Vaccine-related fibrosarcoma

ktlynn

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Hi mlevin - I think it's great that the oncologist is "cautiously optimistic" - keeping my fingers crossed for you and your kitty that you did, in fact, catch the tumor early.

You have a lot to think about, and obviously more questions for the doctor - maybe once they're answered it will help you make your decision. Since time is of the essence in this situation, you'll need to make your choice as soon as you can. It's a tough spot to be in.

I loved your comment that "the cost doesn't matter to me... I just want to do what's best..." I don't doubt that you will do what's best for your baby.

Thanks so much for letting us know how it went today - I know lots of good wishes and prayers will be going out to you and your kitty.
 
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mlevin

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I'm wondering if it is worth getting a second opinion now. I'm not sure if there's really a lot of time to do that and I wonder if it will only make me start second-guessing myself...

And while I don't care that much, I wonder if prices vary significantly.

Did [m]any of you who faced this problem seek out second opinions?
 
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mlevin

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Originally Posted by Petnurse2265

It is Fort Dodge who has the sarcoma guarantee if it was thier vaccine that was used.
Thanks. So how do you go about claiming the money? And how much do they give you?

I hope my vet has records of which vaccine they used.
 

shrimplover

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This is a great thread for information! Thank you everyone for your
ideas and links.

Mlevin I really feel for you, and it looks like things have changed
therapeutically in just the last 5 years! When I was involved in the situation with my friend...it was still new..and many vets were uninformed.

I'll be eagerly watching for more on this and I hope you find the
treatment that extends your kittie's life.

I follow the vaccine controversies for humans too... and it is murky there
also.


Please keep us up to date!


ShrimpLover
 

petnurse2265

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Ask you vet which vaccines they use, if they do use the Fort Dodge (and you vet has it documented what was used and where the injection site is), then ask them to get you the number to contact Fort Dodge. I am just going by what are drug rep told us (he was in today, so I double checked).
 
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mlevin

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I took my cat back to the primary vet's office today for a recheck (to removal a suture from the biopsy and to look at his teeth as they did a dental cleaning and had to pull one -- we did both at the same time as they were putting him under anyway). I saw yet another vet today (I had to reschedule my appointment and the original vet wasn't in today). This was probably a good thing as I got yet another perspective.

I talked to this vet about the options and while she is not an oncologist, she was certainly familiar with this condition and the possible treatments and she concurred that given my cat's age and the good chances of removing the entire tumor, she strongly recommended the amputation. She said that's what she'd do with her own cat. She, like everyone else I've talked to, also told me that cats do remarkably well on three legs, especially when the missing leg is a hind leg (cats put most of their weight on the front legs), and she also pointed out that cat's don't really have a "sense of self" like we do, so he's not going to "feel bad" about it. So I'm feeling a little bit better (well, a little less terrible) about taking this approach.

So I've now talked to three vets, all of whom have both seen the cat's records and physically examined him, and I got a response online from another vet. They've all said the same thing. And I know that the vets I actually saw all trained at different places, but their answers were very consistent. This vet told me that if I wanted to see another oncologist to make me more comfortable, I could of course do that, but she doubted that another oncologist would tell me anything significantly different. For a tumor of this type and in this location, she said that amputation is very much the standard treatment. So I sort of feel like I've gotten several opinions now.

There's still a possibility that the CT scan will indicate that the tumor has extended into the pelvis. If that is the case, removing the leg won't help and they'd probably have to do radiation (and of course there would not be nearly as good a prognosis). But, again, she stressed that if it has not spread beyond the leg, then there's no question that the best thing to do is to take the limb.

I also asked about how this happens and she mentioned that studies have shown that this type of tumor can be associated with the feline leukemia vaccine, but she wasn't aware of it being associated with the rabies vaccine, which is what the first vet thought might be the case. It's also what the oncologist thought might be the case (although she did mention that the pathology didn't have all the hallmarks of a vaccine-related tumor). We may never know. But based on the location (right hind leg), that's what both the original vet and then oncologist suspected. Apparently the feline leukemia vaccine is given in the left hind leg, so that wouldn't explain a tumor on the right hind leg (the vet today said she hadn't seen this type of tumor on the right hind leg), but I suppose it is possible that at the clinic he went to before this one, they didn't follow the standard protocols and gave it in a different location.

So that's the update. The CT scan on Wednesday should tell us more.

Oh, and apparently his suture didn't need to be removed because it was already gone! I swear it was there a few days ago. I guess he decided it was time for it to go!
 
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mlevin

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Just thought I'd let you all know that the preliminary results of the CT scan (I haven't gotten the official report) showed that the tumor is not too deep and that surgery remains the best option. There was some concern that the tumor was too deep into the pelvis to be operable.
 

crazymomofour

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mlevin-
I am going through a very similar situation.
I just had my 9 yr old "Max" to the vet for a lump on his right hip. It has been there for 5 months and at one point actually seemed to be shrinking. I actually put off taking him to the vet bc. I feared their pushing the vaccines on him! The lump is not painful and he is very active and eating as usual. The vet said that the lump doesn't feel as if it has invaded the underlying tissue. So at first I was optimistic. Then the vet ran pre-surgical blood work and tests and I just got the results- no obvious spread to the chest cavity, all bloodwork normal except for a very low WBC (2.1). The vet wants to test him for Feline Leukemia (Max was tested and vaccinated in Jan./Feb of 2004 and not due to have a booster until 12/05). He wants to re-check the WBC in 7-10 days to see if it has gone up at all.
So much for feeling optimistic! Now I am really worried. While the Max seems fine, I have lost 5 pounds in 5 days, can't hardly eat and am shaking with fear over the possiblility of loosing my dear, sweet Max. He is the most wonderful cat I've ever had or met. He loves me so, I can see it when he looks at me. Even the techs at the vet comment repeatedly about how sweet he is. I feel like, if this is vaccine-related fibrosarcoma, I let Max down by getting the vaccines for him! Crying as I type this.......just wanted you to know that you are not alone and best wishes to you and your own dear kitty.
 
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mlevin

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crazymomofour:

I am so sorry to hear about this. I went through many different stages of dealing with this (and it's far from over). When the vet first told me what it MIGHT be, I was in a panic and couldn't eat or sleep until I got the results. Then when I finally got the diagnosis, I started reading up on it and heard all these terrible things and until I went to see the oncologist, I was terribly depressed as I as sure she was going to tell me there was nothing we could do. Now that she's told me that he has a good option but it requires amputation, I am trying to get comfortable with that -- and so many people have told me that it is really not as terrible as it sounds (at least for the cat).

I felt responsible, too -- and in many ways I still do -- but I am starting to deal with that as well. I feel like I made the best decision with the information I had been given at the time. When my cat was vaccinated, nobody told me about all these problems with the vaccines. So I am trying not to blame myself. I think we know a lot more about this now than we did even a few years ago. So I hope that the better (and more recently out of school) vets are telling people about the potential dangers of vaccines.

I haven't had the surgical consultation yet, but I remain hopeful that despite the barbaric-sounding treatment, I am able to give my cat many disease-free years.

I hope everything turns out well for you and your cat -- and just know that whatever decision you make for him, I'm sure he knows you love him.
 

crazymomofour

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Thanks, mlevin!

I've been on the 'net looking into alternative medical therapies to #1- raise his wbc by boosting his immune system and #2- treat Feline Leukemia/Sarcoma if that is what his diagnosis ends up being.
Feeling more calm today.........maybe just numb! Max seems fine, oblivious to my concerns. Oh, to be a cat!

Let us know what you decide and how your kitty responds.
 
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