Willy might have cancer / high-grade lymphoma Treatment thread

[cmshap]

Do you think it would be worth trying to offer him a little bit of different wet foods, or do you feel leaving well enough alone is the best course?

I was just thinking about this...

I may experiment with wet food again, as I still have a ton of it in stock that I haven't been using. And honestly, I am nearing the end of my financial rope, and his current dry food (Hills ONC) is $60 per 7-lbs. bag... but it's what he has been eating most willingly since starting chemo (it's supposedly higher-calorie and more flavorful for dry food).

I have a harebrained theory which could be way off, but its always been in the back of my mind...

Willy was a frequent vomiter for most of his younger life. Just always had a "sensitive stomach" as multiple vets concluded, and there was never any diagnosis of a definitive condition. I've mentioned this in several older threads. He also used to be a scarfer, so he'd vomit often if fed too much food in one sitting.

He ALWAYS buries his vomit after, by "digging" on the floor surrounding it. I always assumed that he saw wet food as the same kind of extra-smelly, wet mess that his vomit resembles.

But... strangely... Willy has been vomiting much less while on chemotherapy. That's almost an oxymoron... its almost unheard of that he's not vomiting at least semi-frequently after receiving doses of chemo, or having diarrhea, according to our oncologist. But he's doing "remarkably well" in terms of side effects.

So, he hasn't encountered his own vomit in maybe a month... or maybe even longer. I seriously wonder if he views wet food differently right now. But I also don't want to present him with anything that might turn him off to the Delectables treat, since it's working so well as a medicine-delivery medium.

 

[iPappy]

I was just thinking about this...

I may experiment with wet food again, as I still have a ton of it in stock that I haven't been using. And honestly, I am nearing the end of my financial rope, and his current dry food (Hills ONC) is $60 per 7-lbs. bag... but it's what he has been eating most willingly since starting chemo (it's supposedly higher-calorie and more flavorful for dry food).

I have a harebrained theory which could be way off, but its always been in the back of my mind...

Willy was a frequent vomiter for most of his younger life. Just always had a "sensitive stomach" as multiple vets concluded, and there was never any diagnosis of a definitive condition. I've mentioned this in several older threads. He also used to be a scarfer, so he'd vomit often if fed too much food in one sitting.

He ALWAYS buries his vomit after, by "digging" on the floor surrounding it. I always assumed that he saw wet food as the same kind of extra-smelly, wet mess that his vomit resembles.

But... strangely... Willy has been vomiting much less while on chemotherapy. That's almost an oxymoron... its almost unheard of that he's not vomiting at least semi-frequently after receiving doses of chemo, or having diarrhea, according to our oncologist. But he's doing "remarkably well" in terms of side effects.

So, he hasn't encountered his own vomit in maybe a month... or maybe even longer. I seriously wonder if he views wet food differently right now. But I also don't want to present him with anything that might turn him off to the Delectables treat, since it's working so well as a medicine-delivery medium.

That's actually not a bad theory. When he was a scarfer and would vomit more often, was he eating dry or wet food at that time?
If you do decide to try the wet food again, maybe give him just a teaspoon or so as far away from the squeeze-up treat as time will allow and just leave it out. If he eats it, great, if not, he's still eating the dry and doing well and still taking his medicine in the squeeze-ups. I definitely wouldn't offer him an entire can at this point because if he would decide it looked good, and then he brought it back up, that could put him off the squeeze ups.
I swear, all these little things we never ever think about or worry about when they're healthy become a "thing" when they're sick.

 

[cmshap]

That's actually not a bad theory. When he was a scarfer and would vomit more often, was he eating dry or wet food at that time?
If you do decide to try the wet food again, maybe give him just a teaspoon or so as far away from the squeeze-up treat as time will allow and just leave it out.

The scarfing most often occurred with dry food, as he was "raised" on 100% dry (didn't come into my life until ~1 year old, but first cat I ever had any experience with). He ate all dry food at first, and scarfed as a result (presumably) from going through a starvation event prior to rescue.

He vomited less on wet food, after I introduced it (probably around age 5). I bounced around between different ratios of wet:dry, and then for a few years, he was on 3:1 wet:dry, then 9:1 wet:dry and doing well.

Eventually he just started turning away from wet food. I can't even remember when this started, exactly. So much history before the cancer has become hard to remember.

But these are good ideas. I think for now I am going to keep things static. I still have a good amount of Hills ONC dry food on-hand. My #1 primary concern is getting his prednisolone into him on a daily basis, and doing so optimally.

But like I said, I have a ton of wet food just sitting around. If I run out of dry food I may try experimenting.

 

[iPappy]

The scarfing most often occurred with dry food, as he was "raised" on 100% dry (didn't come into my life until ~1 year old, but first cat I ever had any experience with). He ate all dry food at first, and scarfed as a result (presumably) from going through a starvation event prior to rescue.

He vomited less on wet food, after I introduced it (probably around age 5). I bounced around between different ratios of wet:dry, and then for a few years, he was on 3:1 wet:dry, then 9:1 wet:dry and doing well.

Eventually he just started turning away from wet food. I can't even remember when this started, exactly. So much history before the cancer has become hard to remember.

But these are good ideas. I think for now I am going to keep things static. I still have a good amount of Hills ONC dry food on-hand. My #1 primary concern is getting his prednisolone into him on a daily basis, and doing so optimally.

But like I said, I have a ton of wet food just sitting around. If I run out of dry food I may try experimenting.

Having several plans in place is a good idea, and I agree, getting the prednisolone into him without any struggle is the #1 priority. I'm just so glad he's taking those squeeze-up's so well so there's no need to try to get the medications into his mouth via syringe!

 

[cmshap]

Having several plans in place is a good idea, and I agree, getting the prednisolone into him without any struggle is the #1 priority. I'm just so glad he's taking those squeeze-up's so well so there's no need to try to get the medications into his mouth via syringe!

Yeah, the liquid medicine was presented as an easier and less stressful option than pills. The only part of pilling that I've been able to skip has been the part where I'd hold his mouth closed and blow on his nose to make him swallow the pill... but that was actually the easiest part of the whole process.

Willy HATES having a syringe squirted in his mouth. And in order to do it, I have to grip his jaw in the same way as pilling, so it really wasn't a better option.

But I know that every cat is different. And Willy's tumor locations complicate these procedures. So, from a vet's perspective, recommending a liquid medicine probably IS easier in most cases.

(Their recommended procedure was... "sit him on your lap, gently raise his lower jaw with one hand, and insert the syringe into the corner of his mouth; he will naturally open his mouth, then just squirt it into the center area on top of his tongue". Maybe that works with most cats... but in Willy's case... NOPE!)

The problem with all of these things is that the costs add up. The liquid compounded prednisolone was $60. If I got the shot instead, it would be $60-70. And I mentioned that his food is $60 per bag. This stuff is not easy for me to say, "let's just try this, and then go to a different option if it doesn't work." It's all adding up for me, as an independent contractor, where my income is directly proportional to the time I have to spend seeking out the work... so when I have a sick pet, and I am spending more time on him, my income goes down...

I don't want to be an independent contractor anymore, honestly. I want a 9-to-5 where I have a guaranteed paycheck and sick/vacation days again. As boring as that sounds...

Anyway... just saying that once I have committed to a $60 decision like "let's try the liquid med" I am now committed to a month's supply. It sucks.

Sorry for initiating a rant in there... I always felt like I could have a pet responsibly, and afford all the costs, until this cancer thing came up.

If worst comes to worst, and he refuses meds, I will find another way. But doing this on a budget is a very anxiety-provoking scenario.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Yeah, the liquid medicine was presented as an easier and less stressful option than pills. The only part of pilling that I've been able to skip has been the part where I'd hold his mouth closed and blow on his nose to make him swallow the pill... but that was actually the easiest part of the whole process.

Willy HATES having a syringe squirted in his mouth. And in order to do it, I have to grip his jaw in the same way as pilling, so it really wasn't a better option.

But I know that every cat is different. And Willy's tumor locations complicate these procedures. So, from a vet's perspective, recommending a liquid medicine probably IS easier in most cases.

(Their recommended procedure was... "sit him on your lap, gently raise his lower jaw with one hand, and insert the syringe into the corner of his mouth; he will naturally open his mouth, then just squirt it into the center area on top of his tongue". Maybe that works with most cats... but in Willy's case... NOPE!)

The problem with all of these things is that the costs add up. The liquid compounded prednisolone was $60. If I got the shot instead, it would be $60-70. And I mentioned that his food is $60 per bag. This stuff is not easy for me to say, "let's just try this, and then go to a different option if it doesn't work." It's all adding up for me, as an independent contractor, where my income is directly proportional to the time I have to spend seeking out the work... so when I have a sick pet, and I am spending more time on him, my income goes down...

I don't want to be an independent contractor anymore, honestly. I want a 9-to-5 where I have a guaranteed paycheck and sick/vacation days again. As boring as that sounds...

Anyway... just saying that once I have committed to a $60 decision like "let's try the liquid med" I am now committed to a month's supply. It sucks.

Sorry for initiating a rant in there... I always felt like I could have a pet responsibly, and afford all the costs, until this cancer thing came up.

If worst comes to worst, and he refuses meds, I will find another way. But doing this on a budget is a very anxiety-provoking scenario.

Of COURSE it is. It is for most people, in the real world. It's diabolical that it should be this way. *Don't even get me started on the whole "healthcare" subject, for either, or any, species. It's a money-making racket with little true caring involved. But anyway.*
As you have seen, Willy is allowed to change his mind at any time. Hoping and praying it'll be like that for him with the pred, too, somehow.

 

[iPappy]

Yeah, the liquid medicine was presented as an easier and less stressful option than pills. The only part of pilling that I've been able to skip has been the part where I'd hold his mouth closed and blow on his nose to make him swallow the pill... but that was actually the easiest part of the whole process.

Willy HATES having a syringe squirted in his mouth. And in order to do it, I have to grip his jaw in the same way as pilling, so it really wasn't a better option.

But I know that every cat is different. And Willy's tumor locations complicate these procedures. So, from a vet's perspective, recommending a liquid medicine probably IS easier in most cases.

(Their recommended procedure was... "sit him on your lap, gently raise his lower jaw with one hand, and insert the syringe into the corner of his mouth; he will naturally open his mouth, then just squirt it into the center area on top of his tongue". Maybe that works with most cats... but in Willy's case... NOPE!)

The problem with all of these things is that the costs add up. The liquid compounded prednisolone was $60. If I got the shot instead, it would be $60-70. And I mentioned that his food is $60 per bag. This stuff is not easy for me to say, "let's just try this, and then go to a different option if it doesn't work." It's all adding up for me, as an independent contractor, where my income is directly proportional to the time I have to spend seeking out the work... so when I have a sick pet, and I am spending more time on him, my income goes down...

I don't want to be an independent contractor anymore, honestly. I want a 9-to-5 where I have a guaranteed paycheck and sick/vacation days again. As boring as that sounds...

Anyway... just saying that once I have committed to a $60 decision like "let's try the liquid med" I am now committed to a month's supply. It sucks.

Sorry for initiating a rant in there... I always felt like I could have a pet responsibly, and afford all the costs, until this cancer thing came up.

If worst comes to worst, and he refuses meds, I will find another way. But doing this on a budget is a very anxiety-provoking scenario.

The liquid medicine that's flavored does seem to be an easier option for most owners, but, not all cases are the same. For example, Goofy was the most laid back little cat ever. But, the minute I tried to syringe feed him a food he actively liked, he fought me tooth and nail (literally), and he was never a fractious cat who fought. It was clear that wasn't a good choice for him, and while a lot of cats adapt to syringe feeding it was clear this was not a good option *for him.*
I understand about being an IC. I think the assumption is you set your own wages, set your own hours and magically do less work while raking in more money, and that's not exactly how it goes. And with the prices of literally everything going up (seemingly every day) it doesn't make it any easier. I don't suppose it would be worth asking the pharmacy if they offer refunds, or at least partial...?

 

[cmshap]

Update: 11 days post-chemo (4th dose)...

I got a look inside Willy's left ear today, and it doesn't look good. There has been definite tumor growth inside the ear.

That's the ear that was bleeding last week, and it hasn't bled since last Wednesday, but I hadn't been looking inside of it much, as it was painful to the touch and the dried blood made it hard to see anything.

It's difficult for me to show via pictures from a cell phone, so I drew an outline around the general area of the mass in that ear.

Also, just looking at Willy's facial profile, I can tell his main tumor is getting larger again.

He still has a good appetite, so I am actually giving him a little extra prednisolone with every snack. The very unscientific nature of the drug delivery troubles me... (1) it's a suspension, so it needs to be shaken before administering, but there's no way to know of I've shaken it enough, or if the particular syringe draw actually collected a full dose of the medicine, and (2) I'm mixing it into a paste treat, making it a suspension-within-a-suspension. I can never be sure if he is getting a full 0.5 mg from every 5 mL of suspension, hence why I give a little extra every day now.

Anyway, I don't even know if prednisolone is making a difference. I'm observing tumor growth since he had chemotherapy 11 days ago, so I believe we are getting closer to the end of our story... but I would be happy to be wrong.

The problem I have right now is that I can see physical discomfort (he's always shaking his head and trying to scratch his face/ear, and I am almost positive he will end up making it bleed again), but his quality of life otherwise is still okay. He is eating normally, he doesn't seem lethargic, other than sleeping a lot, which is normal for him (he's not really sleeping any more than before cancer, at his age).

So I don't know when to make the appropriate call. I know all about the classic warning signs... hiding, lethargic, unresponsive , etc. But what about if his facial/ear tumors just keep growing, and cause him more and more physical discomfort or pain?

I took the OSU Honoring the Bond survey (under "End of life" > "How will I know?") again today, and Willy scored a 103. That was down from about a 110 last week. The scores are highly arbitrary, so I may have answered some questions slightly differently this time, but the main ones I know I reduced points from are "does not want to play" and "does not enjoy the same activities" (fewer points means more agreement with the statement). Willy does play occasionally, but has become less interested, for sure.

I probably could have answered those questions the same last week, but I wasn't thinking about it as much at the time. So I don't think only two data points (110, 103) mean anything yet, but I will continue running through the questions every few days and collect more data. (Also, there is no "key," so a score of 110 or 103 has no inherent meaning... it's all dependent on your pet's circumstances.)

I am a computer guy, and getting numerical data like this is helpful even if it is very arbitrary and not entirely precise. It will help me cope with the situation if I keep doing it. It's the best way for me, personally, to analyze what is happening over time.

(Edit: It's hard to tell the extent of the tumor protrusion around his left ear, based on the photos I provided. So I added another one on which I drew a yellow line to roughly illustrate what it looks like. These things have been changing rapidly, either in the positive or negative direction, which is why I have no idea what to expect. But I want to be ready for whichever way it goes.)

 

[Margot Lane]

I am so impressed with how stoic, scientific and just generally courageous and loving you are towards Willy. He truly has a great owner and you are doing everything you can. I think he knows it. I had a good amt of quality time with my cat on the pred, but that was pill form. My vet never even offered me a liquid form. Every moment is precious. Every lap session is cherished. So long as you both know that you are embracing every day with a full heart for one another.

 

[cmshap]

I am so impressed with how stoic, scientific and just generally courageous and loving you are towards Willy.

Thank you for the encouragement... I honestly need it.

I may seem stoic, but I am far from it. I am just trying to approach his care as scientifically and matter-of-factly as possible, but whenever I think about the eventual day of euthanasia, I am in tears.

If Willy is in pain or any other form of serious discomfort, I absolutely will not hesitate, and knowing that I am relieving suffering will make it a lot easier for me to do. So that's the main reason why I am taking a data-driven approach to this.

And documenting everything is helpful to me as well. I want somebody else to get at least one piece of helpful information out of this story some day. If it helps somebody else make a decision along the way with their cat, it was worth it for me to record everything.

These are all partially mitigating factors... I will still be saying goodbye to my best friend of the last decade, eventually. I have no idea how that is going to go.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I am so impressed with how stoic, scientific and just generally courageous and loving you are towards Willy. He truly has a great owner and you are doing everything you can. I think he knows it. I had a good amt of quality time with my cat on the pred, but that was pill form. My vet never even offered me a liquid form. Every moment is precious. Every lap session is cherished. So long as you both know that you are embracing every day with a full heart for one another.

Wonderful, loving and supportive thoughts, Margot Lane and I thank you for them, on behalf of all cat lovers/guardians.

 

[cmshap]

Update: 12 days post-chemo (4th dose)...

Tumor growth is happening by the day. I managed to get a good picture of Willy looking at me straight-on today, which is hard to do... so this is a good representation of what I am seeing, currently.

If you can't quite tell by this pic, some tissue in the upper-left corner surrounding his left eye is starting to be pulled to the side. And as you cannot see, the tumor inside his left ear has gotten bigger. I think it will eventually close off the ear entirely.

He is still in good spirits and does not seem to be in pain, just frequently annoyed by what probably feels like pressure on the side of his face. He frequently shakes his head lightly (it's not a violent shake, just a very mild shake, from side-to-side maybe 3-4 times... when he was bleeding, that was a much more violent shake).

This is what I mean when I say I don't know when to "call it." He's still eating perfectly well. He's not interested in playing anymore, but he still follows me around with his tail straight up and talks to me all day. That tells me he's feeling generally okay.

I'm now most worried about weekends. He's obviously having tumor growth, and it's fast. Things could turn on a dime on any given day. I would love to be able to take him to my local cat-only vet when it is time for euthanasia, but every major problem seems to happen on a weekend. The emergency pet hospital (where I take him for chemo) is a chaotic and scary place.

I left a message with the oncologist team describing what I'm observing, and asking if there's anything left that we can try. A "Hail-Mary pass," so to speak. Maybe a methylprednisolone shot? As I said, I am skeptical of this liquid oral prednisolone I am currently administering. I have no reason not to trust the local veterinary pharmacy that compounded it, but this does not seem to be a product that many people have encountered before. What if the liquid form actually is a crappy form of delivery? From what I understand of veterinary pharmaceuticals, and compounding, there is a hell of a lot of (educated) guesswork. I'd be much more comfortable with knowing that it was used in a larger percentage of the cat-patient population.

If nothing changes direction, I really don't see Willy making it to the next chemo appointment. I'm just being realistic. But as I always say, I would love to be wrong.

He's currently enjoying a good sleep, after spending some time on my lap.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Update: 12 days post-chemo (4th dose)...

Tumor growth is happening by the day. I managed to get a good picture of Willy looking at me straight-on today, which is hard to do... so this is a good representation of what I am seeing, currently.

If you can't quite tell by this pic, some tissue in the upper-left corner surrounding his left eye is starting to be pulled to the side. And as you cannot see, the tumor inside his left ear has gotten bigger. I think it will eventually close off the ear entirely.

He is still in good spirits and does not seem to be in pain, just frequently annoyed by what probably feels like pressure on the side of his face. He frequently shakes his head lightly (it's not a violent shake, just a very mild shake, from side-to-side maybe 3-4 times... when he was bleeding, that was a much more violent shake).

This is what I mean when I say I don't know when to "call it." He's still eating perfectly well. He's not interested in playing anymore, but he still follows me around with his tail straight up and talks to me all day. That tells me he's feeling generally okay.

I'm now most worried about weekends. He's obviously having tumor growth, and it's fast. Things could turn on a dime on any given day. I would love to be able to take him to my local cat-only vet when it is time for euthanasia, but every major problem seems to happen on a weekend. The emergency pet hospital (where I take him for chemo) is a chaotic and scary place.

I left a message with the oncologist team describing what I'm observing, and asking if there's anything left that we can try. A "Hail-Mary pass," so to speak. Maybe a methylprednisolone shot? As I said, I am skeptical of this liquid oral prednisolone I am currently administering. I have no reason not to trust the local veterinary pharmacy that compounded it, but this does not seem to be a product that many people have encountered before. What if the liquid form actually is a crappy form of delivery? From what I understand of veterinary pharmaceuticals, and compounding, there is a hell of a lot of (educated) guesswork. I'd be much more comfortable with knowing that it was used in a larger percentage of the cat-patient population.

If nothing changes direction, I really don't see Willy making it to the next chemo appointment. I'm just being realistic. But as I always say, I would love to be wrong.

He's currently enjoying a good sleep, after spending some time on my lap.

All the loving support to Willy. It's been said that "they will let you know when it is time" but in reality, this, like life itself, is usually not cut-and-dried. Our intuition can be, and most often is, very helpful and informative in situations like this, but bottom line, there is no "definite" and there is no "closure" for anyone with a heart and a soul. No matter what, and when, the decision, you will always have questions. For me personally, the fact of Willy's tail being up is good. Hoping the oncologist will be able to provide info and support quickly.
Cherish each day and moment.

 

[iPappy]

I would see if the vets have any Hail Mary things available. I keep thinking of Tag, and how in May 2022 he was basically sent home to die and oncology didn't promise anything good. A "hopeless" case. While he did eventually pass away from cancer related complications, he had another 4 1/2 months with me, and even experienced a brief remission when we decided to throw absolutely everything at him provided it would do no harm and he handled it well.
While I am glad Willy seems to feel generally well, my thoughts are with you because I know how horrible that feeling is that you must be experiencing. I'm hopeful the vets will have some ideas.

 

[cmshap]

While I am glad Willy seems to feel generally well, my thoughts are with you because I know how horrible that feeling is that you must be experiencing. I'm hopeful the vets will have some ideas.

Yes, the waiting is the worst part. I would honestly prefer if he would just tell me when it is time, if that were possible, but obviously it's not.

It's a huge amount of anxiety to take on every single day, from the moment you wake up, to the moment you go to sleep. I want him to live, but I also want to not constantly be worrying about how he feels, if he's okay, when I need to make the decision to end his life, etc. I hate having this responsibility, but I know it's part of the overall relationship that we take on when we bring them into our lives.

Its a paradox. I will probably be more at peace once he is gone... yet I don't want him to be gone. And I don't want to make the call too early, like I don't want to deprive him of even one day of life when he might wake up and still be happy to be alive.

But he can't tell me how he is feeling, so I don't know what to do, and that's the worst part of all of this.

Edit: Oncology got back to me, and they are putting together an estimate for possibly trying new drugs. But I was cautioned it will be expensive, and I can get no estimation of how likely it would work. Except that, since the two newest drugs being tried aren't working, its likely that Willy's lymphoma is just very drug-resistant.

They did not believe that a prednisolone shot would be helpful at all, and encouraged me to keep administering it as I am, if he is ingesting it well. I am giving him a double dose at this point, because why not? Like I said, I don't know how effective this method is, and he has tolerated steroids very well so far.

I was told to keep doing the quality of life survey. It may be unclear now, but if the physical discomfort becomes serious enough for Willy, it will manifest in the other QoL markers.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Yes, the waiting is the worst part. I would honestly prefer if he would just tell me when it is time, if that were possible, but obviously it's not.

It's a huge amount of anxiety to take on every single day, from the moment you wake up, to the moment you go to sleep. I want him to live, but I also want to not constantly be worrying about how he feels, if he's okay, when I need to make the decision to end his life, etc. I hate having this responsibility, but I know it's part of the overall relationship that we take on when we bring them into our lives.

Its a paradox. I will probably be more at peace once he is gone... yet I don't want him to be gone. And I don't want to make the call too early, like I don't want to deprive him of even one day of life when he might wake up and still be happy to be alive.

But he can't tell me how he is feeling, so I don't know what to do, and that's the worst part of all of this.

Edit: Oncology got back to me, and they are putting together an estimate for possibly trying new drugs. But I was cautioned it will be expensive, and I can get no estimation of how likely it would work. Except that, since the two newest drugs being tried aren't working, its likely that Willy's lymphoma is just very drug-resistant.

They did not believe that a prednisolone shot would be helpful at all, and encouraged me to keep administering it as I am, if he is ingesting it well. I am giving him a double dose at this point, because why not? Like I said, I don't know how effective this method is, and he has tolerated steroids very well so far.

I was told to keep doing the quality of life survey. It may be unclear now, but if the physical discomfort becomes serious enough for Willy, it will manifest in the other QoL markers.

I hope the update from the oncologist is helpful for you and for Willy.
I do beg to differ on "he can't tell me how he is feeling." I have been where you are MANY times, some of them involving feline loved ones with cancer. The paths taken were different. And when my beloved Sun was nearing the end of his earthly time with us after having gone through years of care for dry-form FIP, he definitely DID tell me. I could see in his eyes, and in his physical form, that he did not want to endure any more of what he was going through, so I made The Decision. Of course I felt terrible afterwards! but my feeling terrible was for ME, not for him as he clearly did not want to stay. In each of the many times I've had to make this call, I've had these feelings and I always will. Each of my loved ones who has left this earth of their own will has brought a different reaction in me, because I did not control it. But bottom line, I will forever miss, and completely love, each and every one of them and my ideology gives me the strength and knowledge that we will reunite in due time, though not in this earthly existence.

 

[cmshap]

I hope the update from the oncologist is helpful for you and for Willy.

I got a response already. It would be another $1,100-1,200 and the soonest to get him in would be next week.

With the caveat that we have already moved onto two new drugs that aren't working.

These are all the substances listed on the estimate that I have never seen before:

• Doxorubicin
• Dexamethasone
• Butorphanol
• Alfaxalone

His next scheduled appointment is in 2 weeks, and if we get to that stage, I might be able to swing $1,200. But before that, very likely not. And especially given the fact that we are really talking about Hail-Mary options here... if the lymphoma is already resistant to three drugs, the odds are already much lower than they otherwise would be.

I have some stuff to think about, but also while watching his condition progress. I could wake up tomorrow with it being worse than today, and so even if I have him treated in 1 week instead of 2, I have no idea what his condition will be like by next week.

The oncology office is closed for the day, but I'm going to leave another message and just ask, "what is the likelihood changing drugs again will make a difference?" Or, better yet, "If any of you in the onco dept. were in my position, and this was one of your cats, would any of you pursue further treatment?"

I strongly suspect the overall opinion is to just stop treatment and focus on comfort, but I want them to answer this question if they are allowed to.

I do beg to differ on "he can't tell me how he is feeling." I have been where you are MANY times, some of them involving feline loved ones with cancer. The paths taken were different. And when my beloved Sun was nearing the end of his earthly time with us after having gone through years of care for dry-form FIP, he definitely DID tell me. I could

I hope he does tell me, because that will make things much easier for both of us.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I got a response already. It would be another $1,100-1,200 and the soonest to get him in would be next week.

With the caveat that we have already moved onto two new drugs that aren't working.

These are all the substances listed on the estimate that I have never seen before:

• Doxorubicin
• Dexamethasone
• Butorphanol
• Alfaxalone

His next scheduled appointment is in 2 weeks, and if we get to that stage, I might be able to swing $1,200. But before that, very likely not. And especially given the fact that we are really talking about Hail-Mary options here... if the lymphoma is already resistant to three drugs, the odds are already much lower than they otherwise would be.

I have some stuff to think about, but also while watching his condition progress. I could wake up tomorrow with it being worse than today, and so even if I have him treated in 1 week instead of 2, I have no idea what his condition will be like by next week.

The oncology office is closed for the day, but I'm going to leave another message and just ask, "what is the likelihood changing drugs again will make a difference?" Or, better yet, "If any of you in the onco dept. were in my position, and this was one of your cats, would any of you pursue further treatment?"

I strongly suspect the overall opinion is to just stop treatment and focus on comfort, but I want them to answer this question if they are allowed to.



I hope he does tell me, because that will make things much easier for both of us.

It's good that you shared these options; hopefully someone(s) reading this thread will be able to give you more info on any or all of them, which, along with online search, may help.
Asking "if this was your cat, what would you do?" is an excellent response IMHO and one I always ask when I am not sure. THEY have the knowledge, and it might help to know. But bottom line, it's your decision based upon your relationship with Willy, and no one else has that experience.

 

[iPappy]

I don't know if vets are allowed to answer such a question or not, but I have asked it. With vets I know, the response is usually somewhere along the lines of yes, or a look that I know means probably not. It's a rough question to ask, and to be asked, but having their opinion is vital.
Another question I would ask about is the strength of these drugs, and if any cases that they're aware of that were close to Willy's were helped by them. I would also ask how quick acting they are, and if you should see long lasting improvement with one treatment, two, three, etc.

 

[cmshap]

I asked a question in the Crossing the Bridge forum, in case anyone is browsing here and hasn't seen it. I'm trying to formulate action plans for different scenarions.