The following has links to important aspects of Willy's treatment and has obviously been added later.
To read the initial post, scroll down.
Willy has large-cell lymphoma (LCL), also called high-grade lymphoma. When I started this thread, I hadn't received a diagnosis yet, hence the title.
This thread details his diagnosis and ongoing treatment, which is a monthly lomustine and steroid protocol, over a 5-6 month period.
Here are links to milestones in the story, to make navigating this thread easier. They will not take you to the actual post, but to the page:
* Biopsy surgery: Post #42
* Diagnosis: Post #66
* Oncology consultation & treatment plan: Post #88
* First chemotherapy appointment: Post #116
* Second chemotherapy appointment: Post #489
* Third chemotherapy appointment: Post #536
* Fourth chemotherapy appointment: Post #575
* Decision to stop treatment: Post #726
***************************
Original first post:
I haven't been on TCS for very long, but I've posted a lot about my cat, Willy. He is my first cat ever, the most affectionate pet I've ever had, my best friend, and a hell of an individual personality. As
Margot Lane
said in one of my posts, "WHAT a character." There is no better description of him than that, and I love him so much.
Unfortunately, he might have cancer. I'm going to describe everything I know about his case in this thread, and provide updated information as I acquire it. I am really worried about this, and don't know what to expect. I would appreciate any and all ideas, suggestions, feedback, etc. This thread will be long, so thank you in advance to anyone who reads and/or responds to it.
i will also be linking previous threads on Willy's health that may be relevant. I may be missing some, and will post later. Basically, I want this thread to be a central hub of information relative to his case. I may remember more I want to post later.
Background
Willy was a stray before the age of one year old in 2013, who randomly showed up at my mom's house while I was staying with her temporarily. He was the sweetest cat from day one. We took him in and got him evaluated by a vet.
He had a respiratory infection, ear mites, and fleas. Everything was cleared up, but the respiratory infection at such a young age did permanent damage to his mucosa, so he's had chronic symptoms ever since -- sneezing and snotty discharge, primarily. I've treated these symptoms with zeniquin several times throughout his life. After a 10-day course, it usually helps the symptoms a lot, but then they come back slowly over subsequent months.
All in all, this issue has never seemed to bother him in the least, and has never been considered too serious by my vet. It's bothered me more, because of the snotty discharge, but otherwise I've never taken as a serious health problem.
Recent History
Other than the ongoing respiratory issue, he's also had two additional issues over the years:
Food sensitivity. He always vomited a lot, especially after eating. And most especially after eating dry food, as he eats very fast. He was mostly raised on dry food, after my mom and I took him in, and then gradually changed to mostly wet. But even on wet food, I've had to change it several times. My vet has informally described this as "sensitive stomach" which some cats just have vs. others. While an annoying problem, it's never been anything that hasn't been solved by a dietary change. But just another background health issue.
Potential arthritis. This is just suspected by me, and not yet confirmed by my vet. My vet said that he doesn't have signs of severe arthritis (no obvious joint swelling), but based on the behavior I've described, might be developing it. She can't tell without x-raying him, but since it doesn't seem serious, she recommended what I have already done, which was to start him on a joint supplement. I've been giving him Cosequin chews for several days.
Current Problem
A month ago, I noticed what looked like dirty ears. I started a thread on it. Advice I received was that it looked like a yeast infection.
Willy had a wellness checkup coming in a few weeks, so I opted to wait for the appointment (especially because cancelling/changing appointments with my vet -- a cat specialist in my area -- is difficult). A couple of weeks prior to when the appointment was supposed to happen, his ear started bleeding a little. Then I noticed a lump under the skin under/behind his left ear.
I called my vet and they squeezed him in a couple of weeks early. My vet examined him and not only identified the mass under his ear, but another smaller one on his chest. And a very small mass on one of the folds of skin in his ear, which is what has been bleeding. She prescribed antibiotic drops for his ears, because he has yeast and bacterial infections in that ear.
She said it there are some types of cancer that it could be, but there's no way she can tell for sure without a biopsy.
Treatment Plan
I have a biopsy surgery scheduled in mid-October, during which my vet is going to fully remove the chest mass, and take a sample of the ear mass to biopsy (because she says she can't remove that one herself, as it's more complicated and would require a specialist). The treatment plan has three steps:
(1) Blood work. To first determine if he was healthy enough for anesthesia and surgery, which he is. Also, he was screened for general health as part of his wellness exam. His kidneys, liver, thyroid, white cells, etc. and everything else are all within normal range. The only unexpected result was a minor bladder infection. My vet prescribed another course of zeniquin for both the respiratory symptoms and bladder infection, and said that it should treat both.
(2) Biopsy. This is scheduled for a couple.of weeks from now, which was the soonest I could get in. My vet is going to fully.remove the chest mass, and take a sample of the ear mass for evaluation.
(3) Surgery. He may eventually need a specialist to surgically remove the mass under his ear. This is what I am most worried about, because it seems complicated. The mass is large and has been grown fast. And it's going to be the type of surgery that is likely completely unaffordable.
Current Status
The best news is that Willy seems to be in no pain or discomfort. He is acting exactly the same as always. But the mass under his ear has grown to a noticeable degree within just 5 days. I can easily see it in his profile now while he is looking at me -- there is a bulge on the side of his head beneath his left ear.
I am beyond terrified about this. My vet saw him on Tuesday this last week, and now, just days later, the mass is larger. I am going to call the vet on Monday morning and ask if I should try getting him in somewhere else sooner, because I don't know what to expect about this.
The tissue in the mass is hard, it feels like bone. And it doesn't bother him at all when I touch it, so I can feel it. It feels like a bony protrusion behind/below his left ear, that has been growing.
Other Details
My vet also found a bladder infection in his general wellness exam, but said that the zeniquin I am giving him for respiratory symptoms should also treat that. So after the 10 days, we can evaluate his urine again. But he hasn't changed litter box habits (so likely has no pain associated with it), and this is likely completely unrelated to everything above.
How You Can Help
Please ask me questions to clarify anything or for any information missing here... or just comment with your opinions. I've had a dog with cancer many years ago, but otherwise don't know what to expect now. I am beyond worried about all of this. Thank you, everyone.
To read the initial post, scroll down.
Willy has large-cell lymphoma (LCL), also called high-grade lymphoma. When I started this thread, I hadn't received a diagnosis yet, hence the title.
This thread details his diagnosis and ongoing treatment, which is a monthly lomustine and steroid protocol, over a 5-6 month period.
Here are links to milestones in the story, to make navigating this thread easier. They will not take you to the actual post, but to the page:
* Biopsy surgery: Post #42
* Diagnosis: Post #66
* Oncology consultation & treatment plan: Post #88
* First chemotherapy appointment: Post #116
* Second chemotherapy appointment: Post #489
* Third chemotherapy appointment: Post #536
* Fourth chemotherapy appointment: Post #575
* Decision to stop treatment: Post #726
***************************
Original first post:
I haven't been on TCS for very long, but I've posted a lot about my cat, Willy. He is my first cat ever, the most affectionate pet I've ever had, my best friend, and a hell of an individual personality. As
Margot Lane
said in one of my posts, "WHAT a character." There is no better description of him than that, and I love him so much.Unfortunately, he might have cancer. I'm going to describe everything I know about his case in this thread, and provide updated information as I acquire it. I am really worried about this, and don't know what to expect. I would appreciate any and all ideas, suggestions, feedback, etc. This thread will be long, so thank you in advance to anyone who reads and/or responds to it.
i will also be linking previous threads on Willy's health that may be relevant. I may be missing some, and will post later. Basically, I want this thread to be a central hub of information relative to his case. I may remember more I want to post later.
Background
Willy was a stray before the age of one year old in 2013, who randomly showed up at my mom's house while I was staying with her temporarily. He was the sweetest cat from day one. We took him in and got him evaluated by a vet.
He had a respiratory infection, ear mites, and fleas. Everything was cleared up, but the respiratory infection at such a young age did permanent damage to his mucosa, so he's had chronic symptoms ever since -- sneezing and snotty discharge, primarily. I've treated these symptoms with zeniquin several times throughout his life. After a 10-day course, it usually helps the symptoms a lot, but then they come back slowly over subsequent months.
All in all, this issue has never seemed to bother him in the least, and has never been considered too serious by my vet. It's bothered me more, because of the snotty discharge, but otherwise I've never taken as a serious health problem.
Recent History
Other than the ongoing respiratory issue, he's also had two additional issues over the years:
Food sensitivity. He always vomited a lot, especially after eating. And most especially after eating dry food, as he eats very fast. He was mostly raised on dry food, after my mom and I took him in, and then gradually changed to mostly wet. But even on wet food, I've had to change it several times. My vet has informally described this as "sensitive stomach" which some cats just have vs. others. While an annoying problem, it's never been anything that hasn't been solved by a dietary change. But just another background health issue.
Potential arthritis. This is just suspected by me, and not yet confirmed by my vet. My vet said that he doesn't have signs of severe arthritis (no obvious joint swelling), but based on the behavior I've described, might be developing it. She can't tell without x-raying him, but since it doesn't seem serious, she recommended what I have already done, which was to start him on a joint supplement. I've been giving him Cosequin chews for several days.
Current Problem
A month ago, I noticed what looked like dirty ears. I started a thread on it. Advice I received was that it looked like a yeast infection.
Willy had a wellness checkup coming in a few weeks, so I opted to wait for the appointment (especially because cancelling/changing appointments with my vet -- a cat specialist in my area -- is difficult). A couple of weeks prior to when the appointment was supposed to happen, his ear started bleeding a little. Then I noticed a lump under the skin under/behind his left ear.
I called my vet and they squeezed him in a couple of weeks early. My vet examined him and not only identified the mass under his ear, but another smaller one on his chest. And a very small mass on one of the folds of skin in his ear, which is what has been bleeding. She prescribed antibiotic drops for his ears, because he has yeast and bacterial infections in that ear.
She said it there are some types of cancer that it could be, but there's no way she can tell for sure without a biopsy.
Treatment Plan
I have a biopsy surgery scheduled in mid-October, during which my vet is going to fully remove the chest mass, and take a sample of the ear mass to biopsy (because she says she can't remove that one herself, as it's more complicated and would require a specialist). The treatment plan has three steps:
(1) Blood work. To first determine if he was healthy enough for anesthesia and surgery, which he is. Also, he was screened for general health as part of his wellness exam. His kidneys, liver, thyroid, white cells, etc. and everything else are all within normal range. The only unexpected result was a minor bladder infection. My vet prescribed another course of zeniquin for both the respiratory symptoms and bladder infection, and said that it should treat both.
(2) Biopsy. This is scheduled for a couple.of weeks from now, which was the soonest I could get in. My vet is going to fully.remove the chest mass, and take a sample of the ear mass for evaluation.
(3) Surgery. He may eventually need a specialist to surgically remove the mass under his ear. This is what I am most worried about, because it seems complicated. The mass is large and has been grown fast. And it's going to be the type of surgery that is likely completely unaffordable.
Current Status
The best news is that Willy seems to be in no pain or discomfort. He is acting exactly the same as always. But the mass under his ear has grown to a noticeable degree within just 5 days. I can easily see it in his profile now while he is looking at me -- there is a bulge on the side of his head beneath his left ear.
I am beyond terrified about this. My vet saw him on Tuesday this last week, and now, just days later, the mass is larger. I am going to call the vet on Monday morning and ask if I should try getting him in somewhere else sooner, because I don't know what to expect about this.
The tissue in the mass is hard, it feels like bone. And it doesn't bother him at all when I touch it, so I can feel it. It feels like a bony protrusion behind/below his left ear, that has been growing.
Other Details
My vet also found a bladder infection in his general wellness exam, but said that the zeniquin I am giving him for respiratory symptoms should also treat that. So after the 10 days, we can evaluate his urine again. But he hasn't changed litter box habits (so likely has no pain associated with it), and this is likely completely unrelated to everything above.
How You Can Help
Please ask me questions to clarify anything or for any information missing here... or just comment with your opinions. I've had a dog with cancer many years ago, but otherwise don't know what to expect now. I am beyond worried about all of this. Thank you, everyone.
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