Lucky Has Bone Cancer... I need Info & Care Opinions

[TrucknGranny]

Hi,
Lucky is 9 years old and been with us 8 years, he's Lucky cause we busted him out of an adopt a pet prison. True it was a caring prison but bars are bars. 3 weeks ago Lucky developed a limp in his right front leg, we suspected a pulled muscle and didn't worry too much. BTW Lucky goes out during the day and returns home to sleep with mom every day just before dark. Anyhow after 2 weeks of limps with no sign of improvement I took him to the vet. Where they took x-rays and blood test and sent both off for second opinions cause they weren't quite sure what was wrong. Well today Doc called and its bone cancer, which I'm told is not the most common ailment in a cat. Well now I must decide care. Doc says the 1st thing we must do is get lung x-ray's to make sure they haven't been comprimised by the cancer, then proceed with our choice of care. Here are the options I was given.

1) If his lungs are clear, we can amputate his right front leg and there is a very good chance that will be the end of the cancer. However, this procedure will probably not be cheap and I'm on a pretty small income he may go thru this only to still face death by cancer.Lucky will now only have 3 legs... Thats a very big adjustment. I've never seen a cat without a front leg... Can they enjoy life? Have you ever seen a cat with a front leg gone? Also this is not a garuntee that the cancer will be gone

2) Keep him as comfortable as possible and probably get to the point of haveing to put him down in 3 to 6 months... bone cancer is not fun..I know my mom had it and she died when I was just 13. But she enjoyed life on the good days and she had all her limbs. Should I just leave Lucky intact and let him enjoy as much life as he can.

Well thats the facts what is your opinion?

[Lucinda]

Originally posted by TrucknGranny:
I've never seen a cat without a front leg... Can they enjoy life? Have you ever seen a cat with a front leg gone?

Yes, I've seen a 3-legged cat, and he was great! He was the "office cat" at the vet in my hometown. Because of his unique gait, they'd named him "Skippy."

Also, I get the Animal Planet channel on TV and on the "Emergency Vets" show, the amputation cases seem to adjust just fine.

[TrucknGranny]

Thanks for your reply. Lucky is going to get his lungs xrayed then we have decided to do the amputation if he can handle it.
wish us luck or pray for us which every you do best ...thanks

[Pieper's Mom]

Dear Granny: I'm praying for your little guy and for you. I, too, am on a limited income and know how much this operations means to you if you have opted for it.

Our local vet has a three-legged cat who gets along just fine...true, he is not an outdoor cat any longer, but he gets plenty of love and can sure get up and down out of those waiting room chairs well!

Please keep us posted!

------------------
"Cats are rather delicate creatures and can have many ailments, but I've never heard of one with insomnia." Joseph Wood Krutch

[TrucknGranny]

Thanks Pieper's Mom... Lucky is at the Vet's now having lung x-rays and work up's to determine his ability to undergo surgery.
8/11/00 9:30AM

[dogncatluvr]

TrucknGranny,
How is Lucky doing? Do you have test results back yet? I hope they are positive in that they will allow Lucky to be able to have his surgery. All the best to both of you.

[TrucknGranny]

Hi
Lucky is scheduled for surgery Aug 22. He has to take an liquid antibiotic 2x a day for the next week and he is not at all happy about the new treat. I can't say I blame him either if this stuff taste Half as bad as it smells. PEEEEEEYEWWWWWW.

[Pieper's Mom]

Poor ole Lucky...but perhaps bad tasting medicine will make even surgery seem better! Keep us posted...

------------------
If a cat spoke, it would say things like, "Hey, I don't see a problem here!"

[Gio]

Hi there,

I would have replied earlier but I only saw the post today. Don't worry even with only 3 legs cats can enjoy life, they might feel a bit frustrated sometimes when they cannot do certain things anymore (like jumping on top of high furniture) but they do adjust believe me. One of my three cats has lost most of one of her front legs in a car accident, her pelvis and one of her back legs were also badly broken (it happened when she was quite small and before I adopted her), she is fine now so full of life that we say that she could teach us humans a thing or two. When she walks she limps quite badly so she found the perfect solution, she just runs everywhere (her balance is better this way) and she is much faster than the other ones. She has also learned to break jumps into a series of smaller ones.

I also know a cat who has lost a leg when she was older than mine and she has also adjusted very well. She is so sweet, she walk up to people and asks to be scratched behind her earwhere she can no longer do it herself. This happened a few years ago and she is a very happy (and extremely spoilt) cat.

I'm sure that with all your love and support, your Lucky will adjust. Please write if I can give you any more advice. I'll be thinking of you and Lucky on August 22.

Take care
Gio

[HelenW]

Hi Truckngranny

Just to say we're thinking about Lucky and hope that everything goes well tomorrow.



------------------
Helen

[TrucknGranny]

Thanks Gio and Helen too. I have place a pic of Lucky on the web if you'd like to see him go to:
http://members.gvc.net/~rusler/Lucky.htm

[Betty]

Just visited Lucky's website - he's a sweetie. Please give him a hug for me - I know tommorrow is going to be tough day, but Lucky has lots of love and support coming his way. Take care.

[TrucknGranny]

Thanks

[dogncatluvr]

I'll be thinking of you and Lucky tomorrow, TrucknGranny. Hope that everything goes well. My Lab has to go in also to have a tooth pulled and a lipoma removed, but that is much less scary than Lucky's situation.
Good thoughts coming your way tomorrow!

[TrucknGranny]

Great News! Please go to Lucky's page and you don't even have to read the whole thing just go to the last two entries and all will be explained.... its wonderful Lucky is home all 4 legs intact.
http://members.gvc.net/~rusler/Lucky.htm

PS How's the Lab doing DognCatlvr?