Lymphoma

I believe reading these case studies will be helpful to you.
http://felinelymphomacaregivers.org/cases.html

Since you ask what symptoms did it start with......With my cat the first symptom was an unquenchable thirst one can see with certain types of cancers. Then the projectile vomiting started. And the worst part was that he couldn't keep down any oral medications or supplements. (When they can, just that kind of treatment alone can keep them going for a long time. I remember one cat that survived for four years.)

PS:

An ultrasound would be a very good first step. It would show tumors that don't show up on X-rays. (It wouldn't be useful for finding intestinal lymphoma though.) If your vet is thinking of kidney lymphoma for instance, you'll want to rule out that possibility right away because age related chronic kidney failure is highly treatable with fluids, diet, Azodyl, etc, a cat can do very well with that for a very long time. For years. Please, schedule an abdominal ultrasound without delay. If he has some kind of cancer, you'll want to know. If he doesn't, there is so much you can do for him. A whole lot.

I posted about this a couple of days ago. I had my 14 (almost 15) year old cat at the vet on Friday. She took an x-ray and found a tumor close to his heart and another smaller one a little higher up in the chest wall. She told me it was likely a lymphoma and then started going on about the oncologist and ultrasound and biopsy and chemo, etc. and my first instinct was, yes, absolutely, anything and everything that it takes! But the more time i've had to think it over, I've decided to go the conservative route and give him prednisone and appetite stimulants to get him eating again.

My cat's symptoms were that I noticed he was not eating much. He used to eat a lot but he was down to hardly eating at all. Plus he has been steadily losing weight. It seemed like every time I weighed him, he was down again. He got a blood test, which showed elevated white cells, so we tried antibiotics. He was still not eating and kept losing weight. That's when I took him back to the vet and demanded an x-ray, which was what showed the tumors.

This has been one of the most difficult things I've ever had to decide. I talked with a lot of people, friends who have loved ones (humans) going through chemo, friends who have had tons of pets over the years for which they had to make these decisions, friends who love their pets as much as I love my beloved Micky, and I really thought about it realistically. This is only my opinion and you can do what you feel is best for your cat and your situation. But I can tell you that for my Micky to go to the doctor, it's a major trauma and highly stressful event. They always have to muzzle him. He spits, growls, hisses and practically makes himself sick because he gets so agitated. I know he doesn't feel well and I know that if I keep taking him to doctors to keep getting poked and prodded, he will only be further stressed and agitated. Right now, what he needs is peace and quiet and all the love I can give him.

So I decided not to take him to get all of those tests done. In my view, he is almost 15 and for him to start any kind of chemo at this point will only make him feel worse. Chemo will make him weaker and more sick. I don't want to do that to him. He's not a young kitten anymore, he's an old man, something like 70 in human years. In my opinion, for my situation, there's no guarantee that chemo would even work for him. And if it does, then what? I get an extra month or two? Great, but what's his quality of life going to be like at that point? I have to put his needs ahead of mine. And I'm 100% sure that if he could talk, he would say to me, Please don't take me to any more doctors.

His symptoms, besides the weight loss and not eating, he sleeps a lot more but when he's up he is still alert and walking around, occaisionally still meowing like he used to before he got sick. His demeanor and his behavior is just different. He hasn't had any vomiting or diarrhea, thankfully. He's just different. It's hard for me to explain, but I know his routine and his behavior and he has changed. He is not the same.

Anyway, I'm sorry to hear you're going through this, too. It's very difficult to not be able to communicate with them to ask them what they're feeling so you can help them better. All you can do is weigh all of your options and put your cat's needs ahead of your own (believe me, that's probably the hardest part because we all want them around a long time), and then make your choice.

Something I have learned through all of this is that you don't have to justify your decision to anyone. If you want to explore your options with an oncologist, then you should absolutely see what they have to say. You know your cat best, just make your decision based on what you know about your cat and what you think is best for him/her.

Hopefully this simple piece of information will be helpful to you.
http://www.vetinfo.com/diagnosis-feline-leukemia.html

Keep in mind, ultrasound is a completely painless, noninvasive test. A truly wonderful and invaluable diagnostic tool. It just may reveal the problem.

Another good article
http://www.peteducation.com/article....1+1376&aid=219

My Ootay (rb 5/09) had a lymphoma, on her hip. It started as a tiny bump that I showed the vet and she said"watch it". Ootay was 11 at the time. It suddenly grew so I brought her in to have it removed. It was biopsied and shown to be a malignant lymphoma. She never had a recurrence, but the change in her after it was removed was very dramatic.

She had slowed down a lot, and I had contributed it to age. After the tumor was removed she was like a kitten again and went on to live another 7 happy years.

For what it's worth, cats do much better with chemo than humans. I am not saying that because I think people should do chemo for their cats. I don't have an opinion either way.

I believe that each person knows his or her cat best, and should be the one to determine what is the best course of action, at the time. Animals and circumstances are always different and unique.

I am sorry you are dealing with this now.

It was an appallingly insensitive thing to do. I'm so very sorry it happened in this thread. (((((Hugs))))) Those people don't care. They have no conscience. The problem is, when someone registers, there is no way to know what that person will post. And that's how posts like these get on the forum.
I just want you to know I feel your pain and understand how upset you are.

My 9 yr old cat Sampson started throwing up on occasion and then gradually stopped eating and his thirst increased. He got fatigued. My first doc thought it was pancreatitis but after a week the meds hadn't worked so she sent me to an oncologist.

The oncologist did xrays and an ultrasound and found that he was loaded with tumors. She said he had only a few weeks if he didn't start chemo that moment! We went into panic mode - this wasn't just our baby, this was literally the only friend I'd had for 7 years and the cement that held us together - so we said OK to the chemo.

I'd always said I'd never do chemo - not myself and especially not to a pet - but I was in shock.

After 2 weeks and 2 treatments Sam started coming around. Those first 2 weeks were absolute hell. I agonized over if I was doing the right thing. After the 4th treatment he was 100% his old self!! He'd be down a little bit for about 36 hours after the chemo but then bounce right back. His spirit was so good! He took advantage of the time between treatments when he felt OK and ask to go for walks.

Gradually he got quieter (he was a big talker) and weaker but still insisted on walking and getting up the bed on his own. Then one day, he did his morning routine of herding my husband off to work, then getting me up and herding me to my office. I had to pick him up to put him in his chair, and when he looked up at me, his face said it all. He had done his duty for the last time.

After 9 treatments - 2 1/2 months - and $4000, Sam told me he had to let go.

I will never regret spending that money. His loss was - and is, 4 months later - the most devastating thing in my 49 years. But if we'd put him down that first day, I know I wouldn't be alive myself today.

We both needed time to say goodbye to each other. He was no more ready to say goodbye to me than I was to him. His last days were some of the best days of our life together.

I know you're going through a horrible experience. Whatever decision you make is the right one. I wish you peace and nothing but warmth and love for the two of you.

ginger