Large cell lymphoma in my kitty

rubydoo67 · Apr 24, 2014

Unfortunately, I have now joined the ranks of those whose beloved kitties have been diagnosed with large cell lymphoma. I have spent countless hours scouring the web for info and similar stories so I thought if my story might help anyone I will begin posting

My 10yo Female DSH was acting a little off a few weeks ago. Nothing major just wanting more attention, sitting higher on my chest instead of lap, resting (but not hiding) in different and new locations. I then noticed she felt like skin and bones. Seemed like it happened overnight, though it didn't. But keeping in mind even a 1lb loss was almost 10% of her total body weight it was noticeable (she had lost 3lbs confirmed at vet)

Took her to vet fully expecting she had eaten another string, loss piece if Easter grass, etc. She is notorious balloon string,Maester grass, flower eater so could never keep that stuff around

Nothing physically detected but X-ray revealed possible mass on her stomach. Total shock but again thinking it was a foreign object. Since come to realize my story at this pint is typical of this illness

Had an ultra sound with needle aspirated. Confirmed suspected LC lymphoma. I am devasted ans cannot sleep a wink. She had finally stopped eating, only licking items here and there. Still drinking

Started Predisone yesterday and will soon start appetite stimulant. I was happy this am that she actually ate a bowl of food (her normal food)'. Maybe yesterday's dosage of prednisone helped somewhat. I have bought all kinds of "bad" food hoping just to get her to eat something

I know her prognosis is death, I'm still in shock. Out of my 5 cats, she is my favorite (although we parents shouldn't have favs, right?

). It is torture to me to watch her and look for any little sign of how she's feeling 24 hours a day. I hope the pred helps for awhile, but I feel so stressed, just waiting for death to come at some point. I need to shake that off and be happy she is not in pain and that the pred will work.

Our beloved pets.....warm our hearts and break them too.

jodiethierry64 · Apr 24, 2014

Rubydoo67 said:
Unfortunately, I have now joined the ranks of those whose beloved kitties have been diagnosed with large cell lymphoma. I have spent countless hours scouring the web for info and similar stories so I thought if my story might help anyone I will begin posting

My 10yo Female DSH was acting a little off a few weeks ago. Nothing major just wanting more attention, sitting higher on my chest instead of lap, resting (but not hiding) in different and new locations. I then noticed she felt like skin and bones. Seemed like it happened overnight, though it didn't. But keeping in mind even a 1lb loss was almost 10% of her total body weight it was noticeable (she had lost 3lbs confirmed at vet)

Took her to vet fully expecting she had eaten another string, loss piece if Easter grass, etc. She is notorious balloon string,Maester grass, flower eater so could never keep that stuff around

Nothing physically detected but X-ray revealed possible mass on her stomach. Total shock but again thinking it was a foreign object. Since come to realize my story at this pint is typical of this illness

Had an ultra sound with needle aspirated. Confirmed suspected LC lymphoma. I am devasted ans cannot sleep a wink. She had finally stopped eating, only licking items here and there. Still drinking

Started Predisone yesterday and will soon start appetite stimulant. I was happy this am that she actually ate a bowl of food (her normal food)'. Maybe yesterday's dosage of prednisone helped somewhat. I have bought all kinds of "bad" food hoping just to get her to eat something

I know her prognosis is death, I'm still in shock. Out of my 5 cats, she is my favorite (although we parents shouldn't have favs, right? ). It is torture to me to watch her and look for any little sign of how she's feeling 24 hours a day. I hope the pred helps for awhile, but I feel so stressed, just waiting for death to come at some point. I need to shake that off and be happy she is not in pain and that the pred will work.

Our beloved pets.....warm our hearts and break them too.

I'm so sorry to hear about your sweet baby. I loss my 12 1/2 yr old Petie to this in 2000. I know medicine has improved since then. My heart aches for you. I will pray for you and your sweet baby girl!

stephenq · Apr 24, 2014

@Rubydoo67 Hi and I'm so sorry for your news. It is devastating but hopefully you can get some remission and quality of life for a while.

What is your cat's name?

Is she on Prednisone or Prednisilone? Cat's generally respond better to prednisilone. And yes you can feed her whatever she wants. This is not the time to worry about "healthy" foods, just be careful when switching a wet food that you still do it over several days so she doesn't get diarrhea. Monitor her stool during the transition.

Would it help you to feel better if you posted a photo of her for all of us to admire? I'm sure we would love to see her. There is an icon in your tool bar above the "reply text window" that if you hover your mouse over it, it will say "insert image".

Sending you positive vibes!

rubydoo67 · Apr 24, 2014

image.jpg

rubydoo67
Apr 24, 2014
1

Thanks for the comforting comments. (See how atrocious my typing appears, darn tablets!)

What is your cat's name? Her name is Tiger

Is she on Prednisone or Prednisilone? Cat's generally respond better to prednisilone. ]She is on Prednisone. I called to double check it was the right prescription and the Dr. Indicated that was the correct medicine. I recall reading that Prednisone turns to Prednisolne in the system or something like that. Does that sound familiar?

Thanks for the help on adding a picture. Hope it works!

This is her 2nd day on Prednisone. She is taking 2 5mg tablets/day for 7 days and then regular dosing. Her cancer is such that her mass really wasn't a mass /tumor at a all, but rather a very thickened section of her stomach wall. No way to target that area at all. I didn't give her the appetite stimulate today, as the appetite has returned some and she is actually eating. I hate to over-medicate her at this point. Still not sure if this is good to do or not.

I will say that when I had her 1st X-rayed, the ver told me a 2nd dr would call with results as she was there the day the x-Ray was taken and would be somewhat familiar with the case. This Dr. Called and went on about how she knew 100% it was cancer, not sure if malignant or benign! but the mass on my cat's chest was huge. I had to say "what chest mass? My cat has a stomach mass!" She then told me she must have me confused with another case and to hold on while she got it straight! Ugh! My point to any reading is to be agressive, ask questions, demand explanations, etc. Drs are human and make errors too. My cat's case is not good regardless, but I shudder it think if my cat was actually okay and this dr had to me all this without us clarifying her mistake

Sending you positive vibes! Thank you!
[/quote]

denice · Apr 24, 2014

She is a cutie. Usually with these kitties they get to the point where there is nothing that they will eat including human food. Sometimes they become anemic, the first outward sign is labored breathing. I am so sorry you and your kitty are going through this. There seems to always be a few kitties here with lymphoma.

Please feel free to post anytime either with something going on with your kitty or just to vent.

rubydoo67 · Apr 24, 2014

Thanks Deniece. Yes, she is anemic but her gums and nose are still pretty pink and the internist wasn't that concerned about it. I will probably post a bit, I find it therapeutic and like I said, if it helps anyone at all, it's worth it. I personally scour the internet looking for similar situations when I face them and I'm sure others do too

Lymphoma is so common, I honestly had no idea. My last cat was 16 and I came home from work to find her meowing loudly hiding under a bed and unable to right herself. Turns out she suffered a major stroke and had to be euthanized that night. Compared to "waiting for a death", that truly was probably better overall for her and for my selfish self.

This sucks My poor baby!

jodiethierry64 · Apr 24, 2014

She's beautiful! I pray she goes in remission! Hugs and Kisses to you baby girl!

chalupa · Apr 24, 2014

Your Tiger is very beautiful, she looks very soft and has cute ears. I think you should start taking advantage of the pred and make her eat as healthy as possible since she might be feeling better she will hopefully not be as picky. Get the most out of that drug and enjoy every last second with her everyday.

That's so awful what happened to your last cat!

Thank you for posting the details of Tigers illness, I can relate.

I hope both of you are feeling a little better today.

stephenq · Apr 25, 2014

Tiger is a beauty!!! What an adorable cat she is, and I think she knows it!!

Yes prednisone is converted to prednisilone in cats bodies which is why in some cases vets will go straight to using the prednisilone, but not in all cases and each type of cancer is different.

i'm sending positive vibes for your beautiful girl!

rubydoo67 · May 7, 2014

Just continuing to document our journey with the LC lymphoma in my cat Tiger to help myself and perhaps help others who go through this...

It's been 2 weeks she's been on prednisone 10mg (2 5mg pills per day). The internist had also prescribed mirtazazene as an appetite stimulate. I didn't give this to her 1st week since she started eating more from just the Predisone, started her on 1/4 of the pill the following week "just in case". This was the dra. Prescription

Tiger is holding her own. She is not the same kitty as before, but she is active and eating and still wants cuddling. I've seen a little of her playful side here and there, but no where near it was. She is not in pain, is not hiding and is eating okay. I tried crappy food (which she has always loved ) figuring what does it matter? then changed my mind to try and give her the best health possible for the time she has left and bought top-of-the-line food to help her nutrition remain strong and her body as strong as possible

She sleeps quite a bit, and sleeps hard but I think it's from the medicine mostly. Giving some catnip which she likes too.

So, two weeks since the officiali diagnosis and we are steady. It's hard watching and waiting everyday for the sign she is in decline. I think my cat who passed from a stroke was easier to deal with since it was sudden. This is stressful to say the least!

chalupa · May 8, 2014

I feel your pain and stress. My cat is in same boat. Has both good and bad days. Glad u decided to a keep her on a healthy diet maybe it might help a little to make her feel better longer. My cat watches lots of cat entertainment videos mostly on my laptop.
Weird story, went to a new (new for me) neighborhood pet store other day I thought it was for dogs like a grooming place but saw one cat toy In window so went in. Got like ten different foods because cat quits eating everything. Owner was talking to me about one of the foods and I mumbled my Cat is sick, has lymphoma and the owner says do does mine! She then asked where do you go And turns out we have same dr! We have both chosen not to do chemo and her cat is also on prednisolone Have to go back and talk to her. My dr was a lot more helpful to her then to me so far noticed but she does own a pet store so makes good business sense. At least I can get my dr 's extra help second hand. She gave her as book called "veterinarian's guide to natural remedies" ( I think) found it on google books lAst night. The lady said I should find this Chinese herb that begins with an A but must look it up again sorry.
I hope You and your Tiger are having a good day today and it lasts the weekend, really appreciate the update.

rubydoo67 · May 8, 2014

I'm so sorry to hear about your cat as well. Sadly, I'm not surprised that one person receives more info from the same vet that another uses. I really think it's up to us owners to research, ask questions, get answers. We're the only voice are little ones have. Very similar to human doctors and having to control your own destiny in those healing arts as well. Vets have good and bad days and they might be thorough one day and brusque the next. Not saying it's right but it's life in this fast paced world. I'm sure your kitty is quite lucky having you to provide such care

Weirdly, after I wrote this post today, I find tonite my kitty is not doing so well. She is extremely lethargic and won't come sit with me. I can feel her bones all over, so depressing. I so so wish they could speak. ThT would be a super power I would ask for....talk to the animals.

.

.

Hang in there and prayers for you and your kitty

goholistic · May 8, 2014

@Rubydoo67, I'm so sorry about Ruby. This is so difficult to go through. My thoughts are with you.

I totally understand when it comes to favorites. Sebastian is my favorite and he's the one with all the problems (chronic pancreatitis).

chalupa · May 10, 2014

How is Tiger eating? My cats been very picky and I squirt water in her mouth with syringe sometimes with probiotic and enzyme mixture (she is prone to constipation). Cats also been licking or begging to lick rusty things and pavement but the behavior stopped slowly once I freaked out and asked my dr to give her iron and b vitamin injections. Just went back again week and a half later for blood test and said proteins are low, not sure why, but her red blood cell count was low normal range, which I think is what they look at for anemia. Dr says I should get her b 12 injections every week. She said I could do it at home but I am scared so they will do it again next week and maybe I will try myself with them there if they are able to let me. The thought was intimidating to me because the vet assistant holds the cat and the dr gives the shot. I am alone now so couldn't imagine. Part of me secretly hopes the dr will see her and do the injection every week for me and the will make me feel so much better knowing the dr saw her and thinks she's ok. Probably I'm dreaming and a tech will do it. So maybe what someone advised me on another thread I posted about anemia which was to use liqui-tinic or pet-tinic for anemia, you can buy it online. My dr likes liqui tinic better and it is really just bs and iron I think. Chalupa was outside playing this weekend so maybe what helped her could help yours. I really hope your Tiger is feeling better this weekend, take care of you two.

rubydoo67 · May 10, 2014

Hii

Sorry your kitty isn't doing so great with the anemia and eating. Tiger is eating and eating often, but she is still thin. She gets the appetitie stimulant every 3-4 days and the Predisone really helped. At first, I decided to just give her "crappy" food because that's what she liked and I figured it's better to eat crappy food than not eat at all but soon changed my mind and am buying quality food to keep nutrients I. Her. She was never a tremendous eater even when in her healthiest days (unlike a few of my other cats are are part piggies!).

I was told Tiger had anemia of chronic disease which translated means your cat is sick but we don't know of what and has anemia. Her nose is and gums are still pretty pink so it's more a medical diagnosis than a major issue foe her, at least for now. The Dr. Said it was the least of the concerns considering her terminal diagnosis. I had a dog that had cancer and anemia, his gums were white as snow so I can tell Tiger isn't too bad. She had a good red blood cell count.

I'm sure giving her injections of B12 is hard, but I. Sure it's easier on her for you to do it then have to go to the vet and get it done. Once you do it you'll be a pro! b12 is for energy, correct?

Glad Chulpa is feeling better after being outside. I had Tiger out today and she did okay. I think she had a bad night the other night, she's done better but she will never be her old self. It's hard to think of her gone one day, I swear it's torture to watch and wonder every day and night when the end is coming. I hope it's not for awhile, bit I certainly don't want my gal to suffer as I'm sure you don't either

Take care and would love to be updated on Chalupa's progress

cocheezie · May 11, 2014

chalupa said:
. Dr says I should get her b 12 injections every week. She said I could do it at home but I am scared so they will do it again next week and maybe I will try myself with them there if they are able to let me. The thought was intimidating to me because the vet assistant holds the cat and the dr gives the shot. I am alone now so couldn't imagine.

Giving an injection at home is easier than you think. I had to learn when my other cat became diabetic. My vet showed me what to do and let us practice with syringes of sterilized water. It is a simple procedure. You don't necessarily need someone to hold the cat down once you've become proficient with the procedure. This is a skill that you should learn and become comfortable with. If your cat's kidney's become compromised, your cat may need suq-q fluids which, for you, would mean going to the vet's office a lot for a vet tech to do it. Mine is on sub-q every 2 days. Being able to give a needle at home will save your cat the stress of numerous trips to the vet (and save the dint in your wallet).

Take a cat loving friend who lives nearby with you to the vet so they can learn also. There may be times when you feel uncomfortable doing it by yourself or you can't be home to give a shot, and your friend could help you out.

ldg · May 11, 2014

I'm so sorry for the diagnosis. :hugs:

:heart2:

Is there any specific reason you opted not to see an oncologist? Our kitty was diagnosed with a "massive" mass in his stomach - it was so large, on the x-ray all of his organs were squished to an extent it was hard to tell what was what, and they thought it was his spleen at first. Ultrasound revealed it was his stomach. He also had needle aspirate. He was given four weeks to live without treatment, and surgery wasn't an option. He additionally had bleeding ulcers.

We opted to see the oncologist, at least to learn about chemo. The approach in animals is quite different than in humans. We figured we could always start, and stop if it was too stressful for him, or if we couldn't afford it. We had no idea how we'd come up with the money.

But it didn't overly stress him (and the trip was 1.5 hours, minimum, one-way, each week for two months, then every other week for four, though for the last two, we transferred the treatment to our local vet, who worked with the oncologist to continue the same protocol), and we somehow came up with the money needed to pay for the treatments.

There were some ups and downs along the way, and he needed to be syringe fed at first, and a few times over the treatment. But he was diagnosed with the cancer at the end of July 2011. He completed his chemo at the end of January 2012. And he is doing GREAT (knock wood), and absolutely thriving. Still no sign of return of the cancer... :cross: This is unusual. But he was a fighter, so we gave him the chance. :heart2:

If you want to read his story, I chronicled it here: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/234030/mega-massive-vibes-for-lazlo-urgent

:vibes:

for you and your kitty. :heart2:

chalupa · May 12, 2014

Rubydoo: how is your cat on that appetite stimulant? Does she do anything strange? My cat is totally weird on it and it usually does not help but makes her act funny. I'm glad Tiger started feeling a little and it's nice if you can let them outside under watch if you can . I feel so bad leaving my cat inside where she just stares at the wall all day. You're rights about the dr thing sometimes they are awesome sometimes I feel like I'm just a bother because they have too many emergencies. I wrote my dr and asked her if they could let me do the injection next visit. I will try not to be too nervous about it wish I did have a friend nearby. Hopefully they won't have an emergency going on and someone with patience will help. Thanks to you and also coached is for encouragement, you're both totally right.

tinybash · May 12, 2014

Our wee Daisy had the same. We opted for chemo and had an extra 5 good months with her. We lost her 8 weeks ago. It's so hard to watch and wait but try and enjoy her for as long as she is happy. I'm so sorry for you.

rubydoo67 · May 13, 2014

is there any specific reason you opted not to see an oncologist?

LDG: First , so happy to your cat is doing well and responded so well to treatment. That's awesome! To answer your question, Our Dr. Indicated that it may prolong her life by a few days or a month. Tiger doesn't have a mass tumor, rather her stomach lining is enlarged (thickened) on one side. These are cancer cells that have enlarged it. He feels there is no way to treat them all as there are certainly more throughout the stomach. She also had indications on her lymph nodes and in front of her heart, but these were not malignant. I did ask him if this was his pet, what course of action would he take and he wouldnt have pursued chemo either, but would have done what we decided to do.

If I could get 1, 3 or even 5 more years for her is chemo, I would mortgage my home to do so. Unfortunately, her outcome will not be changed by chemo per our internist. She is also extremely stressed when traveling which wens felt would cause her an even earlier demise

Chalupa: the appetite stimulant doesn't seem to bother her, at least that I can tell. She only gets 1/4 of the tiny pill every few days. Tiger had no started resting in another new spot, which makes me sad. We had a bunch of company over the weekend so I hope it was just that and not her declining

I bought more food and decided to try a different texture of the same food (cubed vs pate style). She hates it! Go figure

Don't worry about the vet. They get pod so they should be available to help and I'm sure most love to, they went to a school for it. If your vet doesn't have patience under your circumstances, I would find another vet!

Tinybash; sorry about your Daisy. It's so hard to let go

Large cell lymphoma in my kitty

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