Willy might have cancer / high-grade lymphoma Treatment thread

[Kwik]

Happy Thanksgiving cmshap and Willy

I asked if Willy likes turkey when I asked about your plans for today as I was thinking he might like some from Thanksgiving dinner cut up into little morsels....

 

[cmshap]

Happy Thanksgiving cmshap and Willy

I asked if Willy likes turkey when I asked about your plans for today as I was thinking he might like some from Thanksgiving dinner cut up into little morsels....

Thanks, but unfortunately I'm not having any Thanksgiving today. My mom was going to do it but she is sick (not COVID but she was worried it was and tested herself).

It's just me and Willy today, watching TV and/or playing video games, which isn't so bad.

When I was growing up, my family often did the Thanksgiving meal on one of the days after the actual Thanksgiving day, anyway, due to everyone always having conflicts, and feeling the need to stop by multiple houses on the same day. So I'm used to not really doing anything on Thanksgiving day.

 

[Kwik]

Thanks, but unfortunately I'm not having any Thanksgiving today. My mom was going to do it but she is sick (not COVID but she was worried it was and tested herself).

It's just me and Willy today, watching TV and/or playing video games, which isn't so bad.

When I was growing up, my family often did the Thanksgiving meal on one of the days after the actual Thanksgiving day, anyway, due to everyone always having conflicts, and feeling the need to stop by multiple houses on the same day. So I'm used to not really doing anything on Thanksgiving day.

Sorry to hear your Mom doesn't feel well....another time you guys can have a turkey dinner.....
Being with Willy is the best thing to be thankful for so sounds like a perfect day!

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hoping you mom feels better soon, cmshap .
I don't celebrate that as a holiday, but thanks anyway, to all the well-wishers.
You might want to ask daftcat75 about the mirtz as his Betty is a firm believer in it.

Definitely agree with iPappy on the matter of food. That should be standard policy for anyone, of any species, who's in that scenario. Whatever they want, as much as they want, whenever they want.

 

[cmshap]

I don't celebrate that as a holiday, but thanks anyway, to all the well-wishers.

I don't celebrate it as a holiday, either. But I celebrate it as an annual day of family togetherness. I don't think anyone in my family ever gave any significance to the origins of the holiday.

It's like Passover for me, as well. I am atheist, so I don't recognize it in any religious sense. But throughout my life, Thanksgiving and Passover were always the two biggest days of family getting together and eating a great meal (I have some very good cooks on both sides of my family).

BTW, we do the Seder part of Passover (it's not just a meal) and I enjoy that part regardless of not being religious. I also light Hanukkah candles and say the prayers even though I'm a non-believer. So I guess you could say I'm an atheist who prays sometimes. The words mean nothing to me, but I try to pronounce the Hebrew correctly. It's entirely connected to family traditions.

Also, there's always been the part where Thanksgiving = a four-day weekend, making it even more enjoyable.

Definitely agree with iPappy on the matter of food. That should be standard policy for anyone, of any species, who's in that scenario. Whatever they want, as much as they want, whenever they want.

That's my new policy with Willy. For most of his life, I had to feed him little by little, because he's always had an insatiable appetite. And like I said before, he was overweight for most of his life.

I've thrown all of that out the window. I am basically monitoring him, and whenever he decides to take a stroll over to his food area, I give him a small handful of fresh kibble out of the bag.

I don't just leave a grazing pile always, because I've noticed he definitely prefers fresher dry food vs. food that's been sitting out (I imagine it like how we react to stale crackers, vs. fresher crackers out of a package).

Also, this Hills ONC food is expensive. Like way more than I feel is reasonable. I do believe the prices of the more "specialized" Hills foods are kind of a scam, in terms of how inflated they are. But all I know is he is eating this food now. And I will give him however much he wants, but combined with the Mirataz, I can't do both every month. The prices are insane, IMO.

 

[fionasmom]

Happy Thanksgiving as well to you and Willy! You are doing a wonderful job with him and I certainly have little to add to all of the great advice here.

On Graycie, who has an irregular appetite but is not diagnosed with anything specific, I use Mirataz as needed. I do what artiemom does in order to try to make the tube last a little longer. I also agree that he has to eat, so if something is appealing to him, let him eat it. I would not get too involved at this point in how good or not good is Hills or Royal Canin or any other cat food.

 

[IndyJones]

Oh don't get me started on royal canin "specialized" food. The breed specific foods in particular are just a huge scam. It makes sense for dogs i mean a great dane is pretty different from a yorkie but cats havn't gone through the same extreme selective breeding dogs have. For the most part a cat is a cat wheather its a ragdoll or a dsh.

 

[cmshap]

Oh don't get me started on royal canin "specialized" food. The breed specific foods in particular are just a huge scam.

And I thought Hills specialized foods smelled like a scam (I haven't done any research in the ingredients, but I've always assumed they are mostly the same foods across the board). RC has "breed-specific" cat foods? That sounds insane.

 

[fionasmom]

Oh my heavens does RC have breed specific cat food!
Cat Nutritional Product Range

 

[IndyJones]

And I thought Hills specialized foods smelled like a scam (I haven't done any research in the ingredients, but I've always assumed they are mostly the same foods across the board). RC has "breed-specific" cat foods? That sounds insane.

Yup they have a full range including one for amercan shorthair and siamese.
Cat food for purebred cats | Royal Canin

Like realy, biologicaly an american short hair is as close to a dsh as you can get.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Yeah, RC has food for Persians, as well. I get that, maybe, because they have long, cottony fur and the very recent engineered ones (as opposed to the true Persian cats) are brachycephalic which makes them prone to different illnesses. As far as their digestive tract, though, IDK.
I will not buy Hills because a lot of their varieties contain pork, which is not a quality protein for ANYONE (besides it being repugnant to me on a personal/spiritual basis). RC is a better quality line IMHO. But the fact that Hills is pushed by almost every vet sends up all the red flags to me -- it's like drugs being pushed by MDs/specialists. I have a good friend who's an MD. She goes to what they call "drug lunches" and that's what it's all about -- the pharma dudes pushing the drug of the week. Or month. Or day. A nurse once told me, "ALL drugs have side effects" and if you read the inserts that come with every single Rx or OTC drug, you know that's true. It's like yeah, sure, I'll take this drug to cure my psoriasis from the inside! I'll maybe have better skin. Of course, some of the side effects can be deadly, but at least I'll be prettier!
NO. Just NO. And as for my cats, as long as they are in my care, they are NOT eating pork.

 

[iPappy]

And I thought Hills specialized foods smelled like a scam (I haven't done any research in the ingredients, but I've always assumed they are mostly the same foods across the board). RC has "breed-specific" cat foods? That sounds insane.

I've always thought the breed specific foods were kind of funny TBH. RC has a "special" food for Labs, GSD's, etc., and I'm like "So, does that mean the Lab/GSD mix has to starve?" IIRC the Lab food said it has a "special shape" to break up plaque when the dog chews (I have my feelings on that) but IME very few Labs even chew food, they just inhale it.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I've always thought the breed specific foods were kind of funny TBH. RC has a "special" food for Labs, GSD's, etc., and I'm like "So, does that mean the Lab/GSD mix has to starve?" IIRC the Lab food said it has a "special shape" to break up plaque when the dog chews (I have my feelings on that) but IME very few Labs even chew food, they just inhale it.

Yeah. A lot of folks believe dry food does nothing to help dental hygiene, anyway.
No, you mix those two if you have a mixed dog. Right?

 

[cmshap]

I just wanted to provide another little update.

Willy ate well all day. artiemom described administering Mirataz every other day, as well as other aspects about effectiveness, dosage, and timing. I feel like I should follow suit and detail my experiences with the medication as much as I can, so that whoever comes around next reads this and gets the most out of my posts.

I dosed Willy only once thus far, which was yesterday, about 27 hours ago. He started eating very well within 2 hours of administration. He has still been eating well today (not as much, but adequate relative to his pre-cancer eating habits).

So it is currently 27 hours after I administered Willy's first ever dose of Mirataz (and I used a full dose, which is "1.5 inches" -- I find this measurement so imprecise, but it's all I have). He ate that same night after I administered, ate the next morning, and grazed periodically throughout the next day (today).

He took more trips to his food station than I have seen in a long time. The amount he consumed in one visit dwindled over the course of the day, but he is still showing signs of being hungry, and after his HUGE meal this morning, I'm not worried about dwindling appetite today.

Tomorrow will be the next "every other day" so we will see what happens. And I will post my experience with Willy's appetite as it happens.

BTW, you can see how broken my windows are in these pics. They never replace anything here. The actual habitable space is nice, but everything is old. When I want to open windows for Willy in the summer, I literally have to prop them open with wooden dowels because they otherwise slam shut. Anyway... just a minor rant.

But Willy has a great view to watch the world on the Lower East Side of Milwaukee from these windows (you can kind of see it in the third pic; beyond the partial alleyway view that I have, I also have a partial view of the lakefront, and Willy loves watching that area).

 

[tarasgirl06]

I just wanted to provide another little update.

Willy ate well all day. artiemom described administering Mirataz every other day, as well as other aspects about effectiveness, dosage, and timing. I feel like I should follow suit and detail my experiences with the medication as much as I can, so that whoever comes around next reads this and gets the most out of my posts.

I dosed Willy only once thus far, which was yesterday, about 27 hours ago. He started eating very well within 2 hours of administration. He has still been eating well today (not as much, but adequate relative to his pre-cancer eating habits).

So it is currently 27 hours after I administered Willy's first ever dose of Mirataz (and I used a full dose, which is "1.5 inches" -- I find this measurement so imprecise, but it's all I have). He ate that same night after I administered, ate the next morning, and grazed periodically throughout the next day (today).

He took more trips to his food station than I have seen in a long time. The amount he consumed in one visit dwindled over the course of the day, but he is still showing signs of being hungry, and after his HUGE meal this morning, I'm not worried about dwindling appetite today.

Tomorrow will be the next "every other day" so we will see what happens. And I will post my experience with Willy's appetite as it happens.

BTW, you can see how broken my windows are in these pics. They never replace anything here. The actual habitable space is nice, but everything is old. When I want to open windows for Willy in the summer, I literally have to prop them open with wooden dowels because they otherwise slam shut. Anyway... just a minor rant.

But Willy has a great view to watch the world on the Lower East Side of Milwaukee from these windows (you can kind of see it in the third pic; beyond the partial alleyway view that I have, I also have a partial view of the lakefront, and Willy loves watching that area).

Willy has such a sweet face! Glad he is enjoying his HUGE breakfast and wishing him continued enjoyment of his food.
Oh, I know all about windows! My house is 86 years old and has double-hung windows. Three of them have broken sash weights, so yes, I prop the one I do open -- Elvis' vantage point in HIS master bedroom -- open with a handy ruler. The window doesn't fall but I'm not one to take any chances. The other two don't get opened so it's no problem. I just had a massive project done home maintenance wise, but I can't afford to do everything. So yeah, creativity is important.

 

[cmshap]

Three of them have broken sash weights, so yes, I prop the one I do open -- Elvis' vantage point in HIS master bedroom -- open with a handy ruler. The window doesn't fall but I'm not one to take any chances.

I do the same. All my windows are broken, but one will stay up without falling. I still prop it up. In my case, I took a solid wooden dowel, like for a closet, and cut it into various lengths depending on how high I want to open the window, and keep them in an umbrella stand in the corner by the windows.

Whenever I open a window, Willy is up there with his head right up to the screen immediately, and I am always afraid of dropping the window on his head while setting up the dowel. And the main window he peers out of is extra-wide, so it's heavier than normal. It's one of those situations where you have to just be extra-cautious about not letting your fingers slip.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I do the same. All my windows are broken, but one will stay up without falling. I still prop it up. In my case, I took a solid wooden dowel, like for a closet, and cut it into various lengths depending on how high I want to open the window, and keep them in an umbrella stand in the corner by the windows.

Whenever I open a window, Willy is up there with his head right up to the screen immediately, and I am always afraid of dropping the window on his head while setting up the dowel. And the main window he peers out of is extra-wide, so it's heavier than normal. It's one of those situations where you have to just be extra-cautious about not letting your fingers slip.

If your windows have sash weights, you can buy those and replace them. I know you're renting but it might be something you want to do for peace of mind. A friend helped me replace one several years back, but that friend has since retreated into never-never land and is not talking to me, and my roommates can't handle something like this. So yeah, something to keep the windows up works okay.

 

[cmshap]

Appetite update... about 48 hours after the first and only Mirataz dose I administered (which was a full dose, or 1.5 inches of a line of ointment squeezed out of the tube onto a gloved finger).

He continued to eat pretty well today, so I still haven't given him another dose. He is actually eating better tonight, 48 hours post-dose, than he did last night, 24 hours post-dose. So I haven't administered another dose today.

If I feel he needs another tomorrow, I am going to try a partial dose, like what artiemom says works for Geoffrey. Maybe Willy will only occasionally need this med. I just wish it lasted longer if you use it sparingly and want to store it. I'm definitely going to look into the pill form, maybe get it closer to the end of the month when the ointment tube is going to "expire." So then I could try a pill, while still having the ointment on hand in case the pill doesn't work as well. I'm assuming the pills would last longer.

Willy wasn't as energetic today, but I can tell the difference between being lazy/relaxed and lethargy. I wouldn't say he was lethargic at all. Just sleeping a lot, with many small meal breaks throughout the day. He kept waking up, going to his food dish, and I'd give him a handful of fresh kibble out of the bag.

The Hills dry foods have a velcro seal on the top of the bag, which seems decent. But I am going further by rolling up the top of the bag and clamping it shut with three strong binder clips, to make the bag as airtight as possible. Like I said, Willy prefers the freshest dry food. And I want the bag to last as long as possible, since it was scammingly expensive. I will give him as much as he wants to eat, always, but I want to preserve the food in its freshest form for as long as possible.

 

[eevans3373]

The Hills dry foods have a velcro seal on the top of the bag, which seems decent. But I am going further by rolling up the top of the bag and clamping it shut with three strong binder clips, to make the bag as airtight as possible. Like I said, Willy prefers the freshest dry food. And I want the bag to last as long as possible, since it was scammingly expensive. I will give him as much as he wants to eat, always, but I want to preserve the food in its freshest form for as long as possible.

My kittens have a marked preference for Hills dry kitten foo. As well as string, a worm toy, a zip tie. I'm beginning to think my boy cat might be a bit.... special.

 

[IndyJones]

Be super careful with string, Indy got it cought around her neck once and choked herself so she was blue in the gums.

Do not leave string unattended.