Cindy is having surgery later this week

[misty8723]

Now we just wait for the biopsy results.

  Maybe tomorrow.

 

[misty8723]

The results are in.  It is a mast cell tumor.  I don't know much about it yet, except that they got it all, but that it could come back.  We have an appointment next Friday morning to get her staples out and talk to the oncologist.  My vet was very encouraging,  She has a cat who had mast cell over 2 years ago and he is still doing great!  The oncologist we are meeting with is the same one who did the chemo for her cat, so we are optimistic that we will have Miss Cindy for a little longer anyway

Oh, and the liver biopsy was negative, so it hadn't spread!

 

[ldg]

So do they know if it is benign or cancerous? My understanding is that about 90% of mast cell tumors are benign? :dk: I kind of think cancer, because you're seeing the oncologist, but really wasn't sure. :anon:

Either way, the liver biopsy was negative, and that's great news!!!!

Continued !!!!

 

[misty8723]

 I did speak with the oncologist at the hospital where she had the surgery (he called yesterday with the results), and he didn't actually say cancer or benign.  But he did talk about chemo and meeting with an oncologist when we get her stitches removed, so my assumption is that it was cancerous.  The great news it that apparently it hasn't spread, and also apparently there are effective treatments, so we are hopeful.  We'll know more, of course, after we meeting with the oncologist who will do the chemo next Friday.  Thanks for the continued support, I can't tell you how much it means to me. 

 

[ldg]

Yeah, that's what I figured. But it hasn't spread, which is FANTASTIC, and it's treatable, which is also FANTASTIC!

So the first time you meet with the oncologist is a week from today? That's how we did it - went to see/meet the oncologist, and chemo was started right away. :nod:

Continued !!!!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

So..sounds like good news?  Not the BEST possible, but not the worst either

.   How's her surgical recovery going? 

for a good visit next week with the oncologist.

 

[misty8723]

I think it's good news ..  especially as I was expecting lymphoma the bad kind and maybe a 50-50 shot.  My vet said it was the best diagnosis we could have gotten in the situation.  Her cat had it and 2 years later (after chemo) still going strong (same oncologist we will be having).  Cindy's recovery is remarkable, she's much more relaxed (even with the staples) than she's been in a long time, and the only issue is trying to keep her from jumping.  If only I could get a little weight back on her now.

Yes, the oncologist appointment is Friday at 9:15.  He is very much in demand, and we were fortunate to get a cancellation. I'm thinking they may do that with Cindy, start the chemo right away, but we'll see what he has to say.  My vet said for her cat it was a pill(s) every 3 weeks or something like that.  There were two options she mentioned, but also said they might have come up with others by now, and she would trust the oncologist completely.  So...we just wait and see.  We are looking at this week as a "vacation" for all of us 

 

[misty8723]

Since I'm still sitting up here in the hallway (see previous thread titled "Worrying"

), I thought I'd revive this old thread about Cindy for an update.  I haven't been on the board much due to lack of time, but I'm still so grateful for everyone's support.  Cindy has been getting Lumostatan (and I know that's spelled wrong, but I'm not up to going over to look it up) every 4 weeks (or 5 weeks a couple times when her white cell count was too low for chemo) and doing great on it.  No side effects other than she is a little more subdued for a few days after she gets a treatment.  After the first treatment, we had to take her our vet for a blood test every week for the 4 weeks between treatments, but after that it was just blood tests at the hospital the day she was scheduled for her chemo.  Plus a little checkup as well.  Last Monday she had her 5th treatment, and the oncologist said since she's tolerating it so well, he wants to do one more.  Then we will discuss what we do next.  With the 4th treatment, they did an ultrasound to compare to the initial ultrasound they did before her surgery, and the oncologist said it was "normal."  She's been doing really good, almost back to her old self.  Still can't get much weight on her, but my vet (whose cat had the same type of cancer and treatment) said he never did gain a lot of weight back either, so maybe I just have to live with that.  They've told us not to worry, but every time I hear she's down an ounce or two, I freak out. 

When she went for her 4th treatment, she had a couple infections on her skin and the oncologist sent us home with an antibiotic to treat.  He said there was nothing to aspirate and he didn't think they were cancer, and that if the antibiotics cleared up the infections it wasn't cancer.  So the sores were starting to heal nicely when she started scratching again. She scratched and scratched and created a bunch of new infections - as well as licking a sore spot where they had shaved her for the ultrasound.  So I called the hospital and said I would take her to my regular vet.  One thing - she's had issues like this since we got her.  Her first vet visit was because she had licked her back legs raw.  And the antibiotic the oncologist gave us was different than the one she usually get.  Turned out she had yeast infection in her ears! So no wonder she was itching.  Vet gave us the antibiotic she usually takes, and a dose of pred and drops for her ears (which she hated).  All of the sores are cleared up, and she still scratches a bit but nothing like she was doing.

Had a little scare and had some XRays taken yesterday, which the vet said looked fine.  So basically, she's doing great, and we are so greatful that we have our little Cindy Lou back! 

 

[ldg]

That is GREAT news! I'm SO glad she's been handling the treatments so well. :heart2:

As to the weight loss, what are you feeding her? Can you incorporate some high fat foods into her diet, like EVO (canned) maybe? Does she like egg yolks? (Cooked is fine!) Those are packed with calories, vitamin D (which is now being used as an anti-cancer treatment), omega 3s and choline, all really healthy for her. If she likes them, you can feed a couple a week. It might help!

!!!

 

[misty8723]

Thank you LDG, I will try some of those suggetions for getting some weight on her.  I have a hard boiled egg in the fridge I was thinking about taking to work tomorrow, but maybe instead I'll see if she will eat the yolk.  She's always been picky, and I've also been trying to find a dry food to replace the California Natural but haven't come up with one she'll eat.  Right now I'm giving her mainly Fancy Feast and Soulistic because I know most of the time she'll eat those, or at least lick the gravy. With the Fancy Feast, the Classics, at least she gets some of the food and not just gravy. What about kitten food?  Is that safe to feed her some of the time?  My vet has a cat who had the same kind of cancer and treatment, and she said he never did put a lot of the weight back on (it's been nearly 3 years).  And they've told us, as long as she isn't emaciated, she is fine.  I just would like to get her up over 7 pounds again, because I think she's a little thin, but maybe that's just me.

The good news is she just hit me up for some food when I went upstairs, and she hasn't thrown up again.

 

[ldg]

Well, both of those are low-fat foods. High protein - but low fat, so it's unlikely she'll put on weight with those anyway. What about trying to mix in mostly FF, but with something higher fat?

Does she like chicken babyfood? I've found it to be an excellent "topper" for food I want my cats to eat that they think they don't want at first.

 

[misty8723]

Oh wow, that's good to know.  I'll get some of the baby food next time I'm in the store. She's such a little fuss pot, it's hard to say.  And I'll start looking for food with higher fat content, and  keep it away from Swanie.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I have been trying to get my girl to gain some weight, so have been using this chart to look for foods high in both protein AND fat, but low in carbs, and for her, low in phos.  Maybe this will help you find something (at least in the canned department)

http://catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPhosphorus9-22-12.pdf

On yes, I think kitten food would be good...I tried it, but Callie didn't really care for it.  I only buy one can at a time when using the above chart, because my girl is so very picky.   So far, though, she really likes Wellness Beef/Chicken combo, and Pinnacle Chicken/Fish and Chicken/Tuna.  Too bad Pinnacle doesn't make anything w/o fish

 

[misty8723]

Thank you for the chart!  My Cindy is picky as well, but maybe this will help find something she will eat.