Removal of Mammary Tumors?

I took my cat Sandy to the vet to get checked for a large mammary tumor. The vet said he thought that if she had surgery, if the tumor is malignant, it would probably spread to each of the other teats, & if all those were removed, it would spread in her body.  I got a second opinion from another vet & she feels the same way. I dont want to put her through too many surgeries if it is going to cause it to spread. I have cared for injured & sick animals for a long time, & I am not too shocked by all this, but I dont look forward to losing her either. If you have experience with malignant mammary tumors, please post & give your feedback & experiences?

Sandy (female, approx. 7 years old)

My bro had something like that with his cat. Operation [surgery], but still spreading to the other tits.. I think they let it be, and she lived on, perhaps even two years more.  I dont think she suffered, they would pts her otherwise if she suffered for real... In the end they did pts her yes.

Good luck!

I am so sorry to hear about your girl Sandy .  It's kind of strange, because I had never heard of this until just recently, and now you are the 3rd poster within just the past month of two with the same issue.  Here are the other two stories, if it helps you at all:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/254947/mammary-cancer-im-so-distraught-right-now

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/254481/mammary-cancer-oh-no

Thank you for your reply. It give me some hope that maybe she can have a few more years with me. She was a rescue. A farmer was going to cull a bunch of kittens & he invited my daughter to come & have her pick. She had her pick & came home with 2 kittens, one Sandy (in the pic) and the other Sandy's brother Squeekers who is all gray (blue?). We bottle fed them both & they have been the best pets.

Thank you for your reply. I will look into the other posts. I never heard of this either until this happened. StefanZ you have given me a little hope that maybe she will be around for a while longer. I have changed her diet to organic w/more veggies & filtered water. Part of the lump in her mammary tumor 'deflated" & that made me ecstatic!!! I want to do my best for her while she is with me.