearly...each time I think about him I start to cry...
He is only three years old, too young to die...

 

[fionasmom]

Ask your vet for the best options with imaging. While I am not a vet, you may not need more than one if they would be useful. If there is an actual biopsy, there will be discomfort so ask about pain killers and home care, including feeding. Try to determine what will give you the most conclusive answer without doing excessive testing and what the steps forward would be if you decide to treat whatever this might be.

 

[Rysiek]

Thank you...I will do as you suggested...
Monday is going to be difficult...


He has been much better in the past week. Still avoids any dry food, but I give him more of the wet one and he had a really good appetite...

 

[Rysiek]

Back from the vet. He got another injection for pain called Solensia which "is a monoclonal antibody injection which blocks nerve growth factor, a key pain mediator in the body (part of the pathway that tells the brain to feel pain). It is licensed for arthritis pain, but anecdotal evidence has shown it to be effective for other types of pain too."

The vet said the mass under his tongue is not very big and if it was a cancer it would be more visible...
He did not let her to examine, as he would require sedation...
She said to see if he responds to treatment...
Additionally he needs to take Loxicom for one more week...
She said that he looks healthy and it is good sign that he restarted eating and has been more playful...

She said she would rather not perform biopsy, as it would bleed a lot...
We will most likely do a CT scan...

 

[fionasmom]

Solensia is used by several members of TCS.

Most cats are not going to allow a full mouth exam; I agree with your vet that a biopsy will involve bleeding and discomfort. A CT scan will show the mass in its entirety, including if there are portions of it growing upward in the mouth. Of course, we are hoping that this is not going to be anything that needs further investigation.

 

[Rysiek]

He has been much better, really playful and happier. But still having problems with dry food and bigger pieces of food, I am unsure why...He wants it, but then spits it out...I give him only wet and soft food now...
This got much worse since descaling his teeth 3 weeks ago...
He is still on Loxicom for I inflammation under his tongue...

 

[fionasmom]

This might be a long shot, but he might be either nervous about pain in his mouth starting up again after the cleaning, or it could be the inflammation. When do you have the CT scan? Glad that he is feeling better despite the fact that he is not eating as he did previously.

 

[Rysiek]

This might be a long shot, but he might be either nervous about pain in his mouth starting up again after the cleaning, or it could be the inflammation. When do you have the CT scan? Glad that he is feeling better despite the fact that he is not eating as he did previously.

I think it may be inflammation, as he restarted moving his tongue strangely, as if something was irritating him...
They only made a referral for CT, so still waiting...

 

[Rysiek]

I booked appointment for Friday, as he define has had a set back with shaking his head and tongue rolling with distress.

It appears that it all started when I gave him few pellets of dry food...

As eating is such a complex function, it affects teeth, but also muscle, including tongue...

I think the mass under his tongue had been irritated again...

Also, he had his steroid and antibiotics three weeks ago, so I assume they stopped (antibiotics, two weeks depo) and are about to stop working (depo medrol). He is still on anytinflamatory, lexicon once a day...

 

[fionasmom]

Is Friday the CT? I know you said that you need a referral. It is probably possible that the mass is irritated by dry food and I would give him only wet or very soft food until you know what is going on. The mass does not necessarily have to be cancerous for it to be irritating if it is in a sensitive place in his mouth when he tries to eat.

 

[Rysiek]

Is Friday the CT? I know you said that you need a referral. It is probably possible that the mass is irritated by dry food and I would give him only wet or very soft food until you know what is going on. The mass does not necessarily have to be cancerous for it to be irritating if it is in a sensitive place in his mouth when he tries to eat.

It is just a visit to his usual vet. Maybe this will make a CT referral more urgent and quicker, as she said it is down to people who do the scan if they accept it or not, so the more she writes the better...
At the same time I do not want to expose him to yet another visit...
Perhaps he will get another steroid injection, which I want to avoid as well, but perhaps this will help...

I thought that dry food may be irritating him more...as he was doing fine until he ate few bits of dry food ..

 

[Rysiek]

It has been worse, he avoids eating. I give hims some soups, so he drinks liquid, when there are any bigger pieces, he wants to eat it (such as piece of tuna), but then spits this out...

I don't know what is going on...
Sometimes think that maybe they injured him somehow during a deep cleaning, as he was not as bad up to the procedure...

I will see the vet on Friday, unsure what to ask them for?

I feel tormented watching him unable to eat...

 

[fionasmom]

He needs very soft food with no pieces of meat or fish in them. Use baby food with no additives like onion or flavorings, and homogenized cat food like pates. If you stir them, they become softer and easier to swallow.

The vet has to look under his tongue, at the very least. Personally, I believe that can be done without sedation if the tech holds him or if he is put in a purrito bag.

 

[Rysiek]

He needs very soft food with no pieces of meat or fish in them. Use baby food with no additives like onion or flavorings, and homogenized cat food like pates. If you stir them, they become softer and easier to swallow.

The vet has to look under his tongue, at the very least. Personally, I believe that can be done without sedation if the tech holds him or if he is put in a purrito bag.

I try to be as creative as possible in terms of feeding him. I tried to blend some of the food, but he did not like it...
Mostly eating gravy with some wet soft food and soups, some pate as well, but he is not so keen on pates...
I feed him more often, so he eats some, the rest goes to bin, as I give him fresh food again...

He is still quite playful, I have noticed some activity from the night, played with his favourite toys...

Today he is sleeping, ate very little... sometimes appears as if in pain...

I worry the worst, that the mass under his tongue is cancerous...

I will also ask for a full blood assessment, so I guess he will need to be sedated on this occasion...

I attached the picture of soup he likes...

 

[fionasmom]

If he will eat the soup, let him have it. It may not be nutritionally complete, but until you determine what is going on, he has to eat. Will he eat any pate if the soup is put on top of it, or any other blending of soft foods?

Depending on how the discussion with the vet goes, I would push for a CT as soon as you can get it.