Lola's fight with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (I'm going to say goodbye to my cat)

[betsygee]

What a sweetheart. I hope you have many more good days with Lola. :rub:

 

[foxxycat]

Beautiful baby! Hoping you have many more days. So very hard to say good bye. There's a page that talks about the life scale if you Google it. I think it's called Life scale? It sounds like she has beat the odds several times!

 

[Antonio65]

 
Beautiful baby! Hoping you have many more days. So very hard to say good bye. There's a page that talks about the life scale if you Google it. I think it's called Life scale? It sounds like she has beat the odds several times!

Thanks everybody!

Foxxycat, I had found something of the kind in the past days, some links to those pages orginated from a thread in this forum, and according to all of them for my cat it should be time to take a decision.

But when i see that she's having some more good days I'm glad I haven't picked up the phone!

 

[Mia6]

You will know when it's time. She will probably stop taking the syringe. Kirsten's last day was very peaceful. She even sat on my lap,

used the litter box, and purred. She then went into her cabinet on the soft cotton shirts that smell like Gain. I checked on her several

times. She was only in there about 4 hours before she passed but i was peaceful,

mia

 

[frajude]

Antonio it is always hard to make a decision to put an animal to sleep.  I have done it only once and the animal does not suffer at all.  I am faced with a similar thing although it is not a pet.  I have some cattle my bull and three cows were born 11 years ago and they were about 6 months old when they came.  All of the other cattle were born there and raised by me.  One of the cows had an injury and is not able to stand.  The vet gave her a steroid shot but if that does not work I will have to have her shot.  

I have too many cats all of whom are feral or strays and also were about 4 months old when I found them.  One of the strays looks like another stray that used to come.  He ("Blackie"  would play with me through the door.  Driving to my farm, I saw him on the street dead.  He is buried in the field by my house.  When I saw what is probably a kitten that is related to "Blackie" I took him in.  He sleeps with me at night and I know how you must feel to lose a friend.  It might help to find a stray that needs a home.  It will not erase the passing, it will just give another animal a chance and in time you might come to have another best friend.

There is a point at which the quality of life is affected.  I am a survivor of colon cancer. My mom had it and she had a non reversible surgery.  Were mine to come back, I already know I will not have that surgery.  May God be with you both!

 

[cataan]

A friend of mine had a 10 year old golden retriever -- a big one -- that had cancer.  He was told by two vets that surgery wouldn't save the dog, and that at 10 years of age and being a big dog, he was very old.  A third vet said it was possible to save him, the surgery was performed, and the dog lived to 14!

In a different situation, I had a cat with terminal heart disease who lived 16 months after we saved his life from a thrown clot.  We were told just euthanize him the condition is terminal - we said hell no we're going to do whatever we can for him.  Meds eventually had less and less effect, and I hate to say that we waited a day too long to euthanize him.  I know he was suffering, really drowning, before the vet euthanized him at home.  Really wish it had been done at least 12 hours before, that would have been the perfect balance of him living as long as possible without undue suffering.

Just know going into whatever you decide to do or not do, you don't get any take-backs.

 

[Antonio65]

You will know when it's time. She will probably stop taking the syringe. Kirsten's last day was very peaceful. She even sat on my lap,
used the litter box, and purred. She then went into her cabinet on the soft cotton shirts that smell like Gain. I checked on her several
times. She was only in there about 4 hours before she passed but i was peaceful,

mia

This morning Lola wasn't too keen to take the syringe, but she still likes to follow me around, curl on my lap and explore the house. She wanted to get out in the garden a few minutes ago but it's pouring rain today.
She looks a bit down today, but we had a similar day a week ago and she recovered the next day. Her eyes are still bright and alert.

 

[Antonio65]

It might help to find a stray that needs a home.  It will not erase the passing, it will just give another animal a chance and in time you might come to have another best friend.

There is a point at which the quality of life is affected.  I am a survivor of colon cancer. My mom had it and she had a non reversible surgery.  Were mine to come back, I already know I will not have that surgery.  May God be with you both!

I'm so sorry to read about your situation, I do hope you won't have to pass through another surgery!
Right now I don't fell like I could adopt another cat....

A friend of mine had a 10 year old golden retriever -- a big one -- that had cancer.  He was told by two vets that surgery wouldn't save the dog, and that at 10 years of age and being a big dog, he was very old.  A third vet said it was possible to save him, the surgery was performed, and the dog lived to 14!

In a different situation, I had a cat with terminal heart disease who lived 16 months after we saved his life from a thrown clot.  We were told just euthanize him the condition is terminal - we said hell no we're going to do whatever we can for him.  Meds eventually had less and less effect, and I hate to say that we waited a day too long to euthanize him.  I know he was suffering, really drowning, before the vet euthanized him at home.  Really wish it had been done at least 12 hours before, that would have been the perfect balance of him living as long as possible without undue suffering.

Just know going into whatever you decide to do or not do, you don't get any take-backs.

In my case no surgery is possible unless we remove part or the whole jaw and that it's not life for anybody!
A surgery could have been done several months ago, but the doctors didn't see the tiny mass under Lola's tongue in the CT scan, those criminals!

 

[solomonar]

In humans, there is artificial prothesys for the jaw.  Biomechatronics for cats may also exist.

 

[Antonio65]

In the last two days Lola has been great.

Yesterday she was so fine and lively that if it wasn't for the syringe feeding that I have to perform three or four times a day, she really looked like a young cat, I recognised her as she was in the last summer!

This morning I woke up and she was still sleeping in her bed on the couch, and when I lifted her to check her I found a large blood stain on the traning pad I lay on her bed to protect it from stains due to her constant drooling and night peeing.

I was in shock because I couldn't figure it out where all that blood was coming from, then I saw some traces of blood clots around her mouth. I looked into her mouth and a large blood clot was where the tongue should have been. I removed the clot and rinsed her mouth with some water and everyting was fine.

For a few minutes I panicked, but after this treatment she was rather fine as her last usual. She had her breakfast with the syringe and one hour ago she had her lunch.

So far so good... still... we're living day by day.

 

[foxxycat]

What a courageous soul you are. Hats off to you. Hoping that you get a bit more time with your baby. Someone else on here had a cat with jaw cancer. They did a posting every week about what they did.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/316100/...ill-loved-one-i-share-with-you-simons-journey  

I think you can find some information about how they managed. Simon loved life and lived quite a bit with his condition. Maybe there's some help to ease feedings and other things.

Did they send you home with any pain meds for her mouth? Simon was on pain meds and they seemed to help. I truly hope you guys can at least get a few weeks/months or however long is left to treasure each other.

 

[Mia6]

Sounds like Lola taking it day by day. Lovely Lola.

Hugs,

Mia

 

[artiemom]

@foxxycat    Thank you for mentioning and linking Simons story. I was was thinking of the similarities.. 

Love to Lola and to you @Antonio65  ....(((hugs))

 

[Antonio65]

 
What a courageous soul you are. Hats off to you. Hoping that you get a bit more time with your baby. Someone else on here had a cat with jaw cancer. They did a posting every week about what they did.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/316100/...ill-loved-one-i-share-with-you-simons-journey  

I think you can find some information about how they managed. Simon loved life and lived quite a bit with his condition. Maybe there's some help to ease feedings and other things.

Did they send you home with any pain meds for her mouth? Simon was on pain meds and they seemed to help. I truly hope you guys can at least get a few weeks/months or however long is left to treasure each other.

Foxxycat, thanks for the link to Simon's story, I have read the first page and the last ones when Simon wento to the Rainbow Bridge.

I will read the whole thread a bit at the time. So sorry for him, a very brave cat, as his owners.

The only med we are giving Lola is the Metacam, 0.3 ml every second day. It should help lessen the inflammation and give Lola a relief from any possible pain. So far she hasn't shown any pain, or at least she has concealed it very well. Her chin is swollen, warm and hard to touch, this is the sign of what's going on inside her mouth, but the only distress she feels must be an itch because she is rubbing her chin on whatever thing she finds.

My cat Lola is giving me a powerful demonstration of zest for life. It should be very unfair of me to stop her life unless it gets impossible to live for her.

Thanks again!

 

[foxxycat]

You mention that the area is warm and hard to touch-did they consider it could be infection? Does it smell foul? Abscess can give off a foul odor and be hot to the touch. Just asking incase this is what it is. Sometimes it's not unusual for an infection to be going on as well as a tumor. There are a few options they can try. The meds have to be fed orally for most of them. Or the one shot that works for 2 weeks. Convenia. I don't know if you guys have this in Italy. Convenia works on skin infection types and may help. Clavamox is a broad spectrum antibiotic that could also be appropriate if the vet determines there could be infection going on. Hoping you guys have some good quality days left.  

 

[Mia6]

Antonia,

If you feel she is itching you could give her some Diphenhydramine, Benadryl, It is an over the counter med for allergies.

My vet prescribed it for my cats when they had colds and it is widely used here in the US in cats and dogs for itching

due to skin probs. For cats you would need to use the liquid. Maybe speak to vet about the dosage.

Hugs,

Mia

 

[Antonio65]

 
You mention that the area is warm and hard to touch-did they consider it could be infection? Does it smell foul? Abscess can give off a foul odor and be hot to the touch. Just asking incase this is what it is. Sometimes it's not unusual for an infection to be going on as well as a tumor. There are a few options they can try. The meds have to be fed orally for most of them. Or the one shot that works for 2 weeks. Convenia. I don't know if you guys have this in Italy. Convenia works on skin infection types and may help. Clavamox is a broad spectrum antibiotic that could also be appropriate if the vet determines there could be infection going on. Hoping you guys have some good quality days left.  

You don't know, or maybe you do know, how much did I hope it was just an infection.

When I realized of what she had in her mouth it was around mid-September 2016. One morning I woke up and found a few drops of blood into the water bowl. Because at an earlier veterinary visit they told me that Lola could have some gingivitis, I thought that she had lost a tooth and that her gums were bleeding. So I checked into her mouth and saw a lump under her tongue. I pushed her into the carrier and ran to the clinic, it was 7 am. The two doctors at the clinic tried to reassure me, it certainly wasn't what I feared, they had seen this thing before and managed it no problem. According to them it was just a glossitis, an infection of the tongue or the nearby tissues, so they gave us a prescritpion for ten days of Clyndamicin. After a week or ten days without any improvement I went back to the vets and they told me that probably it was a very bad infection and it needed a week more of antibiotics. It was early October when a biopsy was done and the lab sent me back a report where it was cancer without the least doubt.

We went to a visit with a cancer doctor that sent us to the only place in Italy where they do radiation therapy for animals. It's a place that I know well, unfortunately, because we went there 5 years before for a cancer in her nose. The cancer has been treated with chemo and radiations. They told me that in the best scenario we should have had 8-12 months past the treatment.

The smell out of her mouth is sometimes bad, impossible to stand, sometimes it's just a bit worse than usual cat breath. In the last two or three days it's less bad, last week it was impossible to resist.

We do have Convenia in Italy, she has had three shots so far, the first one on Feb 1, the second on Feb 13 (when part of her tongue was removed because it was in necrosis) and the last one on last Wednesday.

I think that if it wasn't for the antibiotic, the necrosis of the consequences of it would have been much worse.

I have read some more pages in the thread of Simon's Story. There's one thing that reminds me of the last hours. This morning Lola was weak on her back legs, she was limping and losing her balance. Every now and then she was shaking her right back leg as if it was numb. She was better later on.

Is it a sign? What is the cause that had Simon's legs get weak? Does cancer in the mouth affect back legs?

 

[Antonio65]

 
Antonia,

If you feel she is itching you could give her some Diphenhydramine, Benadryl, It is an over the counter med for allergies.

My vet prescribed it for my cats when they had colds and it is widely used here in the US in cats and dogs for itching

due to skin probs. For cats you would need to use the liquid. Maybe speak to vet about the dosage.

Hugs,

Mia

Mia, I think that the itch is due to the swelling of her chin and it comes from the inside of her tissue. Any med given on the outside wouldn't solve the problem that is deeper in her skin.

She's been rubbing so hard in the last days that she's scratched herself. I put an ointment called Iruxol that help sore skin and wounds to regenerate.

Currently I'm not talking to any vet because they let me understand that this case is not more interesting, Lola is terminally ill, any action is wasted.

 

[foxxycat]

 

 
You mention that the area is warm and hard to touch-did they consider it could be infection? Does it smell foul? Abscess can give off a foul odor and be hot to the touch. Just asking incase this is what it is. Sometimes it's not unusual for an infection to be going on as well as a tumor. There are a few options they can try. The meds have to be fed orally for most of them. Or the one shot that works for 2 weeks. Convenia. I don't know if you guys have this in Italy. Convenia works on skin infection types and may help. Clavamox is a broad spectrum antibiotic that could also be appropriate if the vet determines there could be infection going on. Hoping you guys have some good quality days left.  

You don't know, or maybe you do know, how much did I hope it was just an infection.

When I realized of what she had in her mouth it was around mid-September 2016. One morning I woke up and found a few drops of blood into the water bowl. Because at an earlier veterinary visit they told me that Lola could have some gingivitis, I thought that she had lost a tooth and that her gums were bleeding. So I checked into her mouth and saw a lump under her tongue. I pushed her into the carrier and ran to the clinic, it was 7 am. The two doctors at the clinic tried to reassure me, it certainly wasn't what I feared, they had seen this thing before and managed it no problem. According to them it was just a glossitis, an infection of the tongue or the nearby tissues, so they gave us a prescritpion for ten days of Clyndamicin. After a week or ten days without any improvement I went back to the vets and they told me that probably it was a very bad infection and it needed a week more of antibiotics. It was early October when a biopsy was done and the lab sent me back a report where it was cancer without the least doubt.

We went to a visit with a cancer doctor that sent us to the only place in Italy where they do radiation therapy for animals. It's a place that I know well, unfortunately, because we went there 5 years before for a cancer in her nose. The cancer has been treated with chemo and radiations. They told me that in the best scenario we should have had 8-12 months past the treatment.

The smell out of her mouth is sometimes bad, impossible to stand, sometimes it's just a bit worse than usual cat breath. In the last two or three days it's less bad, last week it was impossible to resist.

We do have Convenia in Italy, she has had three shots so far, the first one on Feb 1, the second on Feb 13 (when part of her tongue was removed because it was in necrosis) and the last one on last Wednesday.

I think that if it wasn't for the antibiotic, the necrosis of the consequences of it would have been much worse.

I have read some more pages in the thread of Simon's Story. There's one thing that reminds me of the last hours. This morning Lola was weak on her back legs, she was limping and losing her balance. Every now and then she was shaking her right back leg as if it was numb. She was better later on.

Is it a sign? What is the cause that had Simon's legs get weak? Does cancer in the mouth affect back legs?

@2Cats4everLoved  Hi Honey, I gave them Simon's thread-could you help answer questions?

I am so very sorry for the diagnosis=yes now I recall you already said she had been tested. I don't have any answers. I am heartbroken for you. Sending you warm hugs around the World in NH, USA.

The limping=maybe needs fluids? Do they let you give sub fluids at home? If nothing else it will help keep her hydrated until it's time. I made the mistake of forgoing fluids on the last day of my cancer kitty Floey last July. It made it harder to find a vein for the end. I can't even begin to imagine how scared and upset you are feeling. I was angry at the universe for weeks. I still am. Loosing our babies hurts so damn much.

The Convenia is probably helping keeping nasty infections at bay. I am so very sorry. All you can do at this point= hydrate/heat/comfort/food and make sure airways are open. Also keep her clean from bathroom trips. I sending you so many hugs and wish it was a different outcome. I HATE CANCER

 

[2Cats4everLoved]

@foxxycat  - by all means pass my thread around if you think it will help others.  

@Antonio65

I really need to go back and read your entire thread.  I haven't really been on TCS in the past week, so I apologize for not getting back to you sooner.  I'm so sorry for your situation with sweet girl Lola.  I just logged on today and saw your purraise for my thread Simon's Journey, it took me by surprised, as I always forget that Simon is still making a difference and people are still reading.

Simon was diagnosed Feb 11th 2016, it wasn't until his last week or really the last few days when he got very wobbly.  I believe it was due to lack of intake of water, those last few days, I feverishly tried to syringe feed him water, while I think he got some, looking back, I don't think he got enough and his kidney's were failing at a rapid rate and dehydration was at an all time high.

In my opinion, the tumor grew practically overnight and blocked his throat in a way that he could no longer swallow.  I made a comment in my thread were when I would lay with Simon on the bed face to face, he'd take his paw and cover my mouth, he'd press pretty hard and I think now, he was telling me it was getting harder for him.  

Even though he got wobbly and it's obvious from the pictures that the tumor disfigured him quite a bit, his personality still shined bright, and me being a positive person took it as a sign that he still wanted to be with us.  I knew he wasn't in pain because of the Buprenex pain meds.

I know there were some who thought I should have put him to rest before, but every time I considered that, he'd show me interest in Life.  He passed in the around 4:30ish in the morning, with his paw in my hand.  I still don't think I would have done anything different for him,  We had a special bond.

Now my Chestnut who was also 13 years, had other issues and she passed in December, Chess was also a Tortie.

Only you and you alone know your sweet girl, so I say follow your heart and just pay close attention on her attitude.  Lola will let you know when it's time. 

It's important to make sure she's eating and getting water.

One of my tricks for syringe feeding was using a small syringe.  I used the syringe that came with the meds, I forget the two sizes, but I do have a picture in my thread I can post.

If you have any other  questions or just want to chat privately - please feel free to send me a private message.  

Please know I'm here for you and your sweet girl.  One thing that's important, try to stay calm, speak to her in your usual tone and try to be as normal as possible.  I noticed that Simon picked up on my sadness and in turn, he would get depressed by my sadness.

Love you you and Lola xoxoxoxoxox Big Hugs to you and your sweet girl.  Hang in there - Hope

Simon was put on Clindamycin which cleared up the infection in his mouth right from the start.  As I said, I don't know the entire history and have to go back and read.  But this antibiotic worked wonders and I believe prolonged his life a few months.