Sick Cat, Squamous cell cancer on cheek/jaw

[maurac]

We took in a cat off the street that seemed sickly a year ago - he had a snorting, weezing sound when he breathed, but the doctor didn't know why and antibiotics didn't change it...he was always more lethargic than out others, but seemed happy and ate and walked about fine. A few days ago he woke up with a tumor on his jaw/cheek...the vet said there wasn't much to do (chemo and surgery seems awful and painful)...the poor cat won't come out of his bed hardly, and hardly ate today...I cannot see him suffer like this...he always drooled a little but lately he was leaving his tongue out often and drooling. I am devastated, but should I take him tomorrow to let go?....

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

So you just noticed the tumor a couple of days ago?  Could it just be that he is having a bad day today?  There have been other cats in this group with jaw tumors who stayed around until they had a difficult time eating, or the tumors became so large they interfered with their eyesight, or if they were in obvious pain.  Of course, only YOU can make the decision on what to do, knowing your kitty the best.  Did your Vet give you any indication of how large the tumor is, and/or how fast it is growing, ie, a time frame? 

Maybe this Quality of Life Scale will help you?  http://www.veterinarypracticenews.c...olumns/bond-beyond/quality-of-life-scale.aspx

 

[maurac]

Hi, yes he woke up with a swollen cheek/jaw, and since it was a Sunday I took him to the only 24 hour vet emergency service. They said they were 99 1/2% sure it was squamous - a tumor and due to the age and quick growing history, told us we can consider putting him down. Last night after a very lethargic day, my cat scratched this and it drained out, so now it doesn't look as swollen there. I am taking him today to our vet, I don't know what to do. His quality of life yesterday seemed awful, but maybe it was some other infection or abscess of some kind. We took this cat in a year ago, with 3 other homeless cats, and we also have 5 others that we keep inside (a mom and her babies we kept them all and fixed and gave them shots etc)....I am so depressed I don't want my kitty to suffer, but now he is a bit more alert....thank you for responding I appreciate it very much!

 

[di and bob]

Some evil person abandoned a cat with a tumor in his mouth in our neighborhood a few years ago, and he finally showed up at our house, scared, filthy, and drooling terribly. We took him to the vet and found he was terminal. We did end up giving him prednisone for a year, what a difference! He had much more energy, and played like a kitten! It was always so pathetic to me that he wanted love so bad and everyone shied away from him because of his drooling. Everyone except us of course, we bathed him, brushed him, and changed his bedding daily. He was declawed and neutered and regularly got beat up by the feral toms, but he was always purring and rubbing on us. The prednisone did lessen his drooling too, I wish we would have found it sooner. I gave it in a Greenie treat so it was no problem to administer. He had one year with us and then couldn't stand one morning, we took him back in and they said his hip was broken and it would be kinder to put him down then to have him endure all the treatments and surgery on top of his terminal illness. We held him and cried, we said goodbye. He went to sleep so fast it made us understand that he was definitely ready to let go of his pain.  I loved that little guy and was so happy to have known him. RIP Hobo, we love and miss you, wait for us at the Rainbow Bridge!

 

[maurac]

Thank you, I live across from a park, and I believe someone left this poor cat here because he was sick last year. We take care of as many as we possibly can and take them all for shots etc...perhaps the emergency doc misdiagnosed this for an abscess of some kind...if not when and if he gets so sick I will have to let go. But today he is more perky, ate and the draining seemed to relieve him a little. Thank you for answering I don't feel as alone...

 

[goholistic]

I'm so sorry to hear about this kitty. Bless you for caring for him as long as you have. 

Injuries and diseases of the mouth and face are, in my opinion, some of the worst. Go with your gut. If you see him suffering, you'll know what to do.  

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

So it seems more like an abscess?  That's great news (as opposed to a tumor).  Did you take him to your regular Vet?  If an abscess, then he may need an antibiotic, and they may want to make sure they clean it out, etc.  Or you can try to draw anything in there out by applying a warm compress to it.

that it is NOT a tumor!

BTW, if it IS an abscess, I think I'd go back to the ER Vet and demand my money back

, because they could have treated him properly and prevented a whole lot of heartache to you and pain for your furbaby, and possibly euthanasia for your little guy

 

[gardenandcats]

It does sound like a abccess to me also..Tumors don't usually just pop up over night. I would get a 2nd opinion..If its is a abccess yur cat need treatment for that

 

[maurac]

After a second opinion from my regular vet, he thinks it was an infection...sedated him and cleaned it with drains put in...my poor kitty is old and almost didn't wake up from sedation. Then he was kept in an oxygen tank after he awoke and walked around...but today he isn't eating   He has a shot of antibiotics in him and prednisone to help with his breathing condition (might be asthma or something)...worried he is just laying there looking miserable...I administered an 8hr shot of pain meds this morn, maybe it is ruining his appetite. Hoping for the best.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Well, it sounds like he's been thrrough quite a lot, even BEFORE this happened.  Hopefully once this heals up, he'll be as good as new

I'm not surprised he doesn't want to eat though, with that going on.  They actually had to put drains in, huh?  Did they work from inside his mouth, or from the outside?  I'll bet he's pretty sore.  Hopefully the pain meds will kick in and he'll start to feel a lot better.

 

[dan32]

If it is any consolation, I had a 15yo with a squamous cell tumor on his back.  The vet cut it out and it never came back.