*Need advice* Senior cat has Oral cancer

[LuluM]

Hi, Just wanted to ask how Momo is doing?

I’m sorry for the late reply. Momo’s condition has been going up and down the past week. Some days she eats well and other days she’s in too much pain to eat. The past couple days her mouth has been bleeding excessively every time she eats on her own and it’s been a struggle having to clean her mouth every time. We got better syringes to feed her and that has been working well for the time being but now it’s reaching the point where she is in too much pain to enjoy it. My family and I have been stressing and crying over how we should go about making the final call. The medication only works for a few hours and that’s the time she eats, but her mouth starts bleeding a lot and that causes her pain. The tumor has grown so much that she tends to scratch at her swollen jaw which causes more bleeding. The constant cleaning and wiping caused her to lose fur around her chin. I’ve gotten feline ointment for her skin and it does help the itching. I can tell that the medication is starting to lose its effectiveness as the days go by and I’ve left a message to my vet about it and plan to make an appointment. Although her weight is maintained, it will be a struggle from here on out for her to enjoy eating food unless it’s for a couple hours of being medicated. I’m planning to speak with the vet about the bleeding and if there is another option for pain meds. If the pain is too much for her then that may be the time to make the final decision. In any case, I don’t want her to suffer from the pain even if she has a full stomach. There’s no point for her to deal with the pain if she can’t enjoy her life like she used to. Just seeing her jaw in that swollen state and see blood dripping out is too much for my family to witness. She also has started changing her sleeping spots to strange areas. Even though currently her body is active it’s only a matter of time before things go more downhill. It may be too much for us to bear to witness such deterioration. We don’t plan to make a decision right away, instead we will consult with the vet and the options available as well as have the vet check her current condition and make decisions based off that.

 

[white shadow]

Hi L LuluM

It's so very sad to read this but, of course, not surprising. I want to urge you to move on this with great haste. Life has been a wonderful, love-filled journey which is now reaching its finality. Everything you've written there says that she is on borrowed time and able to move on. Honestly, it's hard to imagine things 'going downhill' any further and, even more to the point, it's difficult to bear reading some of your post. Your writing is really saying that it is time now, and it's really beyond speaking with the Vet...she needs to be seen as quickly as you can bring her in. That's the most important gift she needs from you right now.

 

[di and bob]

Usually, when they start hiding and refuse to eat at all, it is time......My heart goes out to you, I will pray for your little girl......PS your vet can help you through this, they have been through this many times.

 

[marshmallow2013]

My cat was not hiding but was struggling to eat. Two days after his heavy drooling started, it became harder for him to eat. I had to let him go. No pain medication was helpful at the end stage of this cancer.
Momo knows you did everything you could for her. My heart breaks for you.

 

[LuluM]

My cat was not hiding but was struggling to eat. Two days after his heavy drooling started, it became harder for him to eat. I had to let him go. No pain medication was helpful at the end stage of this cancer.
Momo knows you did everything you could for her. My heart breaks for you.

The thing that has me conflicted is that Momo’s body is active. Some days she will behave like usual and suddenly next day she will hide and sleep. Today she is feeling good so she’s eating again and not hiding. I’ve got in touch with the vet and we decided to adjust the gabapentin to every 8 hours instead of 12. We have her scheduled to take her in on Monday since the vet is out of town. It would be easier for us to make a decision if she was in constant pain, but since there are days when she is feeling good and active it makes it harder for us to decide. We don’t have the heart to put her down during her good days. We will discuss with the vet about it anyway on when would be the appropriate time to make the call.

 

[Furballsmom]

It would be easier for us to make a decision if she was in constant pain, but since there are days when she is feeling good and active it makes it harder for us to decide.

There is a saying; it is far better a week too soon than a day too late.

This may help;
When Is It Time?: Making The Difficult Decision On Euthanasia - TheCatSite

 

[LuluM]

Update: Just came back from the vet, things are getting bad for Momo as expected. The vet took a look at her and said that the tumor has grown a lot more than before and judging from how it looks it’s quite painful for her. Her weight hasn’t dropped much and she still can eat liquid foods on her own which is still a good sign. The vet said that if the highest dosage of gabapentin no longer works for her or if she no longer is willing to eat then that’s when we have to make the call. Currently we are still on a lower dosage for her so we still have some time to increase the dosage if she starts to decline. The vet estimated 2 weeks so we will spend that time fully loving her and making her feel as comfortable as possible. As devastating as it is, it’s no surprise and at the very least we can spend time to send her off on a good note and get proper closure. I may make a final update when the time comes, but I like to thank everyone that helped me get through this tough time. The suggestions and tips you guys have given me helped a lot and to listen to your stories made me feel less alone. I’m happy to know that Momo is well loved and appreciated by all of you.

 

[fionasmom]

Please let us know how you are if you are able. In the meantime, spend as much time with Momo as possible and be good to yourself.

 

[LuluM]

Please let us know how you are if you are able. In the meantime, spend as much time with Momo as possible and be good to yourself.

Right now it’s a mixture of emotions that I can’t exactly describe. I’m hurt, but at the same time content with what I’ve done to help Momo thus far and knowing I can give my last goodbye to her. This is the first time I will have to euthanize a pet so the whole process is a bit jarring to think about. If there are owners who have experienced putting down a pet I will appreciate any advice or just reading your experience on it. It may take some time for me to cope as the time gets closer, but right now I’m just giving Momo all the love I can give without making myself cry. I’m telling myself that it’s too soon to shed tears.

 

[neely]

This is the first time I will have to euthanize a pet so the whole process is a bit jarring to think about. If there are owners who have experienced putting down a pet I will appreciate any advice or just reading your experience on it. It may take some time for me to cope as the time gets closer, but right now I’m just giving Momo all the love I can give without making myself cry. I’m telling myself that it’s too soon to shed tears.

I'm sorry Momo and you are going through this but having been there many times, both with cats and dogs, I can honestly tell you it hurts. However, you sound very realistic and understand that you don't want her to suffer. Your vet also sounds compassionate and caring which is a blessing. Regarding telling yourself it's too soon to shed tears is okay but please know it's alright to cry anytime you feel sad or overwhelmed. There's no specific timeline and tears can sometimes be cathartic. You have given Momo the best life full of joy and comfort. When the time comes we will be here for you to lean on. Sending special thoughts and group hugs.

 

[LuluM]

I'm sorry Momo and you are going through this but having been there many times, both with cats and dogs, I can honestly tell you it hurts. However, you sound very realistic and understand that you don't want her to suffer. Your vet also sounds compassionate and caring which is a blessing. Regarding telling yourself it's too soon to shed tears is okay but please know it's alright to cry anytime you feel sad or overwhelmed. There's no specific timeline and tears can sometimes be cathartic. You have given Momo the best life full of joy and comfort. When the time comes we will be here for you to lean on. Sending special thoughts and group hugs.

Thank you so much for your kind words I got a bit teary eyed just reading this and I will definitely be here when I need someone to talk to

 

[Furballsmom]

If there are owners who have experienced putting down a pet I will appreciate any advice or just reading your experience on it.

There are threads including mine in the crossing the bridge forum. I don't know if that forum is a good place for your headspace now, and my post about Poppy is a little different perspective than what you're looking for, but even so I don't mind the opportunity to share him with someone else

Poppycat

 

[silent meowlook]

The first actual pet of mine that I made the decision to euthanize, wasn’t all that long ago. It was in 7/30/2017. My cat, Rusty was 17 years old and had advanced renal failure. He had always had allot of health issues but this was bad. I treated him at home with multiple medications, oral and fluids. He had been a robust 17 lb cat and he deteriorated to about 6 lbs. Everyday I did his treatments morning and night and when doing them I sort of checked out mentally like I was disconnected. That is something I had to learn working at emergency vet hospitals, because you have to check your emotions and do your job in order to save an animal.
I was using the cat vet I had worked for at the time, and she was great. Allowing me to treat him at home to avoid the stressed out car ride and visit.
One day as I was leaving for work, my boyfriend confessed that he was very concerned that Rusty would die when I wasn’t home.
I should have seen how bad Rusty had become, but I refused to allow myself to think about it. I called my vet the next day on a Sunday and said I needed to euthanize Rusty. She was doing some things and said she would call back when she was free. I took Rusty for a walk outside on a harness and leash because he always wanted to go out. He immediately looked better because of the adrenaline and he rolled outside and looked like he had fun. When I brought him back in I went out and waited in the garage for the vets call. I couldn’t be with Rusty. I stayed in a disconnected sort of mind set.

It was maybe six hours later when she called and I realized I hadn’t moved for about 4 hours. I got Rusty into his carrier and my other cat Cheetah was confused. It was an hour drive. I got to the hospital and met the vet. In the exam room when I took Rusty out of the carrier, I could see the look of horror on the vets face. She covered it up quick, but I saw it. I finally actually looked at him myself and saw how emaciated he had become. I felt sick. Rusty then tried to catch a fish in the fish tank and I pathetically used that as justification for why I hadn’tdone anything sooner. She gave Rusty an injection of pain medication and did an exam.

She palpated his abdomen and said “ Didn’t you feel this giant mass in his abdomen?” I think she must have read my pain on my face and she down played it. I offered up some excuse trying to put myself in a positive light by saying I didn’t want to stress him etc. She gave the second injection. ( there were 3)
The room was quiet. I felt strange. It was dark and I made small talk with her about work until he fell asleep deeply. I had a weird dejavu experience from a dream where I had realized it was too late to stop the process.

I stood there petting his orange and white fur covering just his skeleton as he was so thin. She gave the final injection and I literally felt and saw his spirit or whatever it was ride up out of his body and was gone. I don’t really know how to describe this as it was a feeling and something indescribable. It wasn’t a bad thing at all. I mean the situation was bad but his spirit leaving his sick body wasn’t.

I am not a religious person and have mixed feelings about everything and I am always skeptical. This was a very strange experience and I wish I could describe it better. But I knew he was ok and at peace and he would be loved.

Afterwards I went home and had a white owl drive into my windshield. I went back to look for him but he was dead. I tried to work that in my mind as some sort of thing but wound up with owl and me in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I grieved for Rusty because I missed him and felt I really messed up and hurt him by letting him suffer so long but I didn’t feel bad about his death, if that makes sense.

I don’t know if that is the kind of thing you wanted to read, and I am sorry if it isn’t. But, that was my experience with euthanizing my own cat.

 

[marshmallow2013]

You have kept Momo comfortable all through this terrible cancer. She is so lucky to have so much love and care. Euthanizing a very sick animal is showing your endless devotion. Please take care of yourself. It’s such a difficult time emotionally and physically.

 

[eevans3373]

The thing that has me conflicted is that Momo’s body is active. Some days she will behave like usual and suddenly next day she will hide and sleep. Today she is feeling good so she’s eating again and not hiding. I’ve got in touch with the vet and we decided to adjust the gabapentin to every 8 hours instead of 12. We have her scheduled to take her in on Monday since the vet is out of town. It would be easier for us to make a decision if she was in constant pain, but since there are days when she is feeling good and active it makes it harder for us to decide. We don’t have the heart to put her down during her good days. We will discuss with the vet about it anyway on when would be the appropriate time to make the call.

You *really* don't want it to get to the stage where she has nothing but bad days. It's gets very unpleasant. Give her a week then send her on her way. It's the last gift you can give her.

 

[LuluM]

My family and I have set an appointment for Sunday….
We have spent the past few days spoiling Momo with so much of her favorite things. Although her body moves fine, my mom finds it hard to look at her jaw and wants to let her rest. Her pain comes and goes as we increase the dosage day by day. She can lick liquid foods but only when she is feeling good. Her main source of food is now from a syringe and slowly it’s getting more difficult to feed her. Recently her nose started getting congested and her eyes starts to water. Every time she drinks water or eats it gets really messy and some of the food will stick to her nose so we have to wipe her really well with a warm towel. Some days she would feel better and walk around and explore. Yesterday she walked outside to the balcony like she used to, enjoying the outside air one last time. Her weight isn’t dropping much but my family and I decided to let her rest before it gets to that point. As the time gets closer, the heavier our hearts get. A lot of conflicting emotions that I can’t describe right now. I just hope she understands that we love her so much to the very end.

 

[neely]

I just hope she understands that we love her so much to the very end.

This last sentence really got to me and, yes, she knows that you gave her a wonderful forever home and is grateful she spent the best years of her life with you. We will be thinking of Momo and you on Sunday.

 

[fionasmom]

Please remember that we are here for you.

 

[marshmallow2013]

You gave her such great care and love. Thinking of you and Momo during this difficult time.

 

[white shadow]

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