Anemia-can my vet do anything for anemia?

Hi

I am sorry this has been so hard on you and your sweet kitty. It sounds like she sure gave all she had to stay with you here. I am so sorry she has such a bad cancer and that really there isn't any treatment for it. I wish there was. I wish there was something that could be done to extend her life and keep her comfortable.

The decision to euthanize is such a final decision. Once done it is done and can't be undone. I know you know that. I know everyone knows that but sometimes you have to say it. It is so scary and then no matter what you are left with doubt when it is done and you second guess yourself about your choice forever. I know I have.

I have to go back to what the lady who's cat Amanda had cancer said to me "Life just isn't fun for her anymore" and I think that is a good way to look at it. Life should be fun. If not, what is the point. It isn't about them making life fun for us, although they do. It is about them and us making the best decisions we can for them. Sometimes you try heroics and do everything you can to save them. If that doesn't work you have to come to realize that sometimes the best decision to make is to let them leave their bodies with dignity and peace.

I had a cat once that I couldn't save. She was very ill with hepatic lipidosis and pancreatitis. It may have been more than that, I don't know. She was very ill and I was working at a regular vet hospital and didn't know what I do now. I tried all I could. Had a specialist come in and do biopsy and ultrasound etc. Back then that was a huge deal as nobody did that then for animals. I had her at home hooked up to IV fluids and set up in a cage. I did force feeding and really tried. This is before they put feeding tubes into cats. I buried my head into every book and called every contact I had. I sat up night after night. I really truly though that if I really tried I could save her. If I really believed and applied myself I could save her. She could be that one in a million miracle cat that lived and I would have done anything to have her live. After being up for days and nights with her I finally passed out. I awoke to her dead half way across the bedroom floor. I knew she would die. I had disconnected the fluids and left the cage unlatched. I did so in a defeated stupor from exhaustion. I got the biopsy results back the same day. From the time I had first thought something wasn't right and the vet said she was fine but I did bloodwork anyway, till the time she was dead was less than a week. But in that week I made her suffer. She could barely breath towards the end. She had so much fluid built up everywhere. She was so very sick. And I couldn't come to terms with her death because I thought if I really tried hard enough maybe just maybe she would live. She didn't and I should have put her to sleep. She was three years old. Had I put her to sleep I would be saying I should have tried.

Sometimes there isn't anything you can do but let them leave this world peacefully. Rarely do they die quietly at home. I know mine didn't. I know I slept through what must have been awful. I still feel horrible about that and that was so very long ago. I was in my early 20's then and I was so ignorant.

I am so sorry for what you are going through. Remember that you are the only one who really knows your cat and how she is doing. You are the best one to make a decision. Listen to your gut.

Hi @Quiet    @cat nap  @Rubydoo67   

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences read them over a couple times, but keep getting interrupted to reply. Been working a lot more than I'd like to lately. Chalupa is pretty much the same, though not really worse, think pedialyte helped,. Can't really say she's ready yet. In my head been letting her go which in a way might make things easier on her. Really don't understand her condition, sometimes she seems awful and I get scared, other times she seems to get a little more lively and energy out of nowhere. Life may not be so much fun for her anymore, but can't say she's not interested, still has crazy energy to try to run after other neighborhood cats nearby (not that I let her) and a desire to check outside. Really appreciate all the support, this is my first time dealing with this.

Wish everyone the best, more laters

Going to try getting her to drink goats milk or syringe feed if I have to. People at the neighborhood pet store have been telling me to get try goats milk for her but never get off work early enough to make it there. Luckily I live by a healthy independent pet store, they are so supportive. She just can't seem to eat anymore more than seconds. Don't wAnt to force feed because she might throw up. Seems nauseous more often lately.
Staying one spot lately it's in the kitchen on a shelf. Sometimes she will just sit there and meow like a calling meow until I come to her then she stops and just looks looks at me , stares in my eyes. This cat is really big on staring contests, she's the only cat that doesn't freak out with this, she tries to get eye contact with people. Doesn't wAnt food or outside, don't know what she wants, sure she doesn't have much energy.

Try to get goat's milk that's really fresh with the furthest possible expiry date. I don't drink goat's milk, but friends do - and they say the goat's milk tastes differently (not as good) when it gets close to its expiry date and won't buy a carton if the expiry date is close.

@ Quiet , your story about the cat you tried to save is so sad. Know I could never handle doing even close to what you did for that cat, you really tried. I know someone else with a lot of guilt for keeping a cat going for 2 years, that had given up. They urge me every day to not make her suffer longer. Although they don't see her, take advice into consideration . Going through this letting go phase and I think it's good for both of us. really was trying to save Chalupa and keep her going but now realize I need to let things happen. That's the only way I know when it's really time. Although, this illness is tricky andso is Chalupa

Goats milk was good idea and got her new dry food too. She won't eat wet or baby food but will still nibble dry and drink the milk. Also giving her pedialyte and miralax. She is actually not doing bad at all past few days I think. Not really losing weight somehow even though hardly eating not sure why. Seems like everytime I think I need to think about when I might bring her in to be put to sleep she knows and acts a little better. I don't think she is ready yet. Her lack of appetite though tells me she's getting close.

chalupa said:

Goats milk was good idea and got her new dry food too. She won't eat wet or baby food but will still nibble dry and drink the milk. Also giving her pedialyte and miralax. She is actually not doing bad at all past few days I think. Not really losing weight somehow even though hardly eating not sure why. Seems like everytime I think I need to think about when I might bring her in to be put to sleep she knows and acts a little better. I don't think she is ready yet. Her lack of appetite though tells me she's getting close.

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I'm still following this thread. My thoughts are with you as you go through this with Chalupa. 

Just popping in to say I'm thinking of you and Chulupa. It's so stressful I know:Chat Noir:

Chalupa has had a bad couple of days. Just before these few days she seemed to be hanging in there, relatively. She is now salivating and drooling since yesterday, or maybe this has been happening and it was not enough to notice. she still will eat dry food. Not a lot, but she will, was drinking goat milk in small doses last week, but lost interest. This weekend picked her up goat yogurt and she seemed to like that, could that have made her sicker? Last night she threw up yellow orange liquid once, it did have tiny red specks maybe could be blood. She did not feel like eating yesterday except for little yogurt in really early morning Sunday. saw that she might be salivating/drooling a little. Gave her dose of cerenia yesterday and today. Also gave her Pepcid ac today. She is still grooming but seems like her saliva is turning her white paws light brown where she licks them. When she shakes her head, sprays spit everywhere. She is not hiding at all, has remained in open area like on two different places where her bed is in the middle of everything. She still seems to want to be the center of attention. She doesn't look great, but she's purring a lot. Keeps getting up to nibble dry food. She has been having a bowel movement everyday, just had one. Did not seem to make her feel better. Her stomach is noisy. No vomiting since yesterday that I'm aware of, been at work. Haven't seen her like this in a while with the saliva, reminds me of when she had the rupture, when the sickness will began. Saliva is not thick in her mouth yet though. I don't know if this might pass, this time seems like maybe it won't somehow. We have made it through some rough patches before but seems too much like she was back on fall now. Not sure how long I should give her, or just get it over with now.

Also could this be bacterial and helped with antibiotics?

Is she dehydrated from the drooling? 

Hi @chalupa   I think that bacterial question is one that only a vet can answer since they do swabs for bacteria and send them off to labs.  But with a terminal illness, I don't even know what the vet would do?

  You did say that you respected your vet and her treatment and decisions....so could you email her and ask what she thought?

called my vet and she said I could try the antibiotics as Hail Mary sort of thing or something. Since Chalupa is still eating and not hiding she wasn't sure. Chalupa smells like wet dry food though. Seems like her food was coming back up without vomiting if that makes sense. It did stop a bit but she still smells this is all past 24 hours. Giving her unsalted broth and pedialyte, not sure if she is dehydrated, threw up once I know of and think it was stomach acid from not eating. She looks comfortable when she sleeps . Dr did not want me to bring her in. She thinks she won't handle it. I think she would, but only to be put to sleep. She not drooling that much but she has saliva around her mouth and it drops and drools only sometimes. She did stop salivating this morning, I think when I left for work. I gave her clavamix antibiotic last night and miralax, cerenia, Pepcid ac .

Would it be too weird to have her put to sleep ion way to work and just drop her off? Maybe on reality can't do that . Just don't want to go home after. And don't want to stay And look at her Will chicken out.

I'm so sorry to hear this! You have done a lot for Chulpa no doubt.

Not that you asked, but try and stay for your cat when the time comes. You don't want to leave Chulupa alone, she will need to smell you and have some comfort. You can always leave once she is asleep, before the final dose. I always hate to think of my poor pet alone with strangers on a cold table, probably frightened. This is your last act of love for Chulupa, you will want to go home and cry for sure. I still do.

My sympathy on this turn of events

chalupa said:

Would it be too weird to have her put to sleep ion way to work and just drop her off? Maybe on reality can't do that . Just don't want to go home after. And don't want to stay And look at her Will chicken out.

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Are you thinking that it's her time to be put to sleep?  Is there a possibility your vet will do it at your home?  I know you said you didn't want to go home afterwards, may I ask why?

I know, just worried about chickening out. Almost think I would want to stop them and take her home. Really don't want to be at home without Chalupa after. At work I'm used to her not being there, at home it will be much more noticeable.

Vet actually said for us, in our situation, she would wait a little while before I take her in. We are trying antibiotics.
Vet also said she thinks Chalupa might quietly pass away at home. She hasn't seen her though since blood test.
with the antiemetic she was having food particles just kind of oozing out of her mouth. Think she ate more past 48 hours than in long time. This seems like when her intestine ruptured, her ears were really hot other day.

Yikes!  Do you think her intestines ruptured again?

This is what caused her rupture in first place for first surgery but test came back negative for cancer