Hello all -
I'm new to the forum. I hate to say it but I was brought here based on the unfortunate news that my one cat has lymphoma. As you all know, this is devastating. He's been with me for 14 years. I got both of them as brothers. His brother is still going strong.
As so many here have experienced, just the diagnostics and running between vets and hospitals alone is expensive. I'm already up to $1000. The veterinarian now wants me to take him to an oncologist - preliminary fee estimates for treatment are around $4000 (consisting of pred and chlorambucil).
Now here comes my, perhaps, unconventional question. Have any of you had a vet prescribe those medications for at-home treatment? My vet does not feel comfortable giving cancer treatment and wants me to go to a specialist. While I appreciate that the hospital will closely monitor progress, do continual blood tests and adjust dosage, the reality is my poor pet is going to die without treatment, so can I really do any worse by giving low dosage of that medication? This route, while not as precise as the oncologist, definitely makes it within the realm of being affordable versus not affordable and watching him die.
Do vets prescribe those medications to allow people to administer at home? Or am I completely misguided for even thinking about this and it's only to be administered in a animal hospital?
Thanks for your input,
Chris
I'm new to the forum. I hate to say it but I was brought here based on the unfortunate news that my one cat has lymphoma. As you all know, this is devastating. He's been with me for 14 years. I got both of them as brothers. His brother is still going strong.
As so many here have experienced, just the diagnostics and running between vets and hospitals alone is expensive. I'm already up to $1000. The veterinarian now wants me to take him to an oncologist - preliminary fee estimates for treatment are around $4000 (consisting of pred and chlorambucil).
Now here comes my, perhaps, unconventional question. Have any of you had a vet prescribe those medications for at-home treatment? My vet does not feel comfortable giving cancer treatment and wants me to go to a specialist. While I appreciate that the hospital will closely monitor progress, do continual blood tests and adjust dosage, the reality is my poor pet is going to die without treatment, so can I really do any worse by giving low dosage of that medication? This route, while not as precise as the oncologist, definitely makes it within the realm of being affordable versus not affordable and watching him die.
Do vets prescribe those medications to allow people to administer at home? Or am I completely misguided for even thinking about this and it's only to be administered in a animal hospital?
Thanks for your input,
Chris