*Need advice* Senior cat has Oral cancer

[LuluM]

Hello, my 17 year old cat has been diagnosed with oral cancer (SCC) after a dental surgery. Initially she needed two extractions and her x rays showed major tooth resorption which the vet said may have been caused by the tumor. The surgery went well but afterwards her lower jaw started swelling and she had difficulty eating. She would constantly drool and have some blood mixed in the drool so I took her back to the vet and that’s when they found an oral mass that grew so fast in the span of 15 days. They took samples of the mass and the lab results came back yesterday and unfortunately it was a cancerous tumor in her mouth. The vet said it was one of the more common cancers among cats and considering her age having her go through surgery or chemotherapy wouldn’t be the best. The best we can do is provide her the best comfort for however much time she has left. The vet provided us with prednisone, gabapentin, and mouthwash as that helps her the most and if her health were to decline we would have to discuss about the quality of her life. I’m not exactly sure how I can go about this as it’s the worst news we can get, all I can hope for is that her health doesn’t decline so soon. If anyone has any tips or advice on cats dealing with oral cancer it would greatly help. As of now the medication seems to help her and she’s eating and drinking fine but from here on out I want to provide her the best life I can give.

 

[LuluM]

I will also add a detailed description about her daily life for anyone curious how she is doing. We give her 1/2 dose of gabapentin as that helps her numb the pain without making her feel loopy, a bit of mouthwash that was given to us by our vet which helps numb the swelling, and prednisone (liquid syringe by mouth 0.6 ml) 2x a day which we have been giving for 1 week now. We feed her senior wet canned food (purina), baby food, and liquid senior lickable treats everyday without any limits as she tends to wake up whenever she is hungry and we feed her however much she likes. Due to the swelling from the oral mass she struggles with licking her food so she will resort to chomping her food regardless if it’s liquid so we do spoon feed her which makes it easier for her to eat. With the medication she does have a good appetite which is a good sign for now. She does drool and get food around her mouth so we wipe her mouth gently every time she eats or drinks. Since she now can’t groom herself well we wipe her down with a wet towel and brush her gently everyday. We made a cozy spot for her in the closet which she spends about half the day in there but will come out every so often to eat and sometimes jumps on the couch to nap.



As for her condition: the vet did check her other teeth and they were all fine as well as her blood work and vitals. She regularly goes to the litter box and can still run and jump without any problem. No visible swelling or discharge in her face. There isn’t any major issues with her current condition besides the struggle of eating due to the mass swelling (the prednisone seems to subdue the swelling since it isn’t getting any bigger). When she drifts off to sleep she sometimes shakes her head like slightly nodding which may be caused from the trauma of the surgery or the pain from the mass.



Any tips and advice is appreciated but specifically I want to know what else I could provide to prolong her life for example the type of wet food (any that help with cancer?), other medication or supplement that would help, methods to make eating easier, or advice on how to deal with this situation emotionally.



I don’t want to face it as the beginning of the end although I know it’s not possible to cure it. My heart has been feeling heavy since yesterday and I pray that she will live a lot longer than what the statistics say

 

[Furballsmom]

You are basically in hospice mode. She will be your main focus and your routines will revolve around her schedule. In my case I didn't mind when that happened with my angel Poppycat, because when the holidays came I had an excuse to stay home but in your case, you may find that people are less than understanding as to why you can't visit for prolonged periods or travel long distances, etc. That aside for the moment, you do need to be sure to take care of yourselves. Cats are extremely tuned in to our emotions, and physical exercise, going for walks, whatever you need to do, will help your emotional balance which in turn will help her.

Hand feeding whether with a spoon or a popsicle stick can sometimes be challenging to get enough calories in which is important to keep her immune system as strong as possible. You might look into some of the Weruva varieties to add to the menu (Weruva has worked to keep their foods as healthy as possible while still maintaining AAFCO requirements), and also Royal Canin mother and babycat pate. Pate varieties are easier to feed with.

Keep an eye on her weight with a weekly log.

If she isn't dealing with any other issues, (kidneys, thyroid) you should be able to manage just fine. If the swelling obstructs to the point that she becomes unable to take in food or water through her mouth, then that will put you at a crossroads (feeding tube etc).

I don't think she could have any better caretakers than you

 

[FeebysOwner]

I don't have much to offer, but I can tell you that the baby food meat can be made nutritionally complete for a cat by adding EZ Complete. This works well with all but the chicken flavor due to an issue with the calcium content. I supplement feed my cat with baby food meat, and with the help of the folks at EZComplete, all I need to do is mix 1/2 tsp into each 2.5 oz jar of food. It does break down the food so it becomes a bit soupy, but that sounds like that would be OK with your cat. You can always use an oral syringe to feed her if she would accept that too.

A feeding tube can be something to consider down the road when eating might become more difficult. She can still take food in via mouth just for the taste and her own pleasure. All meds can also be given via the feeding tube as well.

Prednisolone often can help slow down, and sometimes reverse some cancers, so that is a plus for her. Chemotherapy isn't as awful as it sounds for pets because it is not given with the intent to cure, but rather slow down/reverse cancers, so it is not the toll on pets that it is on humans. So, do yourself a favor and at least talk with an oncologist about what is and is not possible, and what to expect if you did pursue treatment.

I wish you and your baby all the best.

 

[LuluM]

You are basically in hospice mode. She will be your main focus and your routines will revolve around her schedule. In my case I didn't mind when that happened with my angel Poppycat, because when the holidays came I had an excuse to stay home but in your case, you may find that people are less than understanding as to why you can't visit for prolonged periods or travel long distances, etc. That aside for the moment, you do need to be sure to take care of yourselves. Cats are extremely tuned in to our emotions, and physical exercise, going for walks, whatever you need to do, will help your emotional balance which in turn will help her.

Hand feeding whether with a spoon or a popsicle stick can sometimes be challenging to get enough calories in which is important to keep her immune system as strong as possible. You might look into some of the Weruva varieties to add to the menu (Weruva has worked to keep their foods as healthy as possible while still maintaining AAFCO requirements), and also Royal Canin mother and babycat pate. Pate varieties are easier to feed with.

Keep an eye on her weight with a weekly log.

If she isn't dealing with any other issues, (kidneys, thyroid) you should be able to manage just fine. If the swelling obstructs to the point that she becomes unable to take in food or water through her mouth, then that will put you at a crossroads (feeding tube etc).

I don't think she could have any better caretakers than you

Thank you for the suggestions, I’ll look into those brands. She isn’t dealing with any other issues, but the vet did say her kidney levels are nearing the primary stages of kidney disease (not yet) although he said its a given due to her age and not in the stage where we need to be concerned. We used to feed her some kidney dry food but now I sometimes soak them in water to soften it and she likes to chomp down on those. Her weight is about 12.2 lbs so she isn’t near underweight for now. I plan to give my full attention to her since from here on out we won’t know how long she has. I do try to stay calm for the most part but I have trauma from a previous experience with my other cat which I think is why I feel such anxiety.

 

[LuluM]

I don't have much to offer, but I can tell you that the baby food meat can be made nutritionally complete for a cat by adding EZ Complete. This works well with all but the chicken flavor due to an issue with the calcium content. I supplement feed my cat with baby food meat, and with the help of the folks at EZComplete, all I need to do is mix 1/2 tsp into each 2.5 oz jar of food. It does break down the food so it becomes a bit soupy, but that sounds like that would be OK with your cat. You can always use an oral syringe to feed her if she would accept that too.

A feeding tube can be something to consider down the road when eating might become more difficult. She can still take food in via mouth just for the taste and her own pleasure. All meds can also be given via the feeding tube as well.

Prednisolone often can help slow down, and sometimes reverse some cancers, so that is a plus for her. Chemotherapy isn't as awful as it sounds for pets because it is not given with the intent to cure, but rather slow down/reverse cancers, so it is not the toll on pets that it is on humans. So, do yourself a favor and at least talk with an oncologist about what is and is not possible, and what to expect if you did pursue treatment.

I wish you and your baby all the best.

I appreciate the suggestions! I did talk with my vet about referring to an oncologist and I did some research of what’s available. It wasn’t the best choice since it was high risk and the prices were almost the same as treatment on humans and I honestly didn’t want to let my cat go through so much at her age but it definitely was an option I looked into since it was the only possible solution besides home care. I’m hopeful for the prednisone since it seems to work for her and as you said it may reverse cancers which is a silver lining for us. I hope it does slow down the growth of the mass

 

[Furballsmom]

I have trauma from a previous experience with my other cat which I think is why I feel such anxiety.

Honest to goodness, I never would have thought this would happen but Poppycat's last weekend, back in October last year 2022, was ugly. Sure enough, for Captain's first regular vet visit today, I had white coat syndrome

 

[LuluM]

Honest to goodness, I never would have thought this would happen but Poppycat's last weekend was ugly. Sure enough, for Captain's first regular vet visit today, I had white coat syndrome

I definitely relate, especially since it’s at the same vet and pretty much the same process too. It’s always the hardest for us

 

[Kris107]

As others have said, and you even said, the goal is to just keep her as comfortable as possible for as long as she has. Make memories and spoil her. I know right now this news might be raw and fresh, but tell yourself that you know her best. You know what makes her happy, what she will tolerate, how to make her more comfortable... you got this. Some is trial and error (with foods, meds, etc) but you both with figure out what works. We all should be so lucky to have someone who really knows and loves us to care for us during our final stage of life.

 

[daftcat75]

So sorry you and your cat are going through this. My first cat, Cabbie (Cabernet), developed oral SCC. My vet didn't offer us steroids or even gabapentin. Her quality of life cratered very quickly. After she spent a weekend under the bed, I made the call for her.

You are already way ahead of me and Cabbie with steroids and gabapentin and the forums here.

Oral SCC is an aggressive one. I'm relieved your vet is not wasting your money or her time on procedures that have a huge cost and a poor prognosis. Save your money to spoil her however you can in whatever time you have left.

I highly recommend asking your vet for a can (to start) of Hills A/D. Run it past her before you buy a case. It is a high calorie, high appeal recovery food meant for getting sick cats and dogs eating when they don't feel much like eating. In other words, it's perfect for this. It is also very rich. What I recommend is that if she likes it, and most cats and dogs do, to mix it in small amounts with a food she may not be eating enough of. As her eating slows, you can adjust the mix. And if she decides she only wants to eat the A/D, it's already a balanced food. You don't have to add anything to it. It's already a smooth food so it will be easy for her. Though depending on whether it's easier for her to use her tongue or her teeth, you may want to add it to a chunky food in case pates become too challenging for her. In other words, it's your miracle vitamin paste that will provide nutrients and she will want to eat it. If you do end up resorting to assisted feeding or a feeding tube, this will be the food your vet recommends for that.

I call it my Betty's "cake frosting." She will eat just about anything if there's a frosting layer of A/D on top. She takes her own meds in capsule form dipped in A/D and dropped on the carpet. Then she eats the starter strips of A/D I put in her food to make certain she's taking her meds with food without having to put her meds in her food. Sometimes she only eats the starter strips. But she'll come back to the plate when the meds have kicked in. Betty has suspected IBD and possible dental pain. We're not sure which yet until we finish weening her off the IBD meds. The A/D makes meds time easy peasy, and provides her a bridge food until the meds kick in. You may end up using A/D the same way with your cat. What's her name? Do you want to share pictures?

 

[LuluM]

So sorry you and your cat are going through this. My first cat, Cabbie (Cabernet), developed oral SCC. My vet didn't offer us steroids or even gabapentin. Her quality of life cratered very quickly. After she spent a weekend under the bed, I made the call for her.

You are already way ahead of me and Cabbie with steroids and gabapentin and the forums here.

Oral SCC is an aggressive one. I'm relieved your vet is not wasting your money or her time on procedures that have a huge cost and a poor prognosis. Save your money to spoil her however you can in whatever time you have left.

I highly recommend asking your vet for a can (to start) of Hills A/D. Run it past her before you buy a case. It is a high calorie, high appeal recovery food meant for getting sick cats and dogs eating when they don't feel much like eating. In other words, it's perfect for this. It is also very rich. What I recommend is that if she likes it, and most cats and dogs do, to mix it in small amounts with a food she may not be eating enough of. As her eating slows, you can adjust the mix. And if she decides she only wants to eat the A/D, it's already a balanced food. You don't have to add anything to it. It's already a smooth food so it will be easy for her. Though depending on whether it's easier for her to use her tongue or her teeth, you may want to add it to a chunky food in case pates become too challenging for her. In other words, it's your miracle vitamin paste that will provide nutrients and she will want to eat it. If you do end up resorting to assisted feeding or a feeding tube, this will be the food your vet recommends for that.

I call it my Betty's "cake frosting." She will eat just about anything if there's a frosting layer of A/D on top. She takes her own meds in capsule form dipped in A/D and dropped on the carpet. Then she eats the starter strips of A/D I put in her food to make certain she's taking her meds with food without having to put her meds in her food. Sometimes she only eats the starter strips. But she'll come back to the plate when the meds have kicked in. Betty has suspected IBD and possible dental pain. We're not sure which yet until we finish weening her off the IBD meds. The A/D makes meds time easy peasy, and provides her a bridge food until the meds kick in. You may end up using A/D the same way with your cat. What's her name? Do you want to share pictures?

Thank you for the recommendation! I’ll definitely ask my vet about that prescription. I’m glad your Betty eats it well For now my cat has a good appetite and finishes her food but if the time does come when her appetite decreases I will definitely get that for her. Her name is Momo and sure we can share pics

 

[LuluM]

What's her name? Do you want to share pictures?

This is Momo she’s quite the queen taking her naps wherever she pleases These pics were taken recently this month

 

[marshmallow2013]

I lost my beloved 12 year old cat, last October to scc mass under his tongue. The tumor grew so fast. He had dental cleaning just 8 months prior and had some gum inflammation. I only found out about the cancer 3 days before putting him to sleep. He started drooling only while he was eating and I cleaned him while feeding him just like you taking care of your little girl. I fed him beechnut stage 1 and gerber food stage 2 along with kitten pate. Six day before he passed, I noticed his breath was really bad, that was his only noticeable symptom. His drooling started only 2 days before. His tongue was not working properly and he was unable to lick the food. I had only hours to make the painful decision to have him euthanized. He was not hiding.He kept trying to eat but the base of his tongue was paralyzed.
Everything you are doing is exactly what my vet instructed me to do and feed. Sadly, I only had a weekend with my Mittens.

 

[LuluM]

I lost my beloved 12 year old cat, last October to scc mass under his tongue. The tumor grew so fast. He had dental cleaning just 8 months prior and had some gum inflammation. I only found out about the cancer 3 days before putting him to sleep. He started drooling only while he was eating and I cleaned him while feeding him just like you taking care of your little girl. I fed him beechnut stage 1 and gerber food stage 2 along with kitten pate. Six day before he passed, I noticed his breath was really bad, that was his only noticeable symptom. His drooling started only 2 days before. His tongue was not working properly and he was unable to lick the food. I had only hours to make the painful decision to have him euthanized. He was not hiding.He kept trying to eat but the base of his tongue was paralyzed.
Everything you are doing is exactly what my vet instructed me to do and feed. Sadly, I only had a weekend with my Mittens.

I’m so sorry about Mittens I know the pain of having to say goodbye so suddenly You did the best you could and I hope you are coping well. I’ve heard these stories with sudden Scc mass which did scare me for my cat but it seems it depends for every cat. Some have to say goodbye within weeks and some in a few years. It really sucks to have to come to the realization that my time with her is limited but at the same time I’m glad she was able to live long enough to be a senior granny.

 

[neely]

Any tips and advice is appreciated but specifically I want to know what else I could provide to prolong her life for example the type of wet food (any that help with cancer?), other medication

I'm very sorry to hear about your cat's diagnosis. Our last cat had cancer of the mandible also diagnosed during dental surgery for FORL. Our vet told us it was one of the most painful types of oral cancer. He prescribed Piroxicam which we had to get from a compound pharmacy. Piroxicam | PetMD

This paragraph helps to explain why it is recommended to treat oral cancers:
"Veterinarians primarily prescribe piroxicam for its anti-tumor effects. The exact way that piroxicam works against tumors is unknown, but it appears to treat cancer in several ways. Piroxicam acts on the immune system by helping it identify and kill cancer cells. Piroxicam, like other NSAIDs, works by inhibiting an enzyme called cyclooxygenase, or COX, which produces pro-inflammatory chemicals. Suppressing COX activity reduces inflammation that is caused by tumor cells. Piroxicam appears to also inhibit blood vessel growth in tumors."

I hope this information is helpful for you. Please keep us updated on your cat's progress.

 

[LuluM]

I'm very sorry to hear about your cat's diagnosis. Our last cat had cancer of the mandible also diagnosed during dental surgery for FORL. Our vet told us it was one of the most painful types of oral cancer. He prescribed Piroxicam which we had to get from a compound pharmacy. Piroxicam | PetMD

This paragraph helps to explain why it is recommended to treat oral cancers:
"Veterinarians primarily prescribe piroxicam for its anti-tumor effects. The exact way that piroxicam works against tumors is unknown, but it appears to treat cancer in several ways. Piroxicam acts on the immune system by helping it identify and kill cancer cells. Piroxicam, like other NSAIDs, works by inhibiting an enzyme called cyclooxygenase, or COX, which produces pro-inflammatory chemicals. Suppressing COX activity reduces inflammation that is caused by tumor cells. Piroxicam appears to also inhibit blood vessel growth in tumors."

I hope this information is helpful for you. Please keep us updated on your cat's progress.

Thank you so much for the info! This is very helpful and I will definitely ask my vet about this. Did the Piroxicam work well for your cat? Since it’s an NSAID I’m not sure if it’s safe to be taken with prednisone but it’s worth knowing I have other options if sometime in the future the prednisone stops working

 

[neely]

Did the Piroxicam work well for your cat? Since it’s an NSAID I’m not sure if it’s safe to be taken with prednisone but it’s worth knowing I have other options if sometime in the future the prednisone stops working

Yes, in the beginning it did help her but the vet discussed how quickly it had progressed. I agree if this is something you would like to pursue to talk to your vet.

 

[marshmallow2013]

The vet who diagnosed my cat prescribed Zydaclin drops and steroid injection. Although I wanted to try chemotherapy, the vet felt it was not the right choice for my cat. He told me some cats he treated for oral scc lived several months to a year with antibiotics and prednisolone with better quality of life. Unforturnately, my cat had the scc tumor under the tongue that was making it impossible for him to eat. I let him go early so he wouldn’t have to be without food for more than 8 hours. (He loved eating every 3-4hours). He was a maine coon mix, little over 17lbs before his cancer.

 

[LuluM]

The vet who diagnosed my cat prescribed Zydaclin drops and steroid injection. Although I wanted to try chemotherapy, the vet felt it was not the right choice for my cat. He told me some cats he treated for oral scc lived several months to a year with antibiotics and prednisolone with better quality of life. Unforturnately, my cat had the scc tumor under the tongue that was making it impossible for him to eat. I let him go early so he wouldn’t have to be without food for more than 8 hours. (He loved eating every 3-4hours). He was a maine coon mix, little over 17lbs before his cancer.

I see it must have been a tough decision for you to let him go. For my cat she has the tumor on her lower left jaw so she can still eat with her right side. In the future I may have to make the same decision as you did once she can no longer eat. Seems like once cats stop eating is when it’s time to decide the quality of life. I’m thankful that she is still eating well for now and I can only hope that it continues for as long as possible.

 

[marshmallow2013]

You are taking such great care of her. She is a very lucky girl. As long she is eating, she has a good quality of life.
Thank you for sharing Momo’s adorable photos.
Sending you hugs.