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- Jun 2, 2015
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Hi all..
My name is Anne. I am looking more for support & prayers/good vibes/exc rather than advice at this point.
I have multiple cats (as I used to foster) but one of them is a 7-8 yr old Abyssinian named Alaska. I adopted her from a shelter back in 2009.
About a year ago she started losing weight. Took her to 3 vets over the last year & change and all I got was 'since you have multiple cats, then you should feed her separate' - did not work. (She saw the vet in Jan then again in March & had a dental in April as we thought maybe that was what was wrong)
She started declining badly the week before last. Started getting noticeably thinner, wouldn't eat, was weak.
Took her to another vet that was recommended. First thing she did was feel her stomach - she felt a knot. They took x - ray - could not see anything as she is skinny & she said they needed fat to see something. Lymphoma of course is suspected. Plan was to do a couple transfusions to build up her system then exploratory surgery. We got her typed - came back Thursday.
Vet ended up keeping her most of last week. I brought her home Wed - Friday. Friday night, after I took her home, vet clinic called & said that blood banks were out of her type of blood till Monday & the clinics who DID have blood were being nasty about selling it to us.
Thankfully they typed their office cat and she was a match (thank goodness even with her being an Aby she still has A blood!).
Transfusion did good for a day. Sunday she started regressing, yesterday even more so, as far as being weak/run down.
Her color did improve and is still good but of course not as great as it was Saturday.
Vet says she can refer me to a clinic that does ultrasounds if I don't want to do the surgery, but she said chances are she will still have to go thru surgery and that in all honesty she doesn't think she will survive that much longer & she wants to do the surgery ASAP. Our only chance is hoping that it is contained lymphoma and she can remove it (she also wants to look at kidney).
I trust the vet 100%, but I was talked down to yesterday in a FB group on lymphoma by one lady (everyone else was supportive) saying that surgery is unnecessary.
This vet is dedicated to her. She is coming in today to ensure my 2 DSHs get typed (am taking 2 of my cats in to type them since the clinic cat cant donate again for months). She updates me every day. She has been really nice despite me being so crazy.
I really feel that it is the best route for her - even tho she is weak.
I live in AR, which sorry to say is not the most animal friendly place ever. As the vet said she has not dealt with a situation like this as most people say 'put them to sleep' - as far as cats go. Dogs, some people ware willing to spend $ on, but not cats. She has done tons of research on it and really seems to be trying to do the absolute best by Alaska. She has updated me every single day, she stayed late last Friday so Alaska could get the transfusion THAT DAY. She used her own personal cat (the clinic cat) as the donor. She is a self proclaimed 'cat lady' and I know she has done great by her - esp considering the other 3 vets just shrugged us off.
I know it is not the best thing ever, but I feel it is the only chance she has. We are hoping both cats will be a match, that way we can have blood on hand for the surgery - 94-99% of DSH have her blood type so chances are pretty decent - she will have an IV cath & her heart rate/pulse/exc will be measured the whole time.
My work schedule sucks cause it is the same hrs as the vet is open but I am going to see if I can see her the day before surgery or maybe see if they can do it right after lunch & I can ask the boss if I can come back an hr or so late?
I feel awful having her @ the vet's office, but they are still giving her fluids. and monitoring her, so it is the best place for her.
As I have said multiple times and it sounds crazy - I really wish I could be like everyone else here and didn't care at all. I have pretty much eaten enough to keep myself going, but wouldn't be surprised if *I* have lost weight in the last week (not a bad thing lol). Pretty much constantly crying even now sitting at my desk @ work (which of course no one here understands so I am trying my best to hide it).
I understand, this might not be the smartest thing to do but as the vet said it is go big or do nothing & I just cant bring myself to have her PTS without trying or let her suffer and the cancer kill her (I had a human friend who died of cancer last August & he was in so much pain).
If she can go in there & take out the lymphoma, we can start chemo & hopefully her anemia will go away. Of course it isn't a fix as it is not curable, but it would at least buy us some more time. I am not ready for her to die & clearly she is not ready either. The vet finally admitted to me yesterday she didn't think she would live this long. But without surgery I am afraid she will give up. But with surgery she might not make it thru - altho ALL PRECAUTIONS will be in place. The vet says of course there is huge risk with her being weak but with a transfusion & with her will to fight that she thinks she might make it thru. If it is non removable, pretty much she is dead.
The thought of her dying on the table with me making the decision to proceed kills me. The thought of her continuing down this path and wasting away kills me. The thought of me having to have her PTS kills me.
Knowing that I have volunteered my 2 other cats to get their blood drained makes me feel guilty.
I have anxiety issues anyway, but almost had a full blown panic attack on Friday waiting for her to get her transfusion & ended up having to take an Ativan which I haven't had to take in over 3 years.
All my friends/family are either acting like she is already dead, or think I should have her PTS, or just flat out tell me she is going to die. While they are not at all bad people, they don't 'get it' as to them - and pretty much the rest of the state - cats don't matter.
And I thought joining the lymphoma group would be a good thing but ended up being reemed by a lady who is in there - altho I am sure she knows what she is talking about when she says that surgery without an ultrasound is stupid, my cat doesn't have very much time. Bumping her up with a transfusion then doing the surgery seem like the most plausible options. It isn't that I am unwilling to take advice, it is that I have to do what my gut & the vet tell me is right.
1st pic is Alaska a couple years ago, 2nd pic is her last Thur when I had her home (was feeding her in bathroom), 3rd is her right before she was admitted Saturday May 23rd, the rest are pics of her back in April of last year. (She is an inside only cat but I do let them out in the privacy fenced yard WHILE I SUPERVISE - a few times during the year when it is nice weather)
ETA - I do not know what the blood work says, I am not a DVM - I do know she has been checked 3x for thyroid - negative. She was checked for diabetes as she secreted glucose in her urine - negative. I know there are people who will ask for her blood work on here, but as I said, the decision has been made and I am just really, really looking for support. I have weighed the options & the vet has been open to giving me a referal but Alaska knows this vet & this vet is beyond wonderful with her (and with me) so I dont want to continue to put off what is going to inevitably happen (surgery), as there is nothing we can do to 'build her up' in anticipation of it except another transfusion. I do know her BUN and creatnine were on the high side of normal, which is another reason she wants to go in - so she can check out the kidneys.
Anyway, I thank all of you who read thru my novel/
My name is Anne. I am looking more for support & prayers/good vibes/exc rather than advice at this point.
I have multiple cats (as I used to foster) but one of them is a 7-8 yr old Abyssinian named Alaska. I adopted her from a shelter back in 2009.
About a year ago she started losing weight. Took her to 3 vets over the last year & change and all I got was 'since you have multiple cats, then you should feed her separate' - did not work. (She saw the vet in Jan then again in March & had a dental in April as we thought maybe that was what was wrong)
She started declining badly the week before last. Started getting noticeably thinner, wouldn't eat, was weak.
Took her to another vet that was recommended. First thing she did was feel her stomach - she felt a knot. They took x - ray - could not see anything as she is skinny & she said they needed fat to see something. Lymphoma of course is suspected. Plan was to do a couple transfusions to build up her system then exploratory surgery. We got her typed - came back Thursday.
Vet ended up keeping her most of last week. I brought her home Wed - Friday. Friday night, after I took her home, vet clinic called & said that blood banks were out of her type of blood till Monday & the clinics who DID have blood were being nasty about selling it to us.
Thankfully they typed their office cat and she was a match (thank goodness even with her being an Aby she still has A blood!).
Transfusion did good for a day. Sunday she started regressing, yesterday even more so, as far as being weak/run down.
Her color did improve and is still good but of course not as great as it was Saturday.
Vet says she can refer me to a clinic that does ultrasounds if I don't want to do the surgery, but she said chances are she will still have to go thru surgery and that in all honesty she doesn't think she will survive that much longer & she wants to do the surgery ASAP. Our only chance is hoping that it is contained lymphoma and she can remove it (she also wants to look at kidney).
I trust the vet 100%, but I was talked down to yesterday in a FB group on lymphoma by one lady (everyone else was supportive) saying that surgery is unnecessary.
This vet is dedicated to her. She is coming in today to ensure my 2 DSHs get typed (am taking 2 of my cats in to type them since the clinic cat cant donate again for months). She updates me every day. She has been really nice despite me being so crazy.
I really feel that it is the best route for her - even tho she is weak.
I live in AR, which sorry to say is not the most animal friendly place ever. As the vet said she has not dealt with a situation like this as most people say 'put them to sleep' - as far as cats go. Dogs, some people ware willing to spend $ on, but not cats. She has done tons of research on it and really seems to be trying to do the absolute best by Alaska. She has updated me every single day, she stayed late last Friday so Alaska could get the transfusion THAT DAY. She used her own personal cat (the clinic cat) as the donor. She is a self proclaimed 'cat lady' and I know she has done great by her - esp considering the other 3 vets just shrugged us off.
I know it is not the best thing ever, but I feel it is the only chance she has. We are hoping both cats will be a match, that way we can have blood on hand for the surgery - 94-99% of DSH have her blood type so chances are pretty decent - she will have an IV cath & her heart rate/pulse/exc will be measured the whole time.
My work schedule sucks cause it is the same hrs as the vet is open but I am going to see if I can see her the day before surgery or maybe see if they can do it right after lunch & I can ask the boss if I can come back an hr or so late?
I feel awful having her @ the vet's office, but they are still giving her fluids. and monitoring her, so it is the best place for her.
As I have said multiple times and it sounds crazy - I really wish I could be like everyone else here and didn't care at all. I have pretty much eaten enough to keep myself going, but wouldn't be surprised if *I* have lost weight in the last week (not a bad thing lol). Pretty much constantly crying even now sitting at my desk @ work (which of course no one here understands so I am trying my best to hide it).
I understand, this might not be the smartest thing to do but as the vet said it is go big or do nothing & I just cant bring myself to have her PTS without trying or let her suffer and the cancer kill her (I had a human friend who died of cancer last August & he was in so much pain).
If she can go in there & take out the lymphoma, we can start chemo & hopefully her anemia will go away. Of course it isn't a fix as it is not curable, but it would at least buy us some more time. I am not ready for her to die & clearly she is not ready either. The vet finally admitted to me yesterday she didn't think she would live this long. But without surgery I am afraid she will give up. But with surgery she might not make it thru - altho ALL PRECAUTIONS will be in place. The vet says of course there is huge risk with her being weak but with a transfusion & with her will to fight that she thinks she might make it thru. If it is non removable, pretty much she is dead.
The thought of her dying on the table with me making the decision to proceed kills me. The thought of her continuing down this path and wasting away kills me. The thought of me having to have her PTS kills me.
Knowing that I have volunteered my 2 other cats to get their blood drained makes me feel guilty.
I have anxiety issues anyway, but almost had a full blown panic attack on Friday waiting for her to get her transfusion & ended up having to take an Ativan which I haven't had to take in over 3 years.
All my friends/family are either acting like she is already dead, or think I should have her PTS, or just flat out tell me she is going to die. While they are not at all bad people, they don't 'get it' as to them - and pretty much the rest of the state - cats don't matter.
And I thought joining the lymphoma group would be a good thing but ended up being reemed by a lady who is in there - altho I am sure she knows what she is talking about when she says that surgery without an ultrasound is stupid, my cat doesn't have very much time. Bumping her up with a transfusion then doing the surgery seem like the most plausible options. It isn't that I am unwilling to take advice, it is that I have to do what my gut & the vet tell me is right.
1st pic is Alaska a couple years ago, 2nd pic is her last Thur when I had her home (was feeding her in bathroom), 3rd is her right before she was admitted Saturday May 23rd, the rest are pics of her back in April of last year. (She is an inside only cat but I do let them out in the privacy fenced yard WHILE I SUPERVISE - a few times during the year when it is nice weather)
ETA - I do not know what the blood work says, I am not a DVM - I do know she has been checked 3x for thyroid - negative. She was checked for diabetes as she secreted glucose in her urine - negative. I know there are people who will ask for her blood work on here, but as I said, the decision has been made and I am just really, really looking for support. I have weighed the options & the vet has been open to giving me a referal but Alaska knows this vet & this vet is beyond wonderful with her (and with me) so I dont want to continue to put off what is going to inevitably happen (surgery), as there is nothing we can do to 'build her up' in anticipation of it except another transfusion. I do know her BUN and creatnine were on the high side of normal, which is another reason she wants to go in - so she can check out the kidneys.
Anyway, I thank all of you who read thru my novel/