Mr Meow is home, pictures added on post #80

[momcat]

Oh Jen, my heart goes out to you big time! Quite honestly, in your place I don't know what I would do. While the tumor seems to be growing quickly is cause for concern, the fact that Mr. Meow is doing well is definitely a positive. Your regular vet knows Mr. Meow much better than the vet you last spoke to (nothing against the vet). Maybe your best option right now is to talk to your regular vet about what to expect and what to do.

There's no question that all you want is what will be best for Mr. Meow. Please know that you both are in my prayers. I'm confident that you will make the right decision.

[jenluckenbach]

Mr. Meow is young, 3 to 5 years old (approximately).

I can't confer with my own vet until after the 17th (her vacation). So I will keep trying to find opinions and information until then. No use rushing into this.

But I would sure love to think that a tumor could be removed giving him more time with me.

[Catty1]

Jen, did you get my PM? It might sound weird...but run it by a specialist, and see if they have the technology...

If they could even 'freeze-dry' the thing...I know cryogenic treatment is used with tumours, but what kind, I don't know.

[jennielynn1970]

Have you taken Mr. Meow to Valley Central to see Dr. Hodges at all?? I mean, Joyce thinks so highly of him, and he did pull a bunch of our guys through when we thought nothing would help (look at Sneakers....). Dr. Hess gave me the same prognosis as Dr. Hodges did when it came to Alex back in February, when Dr. Fanelli missed it by a mile. I love his manner with the animals, but he's missed things before, or treated them differently than Dr. Hess, and Dr. Hess' ways have worked better with the ones he goofed up.

I didn't know that Mr. Meow was that young! Wow... I hope there is something they can do. It would be great if they could remove the tumor. If it's not attached to anything, and was movable, that's a better sign than being attached to something isn't it?? If it's small and hard and in a fixed spot, that's more likely to be a cancerous tumor than something squishy and movable (many times those are cysts). A lymph node, I'm not so sure about, cause those run throughout the body, and can spread cancer like they do in humans, but usually it's a group of lymph nodes, and not just one, right??

[Emeraldgreen]

It's so hard to know what to suggest. I have experienced both sides of the coin in the last few months. In one case, my cat Charlie who seemed in very good health and around the same age as your Mr. Meow (aged 6) had a golf ball sized lump on his side (that seemed to appear out of nowhere so I think it must have been fast growing) underwent a fine needle aspiration to make sure it wasn't an abscess or a fat deposit. It was neither. The vet wanted to put him under and take a biopsy but I asked him to take the whole thing if he was already going to be under. Charlie, died just after the surgery but the vet believes Charlie had cardiomyopathy which was unknown to everyone. The thing is though that the vet said the surgery itself went so well and that he managed to excise the tumor completely and he said he got all the surrounding tissue as well. Lab results later confirmed this. He said he was sure that Charlie would have gone on to live a very long life.
My other cat Tiger had a tumor removed from his nasal passage a few months ago as well at the age of 11. He wouldn't be here without the surgery because he was in terrible shape at the time so I'm so thankful we went through with it.
I think a fine needle aspiration is a good idea, they can do it so quickly and Charlie didn't seem to feel any discomfort when they did it right in the exam room. Perhaps there is a way to determine if Mr. Meow has any issue with Cardiomyopathy prior to anesthesia? I think if Mr. Meow is healthy otherwise and strong enough to handle the anesthesia that it might be a good option. But again, it's so hard to say what is the right thing. They're so important to us and these are very big decisions.

[Anikaca77]

Is there any way they could take an extra or do an ultrasound and maybe confirm that way that it is a tumor or not. Mr. Meow is so young.

You will what is best for you and him.

My prays are with you both.

Melissa

[jenluckenbach]

Jennie, Mr Meow saw Dr Hodges when he has his ultrasound. He is the vet who wanted to do te endoscopy.

Why would no one (3 vets saw him) offer a fine needle biopsy? It was never mentioned. This makes me wonder if it is not an option in his case?

This is all very confusing and stressful. Thank you for all your help.

[critters]

My ancient MamaCat had a huge adenocarcinoma that you could practically see growing. Dr. C operated, intending only to make her more comfy for the time she had left. That was 2 years ago last summer, and she's still going strong!!

[Craftlady]

Jennie, Mr Meow saw Dr Hodges when he has his ultrasound. He is the vet who wanted to do te endoscopy.

Why would no one (3 vets saw him) offer a fine needle biopsy? It was never mentioned. This makes me wonder if it is not an option in his case?

This is all very confusing and stressful. Thank you for all your help.

I think most general vet's probably dont do needle biopsy's. It wasnt until we went to specialist did they do one for Thumper. It's pretty quick and painless (they numb the area). The specium was sent to California for analysis.
It's not a cheap procedure.

[Medusa]

I think most general vet's probably dont do needle biopsy's. It wasnt until we went to specialist did they do one for Thumper. It's pretty quick and painless (they numb the area). The specium was sent to California for analysis.
It's not a cheap procedure.

My Creamsicle had a needle biopsy done when she first got the skin allergy because my vet thought she may have skin cancer. I don't recall it being that expensive, though I can check my records to be sure. If it's available to you, you may want to give it a try.

[Catty1]

I wonder if One by One would cover a needle biopsy?

Is an endoscopy terribly invasive? I am not sure what it is...

[Emeraldgreen]

A fine needle aspiration usually does not require any local or anything. They just insert a syringe and draw out a small sampling of fluid if there is any to be drawn out and then they squirt it out onto a glass slide and have a look at it under a microscope right there in the clinic. It only costs about 30.00 and it is rather basic but the vet can tell by the fluid drawn out if it is a fat deposit or if it is an abscess. If it is neither of those two, then the vet would probably suggest further testing. It's just a way of ruling out two less serious conditions before proceeding with other tests. My vet said that when the needle is put into the lump, they don't appear to feel much of anything in comparison to if a needle was inserted into a normal (unlumpy) area where they would feel it.

[Kirsten]

Why would no one (3 vets saw him) offer a fine needle biopsy? It was never mentioned. This makes me wonder if it is not an option in his case?

It could be that they did not mention it because the tumor is so deep in his abdomen. But honestly, even if it wasn't, I wouldn't do it. I heard too many stories of tumors "exploding" right after a biopsy, meaning they grow fast after the contact with oxygen.

But it's a tough question indeed. If Mr. Meow was 10 years older, I'd say enjoy the time you have, he's doing well, and it could still be more time than you're expecting (we were told to prepare to lose Rocky almost two years ago, on Christmas 2005, and now he lived till last week with his abdominal cancer).

But on the other hand, Mr. Meow is still so young... I really wouldn't know what to do. When I found the lump in Luna's shoulder last year, I decided against the surgery, just because I didn't want to put her through all that as she was just recovering from a bad episode of struvite crystals, and she really had enough. But there's a big chance that it's no cancer what Luna has. In Mr. Meow's case, you're pretty sure what it is...

It's such a tough decision. You know he deserves a chance, and I can understand your fear that they may find a situation worse than expected when they open him (I too saw many vet ER shows on tv lately ).

What does your heart tell you?

Kirsten

[kimlovescats]

What a horrible decision to have to make, Jen! All I can say is how I feel that I would react. I have also heard that opening someone up can make the cancer spread like a wildfire. I honestly think I would leave it alone, continue the depo shots and enjoy the time he has left. I wouldn't want to put him through the trauma of surgery at this point.

Hugs,
Kim

[Catty1]

IF it is cancer...that is what Jen would like to confirm.

Would a needle biopsy expose the mass to that much oxygen?

Conversely, could anything be injected INTO the mass to shrink it? Liquid nitrogen, something like that?

PT Prayers that you can find a simple way to get an answer, Jen!

Here is a link to a case study for a kitty with an abdominal mass, and the choices between ultrasound and surgery. A CT scan can apparently determine malignancy?

There are actual pics of this kitty's surgery, but you get warning - all the good text info is above that.

ALSO - they did a laparotomy, not full ab incision.


HUGS!