Small Intestine Lymphoma

[Cheyennesmom19]

Hi my name is Brandi and I am Cheyenne's mom!

Cheyenne is 13 years old, and around Memorial day weekend I noticed she had a couple of lumps under her chin and she had started to loose weight.
Took her to 3 vets:
Vet 1 took blood sent it off to his lab and come back he said it was lymphoma cancer and she has about 3 to 4 months to live. Got a 2nd opinion.
Vet 2 took blood and a needle aspiration of lumps sent it off their lab said it was an infection and that it didn't look like cancer. Great news, right? Took her in they gave her a 2 wk lasting antibiotic shot she was also having diarrhea so they gave me some anti- diarrhea meds and an appetite stimulate Mirtazapine it made her depressed, she didn't' want to move, eat, be social etc...
Vet 3 took temperature 103 felt her abdomen - took x-rays the lining in the small intestine seem thick so being that her lymph glands under her chins she diagnosed her with small intestine lymphoma we discussed steroids - after a discussion we gave her a steroid shot and antibiotic shot, went home her appetite improved and the lumps went down still there but under the skin... so I called the vet and asked if we could repeat the steroid shot and stay ahead of her feeling good instead of waiting until she felt like cr*p, vet said that we could repeat the shot in 3 weeks which would put her at July 5th, NO sooner did I call the vet to discuss this with her the next day she didn't want to eat so I took her back in felt around on her stomach and her lumps under her skin, and basically said take her home and say your goodbyes, gave her another antibiotic shot and a B-12 shot. She really isn't eating all that well, i am having to syringe feed her. She will eat on her own but in very small amounts not even enough to probably stop hungry pains.

So today in desperation to get her to eat I went to Petco and spend 33.00 on the expensive cat can food anything Applaws, Weruva Asian Fusion, Merrick BackCountry, Candidae Adore, Soulistic pouches, Blue Wilderness, Fancy Feast gourmet natural....

I read a post from a member that had a cat with the same thing back in 2013, and I do intend to go back and read all of it but wanted to make a post about Cheyenne. Some member suggested a drug called Leukeran? Is that a still a drug for this type of cancer or is there something newer out there.

After syringe feeding her today she has spent most of her time today under the bed. But she still comes out and talks to me, wants to lay on my chest at night etc... so I don't think she's ready to go, as of yet.

Should I go to see a feline oncologist?

Any insight would be appreciate it, thank you so much in advance.

Brandi

 

[Cheyennesmom19]

No replies

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. So sorry to hear about Cheyenne. Also sorry no one has responded to you yet. They will soon, I hope, so please be patient and check back often!

Here are several thread links on this site that talk about Leukeran. Maybe there is some helpful information for you in them?

Search Results for Query: Lukeran | TheCatSite

If it were me, I would pursue a meeting with an oncologist just to see what my options might be. You can ask for a referral from your current vet, or even ask a nearby vet university for some contacts. Just be sure you get copies of all of her records from the vet to help reduce/avoid redundant tests/costs.

Is she eating any of the foods you bought her? You can also try some Gerber baby meat foods (no garlic/onions/etc) and see if she might like one of them. If it appeals to her, you could mix some of it with the other foods you bought.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Just checking in with you and by doing so, I 'bump' your thread up to the top. Hope that helps members take a look at it.

 

[daftcat75]

Talk to your vet. Talk to a feline oncologist.

This shouldn't replace that advice.

But...

You can also call these folks up or drop them an email.
Vitality Science | Natural Remedies For Dogs And Cats

They don't promise a cure for cancer. But they do have customers who have seen remissions using their products.

Also have a look at this page:
https://feline-nutrition.org/health/feline-inflammatory-bowel-disease-nature-and-treatment

Skip ahead to
Treating IBD – Using an Introduction Diet

This should be useful for treating any kind of angry gut.

Finally, if you can't get her to eat enough either on her own, with appetite stimulants, or by oral syringe, please consider a feeding tube. It's not that extreme and you will mind it/notice it a lot more than the cat. Whatever the diagnosis may be, the outlook is very poor if you can't keep her nutrition up. Not just nibbling, but a good amount of calories to fuel repairs and recovery.
Feeding Tubes For Cats

Try the introduction diet first to see if her gut just needs healing and sealing before her appetite returns.

 

[denice]

Leukeran is still used for small cell lymphoma and is usually given in conjunction with a steroid call Prednisolone. The Leukeran is cycled while the Pred is given daily. Prednisolone is the steroid most often given and is the steroid that my cat was on for 7 1/2 years for IBD. I would ask about both. The Leukeran is chemo drug which may put the lymphoma into remission. Even if there isn't remission they should slow progress and improve quality of life.

 

[catwoman707]

It's important to know whether it is small cell or large. I also want to ask if she has been diagnosed with IBD before these recent vet visits.
Leukeran is very well tolerated, in fact I saw no side effects at all in my girl.
Leukeran has excellent effects on small cell, not so much in lg.
It sounds like if she is not wanting to eat on her own, whatever she has going on may be fairly advanced, however if small cell I would def go see an oncologist.
ASAP though.

 

[Cheyennesmom19]

Hi. So sorry to hear about Cheyenne. Also sorry no one has responded to you yet. They will soon, I hope, so please be patient and check back often!

Here are several thread links on this site that talk about Leukeran. Maybe there is some helpful information for you in them?

Search Results for Query: Lukeran | TheCatSite

If it were me, I would pursue a meeting with an oncologist just to see what my options might be. You can ask for a referral from your current vet, or even ask a nearby vet university for some contacts. Just be sure you get copies of all of her records from the vet to help reduce/avoid redundant tests/costs.

Is she eating any of the foods you bought her? You can also try some Gerber baby meat foods (no garlic/onions/etc) and see if she might like one of them. If it appeals to her, you could mix some of it with the other foods you bought.

No she isn't any of the foods that I brought her. And I looked up an oncologist near me and I sent them an email but no reply so first thing in the morning I am going to call them.

 

[Cheyennesmom19]

It's important to know whether it is small cell or large. I also want to ask if she has been diagnosed with IBD before these recent vet visits.
Leukeran is very well tolerated, in fact I saw no side effects at all in my girl.
Leukeran has excellent effects on small cell, not so much in lg.
It sounds like if she is not wanting to eat on her own, whatever she has going on may be fairly advanced, however if small cell I would def go see an oncologist.
ASAP though.

No she doesn't have IBD...

I am afraid you're right about it being fairly advanced but its worth a try with the oncologist, right?

 

[catwoman707]

Absolutely.
If no IBD prior, it makes me think it is not intestinal lymphoma, but just my opinion.
It does sound like cancer of some form, but it is important to know if the blood slide shows small or large cell. Small and you may have a chance at helping her. At least slow/stall it's progression.
As far as food, give her literally anything she will eat at this point.
You def do not want it going to hepatic lipidosis.
There are these small pouches you can buy, they say cat treat but my cat lived off of those near the end and I swear it gave me more time with her. Irresistible.
Called Delectables. Not cheap, around $1.40 or so each and not much in them, and when that's their food source you can spend a good amt for them, but it makes your heart happy to give something they will actually eat. Best bet if she eats them is chewy.com
Meat baby food, chicken or ham they go for more, warmed in the microwave with a bit of water added.
Even tuna. Lunch meat, I know it's crap but better than no food/calories.

 

[Cheyennesmom19]

Well I took Cheyenne to a vet in Tulsa, and he said her kidney felt enlarged so they did a sonogram, and she has cancer in her kidneys, liver and spleen.

He did not recommend chemotherapy, we went back to steroid shot and he gave me 30 days worth of pills to give her after the shot stops working.

I am spending as much time with her as I possible can, she I think is feeling better today. Her knots/lumps under her chin have diminished...

He said that she wasn't in any pain in less gets into her bones.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Bless Cheyenne and you.

 

[denice]

I am so sorry.

 

[Cheyennesmom19]

daftcat75 with the recent diagnoses for Cheyenne do you think the products from Vitality Science | Natural Remedies For Dogs And Cats would still be an option?

 

[Cheyennesmom19]

I am so sorry.

Thank you! It was a shock!

 

[daftcat75]

daftcat75 with the recent diagnoses for Cheyenne do you think the products from Vitality Science | Natural Remedies For Dogs And Cats would still be an option?

Absolutely give them a call. At this point, their supplement protocol cannot possibly make matters worse. They believe the war on cancer is fought through the immune system. They have a supplement protocol for this that has acheived some remarkable results. Here's a recent blog post from them about it.

A fighting chance in the war on cancer. | Vitality Science

They have excellent customer service and answer emails usually within 24 hours. If you call them up, I'm sure they can help you with product selection to get started.

 

[daftcat75]

Please mention to them any medication Cheyenne is taking. Most of their supplements are safe to mix with medication. They do sell CBD oil. CBD is very safe on its own but it can interact with other drugs. So discuss with them and maybe check with your own vet whether CBD and steroids can be taken together, if it's safe and appropriate.

 

[Cheyennesmom19]

She is EATING on her own, grooming herself, coming out to socialize with everybody.... so the shot is working!!!

 

[Cheyennesmom19]

But I do have a question, how much should I let her eat? Should I just let her tell me when she is hungry? Right now every time she comes to me I put the plate in front of her and she is eating.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Feed her what you used to when she was eating. If you're worried she'll eat too much, just lessen the amount and feed more often.